Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today is a follow-up from my statement and directed to the Minister of ITI.
My first question there, Mr. Speaker, what programs does the Department of ITI have in preparation for the Mackenzie Valley Highway project in terms of a readiness? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of ITI.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, the programs within the GNWT extend beyond the walls, so to say, of ITI. ITI has programs, for example, like its community futures program that issues different loan arrangements. It also has its SEED funding where you can have -- or apply for different levels of loans -- not loans, sorry, grants for governments -- or jeez, I am going to start over. I think it's -- it's Friday, Mr. Speaker. SEED funding, which is grants for businesses. They can either do things like upscale their business. They can expand their business. Because this is going to bring about new opportunities for business owners or people who want to get into self-employment or business operation. There's also Prosper NWT, Mr. Speaker, who has both supports for how to run your business, how to do your bookkeeping for your business, human resources supports, and also issues loans to businesses. I spoke about the increase in the loan limits today as well. And then there's also digital grants that are available if people want to start websites to be able to advise about their programming beyond those walls. ECE has funding specifically for workforce development, workforce expansion, training as well. And so there is a suite of programs that are available. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that basket of support programs to this huge project that is potentially coming. Aside from that readiness could be looking at the daycare needs of the community. And I've heard numerous times we need a daycare so that parents can go take advantage of the opportunities, which leads me to my next question there, Mr. Speaker.
Will the Minister of ITI hold readiness sessions to bring awareness and preparatory thoughts in the right-of-way communities? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I love this idea because it also allows people to share ideas. It also might mean partnerships even within the business community when people start sharing their ideas and what they're looking at doing. So I commit to taking this back to both ECE and ITI and seeing what can be done from our regional offices in order to support this and make sure people have access, one, to the information, but two, exploring how they can potentially bring different opportunities together. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of ITI. Final supplementary. Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information and the commitment.
My last question there, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of ITI support a readiness working group with the Indigenous governments so we can share preparatory measures? Mahsi.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my colleague, the Minister for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains, sits on a steering committee for the Mackenzie Valley Highway, and making sure that people are ready for this project is part of their conversations. I also understand that this month, the committee -- or sorry, the Minister's Department for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy, and Supply Chains will be doing their engagement plan to start working with Indigenous governments on what that readiness will look like, and so I can confirm to the Member that this work is underway and will begin this month along with Indigenous governments. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of ITI. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.
