Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure, and it is regarding the possibility of a hotel at the Yellowknife Airport.
I would just like to ask the Minister if he can advise whether the department has spoken with representatives of the hospitality industry as part of the airport hotel study. I understood that that didn't take place in advance of this, call it, undertaking coming out. Has he spoken with the industry since? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I couldn't tell you if the department has or not, but myself, personally, I have received letters from one of the operators about laying out their concerns. We have had an exchange of a couple of letters going forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I guess, as part of that communication and for the interest of the public, as part of the study, has any land at the airport been set aside for an airport hotel?
The short answer is no. The work that we are doing is to inform the development of the renewed airport 20-year business plan. That is what we are looking at doing.
Thank you to the Minister for that reply. Does the department have a private-sector partner in mind for any potential airport hotel? Or have they been pitched by a developer about building a hotel at the Yellowknife Airport?
No, we have not been approached or I, personally, have not been approached about developing a hotel at the airport. What we are trying to do is come up with the long-term objectives that we need to do with this airport. Part of this planning process, this takes some serious technical review, so we have put out a separate RFP. That is the reason that has caused such a ruckus in the community over this issue.
What we are trying to do is just get a 20-year business plan and have a look at what needs to be done. If this is the long-term planning efforts to help us achieve a development plan for the next 20 years and this is going to provide information around that, that is what we need to do to come up with our plan.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with respect, I think the reason why there is a ruckus is because there has been a breakdown in communication. The department met with the City of Yellowknife and their council and did a presentation to them. The committee which I chair has not even had any such presentation presented to them. I am going to ask the Minister: will the Minister at least bring the results of this study to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment before it goes to anybody else? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I can commit to doing that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
