David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In negotiating a way forward, and negotiating with Ruskin on the completion of the Deh Cho Bridge, I mentioned this earlier in response to another question, if we don’t open the bridge in November, it’s an immediate $9 million hit to the Government of the Northwest Territories. What we’ve done is negotiated our way out of a number of construction claims on the project that run in the millions of dollars, somewhere probably around $10 million. This way we’re going to move forward. Yes, it is going to cost us some more money, but we’re getting budget certainty and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All expectations are that this will be the final ask. It’s going to allow us to have the bridge open this fall. We have also negotiated an end to the claims back and forth on the construction of the project. This is going to be something that we continue to pursue until the bridge is complete in November. Thank you.

I’m not a lawyer and that’s a hypothetical question.

I’m not sure if the Member is looking for a once it’s completed operational cost or if he’s looking for an annual cost on what the payback would be on that bridge over 35 years. I’m unable to answer much of what the question was. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re bound to getting this project completed by November. We’re bound to protecting the public purse. We’ve negotiated a settlement to all the outstanding claims. That’s what we’re bound to. We’re trying to move forward. There’s no sense in fighting with the contractor. We need to move forward and put our differences behind us and get the project complete by November. That’s what we’re bound to.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s question. I think there is a lot to learn. I commented on Ms. Bisaro’s questions about a complete look back at the project once it’s complete. We need to ensure the upfront work is done so that we know what we are getting ourselves into. That’s what we intend to do on future projects, is do that upfront work so that we can ascertain costs and risks before we venture in. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, it doesn’t. Thank you.

Thank you. Those items would predate my tenure as Minister of Transportation, but I’d be more than happy to get that for the Member. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s question. No, there wouldn’t be. We still do have the sum. It was about $13 million from the Government of New Brunswick. We have remaining in that account about $7 million. That is to address deficiencies or issues after the bridge is complete. We will be able to look at some of that work. It is minor work. That funding is in place to allow that to happen. Thank you.

Thank you. We’re anxious to begin growing our resources here in the Northwest Territories and in the Slave Geological Province. A lot of revenue will depend on truck traffic across the Deh Cho Bridge. So if we can grow our economy and get more trucks moving across that bridge, we’ll increase the revenue there. So again, it’s all dependent upon truck traffic that crosses that bridge. Thank you.