Wally Schumann

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled "Tabled Document 456-18(2), NWT Oil and Gas Annual Report 2016" and "Tabled Document 457-18(2), Northwest Territories Geological Survey Strategic Plan 2017-2022." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are always committed to improving our communications, as I said in this House on a number of occasions, to update residents and tourists in particular on this section of road in the wintertime, which is, as I've mentioned in the House, how the numbers are increasing in the use of this road, winter operators and general public who also use this highway. We will continue to work on our communications plan.

We have our digital signage that's out at the entrance of Highway No. 4; that will be placed there again once the season gets going. We have Twitter. We use radio. We use our website to give...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We continue to do extensive safety and structural improvements on Highway No. 4. As most Members of this House know, we have invested roughly $2 million per year on ongoing reconstruction of this section of road.

To update Members, this year we have completed road widening, structural strengthening, drainage improvements, resurfacing. Application of chipseal and guard rail installation were needed on kilometre 46 to 49. We have also, like I said, done impressive amounts of chipseal, of overlay, this year from kilometre 7 to 22, along with our ongoing patching of potholes...

I'm not aware of this concern. The bridge is built within normal sloping operating grades and, I suspect anyone who has a Class 1 driver's licence operating should have the skills to navigate the slope of that bridge.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my immediate left is Julie Mujcin, director of finance; on my immediate right is Deputy Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment Tom Jensen.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Department of Infrastructure will be doing an assessment of that building once it comes back into our possession and see what opportunities lie, if it has to be abated and disassembled and gotten rid of, or if there is a possibility of maybe taking a part of the building off and repatriating it in some other manner. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I can take that under advisement and then let the Member know.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Northern Frontier Visitors Centre has asked about returning this asset back to the Government of Northwest Territories, and they are in discussions with the Department of Infrastructure on it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Low Carbon Economy Fund is something that came up in short order with the federal government. They gave us a very short timeline to respond to what we think we could deliver on what their criteria was around this. It is still an ongoing bilateral agreement with the federal government. There were a number of initiatives that we have put forward. I am not so sure I can discuss them in the House right now, as the negotiations are still going back and forth with the federal government.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, we are still continuing to work on Cameron Falls. What happened was there was a pricing issue on the RFP, or tender, for that facility. That money has been carried over into this year, and we are continuing to work with the Department of Infrastructure on that, trying to move that project forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.