Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a few more questions for my friend, the Minister of Finance.
I would like to ask the Minister: of the $411 million of spending on the road to Whati, how much of that will go to Tlicho businesses and individuals over the 28-year period? Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The $400 million that is being invested in the project agreement signed between the GNWT and North Star Infrastructure is designed to maximize the Tlicho and northern involvement. In addition, the Tlicho government has directly invested, I believe, 20 percent into the project.
As far as the actual breakdown of what is going to be staying in the Tlicho region, I think that we will have a better idea of that as the project gets moving forward. As we do with most projects, there is a reporting process, so we will be able to provide real-time information as the project proceeds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am wondering if the Government of the Northwest Territories assisted the Tlicho in taking that participation in the consortium that is going to build the road.
If the Member is asking if we assisted them financially to take a stake in the project, the answer is no.
I would like the Minister of Finance to tell us whether this project can be instructed over a longer period of time so that the construction jobs last longer.
No, the financial close has been completed with the proponent, and changing the construction schedule would impact that project cost. Obviously, we would like to see folks working as long as possible. I think, with some of the experience that they gain on this, there may be other opportunities for them to work in other places. It may require some moving around.
I think we have seen a good indication of that with the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway project, where 85 percent of the workforce was pretty well from the Beaufort-Delta. A lot of them, with the experience that they have gained, have been able to find other work where they have required operators. There is a benefit that way. It may require some moving around, but we think that that is one of the benefits of the project, and I think that the Tlicho region will see that as well.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for that response. As I mentioned in my statement, in terms of economic returns, it looks like the Slave Geological Province road may be more lucrative because of the advanced exploration that has gone on in that area and because it may be a lifeline for the diamond mines, who are trying to maximize production and minimize costs.
Has the Minister examined the relative economic benefits of the road to Whati to those of the Slave Geological Province, and can he share those results? Mahsi.
First of all, a lot of work was done on the Whati road. The project was submitted. Funding was received for it. I don't think that you can underestimate the value of the road to the citizens of Tlicho and Whati and the benefits that it will bring to them. I don't think I need to point out the benefit, but there are a lot of benefits.
The same level of work on the Slave Geological Province has not been done yet, so I think it would be hard to compare the two, but we can never underestimate the value of making work for residents across the Northwest Territories who actually want to work. I think that this is one of those projects that would be beneficial to Whati and to the citizens of the Tlicho. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
