Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. I'd like to ask the Minister: what is the current status of the department's work on the Willow River Bridge and all-weather road project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've worked diligently with the community of Aklavik on this road and bridge project for the Richardson Mountains. They've accessed the CAP funding since 2011, and they do have a new proposal in right now to the department that's having a look at it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Has the Minister prioritized the Willow River bridge in his infrastructure planning?
If it's through the CAP program, that's an application that's on a first-come-first-served basis, and I think the community of Aklavik has done very well on it. As for the longer federal infrastructure plan, we're going to be signing our bilateral year pretty soon, hopefully in the next month or so with the federal Minister, and those types of programs are still being worked out; but I think there are plenty of opportunities for communities within the new infrastructure funding that's coming to the Northwest Territories over the next 10 years.
What will the Minister do to help his partners in the Mackenzie Delta complete the Willow River bridge and all-weather road project?
The department always has ongoing discussions with the people of Aklavik who have applied for this funding. There are ongoing engineering and technical challenges that need to be worked out, and the department is working with them. As I've said, the CAP funding is on a first-come-first-served basis, and the community has done very well on it, and we're looking at if we're going to be able to fund them this year as well.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
