Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement on the need to prioritize Highway No. 7 as a priority of this government. Like I said in my Member’s statement, despite all my best efforts over the years, my two words “Highway 7” never gets in any official documents like budget addresses or speeches by Cabinet. Despite that, I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation about… He indicates that there is investment in Highway No. 7 this year in the capital plan and there is a bit of a strategy, so I would like to ask the Minister, what is the strategy going forward for Highway No. 7? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department has quietly spent $12 million on Highway No. 7 to date.
---Laughter
For this coming year, we have $3 million in the capital plan and we’re going to concentrate on that serious area that the Member referred to, kilometres 169 to 170. We’re fixing that area. A lot of that money is going to go to strengthening the road from Liard to approximately where the Nahanni Butte turnoff is, and also there’s some finishing work still to be completed between Liard and the BC border. Thank you.
Thank you very much. The Minister mentioned completing the work that’s between the B.C. border and Fort Liard and there were plans for chipsealing. So I would to ask the Minister, will that work be completed this summer, 2015? Thank you.
Yes, that work will be completed this summer.
The continued investment in Highway No. 7, because we also know that we’re also talking about a proposed Canadian Zinc mine expansion plan. As well, not to mention the benefits of tourism that travels up Highway No. 7. They’re often delayed or else they’re actually told at the B.C. border, the B.C. Tourism, about the condition of Highway No. 7. So I would like to ask about mitigating the impact of the traffic increase on Highway No. 7.
What other work is being done to let the public know and the tourists know about Highway No. 7 when it comes open for this season’s traffic? Thank you
Of course, we’re continuing the maintenance work on the highway and making Highway No. 7 as passable as possible. We’re always striving to improve that road. So, with this money we’re also going to improve any areas where there have been problems. The people know exactly which areas are problems, and for the first package of work that we intend to do we intend to spend an additional $12 million over the next four years. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Now, I was pleased to hear about the investment in our transportation infrastructure and I’d like to invite the Minister to come see that work this spring, and also residents of Wrigley would like to see him, as well, this spring. So I’d like to invite the Minister one more time. He was just there in December, I know, but he’s going to have to come with me and ride the roads. Thank you.
More of a comment. Thank you. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would commit to driving Highway No. 7 to Liard and also to Wrigley with the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
