Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Continuing with the main theme here on the Deh Cho Bridge today, I have some questions for the Minister of Transportation. What is the expected time of completion or payback on the mortgage or bonds that we currently hold on the Deh Cho Bridge?
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thirty-five years. Thank you.
My next question is concerning the tolls on the bridge and what effect those tolls will have on the repayment of that debt service.
Thank you. We’re anxious to begin growing our resources here in the Northwest Territories and in the Slave Geological Province. A lot of revenue will depend on truck traffic across the Deh Cho Bridge. So if we can grow our economy and get more trucks moving across that bridge, we’ll increase the revenue there. So again, it’s all dependent upon truck traffic that crosses that bridge. Thank you.
Thank you. As my colleagues have indicated some of the concerns with the high cost of the bridge, one of my questions is what has been removed from the bridge project that was in the original design of the bridge?
Thank you. I missed the beginning of the Member’s question. So perhaps you could allow him to re-ask that question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bouchard, could you speak into the mic?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll ask my question again. As I indicated, I was concerned with the high costs of the bridge, but my next concern was the items that have been removed from the bridge, from the original design. What items have been removed?
Thank you. Those items would predate my tenure as Minister of Transportation, but I’d be more than happy to get that for the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question is the estimated cost of delivery of some products to the North and to Yellowknife and beyond. Does the Minister have any indication of the costs these tolls will have on commodities in the Northwest Territories?
Yes, years ago there were looks into that subject, but really it remains yet to be seen on what that impact would be. Some would argue that there wouldn’t be an impact, others would say there is and that’s been the debate since I’ve been a Member of this House since 2003. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
