Thank you, Mr. Chair. So with regards to the data that -- the data analysis that we conducted for that research, right now the first step -- this is being through the economic development working group through the NWT Council of Leaders -- we are using the basis of the RDPs as the first step and from there, where we're going to identify any gaps that are -- any gaps in the data. And after, once we identify those gaps, we will then reach out to perhaps academic institutions on who can help us, would be best placed to do that economic analysis going forward.
Thank you. I'll go back to the Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I appreciate that answer from the department and would just again -- yeah, just re-emphasize the point that, yeah, I would like to see a combination of the voices of the NWT enhanced by expert analysis and then planning for how we can move the needle in certain sectors because it does take -- it does take a well laid plan in order to get action that would be effective. So thank you. Those are all my comments I think on the business plan. Let me just check my notes before I cede the chair.
Those are my business plan related comments. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Next on my list I have got the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I was just refreshing my memory through the business plan and this, I think, specifically speaks to policy work in corporate management so I hope it's appropriate for me to ask here.
I was, you know, grateful to be able to attend the NWT Association of Communities AGM last weekend, and there was a lot of conversation in the bear pit around emergency management and I was looking at ITI's items under -- or sorry, emergency management and business continuity. And it says here that you are developing guidelines in partnership with the chambers of commerce, another important partner to make sure we're all prepared for any emergency that might come our way. It also says that you're expecting this to be published in the spring. Can I please get an update on that work, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Through yourself, I'd like to pass to assistant deputy minister Cyr.
Thank you. I'll go to the ADM.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So with regards to the business continuity guidelines that we're working in concert with the city of Yellowknife and the NWT chambers, we are looking to publish that. We're just in the final steps of approvals from the various chambers, and we're hoping to release that in hopefully early spring before the fire season.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you. That's great to hear. So how are you working with industry on specific needs targeted to various NWT regions on that? Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we're working through MACA. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for that clarification. That jives a little bit better in my mind so that is good to hear.
I am curious, following up on the questions from my colleague from Frame Lake around the economic vision and sort of visionary pieces. Could additional information be provided on the pan-territorial resources investment marketing initiative and how that relates to the economic vision that work is being done? Thank you, Mr. Chair
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, that initiative is focused on really investment attraction for critical minerals. This past week, on Sunday night at PDAC in Toronto, we were able to host an event in conjunction with Nunavut and the Yukon, and it was incredibly well attended by both politicians, investment individuals, and business owners. And so we hope to continue to build off that momentum. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Great to hear. And also in your business plan, I believe under economy because that's your largest section, which makes sense, we're speaking about implementing actions under the priorities for critical minerals in the NWT. How is that work going along? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, certainly we are working on everything to do with critical minerals on basically a daily basis within the department, especially this time of year. I've just come off of a bit of a whirlwind of critical mineral events, both in Vancouver and Toronto. We continue to advance critical mineral work on all fronts, including in our geoscience database building, in our investment attraction, in making sure that we're informing the world about all the projects that are on the go here in the Northwest Territories. And we also have our Northwest Territories geological survey that is consistently successfully leveraging money from federal funding pots, and they do just incredible work and I can't toot their horn enough. So thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.
I don't know how to respond to toot your horn.
You don't have a clever pun?
I don't. I'm really tired today, Mr. Chair. But, you know, I appreciate that. Maybe a more detailed breakdown of what actions are completed and what are -- were still outstanding would be great to share with Members. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, if possible, one of the things that I'm going to do today is swap out different staff when we get to different sections and so maybe we can come back around to that when we get to the petroleum -- minerals and petroleum resources section of the main estimates today. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further.
Thank you. Is there any more questions from Members? Seeing none, no further questions, please turn to page 235.
Industry, Tourism and Investment, corporate operation, operations expenditure summary, 2025-2026 Main Estimates, $10,243,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Go down to economic diversification and business support beginning on page 237 with information items on page 242. Are there any questions? I'm going to go to the Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my first question -- I know it was a small item, but I note that advancing the knowledge economy item is removed this year. I just want to know what have we lost there, if the Minister can help us understand it better. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we had some funding that was allocated to this work and, unfortunately, that funding has been sunset and so we no longer have that funding within the advancing the knowledge economy section. So those contributions were for planning, research, and public engagement on advancing the knowledge economy, enhancing business support services in NWT regions, and the development of regional economic development plans. And as we've already talked about as well today, those regional economic development plans are now available online. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. What's going on next to me here; what's all this waving about?
Mr. Chair, the next question I had was when will the program review of the SEED policy be completed? And also how will the department ensure that SEED funding supports mentorship and capacity building? Thank you -- or, actually, you know what, let's go one question at a time. When will the program review of the SEED policy be completed? Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, we go out with an RFP to do a complete review of this program in April of this year. And with that, we will do a very robust review of the SEED program with the intent of releasing a new policy next year. Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Frame Lake.
Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. I think that's it. Give me one second here. Sorry, I've got like four pages of notes. Yeah, no, I wanted to ask a couple more questions about SEED. So how will the department ensure that SEED funding supports mentorship and capacity building through this review? Thank you.
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, nothing is off the table with the review. We intend to do a very wholistic review of the program from start to finish and everything in between. The program, as it currently stands, does have both of those things, and so that will be a very natural input into the review. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I'll go to the Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And certainly I can just say, you know, I hope that this comes up during the review but something that was pointed out to me by constituents, who are small business owners, is certainly ITI's been really good at getting -- helping businesses get off the ground, and the SEED program's been great for that. But what I've heard people are struggling with is, you know, they get a bit of support to get off the ground but maintaining a business in the Northwest Territories can be really challenging. And so that's one piece of feedback. I don't need a response from the Minister unless she's interested in commenting. But that was a piece of feedback I heard at the doors and stuck with me that we -- you know, just as important as fostering new is ensuring that we maintain what's existing so that, you know, we don't have this constant kind of hamster wheel of businesses opening and closing, opening and closing. You want things to sustain, for people to have a sustainable employment and sustainable income. So that's maybe something we can look into with the SEED program, ways that we can shift into kind of better support for maintenance -- maintaining kind of momentum. Thank you, Mr. Chair. If the (audio) --
Thank you. I'll go to the Minister to respond.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, as a business owner who has actually dabbled in the SEED program, I certainly have my own ideas of how to improve the program. The program itself is not meant to be something that people apply for every year. It is meant to be a piece that really propels businesses to the next level. There are Northerners who have used SEED program in order to write business plans and get support in that sense to ensure that they are putting together a business idea and the supports that go along with it that make a robust and self-reliant business plan at the end of the day. If people are looking for kind of the next stage of game changer investment in their businesses, there are additional programs that the Government of the Northwest Territories does have to support that, whether that's through Community Futures or through Prosper NWT, there are kind of a spectrum. But one of the things that this SEED review really is lending to is to ensure that we are affording Northerners access to that spectrum of support services and investments into business growth in the territory. And one of the best ways, really, to ensure that our local businesses are supported is to ensure that we are supporting local as residents and to ensure that we are all contributing to growing our economy at the end of the day because a healthy economy supports a healthy economy. So thank you for the Member's comments, and I certainly take them to heart.
Okay, thank you. Next on my list I have is the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in this activity, ITI is budgeting a $2.2 million reduction for economic diversification, which is a little concerning considering where we're at in the geopolitical world that has been thrust upon us. So can the department please provide more clarity on this reduction. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.
