(check against delivery)

April 18, 2012 - I appreciate this opportunity to address the Northern Air Transport Association’s 36th Annual General Meeting. Aviation is an important industry in the North, one that requires a continuous dialogue between regulators, airport operators, and the aviation industry. Thank you for providing that forum – we all benefit from continuing our conversation.

As the Minister of Transportation and also the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, I fully understand the importance of the aviation industry in the North and the linkages between air transportation and economic development. I also understand that our government’s vision of a strong and prosperous Northwest Territories can only be advanced with healthy and vibrant transportation and economic development sectors.

The prosperity and quality of life in the Northwest Territories is supported by aviation. For many communities, the air industry provides the only access. It supplies fresh fruit and vegetables year round, access to emergency medical care, and even the fuel that provides the heat in some people’s homes.  The air industry and those responsible for airport operations alike – help ensure the quality of life and sustainability of our communities.

Creating a strong and diversified economy is one of the goals of our government.  We need both a strong, vital aviation industry and economy to serve the social, economic and political needs and aspirations of the people of the NWT. The aviation industry continues to play an important role in helping us reach this goal.

The North has great economic potential. The Conference Board of Canada recently reported that Canada’s northern territories will lead the country in economic growth over the next two years. Our economy is forecast to grow by more than seven percent in 2012 and 2013 – well above the Canadian average of two percent.

We have a wealth of mineral potential in our territory – gold, diamonds, rare earths and more.  Spending on mineral exploration was up by 30 percent last year and is expected to grow again.  Major projects currently in the works could attract more than $2 billion in new investment and add over 2000 new jobs in the Northwest Territories over the next years.

We export $2 billion in diamonds annually and have seen increased production at Diavik and Snap Lake.  With Gahcho Kue, a third diamond mine on the horizon and global demand for diamonds strong, we can expect this sector to remain an important part of the Northwest Territories economy.

And of course, there is our oil and gas sector.  Approximately 16.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 1.2 billion barrels of oil have already been discovered in our territory. This is only a small part of our estimated potential of 81 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and nearly 7 billion barrels of oil. In addition, there are substantial offshore reserves of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids.

We have a wealth of resources but much of our potential has gone untapped.  One of the challenges we face is a lack of infrastructure necessary to access these resources and bring them to market.  Strategic investments in territorial infrastructure will be one of the ways that our government can help to sustain and develop our economy.

Infrastructure investment also supports the air industry that in turn supports exploration and development of the resource potential I just spoke of.  In recent years, we have extended and stabilized runways, put in place new air terminal buildings, and are developing two completely new airports.

In 2007, the Department of Transportation completed an NWT-wide study of airport runway lengths and prioritized runways according to those most in need of extensions to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.  In response to recommendations in the study, the Department extended the runways in Tulità and Fort Good Hope by 1000’ and Fort McPherson by 500’. The Department then extended the Fort Good Hope runway again by 500 feet through a partnership with Fort Good Hope Dene/Métis Lands Limited. These runways can now accommodate larger aircraft used for community re-supply and passenger services. The extensions have also improved the local ability to meet the demands of exploration and resource development in the regions.

The Department is also constructing new airports with longer runways in both Colville Lake and Trout Lake.  We expect the work to be completed in the next 2 years. These new airports will provide modern infrastructure that can support both community and economic growth.

New air terminal buildings were opened recently in Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk, and Tuktoyaktuk. In some respects, the buildings represent the multi-modal capabilities of the transportation system in the NWT.  The ATB in Tuktoyaktuk was constructed on site in the community.  However, supplies for the other two were trucked to Hay River, where the buildings were constructed, loaded onto barges, and then shipped down the Mackenzie River and on the Arctic Ocean to their respective communities.

The Department of Transportation is committed to improving transportation infrastructure across the North through partnerships with other governments, communities, businesses, and the northern air carrier industry.

The Department continues to cultivate partnerships with government agencies and the private sector to develop infrastructure to benefit communities and the Northern aviation industry. A new fire and emergency training facility is now open at the Yellowknife airport.  The burn structure was constructed through a partnership with the City of Yellowknife, BHP Billiton/Ekati diamond mine, and the Rio Tinto/Diavik diamond mine. The facility is already increasing training opportunities, which in turn lead to improvements in airport safety and emergency response.  A new combined services building on the west side of Yellowknife Airport has also enhanced safety through reducing emergency response times. And finally, the Department’s investment in our Safety Management System rounds out our mission to provide for the safe, secure, accessible, and reliable movement of people and goods in the NWT.

These are just a few of the highlights of what we have been working on to help address current challenges, the needs of air carriers, and the needs of NWT residents, particularly in remote communities dependent on air service.

Thank you for the opportunity to address your conference.  I look forward to seeing you at next year’s conference in Yellowknife.