Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation has made a commitment in its mandate to restore safe operating conditions in the Port of Hay River by strengthening connections with public and private sectors partners.
Mr. Speaker, over the past year, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has implemented new initiatives and improved existing programs and services to help meet our mandate commitments to address the cost of living for NWT residents.
We all understand the importance of reducing poverty and providing our residents with the tools necessary to achieve their goals and live healthy, productive lives. The work underway at the Department supports those goals.
Mr. Speaker, the last decade has seen our Great Slave Lake fishery hit hard by circumstances well beyond its influence and control. Commercial fishing in our territory has, as a result, declined significantly.
What has not declined is the number of fish in the lake, the quality of this food source, or the proven markets we can use to rebuild our fishery. They offer the opportunity to restore an industry that remains important and vital to our economy and to our territory.
Mr.
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Energy Strategy will support the transition to a lower carbon economy in the NWT in the transportation, heating, electricity and industrial sectors by supporting efficiency as well as renewable and alternative energy solutions.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to provide an update on the progress made on the development of a range plan for the Bathurst caribou herd.
As Members may be aware, cumulative impact concerns were raised during environmental assessments of the Gahcho Kue, Fortune Minerals NICO project and the Jay Pipe project expansion. Each Environmental Assessment recommended that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop approaches for cumulative effects monitoring.
Mr. Speaker, investments in our transportation system are critical for creating economic and social opportunities for northerners. The Department of Transportation’s commitment to securing federal funding to advance the Mackenzie Valley Highway under the mandate of the 18th Legislative Assembly is intended to capture these kinds of opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, caribou herds across northern Canada have been declining. Many are at or near historic low numbers.
These declines prompted the Committee on Status of Endangered Species in Canada to assess barren-ground caribou across Canada, including herds in the Northwest Territories, as a threatened species in November 2016.
Mr. Speaker, residents of the NWT have told us that they want to advance food production in their regions and communities. With the support of federal and GNWT funding, community-based gardens, greenhouses, farmer’s markets and other food-related businesses and associations are flourishing across the NWT.
Access to locally grown, locally sourced foods continues to increase for NWT residents. Small-scale entrepreneurial opportunities are becoming available through markets, festivals, and conferences.
Mr. Speaker, in order to address the Priorities of the 18th Legislative Assembly, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has made the commitment to work in partnership with other orders of government to address affordable housing requirements in support of their service delivery to Northwest Territories residents.
