Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my statement earlier, my question today is to the Minister of strategic infrastructure.
Will the Minister of strategic infrastructure expand on the current steering committee to include the Indigenous governments of PKFN and the Gwich'in Tribal Council? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Sahtu. Minister responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am already in contact quite regularly with all three of the Indigenous governments who are lining the ultimate route of the Mackenzie Valley Highway. The current MOU exists between the GNWT and SSI. We also have a work plan signed with the Pehdzeh Ki First Nation and certainly am looking and hopeful that we will see an expansion in a formal capacity to bring all three groups, or all four groups with the GNWT, into a formal agreement. So certainly supportive of that, Mr. Speaker. The next step really will be to do that in alignment with the timing preferred by those Indigenous governments. But I am -- as I say, I am in contact with them, and I am expecting that we will get to that place as this project moves forward. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that reply. Greatly appreciated that.
My second question, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister provide this group, once it's established, with SEED capital money, particularly to the other groups outside of SSI. SSI has some funding already. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's different pots of money that may all be available and, firstly, any and everyone interested in opening a business or expanding a business along the Mackenzie Valley Highway can and should be reaching out to their regional ITI department. That is an opportunity to create businesses and to expand businesses, build businesses, as we anticipate work on this project to move forward quickly in the next little while.
There's also funding that is managed through strategic infrastructure with respect to the capacity and work readiness. So just last week, as the Member would know having been with them, we began the work of getting work readiness groups together on the first phase of the project with those communities, and there is funding available for that. As we move into the second phase and expand that work, I expect similar funding will become available so that we can get groups up and running so they have the work readiness capacity to be ready, not only for construction but for what comes next. So it's coming, Mr. Speaker. I am very much committed to it, and I appreciate the question. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains. Final supplementary. Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad we got some startup capital that's forthcoming.
My next question there, Mr. Speaker, is what negotiations are underway with the federal government for the announced Arctic infrastructure fund back in November, that pot of money, one-third is for the NWT. I just want to know what the plans are for that Arctic infrastructure fund. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say I've had the chance to speak to the Minister of Transportation. I know the Premier has as well. We've certainly taken this up with respect to wanting to make sure that that fund gets utilized appropriately. It's only an amount that starts to get at some of the needs we have. It does not build the road entirely. So I am not sure if it's going to be a one-third or if it's going to be project-allocated. We have been certainly, and I think with our sister and brother territories, saying that this is not going to be enough in a big sense. But we've been front and center already, as I say, both myself, the Premier, other Ministers as well, explaining the three major projects that we have, being in the major projects office, and so I am confident we'll get our share of it, Mr. Speaker. And my point simply being that this Arctic infrastructure fund isn't necessarily going to be what builds the Mackenzie Valley Highway. It's going to be just part of what can get us over the hurdle of all of the major projects that we have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.
