Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of ECC.
As we all know, climate change is making our wildfire seasons longer and more intense, and that is -- sorry, Mr. Speaker, I am also having a bit of a brain fart.
Mr. Speaker, every time I am about to go into session, inevitably somebody asks me, you know, when is the new climate plan going to be available. Can the Minister please give an estimate as when the updated climate and energy strategy will be made public? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has developed a new energy and climate change strategy which is planned to be released later this summer. That strategy is currently with the standing committee for input, and we will be addressing some public feedback on both -- requesting public feedback on climate change strategy framework and energy strategy calling for a more clear, coordinated approach on climate change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to see the work that ECC and MACA have done to create the wildland urban interface program which fulfills one of the commitments in the after-action review on the fire response from 2023.
Can the Minister please let us know how many outstanding commitments from that review for ECC remain and what the timeline is to complete them.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department certainly takes lessons learned from the 2023 wildfire season and the recovery review very seriously. We've accepted all 25 recommendations, and work has begun on those. We are prioritizing certainly the implementation of these actions with the ones that have the greatest impact on public safety and community protection first, and we can be supported by the current resources that we have. We are certainly committed to the wildland urban interface program. We're very proud of that program, and that has just recently been put out. The specific dates for completion I don't have available today, but I am happy to provide those to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about FireSmarting for residents, we're often talking about a home or a cabin's structural protection. At my constituency event last week, one constituent had a really interesting suggestion for the Minister. Will he consider amending timber harvesting permits and any associated regulations so that residents might harvest firewood at municipal firebreaks? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, certainly a very good point. I think that, you know, as we look at FireSmarting, it's also about fuel reduction in the broader landscape. And, you know, there are certainly some limitations in the current legislation such as the harvest distance from roads that must be met. However, in the new Forest Act, we will provide tools that have more flexibility when that Act comes into force. And we're certainly happy to have the department examine whether there are opportunities within the current system that could better support the use of timber cutting permits and reduce the fuel loads around communities.
We will also make sure that, as we're doing this, it can be done safely and in compliance with the Acts. We'll also be happy to consider this as a suggestion as we move forward in the development of the final regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
