Mr. Speaker, it’s no surprise to this Assembly and certainly not to the Transportation Minister that I’ve been in support of the extension of the Yellowknife runway. I feel it will open up a new tourism corridor, whether it’s for tourism or even business through flights over the top as they bring flights from Asia to North America.
I believe that expanding the runway in Yellowknife to accept larger planes will help not just Yellowknife. I think it will bring an economic boom throughout the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, as I understand it, there’s new information coming out that the Ministry of Transportation is well aware of. There’s a master plan that’s being looked at for the Yellowknife Airport.
My question to the Minister of Transportation is: when can we expect this master plan to be completed and ready for public consumption?
The Member is correct in terms of a study being conducted. The study is being conducted by ITI and [inaudible]. We’re in phase 2 of the study. I’ll be happy to share that with colleagues and Members once the study is released.
I also want to assure the Member that as Minister of Transportation, I’m looking at investment in all areas and locations across the Northwest Territories to ensure that safety and efficiency is our number one priority in our transportation system.
I’d like to know if the Minister of Transportation has been working with the Minister of ITI — the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Investment — to discuss and further find out more information as to the economic boom that would be provided to the Northwest Territories.
Is the study looking at those types of considerations? Is his department working with ITI to make sure this relevant information is being brought forward to make the business case to expand the Yellowknife Airport?
The Department of Transportation is working very closely with the Department of ITI, under the direction and leadership of Minister Bob McLeod, in putting this study together in terms of the Yellowknife Airport runway extension.
We are working with other stakeholders, such as the city, air carriers, Transport Canada in terms of seeing the benefits. And of course, I would be happy to sit down with Members once we have this study before us and have some discussion.
The Member may well be aware that I've tabled a document on runway licence studies. Certainly, there are comments in there about the 23rd-busiest airport in Canada, which is the Yellowknife territorial airport.
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Transportation knows, runways are an extremely vital piece of infrastructure to any area, region or territory.
I'd like to know what the Minister is doing to pursue funding for this potential project. And if I may underscore, I think we just received a promissory note of $245.8 million. I'd like to hear what he’s doing to make sure the Yellowknife Airport runway extension is being considered in that potential pot of money.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to discussing with all Members of the standing committee, with my colleagues, once we have an idea as to types of priorities, where we want to invest in the Northwest Territories.
Certainly, the report from the runway-length study has identified some priorities there. I look forward to discussion with my honourable colleagues, and with the standing committee in terms of where we will have the best returns on investment, as a government, within this term.
We will work with the Member, and again, I will share that information once I have the final document.
Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
I again reaffirm my belief that this will open up international tourism as well as international business.
One thing the Minister neglected to mention was: when can I expect this study to be open for public consumption? When does the Minister expect that this study will be made available for everyone to take a good look at?
Mr. Speaker, I want to let the Member know it will be available within a couple of months. I will communicate more with my colleague Minister Bob McLeod. I will get back to the Member in terms of the exact decision regarding the date.
