Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since June of this year Live Power, a Canadian exploration company with its head office in Vancouver, has been drilling for hard rock lithium on the mineral leases near Yellowknife and N'dilo and Dettah. Live Power has one of the most exciting exploration portfolios of hard rock lithium projects globally, with Yellowknife lithium project being the flagship project. Live Power commenced a 45,000-meter drill program, and the drill result for 40 drill holes. It illustrates extensive width and excellent grades of lithium in the Tu NedheWiilideh riding. The NWT lithium outcrop are so large and extensive that it can be seen from space via satellite. The Yellowknife lithium project is one of the largest private sector exploration projects in the riding, and it is having significant job and business impacts for us. Live Power has opened a camp at the Hidden Lake area that is accessible via winter road for the Ingraham Trail. It also has a core cutting and lodging facility in Yellowknife providing more job and training opportunities for Northerners. Live is very proud of its strong collaborative relationships with the local Indigenous communities and Live prioritizes local Indigenous employment and procurement with 28 percent of Indigenous employees and 25 percent of northern employees working on its Yellowknife lithium project at the peak of the summer drilling program. Live's commitment to providing employment opportunities for Indigenous workers parallels the achievement of operating mines in the territory. This is another impressive feat for an exploration company.
Lithium is exceptionally important in the world as it's used in several industry applications, including electric cars. And lithium is ion batteries which plays an important role in the global transition to an economy that runs on a green energy.
Mr. Speaker, this project has a potential to be the NWT entry into the global lithium market. We must of course remember that the Live Power Yellowknife lithium project remains at an early exploration stage project at this time. Live is also that this valuable NWT resource will be mined and processed in Canada. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member's statement. Thank you.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Live Power is committed to the NWT and to providing positive socioeconomic impacts. Live will continue to employ and train Indigenous and local people as the workforce grows. It will also continue to partner with Indigenous businesses, such as the Yellowknives Dene that own Deton Cho Corporation with whom Live is already working closely to collect environmental and socioeconomic and baseline data.
Mr. Speaker, the potential of moving from lithium exploration to mining will have welcome, longterm benefits for the NWT mining economy that come at a critical time as the diamond mine industry winds down. At the appropriate time, it will be my pleasure to introduce Live Power executives to the Assembly and ask questions to the Minister of tourism and investment regarding our government's role in enabling this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.
