Debates of February 3, 2006 (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement, I indicated that the government is receptive to the 22-kilometre access road from Tuk to source 177. I appreciate the receptiveness, Mr. Speaker, however, we need to continue the momentum by pursuing the implementation of the document, Corridors for Canada II. The question I have for the Minister of Transportation is, with the release of the document Corridors for Canada II, can the Minister of Transportation provide me with the next step and when the government will be able to implement the funding identified in Corridors for Canada II? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of gravel in the community of Tuktoyaktuk and the source of gravel has been a long-standing one that the community has raised on a number of occasions and the department has been looking at for a long time now. In the 1990s, they were able to construct a kilometre road and there is still another 22 kilometres that have to be constructed. We did have several meetings with the community and members of the community over the last while to discuss this issue. We looked at different ways that we could try to fast track some of this with the federal government. We have, as a government, included it in our Corridors for Canada II, as the Member has mentioned. We’ve also included the whole portion of the road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk in other document called Connecting Canada. We’ve also shared this information with other organizations, such as the Business Coalition, and have been talking about how and what our next steps are going to be. We are waiting to see who will be the Minister, and we are in the process of drafting a plan to approach the federal government to present this to them.

However, having said that, at our meetings with the community, we’ve talked about our other options of what we can do in the interim. The communities indicated to us that they would like to start an engineering assessment of this stretch of road from Tuktoyaktuk to source 177. The federal government sat in on a meeting. We both agreed, as the territorial government and as the federal government, to provide some dollars to the community. An amount of $50,000 was requested and we have provided our share of $25,000 and sent it over to the community.

The other thing that we are looking at as an option is the possibility of doing a P3 project. Our departments have been working together to do an assessment of what the needs are in the community of Tuktoyaktuk over the next 20 years. We have been able to identify that there is a need of 200,000 cubic metres of gravel in the community. That doesn’t include other needs such as the actual gravel needs for construction of a road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister. We did sit down and get some money from the GNWT and the federal government, up to $50,000. I am well aware of that. The Minister mentioned a P3 project. Where is that process now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community of Tuktoyaktuk and several representatives had talked about the possibility of looking at an option of entering into an agreement to sign a P3 project that would provide gravel to the community on a cost-recovery basis. The first step in doing that was to do an assessment of how much gravel was needed in the community. We’ve done some very conservative estimates. That number is 200,000 cubic metres. That doesn’t include the requirements for erosion control, for the Inuvik-Tuk highway, for other growth in the community. We know there is a need for a new subdivision in that community and approximately 30 or 40 lots that need to be developed. This does not take that into account, but there is a huge need. We are providing that information to the community. We will continue to work to see if there is some viability in developing a P3 project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if I am allowed to ask this question, but I will let you determine that. I noticed that, in the Finance Minister’s budget, he identified $11 million for the Mackenzie Valley winter road bridge program in his budget speech. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, I guess, why there wasn’t any thought in putting any money into the budget for the source access road. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Mr. Speaker, the money included in the budget is money identified on a cost-shared basis through agreements with the federal government. There were a number of projects that were included in our submission called Corridors for Canada. There was also the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program and other agreements signed with the federal government. Some of these were earmarked for specific areas. In the case of the bridging program and the Mackenzie Valley roads, it was to deal with some of the resource development pressures. We had included the Tuk to Inuvik stretch of road in our submission. It was not accepted. It did not meet the criteria for the federal government. That is why it is not in this budget, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have one last question for the Minister. Is there any possibility that the department can find extra funds for this winter to actually pour some gravel from the source to town, Tuktoyaktuk? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Mr. Speaker, we are doing an assessment of the gravel needs in the community. Transportation has taken the lead on some of this stuff to provide the stockpiling. I couldn’t tell you right now whether that is going to happen in Tuk this year. We have to do an assessment with all of the different departments and see what their needs are in terms of requirements for this coming fiscal year. I will have to get back to the Member as to if there will be a stockpiling program or not this year. Thank you.