Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise today to provide Members and the public with information on the progress made to date on the Deh Cho Bridge Project.
The Deh Cho Bridge Project is being undertaken as a public-private partnership with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, which is owned by the Dene and Metis of the community of Fort Providence. In years to come I expect the Deh Cho Bridge will be a symbol of what can be accomplished through community partnerships.
This project has had its share of challenges, but these challenges have been effectively addressed as they have arisen. As a result, I am pleased to note that the project is now 50 percent complete and will soon reach a significant milestone: the completion of the foundation work. That will be the point at which we are out of the water, leaving behind the highest risk component of the entire project.
We’ve also undertaken a detailed review of the bridge superstructure design. The review, which is now essentially complete, will result in a design that is more conventional, simpler to construct and at a lower cost. The new design will ensure that the bridge will serve us well for its entire expected lifespan of 75 years.
The project is on track for completion by November 2011, one year later than originally planned. We will soon have a new general contractor able to complete the remaining two years of the project. The Government of the Northwest Territories and our partner, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, have, therefore, risen above the challenges which we have been presented and are ready to complete this project, with benefits to the people of the North Slave region and to all the residents of the Northwest Territories.
The Deh Cho Bridge Project has been talked about and planned for over 50 years. From the time the highway was constructed connecting Yellowknife to the rest of Canada, it has been recognized that the economic life of the North Slave region was connected to the rest of the Northwest Territories by a very fragile thread, with seasonal and occasional interruptions in service affecting road transportation and travel for several weeks of the year.
Through this public-private partnership, the Government of the Northwest Territories at last received the means to move forward with this important piece of infrastructure, without depleting our limited capital resources which are needed for infrastructure requirements in other parts of the Northwest Territories.
Many benefits come from the construction of the Deh Cho Bridge. Some of the examples include an all-weather road access to and from the North Slave region that will be available for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and no longer will travellers have to choose air transportation or put off travelling altogether because they chose the wrong time of the year to cross the Mackenzie River.
The bridge toll was also set so that the economic benefits associated with the bridge will be greater than the cost of the toll. The bridge will result in savings from efficiencies and trucking operations. Commercial carriers will be able to operate their fleet year round without interruptions for breakup or during freeze-up. Their drivers will be able to travel the highway 24 hours a day, without overnight waits or even the wait for the ferry to get to their side. More competition can be expected as the risks associated with freight transportation over a ferry and ice crossing system is reduced. A more efficient trucking system will further reduce the costs for businesses, industries and individuals in the North Slave region.
And let us not forget the environmental and safety risks that exist any time you operate a ferry service or an ice bridge. The risk of fuel spills will be substantially reduced once a permanent bridge is in place. Idling vehicles waiting for the ferry will also no longer be necessary. The need for approximately half a million litres of fuel currently being used by the Merv Hardie will be eliminated, helping the GNWT to meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets, and damage to the ferry from ice will no longer be an occurrence.
There are other benefits that arise any time you improve transportation infrastructure. Residents lose the sense of isolation that comes from being unable to travel when and where one chooses. Potential investors will look more seriously at the region with a reliable transportation system. Employment and economic opportunities increase and people everywhere in the Northwest Territories benefit.
We are looking to the future of the Deh Cho Bridge Project with confidence. A key piece of infrastructure will be put in place without sacrificing roads and bridges that are needed in other parts of the Territory. The completion of the bridge will be a significant achievement for the government and people of the Northwest Territories. In less than two years this will be a reality. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism, and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
