Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke about the energy initiatives in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories. I was pleased to hear the Minister, during our debriefing this morning on the Mackenzie Gas Project, on the possibility of how the GNWT can help the communities of Tulita, Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope in terms of the conversion to natural gas. Can the Minister inform me in the House in terms of where they are at with this study in terms of converting to natural gas in communities in the Sahtu?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have undertaken at least two studies on the feasibility of undertaking community conversions to natural gas along the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline right-of-way. We also participated in the Ikhill transmission line where Inuvik converted to natural gas. So we participated in that process. A large part of whether we continue with natural gas conversion in the communities the Member mentioned is the Joint Review Panel of the Mackenzie pipeline to see what the recommendations would be contained therein.
Can the Minister inform me as to how much has been invested into the feasibility studies for the natural gas conversions?
I don’t have the exact numbers, but I think the first study was $50,000, and I expect the second one to update the original study was probably in the neighbourhood of $25,000.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister look into the possibilities of developing a cogeneration plant in the Sahtu?
This government, for the first time, put in a $60 million budget to look at alternative forms of energy so that we can reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. We have a number of projects in the works, including a hydro symposium in the Sahtu, and certainly we are looking at all forms of alternative energy and we would be prepared to look at cogeneration. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. People in the Sahtu certainly appreciate the funds for the hydro symposium. Can I ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, as a result at the conclusion of the hydro symposium, would this government seriously look at construction of some of the initiatives that they could do in the Sahtu to reduce the cost of energy?
There are quite a number of possibilities not only for the Sahtu region, but with regard to the Sahtu. I guess the immediate one that comes to mind is the conversion to natural gas that would reduce the cost of living. Secondly, you’d be looking at hydro, also mini-hydro, hydrokinetics that could work under the ice and certainly cogeneration and, of course, biomass, which would be a significant form of energy as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
