Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure.
Does the Minister and her staff at the Department of Infrastructure have on their radar the technical feasibility study for district heating in downtown Yellowknife that was commissioned by Alternatives North in partnership with the city of Yellowknife and Arctic Energy Alliance, and has the department considered what its role might be in furthering this project?
Thank you, Member. I think that's two questions again. To the Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hopefully that means I have time to answer both. I'm happy to do so. Yes, the department is aware of this study and, in fact, I understand may have had a role in doing some review and support in terms of the work that was in the background on that study. So, in fact, more than merely aware of it. I'm also aware of it. It's on my radar now. I had not read all 109 pages but I've gone through some of it.
And as far, though, as next steps, Mr. Speaker, it's an opportunity where there would have to be proponents. This study is speaking about potentially changing the way heating happens for as much as 50 to 75 different buildings in Yellowknife. So the role of the GNWT when it comes to private enterprise would certainly not be the necessarily driver of them having to change but certainly would have potentially a role to bring people together to enable some change. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One question at a time; I promise. Has the Department of Infrastructure studied what the regulatory or policy barriers might be to either forprofit or nonprofit partnerships running district biomass heating systems in the territory? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't know that there's been any study per se commissioned. I can say the department is aware of the kind of regulatory systems that might exist for large scale infrastructure projects being the Department of Infrastructure. I can say any regulatory process would depend on the nature of the project and depend on the scale of the project. Really being here, typically being Yellowknife, it would largely be the city's processes and bylaws that might be the first point of call as well as potentially some oversight by the utilities board depending upon the nature of what is being contemplated for sale. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Final question on this one. Will the Minister commit to enter into discussions with the Public Utilities Board to clarify whether or how district bio mass heating systems will be handled by the Public Utilities Board? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can certainly put it on my colleagues' radar that this may be an item that's coming before them. That said, it likely is more under if it's a heat sale, it may or may not fall under the or under the Public Utilities Board. So what I certainly will commit to do is going back to the department to see where a next step for us might be, but I think further to that would be a conversation with the city, which, again, certainly as the Government of the Northwest Territories, we do have regular conversations with the city. So that might well be the next point of call. Thank you.
Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.
