Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, before I proceed I want to make some clarifications, a correction to one of the sentence that I made earlier when I said we witnessed another accident, and I would like to correct that. We came upon another accident. So that's for clarification. Thank you.
Madam Speaker, an expression of interest was issued by Finance in 2021 to address the lack of cell service on Highway No. 3. Can the Minister provide an update on what has been accomplished since this time, what is the status of work to improve cell service on Highway No. 3? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the expression of interest allowed for an opportunity to do some costing and to understand the potential costs of installing cell towers along the highway. With that information in hand, that was the position that we were able to then give, which I think they were spoken to the House, that it looks at notwithstanding the capital expenses, which are themselves significant, there would also be an operations and maintenance expense of $500,000 approximately every year and no other known source of funding other than that of the GNWT. And so in knowing what the scale and size of those costs are, there has not been any change in the decision of not including that in this year's capital. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, does the Government of the Northwest Territories have a plan to implement cell towers between Yellowknife and Behchoko and when will it be implemented?
Thank you, Madam Speaker. There is no plan to implement cell towers between here and Behchoko. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories can install electric charging station by 2024. Can the Minister commit to providing cell service between Yellowknife and Behchoko by 2024? Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the vehicle charging stations, or the level 3 charging stations that are going in to Behchoko, are a project that is administered through the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. They apply to the GHG Emissions Fund, which is a largely federallyfunded initiative. They then apply and are able to get funds through that program. And this is in response, Madam Speaker, to the fact that the federal government is making it mandatory by 2035 that there be zero 100 percent, zero percent emissions vehicles sales. So they'll be a period of time when vehicles can still run without that but any new vehicles are going to have to be zero emissions. So, Madam Speaker, we do need to have a plan at this point in time to be taking that seriously, to be ready for it, and that's what Northwest Territories Power Corporation is doing. The funds that might be available for any and all other capital project, Madam Speaker, would go through the usual capital planning process, the initiatives, and be aligned to the mandate of the government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.
Thank you. Can the Minister provide information on how many electric vehicles are on the road in NWT; how many people in Behchoko drive electric vehicles; how many people drive electric vehicle on Highway No. 3? Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'll work with my colleague, the Minister of Infrastructure, to see what information can be provided. I can say that research went out regarding what might be done to help encourage the use of electric vehicles. Having more charging stations was one of the recommendations that came with that research. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
