Wally Schumann

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Infrastructure fully understands the engineering and project delivery in the North, of challenges that we have around that, and one way we feel to be successful is we expose young engineers and technical students in their formative years to real life northern issues, and they get fully involved and be part of it.

We have arrangements with southern universities, a number of them. I could probably name them all, but there are four or five of them: University of Calgary, Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier, and the Royal Military, as the Member has stated today...

As I have said, I have directed our staff to go in there and meet with the community and do an assessment. Once that assessment is complete, a consultation with the residents and whatever recommendations come out of that going forward, I can keep the Member abreast of the timelines when the improvements will be made. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let's start with what we have done previously, already. We have lowered the speed zone through that area. Every time there is an accident at any place on the highway, the NWT system, we review it with the RCMP and take steps needed to help mitigate that. Safety barriers and guardrails were also installed a couple of years ago along the riverbank system there, along the Enterprise intersection.

As of the meeting that we had during the Deh Cho tour with Michael Nadli, we gave the letter to the mayor of Enterprise stating that we will be sending our staff in there to do a...

As most Members know, this Slave Geological Province access corridor is currently in the very early planning stages. The application of the Land Use and Sustainability Framework will be the key next step to advancing and planning of this project once federal funding has been secured.

As we move forward, we know that we have to have considerations for land use, protection of wildlife, economic opportunities for this project. We will provide involvement of Indigenous organizations and ongoing development of this project as we move forward on it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member stated, we were denied funding in the first round of the National Trade Corridors Fund. One thing I want to make light of that is there were over 300 applicants right across this country for this funding and a $2 billion fund, which I have always said at the FPT tables we could spend the whole $2 billion. We are competing against all of Canada for a small pot of money. That is not saying our project is any more or less desirable than any other one, just that there is a limited amount of funding.

We believe there is a second round of funding for this pot of...

Last year, we replaced three guardrails at kilometre 33.8, 37.6, and 45.5. The department has here in my note that we are doing a planning and survey, and design work is underway for possible installation of guardrails at kilometre 13.5 and kilometre 18.7 for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I have travelled that road as of a couple of nights ago with Member McNeely when we were out having a look around town. There are a number of potholes on that section of highway. I suspect that the maintenance crews that will be looking after and maintaining all highways across the Northwest Territories, as all Members know, have to wait until the road thaws out and get on these situations.

I believe this section of highway is ours at this point. I think we are having discussions with the City of Yellowknife in taking over that section of highway. We can keep the...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "NWT Petroleum Resources: A Path to Northern Benefits and Energy Security." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has significant and varied energy resources. As Canada's gas and liquefied natural gas industry takes steps towards competing in the global market, the Northwest Territories' resources are positioned to both improve energy security locally and help Canada compete.

The responsible development of these resources will also create meaningful jobs for residents, opportunities for business, and sources of revenue to support territory-wide public programs and services for NWT residents.

In particular, the Northwest Territories' petroleum resources offer a...

We wanted these projects to match real life issues and the challenges that we face in the Northwest Territories, so a sample of what the engineering design staff experience every day in our departments.

We have had them have a look at a couple of things: the Slave Geological Province alignment; health monitoring of the Deh Cho bridge; road alignment for the new winter road to Deline; repair options for airports at the Hay River, Yellowknife, and Inuvik runways, as we have challenges around them; options for Highway No. 3; and possible options for permafrost as well.

One thing about having these...