Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure. Can the Minister tell us has the Fort Simpson LNG redesign plans or relocation plans been decided upon by the Northwest Territories Power Corporation board that Minister did promise last sitting. And if so, what are the significant changes; is there anything changing with respect to the location or the cost? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe I heard about four different questions in that. So I'm going to just add that this is an important project that we raised with the federal government in the context of funding.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Infrastructure and Northwest Territories Power Corporation continue to assess the optimal project approach which will form a future federal funding application to the feds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So if I think I'm hearing right, that means that we actually have not put in the ask yet to the federal government for more money, which I was under the impression through the last few sittings that when the plan did not go ahead last fall, like when I asked, that it was because the government was getting more money.
Can the Minister clarify whether or not they have gone for more money for the LNG plant, or are they still preparing the application? Thank you.
Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, we have funding for the LNG storage and power plant however we need to secure funding to move the current plant off the island. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My apologies for not understanding. I just don't find this to be very clear what has been going on. When I asked before, I think two sittings ago, what was going on, why the plant hadn't been started when the funding had already been announced for the LNG, the Minister told me they were going back to get more money from the federal government to create an entire LNG plant instead of the one that is supplemental to the diesel plant. Has that changed, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're bringing some of the options to the board of directors meeting which is happening next month. That meeting will be able to determine some of the options and some of the federal funding that we need to apply for. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess I am confused, but I did think that we were already in the path of getting more money. What I'm hearing does sound like it's now going to be at least a couple more years before there's any shovels in the ground on this project. And I can tell you 100 percent that that diesel plant is not going to make it five more years at minimum. The road has already been eroded away leading up to the side of it, and once you are not able to drive beside the road you have safety issues and even accessing the site. So can the Minister please tell me what she is doing to accelerate this project so that the people of Fort Simpson are not without power in four years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the power corporation and infrastructure are working together to ensure that we have power in the community and, you know, as result of our meeting next month, I'm sure we would progress some of the plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
