Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of ITI. It's been a while since I asked her about anything to do with mining so I thought it would be a good opportunity to do so.
Given that a lot of what we've been talking about has been around the wildfires, can the Minister please give us an update on how wildfire evacuation and fighting has impacted our mining sector. And I guess particularly I'm interested to know how Pine Point is doing considering they are in the South Slave area that was quite impacted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the wildfires certainly this season did have an impact on the industry.
With respect to Pine Point, Mr. Speaker, I imagine, quite fortunately, they're I understand their property was not affected by the wildfires notwithstanding how close they may have come. But one of there was one gold property actually much closer towards Yellowknife that did see some damage to some of their properties. But other than that, those are the only damaged properties. The impacts really were more in terms of the timing. There were some slowdowns of some of the operating mines were loaning out their equipment and their staff. Some of the exploration projects were loaning out and perhaps loaning is not the right word but giving access to their helicopters. So work that they would have otherwise planned for the summer season did see some delays. That said, Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to say that Pine Point folks are back on the site. The lithium folks here are back on their sites. They were evacuated. And at this point and we also didn't miss the September 11th valuation date for diamonds, which is a pretty significant event here in the fall and which would have had pretty significant timing issues. So things are now back up and running.
My last comment on in terms of the wildfire impacts, $500,000, I understand, was provide to the United Way by the operating diamond mines. So quite a lot happened, but a lot of it actually ultimately is good news. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And that's really encouraging to hear. I'm not surprised to hear about the donation from the diamond mines. They always have been stepping up when needed, including during COVID and providing cleaning supplies and such to NGOs.
Just a little bit further, and I'm not sure if the Minister has this information, but have any of the mines expressed that there would be delays to their projects given the wildfire season? I'm glad to hear that equipment that was here was utilized. I actually if you run into former Member Wally Schumann ask him about the anthrax guy showing up with his chopper at the 60th parallel during his evacuation. So definitely impacting a lot of our workers are scientists, so. Does the Minister know if there will be any delays to any of the project timelines that were proposed prior to the wildfire season? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd, right now, be probably most concerned about the exploration projects but as I said, at this point folks are back on their sites. They are back up and running and hopefully going to make the most of the time that we still have this fall season. So we are I know that the department is actively looking to get back in touch and to be fully briefed directly from the proponents as to where they're at. But at this point, I don't have any information of delays. There was some concerns about some of the resupplies for the CN rail lines but, again, that also appears to be resolved or on its way to being resolved this fall. And with that, we should see, again, while there was certainly some anxious days, I'm sure, for many projects, it does appear that they are proceeding. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm glad to hear that. I was a bit concerned about impacts on supply chain, especially since we've already been reeling after COVID with that sector not being super stable as well as materials being shorthanded. I guess another way that I think that we you know, I'm hoping our mineral industry can be supported is that we've been long awaiting the federal government's sort of plan for what they're going to do around the critical mineral strategy, and I know that the Northwest Territories and other territories are key to the federal government's strategy. So I'm just wondering I know there was money allocated in billions of dollars, I believe, in the 2023 Budget. So I'm just wondering can the Minister speak to is that money actually materializing here in the territory any time soon? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal, provincial, territorial Ministers for energy and mines were scheduled and, indeed, did meet during the time of the evacuation. I was evacuated but I was able to attend the meeting virtually and with respect to the critical minerals and the mining side of this file, and continue to raise with colleagues federally, as to when we're going to see more progress on this file. It was a good opportunity to meet. I can say we are fortunately now part of the second round of provinces and territories that are doing work called regional energy and resource tables. And that is meant to be the driver that will help determine where and how we can see some of the funds that were announced coming into the territories. But we pressed them again on the fact that, really, the Northwest Territories does need the opportunity to compete at a level that is equivalent to the rest of Canada and we have higher costs. We're going to need some energy availability and sustainable solutions, and we're going to need something that levels the playing field, whether it's a north of 60 mineral exploration credit or otherwise. So all of those conversations were actively had, as I said, really just within the last month. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear that there was a recent meeting. I think it's really key right now given where we're at sort of economically in our rebuild. I guess the question I'd want to ask, then, is oh, gosh, now I'm losing my train of thought.
With the Minister meeting with her colleagues and such, and given that as we watched the safety issue with our communities not having roads and the acute infrastructure deficit, has the conversation shifted at all for a recognition that our mining sector is also going to be supported if we look at the infrastructure needs that our territory has? So I guess what I'm trying to say is is there now a greater recognition federally that the lack of roads really, while impacting our safety, is really impacting mining. And is that a way that the Minister can kind of push for us to fix that infrastructure deficit. I feel like it's a good thrust that we now have more than one reason why we need roads. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think there's been a long uncertainty about which would take priority, whether it's the roads that bring the resupply or whether it would be access to greener and more sustainable energy solutions, which is really an area that is particularly for critical minerals but for the mineral the large diamond mines that make public commitments as well as to how they're going to move forward, whether, again, which of those two they take first. I'm sure they'd probably be happy to take both. You know, with respect to roads, Mr. Speaker, I know two at least two of the diamond mines I know I believe De Beers and I think at least one other were flying chartered food into some of their IBA partner communities. So they are well aware of how difficult it is to be disconnected from a road system. I think that angle that the Member's getting is always the angle that we present not only for the mineral resource industry, it's really for all of the industries in the Northwest Territories. Our economy relies on transportation corridors just as others do. It relies on energy access as others do. And the minute we can get to a place where we are on par with the rest of Canada, then we'll be far more competitive. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
