Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next set of questions are for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. So also following up on my Member's statement, is the Minister aware of any feasibility or planning studies on how any of the wood harvested during FireSmarting operations could be used as heating fuel? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now I am not aware of any feasibility study that's currently being done in that regard. But what I can say is following the 2023 fire season, there was a significant amount of FireSmart work that was done across the territory, and the department worked very closely with communities to identify where that resource could be used, could be shared with communities for home heating, if there was any commercial interest in harvesting that wood from our local woodcutters, etcetera. So that conversation was had in many communities, and I think that, you know, as we look for mitigation opportunities going forward and fuel reductions around communities, I think that conversation will continue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And so my next question is, is there any work being done within ECC's forest management division to analyze how active forest management, such as regular thinning, could be used to both prevent fires and provide a source of heating fuel for local communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I I don't have specifics, but I am aware that there is a significant amount of work being done in that area across Canada as well as within forest management division. Certainly looking at fuel, reduction fuel modification, fireguards, firebreaks as part of the work that is done through the FireSmart program, whether it be around community boundaries or within communities themselves, and certainly a big part of the approach that the department is taking to support that FireSmarting initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I am encouraged to hear that the Minister is at least interested in pursuing this more.
So my final question is, is there any joint work underway or being planned between ECC and the energy division within infrastructure to coordinate strategies around biomass heating and forest management? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that our departments certainly are speaking as we're looking at combining the climate change action plan and energy action plan into one document. I don't have specifics that I can provide on the floor today, but I am certainly happy to get that information for the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.
