Caroline Wawzonek

Mr. Speaker, absolutely we will have to prioritize that work again. Just by way of some example of what we did last year, we were widening the road that gave the ability for trucks to be going but also didn't impede smaller traffic with folks who may be doing their own personal resupply, had more signage, increased patrols, increased checkpoints, which was not only a safety issue; it helps increase the flow of traffic and make the flow of traffic better. And we've also had some increased maintenance, increased improvements. Again, everything we can do to keep the road in a state that people...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This project has seen an increase to its original budget, and it's likely to see some further increase. Mr. Chair, I don't get to do opening comments in terms of the topical areas we hit but I will say with respect to the IT infrastructure, over the last few years there's been numerous occasions where we've seen an early stage budget that winds up being significantly off, and that is something that the department, with the chief information officer, is trying to get a better handle on. Understanding the nature and the needs of the project more at the front end allows us...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would expect -- I expect that the project officers in the department, officials there, are already doing that. They've certainly been expected to do that for some time. We know that there's going to be more traffic on those winter roads this season just as there was last season when there was less barges. With no barges, fully expecting that road to be busy. So those meetings are already underway. Mr. Speaker, it was -- certainly, it was helpful for me to meet with some of those involved last year just to get a real picture of it, to have that opportunity...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So climate change considerations are part of the substantiation sheets. And -- yes, I mean, in this case with respect to the $1.9 million allotted, or roughly thereabouts allotted to maintain our basic infrastructure, it's -- this was not a consideration or a factor that, you know, went strongly really one way or the other. There was not a lot considered in this particular element. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is simply an amount that allows us to ensure that the existing infrastructure that we have -- technological infrastructure we have remains current. There are a number of assets that come due for support and that are -- whether that's servers, the networks, storage, telecommunications, all of which, I think -- you know, I don't want to presuppose or assume, but technology changes very quickly. It changes quickly on a government scale as well and so this provides us the ability to maintain some currency within that space by using this project budget. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And -- doesn't help. Mr. Chair, I was -- I'm looking at a blank page. Can I turn that to the deputy minister, please.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the main estimates are due out -- well, we've already gone through one round of them and the next ones aren't due out until, of course, the February sitting. It's not usually my practice or any other finance Minister's practice to discuss them in great detail before that happens. So our own processes this year are still underway in terms of building our budget, and so that directive remains in place. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we were just outside of the warranty period, unfortunately. With respect to whether or not there might be an insurance claim, that, Mr. Chair, I think does remain something of an open question. You know, again, the decision to ultimately replace them was based on the fact of the concern for a risk, and so whether or not the insurance company will accept that as being an insurable risk or not, again I at this point can't say. That'll be up to the insurance company. But I don't think a final decision has been made on whether we will pursue that or not. Again...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this one, again, and similarly the project is underway but there is a need to revise the timing of the delivery of the project. I do expect this one, similarly, will be completed in the fiscal year of 2027-2028. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I expect that the total cost of this will come in in and around $7 million. Thank you.