Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have questions for the Minister of Public Works and Services.
The Department of Public Works and Services has a mandate to provide expert support and innovative leadership in community fuel provision.
How will the department help Aklavik to address their urgent concerns about the price of gasoline and heating fuel?
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of Public Works, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Public Works fuels services division is responsible for the communities that are considered to be non-market communities. Aklavik is a market community. In Aklavik the fuel and the gasoline have been distributed by a private company up until this year, and the private company is continuing with a change of ownership again this year. However, we are having discussions with them as a result of the concerns from the community and the petition that was sent out.
The petroleum products division manages fuel supplies for communities that aren’t served by the private sector.
When will the department step in to help a new community, one like Aklavik where residents are experiencing severe rate shock?
We are currently engaging with the new private company that is providing fuel to the community of Aklavik. We have been having discussions right up until yesterday, perhaps even today, especially with them. We, too, have a concern with the cost of fuel for operating the power plant in Aklavik, who we are continuing to have discussions with them currently. Thank you.
I’d like to ask the Minister, how long would it take Public Works and Services to provide fuel and gasoline to Aklavik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
At this point, it’s necessary for us to assist the Power Corp with some fuel into Aklavik. We are currently working on delivering some tanks. I would say something like this could happen within a couple of weeks once we create some capacity. At this time, aside from the mobile capacity you will be bringing into Aklavik to accommodate the fuel for the Power Corp, the only other capacity is owned by the new private enterprise that is now responsible for fuel in Aklavik. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister meet the leaders in Aklavik to find a solution to this crisis? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We have not gotten to that point. We did receive a text message from the mayor asking if I was available for discussion. Unfortunately, I have not made contact with the mayor at this point. I am prepared to talk with the leadership, along with the private company, to try to come up with a solution for Aklavik so there’s not such a steep increase in the cost of fuel and gasoline for Aklavik. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
