Thank you, Mr. Chair. So going to the page 260, so it lists a number of grants or revenues we're getting for some major projects. Looking at the Investing in Canada infrastructure program payments that we're getting, can you explain what major projects are going to be funded through that Investing in Canada infrastructure program and specifically -- I mean, there was a big jump last year between the original main estimates and the revised amount from $54 million up to almost $84 million, and then it's increasing even more this year. What projects can we attribute that jump to? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, let me send this first to assistant deputy minister Wickens, please.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the assistant deputy minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So under the Investing in Canada infrastructure fund, within strategic infrastructure there's none of our major projects that are allocated there; however, there's funding there for the Fort Liard access road, the Fort McPherson ventilation, Fort Simpson plant relocation, which is under strategic infrastructure that we're assisting with NTPC, as well as the highways reconstruction, Prince of Wales Centre, Prohibition Creek access road, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre accessibility upgrade, and the Sachs Harbour fuel storage dispenser, and then as Whati access road. Those all fall under the ICIP program.
Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. So I was under the mistaken impression that included in that fund or program was funding for the Fort Providence transmission line or possible -- like, transmission lines to Kakisa or Whati. Can you explain, do we currently have any funding or grants allocated for those projects? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So there is funding available at this point for Fort Providence -- or sorry, for the Fort Providence-Kakisa transmission line under ICIP and waiting final federal approval on being able to sort of announce it publicly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Okay. So we're not totally sure on that one yet.
I wanted to ask about -- sorry, let me flip back. So in the budget on page 281, the new $80,000 for electric vehicle charging stations, is that something that, like, individuals can apply to, or are those charging stations being installed by the GNWT, or is that something that, say, community governments, for example, could apply for funding under that? Can the Minister explain. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the electric vehicles charging station that is -- that work -- let me just see here. Actually, Mr. Chair, let me see if the deputy minister or assistant deputy minister might have the details on that, please.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the assistant deputy minister.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. So this is -- the $80,000 that the Member is speaking about is an adjustment for the NWT electric vehicle infrastructure program, and so what is ongoing target adjustments to support our obligations under the zero emission vehicle infrastructure program with Enercan. So it's a rebate.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Okay, thanks for that clarification. So my understanding would be that it's to pay for or reimburse us for charging stations the GNWT itself has installed and not, say, like a program people could apply to or community governments. Okay.
In terms of the energy action plan, it looks like all the elements of that funding has sunsetted around community energy planning, the charger corridor, the low-income program to address energy poverty. Is there going to be any new funding to help fund initiatives that are going to be coming out within the 2030 Energy Strategy, which is fairly new. But what money is going to be available to implement these, yeah, energy strategy initiatives going forward? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So some of the sunsets the Member is mentioning, we actually, earlier this week in dealing with the supp, were -- I was able to put forward that there's now a renewal of the low carbon economy fund -- I hope I've got that right. I think I might be missing an acronym, though -- and, which at the time of preparing the main estimates that had not been signed and approved at that point in time and so the sunsets were standing as sunsets. But those funds were -- are now being reinstated through that funding program with the federal government.
The second part of the question with respect to what elements under the energy strategy will be fully funded, Mr. Chair, I will need to see and put forward a final energy strategy before I can 100 percent speak to what parts of that might get funded under the low carbon energy fund. But it is a significant investment, and so it certainly would be my expectation that elements of that programming or elements of that strategy will receive some funding through those funds. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. And thanks to the Minister for clarifying that that -- the low carbon economy fund will be able to cover some of the things specifically -- the kinds of things that were being covered under this -- these previous headings.
Can the Minister just quickly remind us, if she has it available, the renewal of the federal program, the grant for low carbon economy, is the new amount that we've gotten comparable to the previous agreement with the Feds, or is it more or less? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it is, I think, actually slightly more than what it was previously. So, yeah, $17.8 million. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Okay, that's good news. That's all my questions for now. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.
Thank you. You know, with the high cost of living, with electricity going up for many, and with the fuel price going up, especially for heating, it's a major concern in many of the small communities. It does have an impact on -- especially for those on fixed income. So I just wanted to ask the Minister, Whati transmission line, I know this is from CIRNAC from last fiscal year to current -- to upcoming fiscal year, there's a decrease from CIRNAC. If the Minister can explain why for the Whati transmission line there was a decrease in the funds coming from CIRNAC. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there was a decrease in the years just to give time for discussions that had been underway with the Tlicho government, and as a result of which the funding was moved to a different year to better align with the expected timeline of the project. The good news that I have this year is that those discussions are much further along. I am hopeful that there will be more formal announcements in fairly short order from now to allow the Tlicho government to be the lead on the project with support from the GNWT as appropriate but that this project now will be on track to start to move forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.
Thank you. And then, well, you know, projects or any infrastructures or any major work that's, you know, being done in the region, it's not, you know, something that -- it's something that we welcome, especially with the Dehk'e Frank Channel Bridge it's, you know -- it's good, you know, and it's greatly needed. The repair, the replacement needed was needed ten years ago. So it's good that it's being -- you know, there's a plan in place now. So I just wanted to ask, there's a huge -- I know somebody asked me too in my region that why there's a big increase with the spending. I think the total cost went up to $160 million and here -- even here it's 37 for the upcoming fiscal year. So if the Minister can explain why there's a big, huge increase within the spending. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is that -- I am not sure if that's specifically on the Dehk'e Frank Channel Bridge. Yeah, okay. So I mean, certainly Bridgeworks -- I don't have the bridge specifically in front of me right now, Mr. Chair. I will see what information we can find. But I can say there's been a number of significant increases in terms of -- the cost of steel has not really come down since the time of -- for instance, since really when COVID had resulted in some pretty significant increases, and there's also been ongoing supply chain issues, and this bridge did experience some not insignificant delays owing just to having to confirm that the bridge was able to move forward. So all of which is to say it does result in a much higher overall price point, Mr. Chair. But it is nonetheless moving forward now. So I mean, yeah, I certainly could look into providing a more detailed breakdown of the price changes if that would be of assistance to the Member. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.
Yeah, it would be nice -- it's a good information to share with constituents. You know, people they do ask.
Another one too is the biomass energy. I know that at one time -- I know Wekweeti were talking about the biomass energy. I just want to ask the Minister if the Minister is working with other Tlicho communities regarding the biomass energy. I did -- I do -- I heard a lot of good things about the biomass. So if there's -- if the Minister is working with other communities regarding that program. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, there are rebate programs within the Arctic Energy Alliance to support the expansion of biomass, but I suspect this may be with respect to a project that I think that Tlicho are the lead on, dealing with -- or trying to develop a biomass industry within the Tlicho region and using local biomass products. That's not being led by the GNWT, but there is certainly a lot happening, I understand, still at the Tlicho government level and some interest in that regard. So I can see to what extent there's been some engagement between the GNWT and Tlicho on that project. I know that I'd heard from some of their project delivery officials on this project but, again, it hasn't been led necessarily by the GNWT, although it is an exciting project that's underway. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.
Okay, thank you. Thank you for the information. And I just want to ask the Minister, regarding the energy action plan, low income program to address energy poverty, and -- and lately I know that -- I've been hearing from a lot of people regarding the energy program and it's too expensive, too costly. So why there's nothing allocated for the upcoming fiscal year within the budget? Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the good news is there is now going to be funding available. It just wasn't known at the time that the main estimates were being concluded and put -- they do go to the printers a little earlier than just in the days before session begins, and we hadn't yet had confirmation from the federal government that we'd get a renewal of this. We've been looking to get this program renewed. It's a significant amount of money, 17-some million dollars in a year. And when that was lost, it did curtail a lot of energy efficiency programming. The department tried to do some funding from within but that is a significant amount to have to make up. The good news is that it's been renewed. It's been renewed even at a slightly higher rate. I don't know whether it's been renewed for long under the current federal administration, but it will certainly move us forward to be able to get some work done in the next year.
So, again, it's not showing up in the main estimates because we didn't have time but it will be rolling out in this year, and we will see it likely in a supplementary appropriation. Just as we saw the supp for the 2025-2026 year to get some money going, we'll see it come in the next supp that's going to be hitting the floor here in the spring. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.
Okay, thank you. Thank you. That's it for now for this section. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. Colleagues, we're going to stop here. Tomorrow we will resume with Frame Lake -- the Member from Frame Lake, and the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. I want to go to the Member of Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move the chair rise and report progress.
Thank you. There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Thank you. The motion is carried.
---Carried
Mr. Speaker, committee has been considering Tabled Document 448-20(1), 2026-2027 Main Estimates, and would like to report progress. And, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Do I have a seconder? Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion passed.
