Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Enterprise is a proud community, and many residents lucky enough to find local jobs are counting their blessings. My question to the Minister is: in light of the gas bar business coming up for sale once again, is it possible to explore ownership of the business by the Hamlet of Enterprise? Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can say that the Department of ITI has been recently quite involved working with the community to support some of their economic development programs and projects. The deputy minister has been there several times, as has deputy minister of ENR, working with the community, again, specifically on their economic development. I am confident that they can, again, reach out to the community, continue that involvement, and continue to support them in looking for economic development opportunities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am aware of ENR and ITI being into the community, but that was strictly to discuss another issue dealing with an AWP. The ownership of the gas bar, the convenience store, and the motel creates the jobs for residents of Enterprise, and it's always going through different ownership throughout the years. This is a really great business opportunity for the hamlet itself since no one else would be able to take it on. I am just wondering if it's possible for ITI and MACA officials to meet with the hamlet to discuss the options available for the purchase of this business opportunity with the help of ITI and MACA.
To the extent that there can be support from ITI with economic development or support to individual businesses with respect to their business plans, whether it's through economic development type supports or whether it's through the BDIC, with respect to, for example, loans, I can certainly ensure and direct the department to reach out so that they have all the available supports there for them.
As far as the government actually stepping in to buy private market assets, I don't want to give any false hope that that is not likely to be something the government is going to be doing, but we are there to support the private industry. We are there to support private businesses, and as I can say, if there is this reoccurring challenge, then yes, I will certainly ask that the department follow up with the business and make sure that they are navigated to the right supports that are available for them.
Mahsi to the Minister for that answer. I spoke about tourism potential for the hamlet through an aggressive campaign of incorporating signage from the border leading up to the community. The hamlet has the right to advertise the falls as their own as these are in their background. They also have the right to compete with campground attendant contracts. Can the Minister commit to having their officials meet with the Hamlet of Enterprise to discuss these tourism initiatives, including discussion on the campground contract opportunities?
It turns out that today, in fact, the tourism development officer from the South Slave is meeting with the SAO from Enterprise. I will personally follow up so that I can see what transpired in that meeting and will communicate with my colleague the MLA to let him know also what transpired at that meeting and to hopefully advance whatever projects might be discussed and whatever ideas might be discussed.
With respect to the campground contracts, those do go through a procurement process. I will follow up with the MLA to ensure that he is aware and that the SAO in the community is aware when those contracts are coming up so that everyone is well-placed to put themselves forward for those.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I spoke to the fact that Enterprise is the first community on Highway No. 1 from the border. It's sad to say there is no visitor information centre at Enterprise. I mean, goodness, we have all the ITI staff in Hay River, all the business advisors, and no one is speaking tourism business opportunities to the Hamlet of Enterprise. This is potential employment for the residents of Enterprise where there are limited jobs. Can the Minister commit to having all available staff meet with the Hamlet of Enterprise to realize the tourism marketing potential and associated businesses, including the campground contract opportunities? Mahsi.
As I said, it just turns out by happenstance there is a meeting happening today at the SAO level. I will follow up on that and see where it gets to. There are staff across the South Slave who work on tourism.
Mr. Speaker, just a few years ago, I was told that, in fact, money had been advanced to the community of Enterprise to look at building visitor capacity. The project didn't go forward, but I certainly wouldn't want there to be any misunderstanding of the willingness of ITI to work with the community to see if they are interested in pursuing something and to see what funding might be available in one of the many different tourism supports and tourism programs that we have as applicable.
Again, I will certainly follow up. If sufficient information didn't get through today at the meeting that they are having, then we will make sure that the staff in the South Slave offices are there and available to the people of Enterprise, to the community of Enterprise, so that they can make good use of it. To the extent that we can promote tourism in the North, that is the goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.
