Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have seen in the news and my colleagues and the Cabinet have heard people talk about turn-offs and the shape that they are in, and in my riding people are asking who is responsible for this. I assumed it was ITI or ENR or both of them, but I was not totally sure. Can the Minister responsible for Infrastructure identity who is responsible for what with these road turnoffs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Infrastructure and the Department of ITI on these roadside turn-offs. The ones that have washrooms available, the Department of ITI looks after that. As for the garbage disposal at the turn-offs and the cleaning of snow removal and the grading and such, it is the Department of Infrastructure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity about three weeks ago to travel from Fort Simpson to Grande Prairie and stopped at the various roadside stops just to stretch our legs as we moved on to Grande Prairie. My concern was that the garbage was spread around the facility. Can the Minister advise the House how much of the area surrounding the turn-off facility is taken care of by the Department of Infrastructure?
The turn-off responsibility would be the Department of Infrastructure for all the garbage there. I will take this opportunity to also talk to the House. It was mentioned to the House when we were in Inuvik for the NWTA. This issue came up. I informed the communities at that point that we have undertaken a harder look at how we maintain these turn-offs in the Northwest Territories. I have instructed ITI to put the turn-offs on a regular basis of cleaning, particularly around the winter season when it is a little more challenging, and have a look at that. With our contractors now in place, the turn-offs that are close to the campgrounds in the Northwest Territories, the contractors will be having a little bit closer look on maintaining them. On a regular basis going forward, the Department of Infrastructure, when we do our highway checks and stuff, they should be maintaining these sites on a regular basis.
I thank the Minister for that answer. It is great to hear that this is starting to happen. I am happy to see we have got an increase of 2.3 per cent of tourists coming into our territorial parks, and, in my riding, 49.84 per cent have seen an increase at Blackstone. To me, these sites are important. Roadside assistance is important to clean them and that. Is the Minister able to share with us the schedule, or is maintenance just done day-to-day?
As I said, in the wintertime, we will have a weekly look at doing these things, especially around the toilets. As far as the garbage goes, that would be on a daily basis. The Blackstone Park that the Member is referring to, there is a contractor in place, and that should be looked after on a daily basis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I appreciate both departments taking the proactive approach trying to clean up our areas. Is the Minister able to look at the potential of actually having one department, whether it is Infrastructure or ITI, cleaning up these roadside assistance turn-offs so it is not two departments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not think the Department of Infrastructure wants to look after the toilets, so I will have to talk to the Minister. Keeping them separate, it seems to be working, as the washrooms are more of a seasonal thing, even though they have got to be looked after a little better in the wintertime, which we are addressing. The thing with Infrastructure looking after the garbage and such, we have people that go out there daily, doing the highway checks, so we will continue on in that manner and that agreement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
