Debates of March 10, 2005 (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I previously spoke about the concerns for the health of my constituents and the adverse effects that dust in our communities has on the elders and other people. Can the Minister of MACA confirm that the chipsealing program in the Sahtu will continue and that it’s on track and on time? I’m concerned, Mr. Speaker, because I heard that MACA may discontinue this program after they have chipsealed Fort Good Hope. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 593-15(3): Chipseal Program In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe our chipseal program is on schedule and on time and we have no intention to, at this point, discontinue the program. It’s a real need in all our small communities and some of our larger ones, also. But at this point, while we’re doing the chipseal and following our schedules, we are also looking at alternative methods to deal with some of the dust problems. The chipseal program, although it serves its purpose, it’s only geared towards chipsealing one stretch of road in a community which usually is the main street. We still have the dust problems in other areas of the community. So we, as a department, have hired a consultant. We are looking at what are the options out there in terms of controlling the dust. We’re expecting a report and we’d like to see if there are ways that we can do this more cost-effectively. If we can do that, then we will start looking at ways we can do more streets and more roads and then we’d consider moving away from the program. At this point we’re not entertaining that unless something better comes along. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 593-15(3): Chipseal Program In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m concerned that the roads in my communities are not chipsealed soon. I have a schedule here in front of me. The roadbeds may become damaged. Traffic and trucks are increasing in the small communities and the roads are taking more punishment than they’re built for. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs if it doesn’t make more sense to chipseal now or use that alternative solution on our roads than to avoid more expensive repairs later on in the year. Can the Minister of MACA please tell me if the department has considered this option? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 593-15(3): Chipseal Program In The Sahtu Region

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure what alternative option he’s looking at. That is why we’ve hired a consultant to look at what is out there in terms of dust control. We know there’s calcium, but some communities are quite concerned about how harmful it would be to the environment. There are other things such as what we’re using on some of our airports. It’s called EK-35. We’ve used it as dust suppressant on our airports. Most of the communities are quite happy with it. However, it’s quite costly and we’re not sure how corrosive it is, so we would need somebody to do an analysis of it and get back to us and also look at other options that we may have not seen or thought of at this point. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish with this study. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 593-15(3): Chipseal Program In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA to tell me whether or not any of the new money like the municipal rural infrastructure fund or the gas tax money from the federal government can be used to speed up the process by which communities in the Sahtu are getting their roads chipsealed. Or if this money cannot be used directly for chipsealing, maybe it will free up some other money that can be used to advance the chipsealing schedule for the Sahtu. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 593-15(3): Chipseal Program In The Sahtu Region

Mr. Speaker, the monies that come for some of the programs that are being unveiled by the federal government, such as the MRIF and the gas tax, come with certain conditions and criteria. Although we’re quite familiar and quite certain with what the conditions and criteria the MRIF money will be tied to, the gas tax is not something we have an agreement on and we have only started negotiations last week. We can safely say that some of the money can be spent in the area of roads and bridges, however, most of the dollars will be earmarked towards sustainable infrastructure. I don’t have a definition of what that could mean and could include at this point.

It’s difficult to answer the questions regarding whether this can be spent on chipseal. My guess would be that it couldn’t be, but it probably could help us in stabilizing the base of the road or providing some of the upkeep and doing some of the drainage work that is needed. That has yet to be determined. We should have some answers, as I indicated to some of the other Members, by the end of March or early April. We should also have our study in place that gives us some options of how we can deal with dust in the communities. We have done a number of roads in communities and in some cases it really has not made a whole lot of difference when we pave one street and all the other streets are still not being treated with any type of dust suppressant. I should point out to the Member though, in our community government funding we do provide some monies to the communities to put calcium or some type of dust control on the roads. That money is already there. The chipsealing program is over and above that and it was planned to be a top-up and most communities are now looking at it as the only method of doing some dust control. That shouldn’t be the case. There are still dollars in their funding to buy their own calcium or do their own dust control treatment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The time for oral questions has expired; however, I’ll allow the Member his final short supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 593-15(3): Chipseal Program In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the winter road does come into the community of Tulita and I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation if he’s considering paving the ice winter road. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 593-15(3): Chipseal Program In The Sahtu Region

Mr. Speaker, the Member would have to demonstrate to me that it’s something that would be sustainable. So I would have to see those types of studies first.

---Laughter