Caroline Wawzonek

That's me. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a very detailed business case. It was developed back, I want to say roughly 2020, 2021. But, Mr. Speaker, the next question -- the second question that was asked as to whether or not we can afford it, the simple fact, Mr. Speaker, is that the GNWT alone cannot afford a project that is into the $3 billion although I might spin it on its head and part of the comment that was being referenced wasn't mine; it was by one of the other Members who attended from another -- as a representative for one of the other governments that's participating...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in some ways, although it's a bit cold comfort at this point, the deficit was actually predicted to be much higher but it was because of the fact that they were able to recoup some costs by way of increasing the revenues that it was not as bad as it might otherwise have been. Nevertheless, there's still some fairly significant costs associated. So for instance in terms of the fuel costs that continue to be high as well as an almost $2 million grants in lieu, property tax charge that was owing and that needed to be dealt with, and the fact that the fleet remains...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, Mr. Chair, this is related to, again, two main components. One is a shortfall in available funds because of a larger number of students who were applying as well as some changes in terms of the types of available -- or the types of a loan and the extent of a loan that was available for students. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, so at the conclusion of the general rate application process, there was increases that were instituted by the public utilities board to reflect a variety of increases in costs which they go through a public process of reviewing. At the conclusion of that process, they did determine that there would be increases to everyone's rates, and that is what people are seeing now, is the conclusion of that process. The GNWT doesn't completely cover all increases to all utilities costs but they have instituted the cost of living subsidy to mitigate those increases so they...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, absolutely. So there was amendments back in 2016, but that then has resulted in, you know -- at least it's one of the reasons that's resulting in increased costs, which is to say that there are more children who are staying in their homes and then under voluntary support services agreements which do have costs associated as well as a last round of changes extended services for youth to the age of 23, which again increases the costs if there's a group or a cohort within that age bracket that are drawing on those services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this wouldn't have been anticipated at the time that the main estimates were being developed. It actually is sort of an example of an issue that is -- a really good example of what would meet the criteria for being a supplementary estimate in that it was emergent over time and may well vary over the course of the next year. So it would have been difficult and still is likely difficult to know what the final costs would be. It would depend upon the state -- or of the testing that goes on, which schools need remediation, what kind of remediation and over what...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, this is the low carbon economy leadership fund, and there has been a renewal of that agreement now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I share this dream. Mr. Speaker, and I believe a lot of people in this territory share this dream. Mr. Speaker, I want to first emphasize we will be complying very much as proponents with the guidance of the board, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Board. They are the arbiters right now of making sure we go through an environmental process that provides mitigation steps as necessary for the road project right now to Norman Wells. We will continue to work with them on phase 2, which is that section that gets us all the rest of the way up to Inuvik...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, this was an occasion that will connect in to the proposed 24/7 lab staffing. This would bridge where things were at through to what is hoped to be the change that will take place as of April 1st if the main estimates are approved. It provided for early hiring of eight outpatient laboratory diagnostic imaging positions at Stanton. That addressed some of the immediate wait times and returned the same-day appointments back to the position -- or to the frequency with which they were previously, so -- and it is certainly expected that with a 24/7 staffing model that that...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, these are the costs projected to the end of this fiscal year given that this is a supplementary estimate that takes us -- this is the last supplementary estimate to the end of the 2026 -- like March 31st, 2026, fiscal year, and then obviously going into the new fiscal year, there's a new budget that comes in and we will determine whether or not additional funding would be needed after that point in time. Thank you.