[00:00:05]
AND I WILL NOW CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, JUNE 9TH, 2025 TO ORDER. AND WE JUST READ THE OPENING STATEMENT AS PART OF OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.
[1. Opening Statement]
SO WE'LL FORGO THAT FOR THE MOMENT. NEXT WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.[2. Approval of the agenda]
MR. VAN DINE, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE AGENDA? NOTHING ELSE TO ADD, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
[3. Disclosure of conflict of interest and the general nature thereof]
ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST FROM ANY MEMBER? NO.[4. A presentation from Minister Wawzonek regarding Strategic Energy and Infrastructure Public Updates.]
WELCOME, MR. WAWZONEK. THANKS VERY MUCH, COUNCIL.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US. I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF QUICK MINUTES TO INTRODUCE WHY WE'RE HERE, AND THEN TURNING IT OVER TO THE TEAM THAT I'VE BROUGHT WITH ME FROM STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY AND SUPPLY CHAINS. THIS CAME ABOUT A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN WE'D HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET A NUMBER OF US.
WHEN YOU HAD SOMEONE IN FROM EUROPE HERE TALKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT PERHAPS COUNCIL DIDN'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN THE GNWT TO SUPPORT SOME STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WILL BENEFIT THE WHOLE OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, WHICH THEN, QUITE FRANKLY, BENEFITS YELLOWKNIFE AS THE CAPITAL AND AS A CONDUIT THROUGH WHICH A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS WILL MOVE.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS MORNING THERE'S BEEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT AROUND MEETING A 2% TARGET. THERE'S DISCUSSION IN THE MEDIA AROUND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH NATO AND WHETHER THAT MIGHT FREE UP HOW THOSE TARGETS CAN BE MET. IF THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THERE, THEN THAT MAY WELL MEAN THAT ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS ROADS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE STARTS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME OF THAT FUNDING, EVEN IF IT'S NOT.
SO REALLY, IN MY VIEW, EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT HAS A ROLE TO PLAY HERE IN TERMS OF HOW WE ADVOCATE, WHO WE ADVOCATE TO. YOU ALL KNOW OTHER LEADERS IN THE NORTH FROM INDIGENOUS LEADERS AND OF COURSE, OUR OWN NOW MP, WHO I THINK YOU ALL KNOW VERY WELL.
SO THE MORE THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT ON THESE PROJECTS, WHAT THEIR OPPORTUNITIES ARE, WHAT SOME OF THEIR CHALLENGES ARE, [INAUDIBLE], REALLY HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES US ALL A BETTER OPPORTUNITY AS, AS LEADERS TO BE PUTTING OUR VOICES TO, TO GOOD USE AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR PROJECTS ARE TOP OF MIND FOR, FOR EVERYONE IN OTTAWA, AND THAT THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THOSE PROJECTS.
I'VE JUST COME BACK LAST WEEK FROM OTTAWA MYSELF, AND EVERYONE'S STILL VERY EXCITED.
LOTS OF GOOD QUESTIONS, LOTS OF GOOD DISCUSSION. BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF EDUCATION THAT I THINK NEEDS TO HAPPEN ABOUT HOW THINGS WORK HERE. AND IN SOME WAYS, THE WAY THINGS WORK HERE IS DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S BETTER. BUT OTTAWA DOES SOMETIMES NEED TO BE REMINDED ABOUT HOW THAT IS AND HOW THAT GOES.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, AS I'VE SAID, I'VE GOT MOST OF THE SENIOR MEMBERS OF OUR STRATEGIC ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM HERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME TURNS ON SOME OF THE FOLKS DOING THE PRESENTATIONS SO THAT YOU GET THE TECHNICAL FOLKS UP FRONT, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK IN AT THE END AND WE'LL TAKE HOPEFULLY A FEW QUESTIONS FROM YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HI THERE, ANDREW STEWART WITH THE STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY AND SUPPLY CHAINS DIVISION, I'M WITH THE ENERGY AND MAJOR PROJECTS GROUP.
SO WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE THREE MAJOR STRATEGIC PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A WHILE.
AS THE GNWT. I'M FOCUSED ON THE TALTSON HYDRO EXPANSION PROJECT IN TERMS OF THESE THREE PROJECTS.
SO I'LL FOCUS RIGHT IN ON THAT AND THEN HAND OFF TO SETH TO OR PARDON ME, THE MINISTER WILL SPEAK TO THE ARCTIC SECURITY CORRIDOR, AND THEN SETH WILL SPEAK TO THE MACKENZIE VALLEY HIGHWAY PROJECT.
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME, SO I'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT IN.
SO, TALTSON IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.
THERE'S BEEN VARIOUS ITERATIONS GOING BACK TO ABOUT 2010.
THIS PROJECT'S BEEN LOOKED AT. IT'S PART OF A BIG PICTURE VISION TO CONNECT THE LEGACY HYDRO SYSTEM IN THE SNARE HYDRO FACILITY THAT SERVES YELLOWKNIFE, DETTAH, N'DILO AND BEHCHOKO, WITH THE TALTSON HYDRO FACILITY BUILT IN THE 1960S TO SERVE TO MINE IN THE PINE POINT MINE BACK IN 1965 OR SO.
THE IDEA IS TO TAKE THOSE TWO LEGACY HYDRO SYSTEMS CONNECT 120MW OF CAPACITY TO 11 COMMUNITIES, OVER 70% OF THE POPULATION, AND SET THE STAGE FOR CLEAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE DONE AND HAS BEEN DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST NATIONS AND INDIGENOUS GROUPS.
WE HAVE THE AKAITCHO DENE FIRST NATION, WHICH INCLUDES LUTSELK'E, YELLOWKNIVES AND DKFN, AND FORT RAE'S, AND THEN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY MÉTIS NATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE MEMBER GROUPS IN HAY RIVER, FORT SMITH AND FORT RESOLUTION, AND SALT RIVER FIRST NATION, WHICH IS BASED IN FORT SMITH.
SO THOSE ARE KEY PARTNERS. WE'VE GOT SOME MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM YKDFN.
[00:05:02]
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP MENTALITY. AND THEY COULD CHOOSE TO BE OWNERS AND PART OF THIS LONG TERM VISION AS IT RELATES TO TALTSON.SO IT CHECKS A LOT OF BOXES. THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL TO IF YOU CAN CONNECT THAT POPULATION BASE AND YOU CAN ATTRACT INDUSTRY NORTH AND SOUTH OF GREAT SLAVE LAKE, WE COULD SEE CLEAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE TERRITORY AND THEY WOULD PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO THREE OUT OF 30 YEARS, WE SEE A DROUGHT CIRCUMSTANCE IN THE HYDRO SYSTEM FOR SNARE.
RIGHT NOW, THAT MEANS WE BURN DIESEL TO THE TUNE OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.
YOU'LL SEE THE MAP SHOWS A TRANSMISSION LINE AND SUBMARINE CABLE ALIGNMENT THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY ENGAGED ON WITH THE PARTNERS, AND WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AS IT RELATES TO THE YELLOWKNIFE AREA IN PARTICULAR.
SO WHY TALTSON? WELL THE OLD SITE BUILT IN THE 1960S THAT I MENTIONED TO SERVE MINE INTERESTS OF THE DAY WAS 18MW. IT'S RECENTLY BEEN UPGRADED TO 22. THERE'S A HECK OF A LOT MORE ENERGY POTENTIAL THERE.
ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THE TALTSON WATERSHED IS ACTUALLY VERY LARGE IN RELATION TO SNARE.
AND SO IF WE NEEDED POWER RIGHT NOW FROM TALTSON, EVEN WHEN WE'VE SEEN LOW WATER EVENTS, WE'D HAVE PLENTY OF IT THAT COULD COME FROM TALTSON AND DEAL WITH THE DROUGHT IN THE SNARE. SO A BIG AREA OF FOCUS HAS BEEN ON LOOKING AT AN ALIGNMENT IN 2020 AND 2021, WE GOT OUT ON GREAT SLAVE LAKE WITH THE PARTNERS, LOOKED AT BATHYMETRY, WHICH IS BASICALLY LAKE BOTTOM MAPPING WHERE WE COULD LAY THIS CABLE. IT'S BEEN PROVEN TO BE TECHNICALLY VIABLE.
IT'S BEEN PROVEN WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD OUR MEMBER GROUPS OUT.
THEY'VE BEEN TO TUASON. IT'S DONE ALL OVER THE WORLD.
IT'S A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY AND OUR MEMBERS HAVE GOTTEN COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF IT.
I'VE GOT A SECTION OF SUBMARINE CABLE HERE AT THE BACK.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DO A BIT OF SHOW AND TELL.
IT'S ABOUT 50 POUNDS. IT'S ABOUT THIS WIDE. SO IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THAT IT'S A PRETTY STATIC SYSTEM AND IT'S BEEN PROVEN ALL OVER THE WORLD. SO YELLOWKNIFE OBVIOUSLY IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO. WE'RE FOCUSED RIGHT NOW WITH THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION, GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR LAND USER PERSPECTIVE AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND SENSITIVE SITES FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE WILL BE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THEIR LEAD HOPEFULLY LATER THIS WEEK AND GET TOGETHER WITH MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT GENERALLY.
WE HAVE TO LAND OUTSIDE THE WATER SOMEWHERE, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO ROUTE OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION INTO JACKFISH TO CONNECT THE TWO SYSTEMS TOGETHER. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF LAND USER PERSPECTIVES IN THIS SPACE.
THAT WAS A REALLY QUICK OVERVIEW OF A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN UNDERWAY FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE CRITICAL METALS INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA.
THEY AWARDED US 25 MILLION TO KEEP MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD TO A READINESS STATE.
WE'VE GOT COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE DISCUSSIONS UNDERWAY.
$25 MILLION IS CERTAINLY NOT ENOUGH TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION, AND SO IT'S A READINESS EXERCISE WHILE WE PREPARE AND CONVINCE CANADA THAT THAT KIND OF INVESTMENT IS NEEDED. 2028 IS THE TARGET DATE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
IF WE MEET THAT DATE, WE COULD HAVE FIRST POWER BY 2033, AND ULTIMATELY END UP WITH THAT 120 MEGAWATT UNIFIED SYSTEM THAT CAN SUPPORT THE TERRITORY FOR THE, FOR THE FUTURE BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND FROM A COST OF LIVING PERSPECTIVE.
[00:10:01]
AND SO THAT'S A VERY QUICK OVERVIEW. I'LL PASS OVER TO THE MINISTER.SHE CAN SPEAK TO THE ARCTIC SECURITY PROJECT FROM THERE.
OH, MY. APOLOGIES, EVERYONE. I AM NOT THE MINISTER.
SO FOR ALL OF YOU THAT I DON'T KNOW YET, MY NAME IS SETH BONNET, AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY AND SUPPLY CHAIN DEPARTMENT. IN MY CURRENT CAPACITY, I OVERSEE TWO OF THE MAJOR STRATEGIC PROJECTS THAT THE GNWT IS PRIORITIZED TO MOVE FORWARD ON BEHALF OF, RESIDENTS OF THE TERRITORY.
THE FIRST ONE I'LL TALK TO QUICKLY IS BEING DUBBED AS THE ARCTIC SECURITY CORRIDOR.
AS THE MINISTER MENTIONED IN HER OPENING REMARKS, CANADA RIGHT NOW HAS A RENEWED INTEREST IN MAJOR STRATEGIC PROJECTS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE NATION BUILDING ACROSS CANADA.
THE IDEA OF AN ARCTIC SECURITY CORRIDOR IS A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE CORRIDOR THAT EXTENDS ESSENTIALLY FROM HERE IN THE NORTH SLAVE REGION OF NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, THROUGH THE SLAVE GEOLOGICAL PROVINCE AND POTENTIALLY CONNECTING WITH THE GRAYS BAY PORT AND ROAD PROJECT THAT IS BEING ADVANCED BY WEST KITIKMEOT RESOURCES IN NUNAVUT. THIS PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A KEY ENABLER FOR ARCTIC AND CANADIAN SOVEREIGNTY FOR CRITICAL RESOURCE EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACROSS NOT JUST THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, BUT CANADA AS A WHOLE.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SLAVE GEOLOGICAL PROVINCE REGION, IT'S A VAST AREA OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES ENCOMPASSING THE MAJORITY OF THE NORTH SLAVE REGION. FOR CONTEXT ON THE MAP, YOU'LL SEE GREAT SLAVE LAKE AT THE BOTTOM.
AND THE NUNAVUT BORDER SORT OF BISECTS THE MIDDLE OF THIS GEOLOGICAL SECTION.
WHY IS THE SLAVE GEOLOGICAL PROVINCE IMPORTANT? SO AGAIN, IT HAS WORLD CLASS MINERAL POTENTIAL THAT IS KNOWN.
THERE ARE GOLD, COPPER, DIAMOND, ZINC, NICKEL, RARE EARTH ELEMENTS WITHIN THE REGION.
IT IS AND CONTINUES TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT.
ALL OF THE EXISTING DIAMOND MINES ARE WITHIN THIS REGION.
BUT THERE'S ALSO HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT.
IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A HUGE ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AND CANADA, PROVIDING JOBS, BUSINESS AND REVENUE THROUGH FUTURE EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WHICH OF COURSE IS IMPORTANT TO US, PARTICULARLY AS THE DIAMOND MINES ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF OPERATION.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT NEXT BIG RESOURCE DEVELOPER TO FILL THAT GAP.
OF COURSE, THE REGION IS STRATEGICALLY INTERESTING ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
AGAIN, IT ALIGNS. DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION ALIGNS WITH CANADA'S CRITICAL MINERAL STRATEGY.
DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ARCTIC SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY HAVING A PRESENCE, HAVING INFRASTRUCTURE, WE KNOW THAT IS CURRENTLY A GAP THAT WE NEED TO FILL, AND IT IS ALSO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS AND TO DEVELOP THE REGION RESPONSIBLY.
THOSE OF YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT REGION KNOW THAT THE CURRENT OPERATIONS ARE ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY WINTER ROADS AND AIR TRANSPORT. SO IT MAKES IT INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING TO EXPLORE AND DEVELOP IN THE REGION.
THE LIMITING FACTORS FOR FUTURE EXPLORATION DEVELOPMENT ARE KNOWN TO BE ACCESS AND ENERGY.
SO THE GNWT HAS PRIORITIZED, AGAIN, TWO MAJOR PROJECTS.
ONE IS AN ALL SEASON ROAD THROUGH THE GEOLOGICAL PROVINCE CONNECTING TO GRAYS BAY PORT AND ROAD.
AND THE SECOND IS AGAIN THAT POTENTIAL LINKAGE WITH TALTSON.
AGAIN. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? AGAIN, ESTABLISHING THIS RINK, THIS LINKAGE AND ACCESS IS CENTRAL TO PROVIDING THE OR ACCESSING AND DEVELOPING THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF THE REGION.
[00:15:05]
AND IT MAKES IT A LOT MORE COST EFFECTIVE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPERS.I THINK I ALREADY TALKED TO MOST OF THESE. WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY THERE'S A RENEWED INTEREST OF COURSE, IN EXPLORING COLLABORATION AGREEMENTS WITH INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS.
SO WE'VE MOST RECENTLY BEEN ENGAGING WITH THE TLICHO GOVERNMENT AND YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.
THEY'VE EXPLORED INTEREST IN, IN PARTNERSHIP IN DEVELOPING THIS PROJECT, MOVING FORWARD AND EXPLORING GOVERNANCE OF THE PROJECT WITH POTENTIAL OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS REVISITING POTENTIAL ALIGNMENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD COLLABORATIVELY.
THE SECOND PROJECT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO QUICKLY IS THE MACKENZIE VALLEY HIGHWAY PROJECT.
THE MACKENZIE VALLEY HIGHWAY PROJECT, AGAIN, IS A MAJOR STRATEGIC INITIATIVE AIMED AT EXTENDING ALL SEASON ACCESS THROUGH THE MACKENZIE VALLEY, CONNECTING THE EXISTING CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION NETWORK TO THE WELL, ESSENTIALLY TO INUVIK AND PROVIDING A ROAD CORRIDOR UP THE MACKENZIE VALLEY SO THAT DEVELOPMENT THAT'S CURRENTLY OCCURRING IN THE BEAUFORT DELTA IS NOT RELIANT ON TRANSPORTING AND RESUPPLY THROUGH THE YUKON. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S ABOUT CONNECTING THE COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION RIGHT NOW.
AND AGAIN, CLIMATE IMPACTS ON THE EXISTING WINTER ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE.
SHORT TERM ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF BUILDING THE MACKENZIE VALLEY HIGHWAY, AGAIN, ARE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE'S LONGER TERM POTENTIAL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF, AGAIN, GREATER EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT FUTURE RECLAMATION PROJECTS IN THE AREA, AS WELL AS KEEN INTEREST FROM REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS ON TOURISM ASPECTS.
THE CURRENT PROJECT, AS PROPOSED, IS THE SOUTHERNMOST HALF OF THE MACKENZIE VALLEY CORRIDOR, WHICH WOULD BE EXTENDING ALL SEASON HIGHWAY FROM WRIGLEY THROUGH TOLEDO TO NORMAN WELLS.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 320KM. THAT, AGAIN, IS ONLY CURRENTLY SEASONAL WINTER ROAD.
OF THAT, ABOUT A THIRD OF IT IS IN THE DEHCHO AND THE REMAINDER IS IN THE SAHTU REGION.
THE CURRENT PROPOSAL IS FOR THE ROAD TO FOLLOW THE EXISTING WINTER ROAD ALIGNMENT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, BRIDGES AND WATER CROSSINGS, AS WELL AS TO MINIMIZE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS BY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF NEW DISTURBANCE IN THE REGION. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY ANTICIPATED TO TAKE PLACE IN THREE CONSECUTIVE PHASES, FIRST BEING FROM WRIGLEY TO THE DEHCHO SAHTU BOUNDARY, THEN FROM THE DEHCHO SAHTU BOUNDARY TO TOLEDO AND THEN TOLEDO TO NORMAN WELLS.
WE HAVE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION THAT THAT TIMELINE IS TOO LONG AND THERE'S GREATER URGENCY AND REQUIREMENT FOR THE ROAD TO BE BUILT FASTER. THROUGH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS, WE HAVE SUGGESTED NOW AN OPTIMIZED SCHEDULE WHICH WOULD HAVE US BUILD THE ENTIRETY OF THE ROAD CONCURRENTLY, ALL THREE SECTIONS FROM MULTIPLE HEADINGS.
WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT IF WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE ALL OF OUR PERMITTING THE FUNDING TO CONSTRUCT AND SUCCESSFULLY PROCURE A PROJECT OF THAT SIZE THAT WE COULD COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION FROM WRIGLEY TO NORMAN WELLS IN 3 TO 4 YEARS, WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY. I MENTIONED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.
THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
OUR NEXT MAJOR MILESTONE IN THE PROCESS IS FOR US TO TAKE ALL OF THE FEEDBACK WE'VE HEARD TO DATE THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, COMPILE THAT INTO AN ADDENDUM OR AN UPDATE TO OUR PROJECT DESCRIPTION, WHICH IS A DEVELOPER'S ASSESSMENT REPORT,
[00:20:02]
AND RESUBMIT BACK TO THE BOARD LATER THIS YEAR.FOLLOWING THE RESUBMISSION OF THE DAR OR THE DAR ADDENDUM.
THE BOARD WOULD THEN TRANSITION INTO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ITSELF COULD BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR EARLY 2026, FOLLOWED BY A PERIOD THAT WE REQUIRE TO DO ALL OF THE PERMITTING AND GET OUR AUTHORIZATIONS IN PLACE PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION.
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN HAS STARTED AND IS ONGOING FOR CONSTRUCTION.
I MENTIONED THE NEED TO SECURE FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION.
WE DO NOT HAVE FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION TODAY.
THE EARLIEST WE COULD SEE ADVANCING TO PROCUREMENT WOULD BE PROBABLY LATE 2027.
AND DEPENDING ON THE APPROACH, CONSTRUCTION STARTING IN 28 29 LIKELY.
MINISTER, DO YOU WANT TO. I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE MINISTER HERE.
YES, SIR. THAT'S GOOD. YEAH. SO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY CONCLUSION THERE TOGETHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY FOLKS HAVE A SENSE OF THE WHY YOU KNOW, REALLY, THIS IS FOUNDATIONAL AND FUNDAMENTAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE AND OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEY'RE LACKING, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR IT FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT SECTORS AND REGIONS, COMMUNITIES DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND WITHOUT FOUNDATIONAL AND FUNDAMENTAL CONNECTION, ENERGY, ROADS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, WE ARE DOING A LITTLE BETTER ON WE HAVE MADE THE POINT JUST LAST WEEK, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOOP THAT GOES AROUND THE MACKENZIE VALLEY AREA, BUT THERE'S NO ROAD AND THERE'S NO ELECTRICITY.
SO WE'VE KIND OF DONE A LITTLE BIT IN REVERSE ORDER FROM WHAT HAPPENS ELSEWHERE IN CANADA. SO YEAH, HOPING THAT TAKE SOME QUESTIONS IF THERE'S SOME TIME, MR. MAYOR, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. BUT YEAH, I REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS BACK EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS ON, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY IT MATTERS SO MUCH AND WHY WE'RE HOPING THAT WE GET ON THOSE LISTS FOR PROJECTS OF NATIONAL INTEREST.
I THINK YELLOWKNIFE FIRST TWO WILL GET A LOT OUT OF THIS AND YOU KNOW CONVERSATION.
SO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WE HAVE COUNCILOR COCHRANE FIRST.
AND I HAVE TO CONCUR ON ALL THREE OF THESE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATION FOR THE PRICE TAG FOR TALTSON? GO AHEAD MINISTER. SURE. WE HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATION.
I MEAN, WE'RE INTO THE BILLIONS. SO ARE WE, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2 AND 3, RIGHT? HOW IS THAT FOR ROUGH ESTIMATION? THAT'S THE ROUGH ESTIMATION I WAS EXPECTING.
ARE WE? HOW DO I PUT THIS? DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH WE WOULD SPEND VERSUS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITHIN THIS ROUGH ESTIMATION? GO AHEAD. THANKS. NO. AND NOT YET, HOWEVER. AT THE LAST STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH IS WHEN THE LEADERS OF ALL OF THE POTENTIAL PARTNERS GATHERED TOGETHER, WE DID INVITE CANADA INFRASTRUCTURE BANK TO COME AND MEET WITH US WHICH WAS VERY HELPFUL.
SO THEY WERE ABLE TO LAY OUT FOR US DIFFERENT WAYS BY WHICH THE FUNDING MIGHT ARRIVE.
AND SOME OF THAT DEPENDS ON THE COMMERCIAL ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN ALL OF THE PARTNERS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE REALLY WORKING TO HAVE SOLIDIFIED OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES AS PROPONENTS GOING FORWARD.
FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, THE CANADA INFRASTRUCTURE BANK AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES HAVE DIFFERENT POTS OF FUNDING FOR INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS AS COMPARED TO A TERRITORIAL OR PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT. WE WANT, YOU KNOW, IN PART OF OUR MESSAGE TO THEM IS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SEES THEMSELVES FITTING IN BECAUSE IF THEY'RE COMING WITH GRANT FUNDING FOR INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS AS PROPONENTS OR GRANT FUNDING TO US AS A TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT, AND THEN AM I STACKING THAT WITH A LOW INTEREST LOAN TO AN INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENT? AM I STACKING IT ON A LOAN THAT WE GET AT A DIFFERENT RATE? AND THEN AM I GOING TO THE COMMERCIAL MARKET, AND WHAT RATE AM I GETTING IN THE COMMERCIAL MARKET? WELL, HOW ALL OF THAT FITS TOGETHER IS GOING TO BE PRETTY CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING WHERE ALL THOSE MONEYS CAN POTENTIALLY COME FROM. BUT SO THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT CONVERSATION IS, I THINK, ADVANCING WELL RIGHT NOW AND MORE THAN IT EVER HAS IN THE PAST.
[00:25:01]
I APPRECIATE THAT AMBITION. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT ROUTE TO TAKE.I'M JUST CURIOUS, WOULD THAT BE ALL YEAR? CONSTRUCTION? COME ON UP, SAM. [LAUGH] SORRY. YEAH. SO IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THAT OPTIMIZED CONSTRUCTION WINDOW AGAIN, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT COME INTO PLAY.
THE SUCCESSFUL PROCUREMENT AND THEN THE MOBILIZATION AND CONSTRUCTION THAT 3 TO 4 YEAR CONSTRUCTION TIME WINDOW IS FROM START TO COMPLETION, FULL TIME CONSTRUCTION. YES. THANK YOU, MINISTER, AND THANK YOU, SETH.
27 TO 2037 WOULD BE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MONITORING.
WOULD WE TAKE UPON THE ENTIRE ASPECT OF THE MONITORING? SURE. SORRY. SO CONSTRUCTION MONITORING CURRENTLY PROPOSED IN OUR DEVELOPERS ASSESSMENT REPORT ARE MITIGATIONS TO HELP US MINIMIZE THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT.
THERE ARE VARIOUS DIFFERENT MONITORING PROGRAMS PROPOSED.
AGAIN, THEY'RE ALL CURRENTLY GOING UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.
SO IT HASN'T BEEN FINALIZED YET. BUT THE PLAN WOULD BE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY GNWT THE CONTRACTORS AND THE LOCAL REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES TO MONITOR THE PROJECT AS IT ADVANCES AND POST-CONSTRUCTION.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU, SETH, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, MINISTER. I FULLY SUPPORT ALL THREE INITIATIVES AND ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP, LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR COCHRANE.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILOR PAYNE. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALL YOU GUYS. WHAT IS THE CAPACITY IN THE SNARE SYSTEM FOR DEVELOPMENT, SUCH AS ALL THE DNE DND AND NATO DEVELOPMENTS FOR THEIR ENERGY NEEDS? AND WILL THE TALSTON SELF CAPACITY ISSUES IF WE NEED MORE ENERGY? MINISTE. WE NEED A LOT MORE ENERGY, RIGHT? SO I MEAN, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPING VERY MUCH ON PINE POINT COMING ONLINE.
THEY ARE STILL MOVING FORWARD AND SOUNDING VERY POSITIVE.
BUT THERE'S THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE TRANSMISSION CONNECTION OVER TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE BEING SO IMPORTANT. SO THERE'S THE SNARE COMPONENT, WHICH HELPS ALL OF THE 70% OF THE TERRITORY'S POPULATION THAT WE'RE DESCRIBING.
BUT IN TERMS OF WHERE IT GOES NEXT, I THINK A LOT DEPENDS ON WHAT OTHER PROJECTS COME ONLINE.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME LITHIUM PROJECTS THAT ARE AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF ADVANCEMENT, BUT AGAIN, ARE SOUNDING VERY PROMISING AND A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SITES THAT SOUND PROMISING, ONE MOVING A LITTLE FASTER PERHAPS THAN ANOTHER, AND THEN OTHERS COMING HOPEFULLY BEHIND THAT. THERE'S STILL GOLD PROJECTS HERE.
SO FOR ALL THE ATTENTION ON CRITICAL MINERALS, OBVIOUSLY FOR OBVIOUS REASONS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER METALS IN PLAY WHERE WE HAPPEN TO LIVE. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY TOO WOULD REQUIRE SOME SIGNIFICANT ENERGY INVESTMENTS.
AND IF WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING TO MY DREAM OF STARTING TO REALLY INTERCONNECT ALL OF THE SYSTEMS, YOU'VE GOT PROJECTS OUT TOWARDS WHATI THAT ARE ALSO POTENTIALLY GOING TO NEED ENERGY. SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT WE WOULD NEED MORE THAN WHAT TALTSON ALONE CAN PROVIDE.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'M CERTAINLY KEEN ON LISTENING TO FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF MICRONUCLEAR OPPORTUNITIES THERE MIGHT BE. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN START TO WORK TO THE NORTH AND ADD ITSELF INTO A GRID, SO THAT THE AREAS THAT HAVE MORE NEED NOW AND THEN LESS NEED IN ANOTHER TIME CAN START TO BE INTERCONNECTED AND TO HAVE SOME INTERPLAY BETWEEN ONE ANOTHER.
AND WE CERTAINLY BUT WE ALSO NEED TO CREATE THAT REDUNDANCY.
SO YOU KNOW BY HAVING THE TALTSON ENERGY FACILITY WORKING.
IT'S TWO COMPONENTS. IT'S ONE IT'S EXPANSION, BUT IT'S ALSO THAT GRID WHICH WE DON'T HAVE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. AND IS THERE ANY POTENTIAL OF HOOKING UP TO A SOUTHERN GRID AS WELL? THIS IS NOT YEAH I'M GOING TO CALL ON A FRIEND ON THIS ONE.
AND THE YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THEY DON'T THEY DON'T NEED OUR ENERGY.
[00:30:02]
SO WE'D BE BUYING FROM THEM. BUT WE ALSO WE HAVE EXCESS ENERGY IN THE SOUTH THAT.YEAH. LET ME GET THE TECHNICAL PERSON TO GIVE YOU THE TECHNICAL ANSWER.
I FIND IT VERY COMPELLING. SURE. THANK YOU, ANDREW STEWART.
THIS CERTAINLY BELONGS IN THE CONVERSATION. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THINKING IT, THINKING OF IT AS A NEAR TERM SOLUTION. SO SASKATCHEWAN IS BY FAR THE CLOSEST MARKET FOR US TO CONSIDER.
ALBERTA HAS OTHER ISSUES. LONGER DISTANCE TO INTERTIE.
IT'S ONLY ABOUT 200KM FROM OUR SYSTEM, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS BIG TRADE OFFS IN RELATION TO REVENUE.
AND SO IF WE'RE TRYING TO CONNECT OUR HYDRO SYSTEMS AND NEED REVENUE FROM INDUSTRY, FOR EXAMPLE, TO HELP PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANTLY MORE MARGIN TO EARN REVENUE TO PAY FOR THAT INVESTMENT.
IF WE'RE GOING SOUTH YOU CAN DROP IT BY A THIRD AND POTENTIALLY HAVE A LONG TERM MARKET CUSTOMER.
BUT THE THE WHOLE METRICS CHANGE IN TERMS OF THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE EQUATION.
AND AS THE MINISTER MENTIONED, THE TRANSMISSION COSTS ARE HIGH.
HUNDREDS OF KILOMETERS IS GOING TO BE AN EXPENSIVE.
240 KV TRANSMISSION LINE. SO YOU CAN TRADE OFF.
I THINK IN THE NEAR TERM, THE IMMEDIATE PRIORITY IS TO TRY AND BUILD A MARKET THAT WILL BENEFIT THOSE COMMUNITIES AROUND GREAT SLAVE LAKE AND SET THE STAGE FOR CLEAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR TERRITORY. THE METRICS ARE BETTER.
THERE'S OTHER CHALLENGES. BUT IN A NUTSHELL, IT'S THE INDUSTRIAL COMPONENT THAT IS SO ATTRACTIVE BUT SO CHALLENGING IN THIS EQUATION TO GET THE REVENUE HIGH ENOUGH TO MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS.
IF THAT HELPS. THANK YOU. ONE THING ABOUT THE CONVERSATION HERE, IT SEEMS, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST WHILE WE'VE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WALKING AROUND WITH THEIR HEAD DOWN, LOOKING AT OR THINKING ABOUT THE END OF DIAMOND MINES.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE NEED SOME, SOME POSITIVE NEWS UP HERE TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO WHERE WE ONCE WERE.
THANK YOU. WELL, SAID COUNCILOR PAYNE. NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILOR WARBURTON.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT THERE, WHICH REALLY PIQUED ME.
WASN'T. GRAYS BAY IS NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR THE FEDS.
THEY WANT TO MAKE IT BIGGER. IS THAT MY READ OF THAT LITTLE BIT THERE? NOT THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT MINISTER. OH, I'D LOVE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF AND JUST GIVE US ALL THE MONEY. JUST GIVE US ALL THE MONEY. FIRE AWAY. NO I MEAN, I YEAH, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO PRETEND TO SPEAK TO THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO MOVING AT LIGHT SPEED IN SOME OF THEIR ANNOUNCEMENTS RIGHT NOW. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY ARE RECOGNIZING A NEED FOR MULTIPLE AREAS OF STRATEGIC INFLUENCE ACROSS THE ARCTIC.
I DON'T THINK I'M TELLING ANY TALES OUT OF SCHOOL IN THIS ROOM TO SAY THAT THERE'S BEEN A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE SIZE AND SCALE OF THE CANADIAN ARCTIC COAST, AND THE COMPLETE ABSENCE OF ANY MEANINGFUL INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THAT COAST.
SO, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF PICK UP WHAT COUNCILOR PAYNE WAS JUST SAYING ON OPTIMISM.
I THINK THERE'S TREMENDOUS OPTIMISM IN OUR MINERAL RESOURCE SECTOR, BUT IT NEEDS TO GET UNLOCKED AND WE CAN'T PLAY IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO WAIT FOR THEM TO BUILD AND THEN GIVE THEM THE INFRASTRUCTURE. WE'VE TRIED THAT AND IT DIDN'T GO VERY WELL. FORTUNATELY FOR US IS ARCTIC SECURITY COMPONENT. AND I THINK THE FINALLY, FINALLY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS RECOGNIZING THE MASSIVE SIZE AND SCALE OF 40% OF CANADA'S LAND MASS AND THE SIZE OF THE COAST. THEY KNOW THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE THAN ONE.
WHAT BENEFITS US, OF COURSE, IS, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT GRAYS BAY, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO CONNECT THAT. AND THAT'S WHERE THE SGP CORRIDOR COMES IN, WHICH HAPPENS TO BENEFIT OUR MINERAL RESOURCE INDUSTRY IN THAT REGION.
SO IN MY MIND, HOPEFULLY THEY'RE SEEING THAT THEY REALLY NEED TO UNLOCK BOTH OF THESE TWO CORRIDORS BECAUSE THEY SERVE VERY DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF, OF ALL OF CANADA. AND THAT IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT THAT CONNECTS OUR COMMUNITIES AND IT CONNECTS INTO A MINERAL RESOURCE AREA.
[00:35:03]
LIKE COUNCILOR PAYNE. THIS IS GREAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND KIND OF JAZZING HIS UP A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE IT'S GENERALLY DOOM AND GLOOM IN HERE WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT BUDGETS AND PROJECTS.THANKS AGAIN. AGAIN, WELL SAID. NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILOR FEQUET.
THANKS, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THAT WAS GREAT TO SEE AN UPDATE ON ALL THREE PROJECTS.
JUST, I GUESS MAYBE START WITH TALTSON. ABSOLUTELY.
RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE NEED TO CREATE A GRID FOR MANY REASONS.
JUST COUNCILOR PAYNE ALREADY ASKED ABOUT THE SOUTH.
JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSIONS OR PLANS TAKING PLACE TO TIE INTO OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE WEST OR THE EAST? GO AHEAD MINISTER. SO THE OTHER TWO TERRITORIES, YUKON AND NUNAVUT? YEAH. I'M. NOT WITH NUNAVUT, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE'S A TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR THAT GETS CONNECTED, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORRIDORS COULD WELL COME IN THE FUTURE. BUT THAT'S NOT YOU KNOW, OUR PHASE THREE OF THE PROJECT IS JUST TO GETTING UP TO OUR SLAVE GEOLOGIC PROVINCE REGION.
BUT AND THEN WITH RESPECT TO YUKON AGAIN, NOT FOR ME TO SPEAK FOR OTHER GOVERNMENTS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT'S ONE OF THE PROJECTS THEY'RE PUTTING FORWARD AS THEIR NATION BUILDING PROJECT IS TO ACTUALLY CREATE THEIR OWN INTERTIE INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA.
BUT KEEPING IN MIND THE YUKON ALREADY HAS A GRID THAT CONNECTS ITS COMMUNITIES, WE DO NOT.
SO EVEN THEN THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO GET CONNECTED SOUTH, AND IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE.
BUT THEY ALREADY START FROM HAVING A GRID, WHEREAS WE DON'T.
BUT YEAH. THANKS. THANKS FOR THAT. THE ARCTIC SECURITY CORRIDOR ON THAT SLIDE THAT YOU GUYS SHOWED THE PROJECT TIMELINE IN A GANTT CHART FORM.
I WAS CURIOUS HOW MUCH TIME IS ALLOCATED FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS IN THAT IN THAT CHART? AND WHERE ARE YOU GUYS WITH GATHERING THE BASELINE DATA AND SUBMITTING THE DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPER'S ASSESSMENT REPORT.
AND IT SPEAKS TO THE PARTNERSHIP APPROACH. IT SPEAKS TO THE POSITIONS BEING TAKEN BY OTHER PARTNERS INVOLVED, WHICH IS INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS ON WHOSE LANDS THESE PROJECTS ARE TAKING PLACE. THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE NOT OVER.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL ALIGNMENT QUESTIONS ON PARTICULARLY ON THE ROADS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FINDING THE OPTIMAL ALIGNMENT, NOT ONLY FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF UNDERSTANDING THE LAND USERS AND LANDOWNERS AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE FROM US AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE FROM THIS PROJECT TO BENEFIT THEIR PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE REGION.
SO, AND THE REASON I START WITH ALL THAT IS THAT WITH THE SLAVE GEOLOGIC IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, WE WHEN WE WERE IN OTTAWA LAST WEEK, WE HAD THE BENEFIT OF THE TLICHO GOVERNMENT AND THE YKDFN THERE AS WELL.
AND THEY'RE ABLE TO SPEAK TO WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE OUT OF THIS PROJECT AND HOW THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT, AND THAT CONVERSATION IS MOVING VERY QUICKLY, BUT VERY POSITIVELY.
BUT THAT WILL INFORM THE TIMELINE. SO MY ANSWER TO THE TIMELINE IS IT'S A BIT OF IT DEPENDS, BUT IT DEPENDS FOR GOOD REASON. IT DEPENDS BECAUSE THERE'S AN ACTIVE CONVERSATION BEING HAD AND EVERYONE'S FEELING THE PRESSURE TO DO THINGS QUICKLY.
BUT WE STILL WANT TO DO THAT, AS YOU KNOW, IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS THE VALUES OF THE NORTH.
THERE'S STATUTORY TIMELINES ASSOCIATED. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHEN YOU START TO, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TALKS ABOUT MOVING THINGS QUICKLY, THERE IS A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF SUPPORTS THEY CAN PROVIDE TO THE NORTH WITH RESPECT TO OUR REGULATORY REGIME THAT WILL HELP US MOVE OUR PROJECTS ALONG EFFICIENTLY, WHETHER IT'S IN RESOURCING OR OTHER SUPPORTS THAT THEY MIGHT PROVIDE.
BUT THE FIRST STEP WILL BE TO MOVE IT FORWARD WITH PARTNERSHIP.
AND THAT'LL I THINK THAT'S THE SINGLE BIGGEST THING THAT WILL MOVE IT QUICKLY. THANK YOU. GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND AGREED. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. AND LAST QUESTION, JUST GIVEN THE SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS NEEDED IN SOME CASES TO START PORTIONS OR ALL OF THESE OR THE TOTALITY OF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS AND IN ALL CASES, HOPEFULLY FINISH ALL THREE OF THESE PROJECTS. HOW IS THE DOT PRIORITIZING EACH OF THEM RELEVANT TO ONE ANOTHER, IF THAT'S NEEDED, AND HOW IS THE GNWT PREPARING TO MANAGE ALL OF THESE THREE MASSIVE PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME?
[00:40:07]
SO FIRST, I YOU KNOW, ONE THING I WANT TO SAY IS I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE TOO.I DON'T KNOW IF THE DEFENSIVE IS THE RIGHT WORD, BUT MAYBE A BIT HUMBLE ABOUT HOW, OH, GOSH, IT COSTS A LOT, BECAUSE WHEN I HEAR SOME OF THE NUMBERS COMING OUT OF THE NATION SCALE PROJECTS FROM OUR FRIENDS TO THE SOUTH AND PROVINCES, THESE THREE ARE NOT THAT OUTRAGEOUS. THEY'RE A LOT FOR US.
AND, YOU KNOW, RESPECTFULLY THE KIND OF SIZE AND SCALE NONE OF US HAVE THESE KINDS OF DOLLARS, BUT THE SIZE OF PROJECTS COMING OUT OF THE SOUTH REALLY ECLIPSE US.
SO. SO I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO. OH, GOSH. IT'S GOING TO COST A LOT.
BEING FIRST PRIORITY IS MAKING SURE THAT THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH ALL OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE NORTH, WHICH IS ALL OF INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS OF THE NORTH, ARE SOLID. THAT 100% IS FIRST PRIORITY.
IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, EVEN JUST LOOKING AT THE TIMING OF WHERE WE'RE AT ON THE THREE, THEY ARE AT DIFFERENT STAGES, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TALTSON OR RATHER MACKENZIE VALLEY HIGHWAY, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN SORT OF BUILT IN STAGES AND IS ALREADY IN AN EA.
AND IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THAT EA SUCCESSFULLY WITH AN OPTIMIZED TIMELINE FOR CONSTRUCTION AS WELL AS A ROUTE THAT MAKES SENSE TO THE TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT IT GOES THROUGH, THEN THAT ONE IS LIKELY TO BE READY FOR CONSTRUCTION FIRST.
THOSE TWO MAKE SENSE WOULD GO ONE AFTER THE OTHER.
SO WOULDN'T THAT BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY? TALTSON A BIT DIFFERENT, A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROJECT COULD WELL MOVE AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROJECT THAT'S BEING WORKED ON, DIFFERENT KIND OF CAPACITY AND HOW YOU MANAGE THE THREE. I MEAN, WE CERTAINLY HAVE A PRETTY STRONG TEAM HERE, BUT IF WE NEED TO SEEK OUT EXTERNAL CAPACITY, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING YOU CAN CERTAINLY ALSO BE GOING FORWARD AND SAYING, LOOK, WE NEED SOME FUNDING TO SUPPORT HAVING PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
THANKS. THANK YOU. GREAT ANSWERS. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION GUYS.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR FEQUET AND COUNCILOR MCLENNAN. IS HE FROZEN? I THINK HE'S FROZEN. OKAY. WELL I'LL GO TO MYSELF THEN.
IF HE COMES BACK ONLINE, WE'LL GO BACK TO HIM. JUST GOING BACK TO THAT GANTT CHART.
MINISTER. ONE OF THE ITEMS IN THE GANTT CHART WAS THAT RED LINE.
THE SORT OF DECISION POINT. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS IF THE DECISION ISN'T A POSITIVE ONE, I GUESS, WHAT'S THE OTHER OPTIONS? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE ALL OF OUR EGGS ARE NOW IN THE TALTSON BASKET.
SO IS THAT TRULY A DECISION POINT OR IS IT OKAY, WE'RE BOUGHT INTO THIS NOW.
THESE ARE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO GET DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
WELL, I THINK YOU SORT OF ANSWERED THE QUESTION.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO GET DONE. NO, I MEAN, THEY ARE DECISION POINTS, RIGHT? AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT FOR ALL THREE PROJECTS, THEY ARE DECISION POINTS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE SOLE PERSON OR PARTY, THE GNWT DOESN'T ACT ALONE ON THESE. THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE MEANT TO BE SPECIFICALLY A VERY, VERY CLEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THE TALTSON PROJECT.
BUT EVEN THE OTHER TWO YOU KNOW, THEY COULD STILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THE OWNERSHIP AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN EQUITY STAKE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN A ROAD PROJECT, CAN EXIST FOR THE LANDOWNER.
IT IS CLEAR, YOU KNOW, IN A SYSTEM WHERE WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON CONSENSUS, THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT EVERYONE SAYS YES, WE ALL FEEL GOOD AND WE WANT IT TO MOVE FORWARD. AND THAT DOES TAKE SOME OF THE WORK WE'RE PUTTING IN RIGHT NOW. YEAH.
FAIR ENOUGH. COUNCILOR MCLENNAN I SAW YOU POP BACK UP AND GO LIVE AGAIN IF YOU'RE THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APOLOGIES. IT'S A DIFFICULT INTERNET CONNECTION SUPPLY IN HOUSTON AS WELL.
SO [INAUDIBLE] MY QUESTION WAS JUST ABOUT DOES THE GNWT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH ANY OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT WILL OCCUR TO MAINTAIN THESE ROADS, TO MAINTAIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE? ARE THESE THINGS THAT CAN HANDLE ANY CONTINGENT [INAUDIBLE] PROJECTS, SUBSIDIZE ONGOING OPERATIONAL COSTS [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE BREAKING UP A LITTLE BIT THERE, BUT I'LL SEE IF THE MINISTER GOT THAT BETTER THAN I DID.
OKAY. SO I'LL TURN IT TO SETH IN A SECOND, BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING.
[00:45:04]
WHICH YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FACTOR THAT IN EARLIER ON AND TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO DECISION MAKERS ALONG THE WAY.BUT ON THE TWO ROADS, LET ME SEE WHAT SETH CAN MAYBE GIVE YOU FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE.
SETH BONNET AGAIN SO WITH REGARDS TO OPERATIONAL COSTS THERE ARE A LOT OF SHORT TERM OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT ARE BEING INCORPORATED INTO PROJECT PLANNING AT THIS POINT IN TIME, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE MONITORING THE SHORT TERM OPERATION OF THE ROAD DURING CONSTRUCTION AND IMMEDIATELY POST-CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COSTS THERE WITH MONITORING PROGRAMS AND SOME GEOTECHNICAL THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROADS ARE OPERATING, BUILT TO THE STANDARD AND THE DESIGN THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
THOSE ARE PROBABLY LIKELY GOING TO BE FACTORED INTO THE ASK FOR THE IMMEDIATE CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS, TO HELP US MAKE SURE THAT WE DELIVER THE BEST PROJECT THAT WE CAN.
LONGER TERM OPERATIONAL COSTS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE GNWT CAPITAL PLANNING PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN AGAIN, THAT WILL ALSO BE PREDICATED ON THE FINAL DESIGN FOR THE ROADS.
SO THEY HAVEN'T ACTUALLY BEEN FULLY DESIGNED YET, BUT ONCE WE HAVE A FULL DESIGN, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT OPERATIONAL NEEDS MIGHT BE POST-CONSTRUCTION. AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR COMING.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR MCLENNAN.
ANYTHING ELSE? SO JUST ONE FINAL THING FOR MYSELF IS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON IS ACTUALLY A MOTION AROUND SUPPORTING THE ARCTIC SECURITY CORRIDOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS DOING OUR PART AND SENDING THE RIGHT POLITICAL MESSAGES AS WELL.
SO BEYOND THAT, I MEAN, IF THAT ALL GOES FORWARD AND IT WOULD GET VOTED ON, YOU KNOW, OFFICIALLY IF WE DECIDE TO PASS THAT NEXT OR AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 24TH IN WHICH CASE WE'LL BE SURE TO FLIP THAT TO THE GNWT SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT AS WELL AS.
PARDON ME. AS A NOTE OF SUPPORT. BUT AS COUNCILOR COCHRANE SAID AT THE START, WHATEVER YOU NEED FROM THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE TO SEND THESE RIGHT SIGNALS, PLEASE LET US KNOW FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, MINISTER, FOR COMING.
THANKS, SETH, ANDREW AND THE REST OF THE TEAM FOR COMING TODAY.
APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU CAN DASH NOW SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HANG AROUND FOR THE REST. SO JUST GIVE IT A SECOND AND LET THE MINISTER AND THE TEAM BE ABLE TO EXIT.
THANKS VERY MUCH. SO NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING A RESOLUTION RESPECTING
[5. A discussion regarding a resolution respecting Encampments.]
ENCAMPMENTS. SO I'LL START OFF JUST INTRODUCING THIS ITEM MYSELF ACTUALLY.BASICALLY I'VE HEARD FROM ALL OF YOU AS MY COLLEAGUES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, MONTHS, YEAR [LAUGHER] AS WELL AS FROM OTHER RESIDENCES IN THE CITY.
WE'VE ALL HEARD FROM AND BUSINESSES. SO WITH THAT, SIMILAR TO I JUST MENTIONED, THE MOTION WILL BE DISCUSSING AFTER THIS ONE REGARDING THE ARCTIC SECURITY CORRIDOR, SORT OF WANTING TO PUT A BIT OF A STAKE IN THE GROUND AS COUNCIL OF WHERE OUR HEADS ARE AT AROUND ENCAMPMENTS, SERVING PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDER HOUSED AND UNHOUSED AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE GNWT, BUT ALSO SAYING CLEARLY WHAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR, WHAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY FOR, WHAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR, AND WHAT WE EXPECT FROM THE OTHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.
BUT WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO FLIP IT TO THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE IF HE HAS ANYTHING ELSE IN ADDITION THAT HE'D LIKE TO ADD. AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM YOURSELVES. SO OVER TO MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS. SO WE FIND THAT ENCAMPMENTS IS AN EVOLVING SITUATION.
IT HAS NOT A GREAT DEAL OF PREDICTABILITY ATTACHED TO IT.
CERTAINLY THE SITUATION IS SUCH THAT THE CITY ITSELF BOTH LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR, FINDS ITSELF WITH A LIMITED TOOLBOX WITH WHICH TO RESPOND TO THE VARIOUS DIMENSIONS RELATED TO ENCAMPMENTS.
I BELIEVE HEALTH AND SAFETY IS PROBABLY THE MOST CRITICAL QUESTION THAT FACES US.
[00:50:04]
AND WITH THAT WE DO HAVE SOME TOOLS RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION, RELATED TO DEVELOPMENT RELATED TO REGULATION OF SUCH ACTIVITIES.AND THOSE ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE'RE DRAWING UPON CURRENTLY WITH RESPECT TO THE EVOLVING SITUATION.
I'LL NOTE THAT IN BUDGET 2025 WE NOTED IN SORT OF THE NARRATIVE AT THE FRONT END, THAT THE ENCAMPMENT SITUATION LAST SUMMER DID REQUIRE THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND THE TEAM THAT I'M ENTRUSTED WITH TO SUPPORT LAST SEASON'S EFFORTS.
THAT INVOLVED CERTAINLY GOING SOME DISTANCE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TO COORDINATE WHAT WAS UP TO, I BELIEVE, THREE DIFFERENT REPOSITIONINGS OF ENCAMPMENTS LAST SUMMER THAT HAPPENED RELATIVELY.
I WOULD SAY WITHOUT MAJOR DISRUPTIONS, I GUESS, TO YELLOWKNIFERS AND TO THE COMMUNITY WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE CLEANUP OF CERTAIN SITES RELATED TO THAT AND WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT AND WORK WITH OUR TERRITORIAL COLLEAGUES WITH RESPECT TO PLANS AROUND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, WHICH ARE UNDERWAY.
COUNCIL WILL BE AWARE THAT BASED ON A LITTLE BIT OF THAT EXPERIENCE FROM LAST SUMMER COUNCIL DID THROUGH SOME OF ITS PROGRAM, DECIDE TO INVEST MORE INTO OUR OUTREACH PROGRAM.
AND SO WITH THAT, WE'VE, WE NOW HAVE THAT ON STREAM AND WE ARE LOOKING TO GET A SENSE OF HOW THAT IS WORKING WITH RESPECT TO WORKING WITH OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. GOING FORWARD THE RESOLUTION DOES SPEAK TO SOME OF THE, THE VARIOUS ASPECTS THAT TOUCH ON QUESTIONS OF BEHAVIOR AND SAFETY IN THE DOWNTOWN GENERALLY, AS WELL AS THE ENCAMPMENT QUESTION ITSELF.
SO I'LL JUST DRAW ATTENTION TO THAT ONCE AGAIN.
THE QUESTION THAT IS ALWAYS ON THE MINDS OF ADMINISTRATION AND TO AND THE TEAM IS A LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY, RISK AND COST. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HEAR COUNCIL'S THOUGHTS ON AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE ADVICE AS REQUESTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. VAN DINE, SO WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES RELATED TO THE MOTION.
COUNCILOR MCGURK. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND FOR WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY WITH GNWT AND ENCAMPMENT RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZERS.
I'VE GOT A FEW THINGS THAT I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ON.
DO YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE OF THIS? SO THIS IS MORE SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING AROUND SORT OF THE OVERALL RELATIONSHIP OF THE DOWNTOWN, NOT THE ENCAMPMENT SPECIFICALLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE MOTION, YES, IT'S RESOLUTION RESPECTING ENCAMPMENTS, BUT THE MOTION IN TOTALITY AND IT'S A FAIR POINT IS MEANT TO SPEAK TO SORT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND ENCAMPMENTS IN TANDEM. AND SO, YEAH, IT WASN'T ABOUT, IT WASN'T TRYING TO IMPLY THAT THERE IS DRUG DEALING GOING ON AT ENCAMPMENTS, BUT JUST WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT OF OUR DOWNTOWN CORE, AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY MORE BROADLY IN TERMS OF THE RESOLUTION.
YEAH. GO AHEAD, AND, MR. VAN DINE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THAT.
YEAH, THAT WAS SORT OF MY INTERPRETATION AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THINK THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE CERTAINTY AROUND THAT, WE SHOULD MAYBE JUST ADJUST THE LANGUAGE TO THE POTENTIAL OF THAT IF IT ISN'T ADDRESSING THE GENERAL CONCERN, BECAUSE I THINK TO IMPLY SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
SO THAT'S JUST A COMMENT ON THAT. I DON'T THINK IT REALLY CHANGES THE INTENTION OF THE RESOLUTION.
IT JUST IS CLARITY OF LANGUAGE THAT I THINK DOES MATTER.
[00:55:01]
SO THE, I'M AWARE THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL REQUESTS FROM THE ENCAMPMENT RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZERS THAT WERE KIND OF PRESENTED TO THE CITY OR, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SORT OF GO THROUGH THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE TOUCHED ON SOME OF THEM.BUT I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF QUESTIONS AROUND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT OR LOBBY, SUPPORT BY LOBBYING THROUGH THE GNWT SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN OUR GARBAGE DUMPSTER WITH ORDINARY PICKUP TIMES, 1 OR 2 PORTABLE TOILETS WITH REGULAR SEWAGE PICKUP TIMES.
SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT THOSE REQUESTS ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN HERE.
AND THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL PUBLIC SAFETY ITEMS, FIRST AID KITS, ACCESS TO POTABLE WATER TENTS OR METAL PLASTIC TENT FRAMES TO AVOID THE BUILDING OF UNSAFE WOODEN STRUCTURES, FIRE RETARDANT TARPS AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.
I THINK IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE THAT IF FIRE SAFETY IS AN ELEMENT OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS AROUND CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF STRUCTURES, THAT WE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THOSE TYPE OF REQUESTS, WHETHER OR NOT WE CONSIDER THIS TO BE AN ITEM THAT THE CITY DIRECTLY SUPPLIES.
THAT IS MAYBE THE DEBATE, BUT I DO THINK IT SEEMS PRUDENT TO INCLUDE THAT IN SOMEWHERE IN THE RESOLUTION, WHETHER IT'S ITEM 2 OR RESOLUTION 2 OR 4, BECAUSE IT DOES SORT OF RESOLVE ISSUES THERE. IT'S PEOPLE WILL DO NEED [INAUDIBLE] LIKE SPACES THEY WILL BUILD POTENTIALLY BUILD SPACES WITHOUT ACCESS TO THESE ITEMS AND SPECIFICALLY THE FIRE RELATED ITEMS. AND I, AND I KNOW SOME ITEMS ON THIS LIST DEFINITELY DON'T NECESSARILY FALL INTO OUR, INTO OUR JURISDICTION, BUT HOPEFULLY WE COULD CONSIDER OR YEAH, ADDING IT TO MAYBE ADDING SOME OF THESE TO ITEM TWO. I GUESS MY QUESTION AROUND THIS IS, OF THAT LIST, WHICH WHAT IS THERE. DO WE SEE A ROLE IN SUPPORTING ANY OF ANY OF THOSE ITEMS? MR. VAN DINE. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION. SO THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE OBVIOUSLY PROVIDES WASTE REMOVAL AND WASTE SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH RESIDENTS WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE TAX COLLECTION AND SERVICES PROVIDED, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE REGISTERED AND PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES, FOR NEW ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN ON LANDS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY WE ALSO HAVE A REGULATORY FUNCTION TO MAKE SURE THAT LAND USERS ARE ACTUALLY PROVIDING THOSE SERVICE, SO IN MANY CASES YELLOWKNIFERS WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH, YOU KNOW, TEMPORARY USES IN WHICH WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE DOING THE TEMPORARY USES DO HAVE PROPER SANITARY AND WATER SERVICES.
SO IN THAT CASE, WE PROVIDE THE REGULATORY ROLE WITH THAT, AND WE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE ACCORDING TO OUR STANDARDS, AND WE HAVE CONNECTION POINTS TO OUR SOLID WASTE FACILITIES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES SUPPORT OF THAT, SO WE REGULATE THAT ACTIVITY. IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE NEITHER JURISDICTION OVER SOME OF THE OCCUPANT ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THIS AND NOR DO WE HAVE AN ABILITY TO EXTRACT A FEE FOR SERVICE OR AUTHORIZE CERTAIN ACTIVITIES IN THIS CASE, IN ORDER TO ALLOW US TO REGULATE IN THIS CASE.
SO I WILL OFFER THAT IN THIS EVOLVING SITUATION, WHEN WE'RE WHEN IT WAS EXPERIENCED LAST SUMMER AROUND ASPEN APARTMENTS THAT THERE WAS A LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR SANITARY AND FOR GARBAGE REMOVAL THAT WAS PROVIDED BY ANOTHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT AND WAS NOT ON, INCURRED BY THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
WHILE WE DID DO OUR BIT TO WAIVE CERTAIN CLEANUP FEES ASSOCIATED AND WITH OUR SOLID WASTE FACILITY, THAT WAS THE EXTENT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, WITHIN OUR DISCRETION, TO SUPPORT.
IF THERE ARE A LIST OF NEW SERVICES THAT ARE BEING ASKED OF FOR THE CITY WITH RESPECT TO THIS SITUATION THIS YEAR, THEN WE WOULD NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN FOR THE CITY, ITS RESOURCES, ITS LEVEL OF PRECEDENT FOR AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S WITHIN OUR CORE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.
SO THE LIST OF REQUESTS THAT I BELIEVE HAS JUST BEEN RECEIVED, SO IT HAS COME
[01:00:10]
IN I THINK EARLIER JUST PRIOR TO THIS MEETING AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ASSESS IT.HOWEVER, IT'S FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, THE CITY NOR THE RESIDENTS THAT SUPPORT THE FUNDING OF THE CITY HAVE A LINE ITEM TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVITY THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED.
SO JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, I MEAN, YEAH, AS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, POINT TWO TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REMOVAL OF WASTE PORTA POTTIES, OTHER NECESSITIES LIKE THAT, LIKE MR. VAN DINE SAID, LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE CALLING ON THE GNWT TO, YOU KNOW, FILL THAT GAP THAT WILL DO THE FRONTLINE PIECE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CITY DOES.
BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THEM AND IT'S NOT ALL FALLING TO THE CITY BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THESE CHALLENGES ARE ONES WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT THE CHALLENGES THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY UNHOUSED OR WORKING, GOING THROUGH, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE GNWT ON THIS AS WELL.
SO, YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU, AND THANKS FOR THAT RESPONSE.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING ALL OF THESE ITEMS ON LIKE I WANT TO FLAG THEM AS REASONABLE REQUESTS, AND SOME OF THEM ARE LIFE SAFETY ISSUES THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING SUPPORTING AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS THROUGH REQUEST TO THE GNWT OR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GNWT.
I THINK THAT SOME OF THESE ITEMS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LIKE POTABLE WATER AND REQUESTS AROUND REDUCING OR USING OR PROVIDING TENTS OR FRAMES, FIRE RETARDANT, FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, THOSE ITEMS WHICH WILL RESOLVE AND OR COULD RESOLVE SOME ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE, MAY SPRING UP. IF WE DON'T, AND BY WE I MEAN THE LIKE THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO LOOK AT THIS IT'S VERY ENCOURAGING THAT THE CITY THE GNWT, ENCAMPMENT RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZERS, THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A FRAMEWORK FOR COOPERATION.
AND I REALLY COMMEND EVERYBODY. AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL WITH THE CITY STAFF FOR FUNCTIONING THAT WAY AND TAKING THAT ON AND I HOPE IT WON'T BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED AND THE CONTINUED COOPERATION FROM ALL PARTIES IS PRIORITIZED.
I THINK IT'S LIKE THE MOST EFFICIENT AND COST EFFECTIVE OPTION, HONESTLY, TO RESOLVE THIS.
BUT SO GIVEN THAT THERE HAS BEEN ADDITIONAL REQUESTS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE INCLUDED IN DELIBERATIONS ON THIS RESOLUTION. SO THAT'S WHETHER OR NOT THAT MEANS THAT WE SEND THIS BACK TO ADMINISTRATION OR WE DISCUSS IT AS A COUNCIL, I'M NOT SURE, BUT THAT'S MY DESIRE, SO.
POINT WELL TAKEN. I'VE BEEN DOING SOME WORDSMITHING AS YOU WERE PROPOSING, SO WE CAN MAYBE GO THROUGH OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, AND THEN I'LL KEEP DOING IT, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, THEN WE'LL MAYBE COME BACK TO IT. BUT, COUNCILOR WARBURTON? YEAH.
THANKS. AS USUAL, I WROTE STUFF OUT BECAUSE IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO READ IT THAN.
AND I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS MOTION. I LIKE HOW IT TALKS MORE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY THAN JUST ENCAMPMENTS ITSELF, BUT IT TALKS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL. SO I THINK WE ALL AGREE INVESTING IN SHELTERS, HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL SERVICES IS VERY ESSENTIAL.
THESE SERVICES ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES IN OUR COMMUNITY OF POVERTY, ADDICTION, HOMELESSNESS.
IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT. IT'S NOT A CONTRADICTION TO SAY THAT WE NEED ENFORCEMENT. IT'S A NECESSITY. IMAGINE A CITY WHERE SERVICES ARE FULLY FUNDED, BUT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE UNSAFE. LAWS GO UNCHECKED.
PEOPLE NO LONGER FEEL SECURE GOING TO SCHOOL, GOING TO LIBRARY, GOING TO BUSINESSES.
WE HEAR ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME DOWNTOWN. THAT'S NOT COMPASSION EITHER.
IT MEANS SETTING BOUNDARIES TO PROTECT EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY THE VULNERABLE.
IT MEANS ENSURING THAT OUR PARKS ARE SAFE FOR FAMILIES. BUSINESS OWNERS CAN OPERATE WITHOUT GETTING VANDALIZED EVERY DAY, AND PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH ALCOHOL ADDICTION, MENTAL ILLNESS ACTUALLY GET THE HELP THEY NEED BECAUSE IT'S SAFE TO DO SO. WE NEED
[01:05:02]
OUTREACH WORKERS AND ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. WE NEED TRAUMA COUNSELORS AND COMMUNITY PATROLS BECAUSE WITHOUT ORDER, SERVICES BREAK DOWN, WHICH WE ARE STARTING TO SEE IN OUR DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT OCCUR IN REAL TIME. WORKERS CAN'T DO THEIR JOBS, INCLUDING THOSE PUBLIC SAFETY WORKERS AND OUTREACH WORKERS.WE NEED TO DO BOTH. SOCIAL INVESTMENT IS HOW WE CARE.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS HOW WE PROTECT EACH OTHER. YOU JUST STOP PRETENDING THIS IS A ZERO SUM GAME, THAT IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER. IT'S NOT. WE CAN DO BOTH, AND WE NEED TO DO BOTH.
IF WE ONLY ENFORCE, THOUGH, IT'S JUST FEAR BASED.
WE NEED TO DO BOTH AND TO BE COMPASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THOSE REMARKS, COUNCILOR WARBURTON.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILOR ARDEN-SMITH. THANK YOU.
I MEAN, I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER MYSELF.
I ECHO THE SAME SENTIMENTS AS COUNCILOR. WARBURTON.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DISCUSS ENCAMPMENTS AND THEN ON NUMBER FOUR, WHERE WE INDICATE, YOU KNOW WANTING TO HAVE ENCAMPMENT BETWEEN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY AND 48TH STREET DEFINITELY POINTING OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN BYLAWS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF A NO GO.
I'M VERY MUCH OF THE OPINION THAT WE NEED TO START STANDING UP AND BACKING UP OUR OWN BYLAWS.
MANY OF THE RESIDENTS FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY.
SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PUT IT ON RECORD THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR BYLAWS NEED TO BE UPHELD A LOT, A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT THEY PRESENTLY ARE. MANY RESIDENTS FEEL THAT YOU KNOW, THEIR RIGHTS ARE BEING PUT OVER TO THE WAYSIDE RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, BEING UPHELD BY THESE BYLAWS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF HOUSING.
WE'RE RUNNING SHY OF HOUSING AT THE MOMENT. BUT I DON'T AGREE WITH CONTINUING TO SUPPLY TO OUR VULNERABLE. WE HAVE NGOS, WE HAVE FUNDING THAT KEEP GOING OUT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE MADE REQUESTS. BUT WE ARE AT LIMITED RESOURCES AT THIS POINT.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S GOING DOWN A DIFFERENT PATHWAY.
I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH GOING FORWARD WITH THIS MOTION.
I THINK THE WORDING IS PERFECT ON ALL POINTS.
BUT AGAIN, RESIDENTS ARE ARE GETTING FRUSTRATED, AGGRAVATED AS AM I, ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN SITUATION.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE A LOT MORE ORDER IN PLACE AND OUR BYLAWS BEING UPHELD FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
JUST TO REMIND AND NOTE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO BYLAW, ULTIMATELY THEY FOLLOW OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, WHICH, GRANTED, OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES HAVE RECENTLY BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE DOWNTOWN PIECE.
BUT AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DO OPERATE ON A COMPLAINTS BASIS, AND THAT'S AROUND CAPACITY THAT COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO FROM A CITY COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF BUDGETING AND ULTIMATELY WHAT THERE'S CAPACITY TO DO FROM PROPERTY TAX BASE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT FORWARD. AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT, AND I THANK ALL COLLEAGUES, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE IT. AS COUNCILOR WARBURTON SAID, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GROWN UP CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF WE HAVE TO DO AS A SOCIETY BOTH THINGS. THIS ISN'T A CITY COUNCIL, JUST ONLY.
AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE AGAIN, I'LL DO THIS AT THE END, AS I DID AT THE START.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT AS COUNCIL BEING CLEAR AND AS COUNCILWOMAN SAID YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SPEAKING ABOUT CLEAR REALITIES AS THEY ARE, AS OPPOSED TO MAYBE HOW WE ALL WOULD LOVE THEM TO BE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT AGAIN, AT THIS POINT. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND THEN IF THERE ARE, I´M HAPPY TO TAKE THEM, IF NOT. YEAH, COUNCILOR FOOTE.
[01:10:01]
JUST THE VISIBILITY OF PEOPLE IN UNIFORM IS ENOUGH TO DETRACT SOME BEHAVIORS THAT WE DON'T LIKE TO SEE.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, COUNCIL. MY MIC WAS OFF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, COUNCILOR FOOTE. COUNCILOR COCHRANE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS MOTION AND TO THE ADMINISTRATION AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, COUNCILOR COCHRANE. I'M NOT I TRUST WITHIN THE MAYOR'S ABILITY TO WORDSMITH SOME OF THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD HERE.
OVERALL, I THINK THIS MOTION KEEPS OUR JURISDICTIONAL REALITIES ON HAND WHILE SETTING CLEAR ASPIRATIONS FOR WHAT WE WANT TO SEE ACCOMPLISHED IN OUR SOCIAL SERVICES AND ENFORCEMENT. I DO HOPE THAT THE FACILITY BY THE AIRPORT IS FINISHED WITHIN THE TIMELINE BROUGHT FORWARD BY OUR JURISDICTIONAL PARTNERS AT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, AS ENCAMPMENTS THEMSELVES ARE TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS TO AN OVERALL PROBLEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR COCHRANE FOR THE FOR THOSE REMARKS.
SO I DON'T NEED TO REITERATE WHAT COUNCILOR COCHRANE AND COUNCILOR WARBURTON AND COUNCILOR ARDEN-SMITH ALL SAID, BUT I'M VERY HAPPY, JUST LIKE COUNCILOR FOOTE, TO SEE OUR RECENT ONE OF OUR TWO MED PRIORITIES EMBEDDED IN THIS RESOLUTION.
I THINK IT JUST SPEAKS TO HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO COUNCIL THAT WHEN YOU START SEEING THINGS CROSS-POLLINATED AND DOCUMENTS HOPEFULLY IT BECOMES TRUE AND HAPPENS AND HAS THE IMPACT THAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, COUNCILOR FEQUET. WITH THAT, SEEING NOTHING ELSE AT THE MOMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY WERE GREAT OBSERVATIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, COUNCILOR MCGURK. IS ONE, TO JUST STRIKE THE FIFTH, WHEREAS THE PIECE AROUND ALCOHOL AND DRUGS, DRUG DEALING, VANDALISM, NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A REALITY IN OUR DOWNTOWN, BUT I THINK COUNCILOR MCGURK MADE A REALLY GOOD POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT SORT OF DOES MUDDY THE OVERALL DISCUSSION ON ENCAMPMENT REALITY.
SO I THINK IT DOESN'T REPLACE THE REALITY OF WHAT WE ALL KNOW, BUT PROBABLY FOR THE CLEANLINESS OF THE MOTION AND FOCUSING IN ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY THE BE IT RESOLVED PIECES.
MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO STRIKE THAT PIECE.
WELL, JUST BEFORE WE GET TO IT, I'M JUST GOING TO.
AND THEN IS TO, FOLLOWING ON POINT TWO WOULD BE TO ADD TO THE END WHERE IT SAYS END OTHER NECESSITIES, JUST ADDING IN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THOSE LIVING IN AN ENCAMPMENT, BECAUSE THAT THEN SPEAKS TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT POINT TWO SPEAKS TO WHAT WE'RE CALLING ON THE TO DO.
ULTIMATELY, THOSE ELEMENTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SAFETY FOR INDIVIDUALS ARE ABOUT HEALTH.
IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS OR DISAGREEMENT OR AGREEMENT THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO GET INTO NOW'S THE TIME.
COUNCILOR MCGURK. THANKS, I GENERALLY AM IN SUPPORT.
I WOULD HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF, OR JUST 1 OR 2 CONSIDERATIONS.
IN RESOLUTION. I THINK IT'S. OH, NO, I LOST IT.
WHERE IS IT? IN MY NOTES. SORRY. RESOLUTION THREE THE.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE VISIBLE PRESENCE OF PUBLIC DRUG DEALING AND USE.
MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE IT TO LIKE. I THINK WE SHOULD STILL KEEP THAT CONSIDERATION, BUT IT MAY BE THE LANGUAGE MORE REFLECTS THE POTENTIAL OF THAT, THOSE ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE THAT OBVIOUSLY THAT IS PART OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT.
AND BUT I JUST THE IN RECOGNITION OF JUST IMPLIES THAT IS OCCURRING IN ENCAMPMENTS.
AND WHILE YES, WE KNOW IT IS OCCURRING DOWNTOWN, IF WE DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT IT IS OCCURRING IN ENCAMPMENTS, THEN I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SORT OF USE LANGUAGE THAT IS DEFINITIVE LIKE THAT.
YEAH. AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT WHILE THAT MIGHT SEEM SEMANTICAL TO SOME PEOPLE, THAT THERE ARE A LOT THERE, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RESIDENTS OF ENCAMPMENTS ARE TRYING TO .
[01:15:08]
THEY'RE TRYING TO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY OCCUR.AND I DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE THEM FROM OR MAKE THEM THINK THAT WE DON'T SEE THEM.
I GUESS, AND ALSO, I GUESS I'M HAPPY TO ADD THAT POINT TO THE FINAL POINT, BUT I DO MAYBE THINK WE SHOULD INCLUDE POTABLE WATER AS ONE OF ITEM, MAYBE IN ITEM TWO, AS IT IS A BASIC HUMAN.
IT'S A BASIC HUMAN NEED. BECAUSE WE DO COVER THE WASTE REMOVAL PORTA POTTIES AND OTHER NECESSITIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE POTABLE WATER AS AN ITEM THERE BECAUSE IT'S AS IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THOSE OTHER ITEMS. MR. VAN DINE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S A USEFUL OR ADVISABLE ADDITION. I THINK IT'S A FAIR POINT, BUT I DON'T MEAN THAT FLIPPANTLY AT ALL.
BUT JUST IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE SITUATION FROM LAST YEAR WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO ADD THAT IN OR LEAVE IT AS IS? YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO WE'RE WE'RE DIPPING INTO THE VALUES KIND OF SPACE. AND I WOULD CAUTION THE ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE ADVICE ON VALUE STATEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO WHERE COUNCIL WANTS TO GO.
I WILL SORT OF OFFER THAT WE WILL PROCEED ON THE DIRECTION THAT COUNCIL GIVES US AND ALLOW YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHERE YOU WANT TO PUT THE WEIGHT ON VARIOUS VALUES THAT ARE BEING SURFACED IN THIS DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU'RE GETTING INTO A STICKY WICKET THERE AND I APPRECIATE IT. MY RECOMMENDATION THERE THEN, COUNCILOR MCGURK, WOULD BE TO MAYBE LEAVE OUT POTABLE WATER, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S CAPTURED IN THE ELEMENT OF, YOU KNOW , TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THOSE LIVING IN THE ENCAMPMENT AND ULTIMATELY POINT TWO IS, AGAIN, ABOUT US RECOMMENDING TO THE GNWT TO TAKE ACTIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, BITS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER COUNCIL SEE HEAD NODS.
YEAH. I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, IF THERE'S NOT SUPPORT FOR INCLUDING IT, I'LL ACCEPT THAT.
BUT I DO THINK ACCESS TO POTABLE WATER IS BASIC NEED, AND IT'S NOT A VALUE STATEMENT TO SAY THAT ACCESS TO POTABLE WATER IS A BASIC HUMAN NEED.
SO ITEMS LIKE PROVIDING TENTS OR FOR, YOU KNOW, OTHER SORT OF THINGS, THOSE ARE HARM REDUCTION MEASURES THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT MIGHT EFFECTIVELY ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE DESIRE.
BUT POTABLE WATER IS NOT A VALUE, OR A CHOICE THAT WE CAN SORT OF CONSIDER VALUE STATEMENT.
SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE, IF WE'RE GOING TO DEFINE ACCESS TO BASIC HUMAN NEEDS AND WITH THE WASTE REMOVAL AND PORTA POTTY COMPONENT.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NECESSARILY WILL IMPLY THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE WATER.
I JUST THINK IT MEANS THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO WATER.
AND SO THEN MAYBE THAT'S A GNWT TO RESOLVE. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOBBY AND PETITION FOR. THANKS FOR THAT. WE'LL GO ANOTHER COUPLE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS HERE, AND THEN I'LL PROPOSE THAT WE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, SORT OF TAKE A VOTE ON EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT WE CAN CARRY THAT ON.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILOR WARBURTON? I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS AND THE SUGGESTED EDITS.
I THINK IT CAPTURES IT. I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH WIGGLE ROOM IN HERE TO CAPTURE ALL THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I LIKE IT AS IT´S WRITTEN WITH NO EDITS, THANKS. THANKS FOR THAT. COUNCILOR ARDEN-SMITH? I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR WARBURTON I THINK IF WE GET TOO MUCH INTO THE NITTY GRITTY, WE'RE GETTING INTO THE WEEDS HERE AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT QUITE BROAD IN ORDER TO CAPTURE ALL THE ITEMS. COUNCILOR FEQUET? THANKS, MR. CHAIR.
[01:20:04]
YEAH. I'M HAPPY TO KEEP IT AS IS. OR INCLUDE POTABLE WATER AS A LIST IN THE LIST, NOTING THAT IT'S OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN HARM MITIGATION MEASURES, THAT IT'S A INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HUMAN RIGHT.SO I THINK THAT ELEVATES ITS IMPORTANCE. AND I AGREE IT'S NOT A VALUE STATEMENT.
SO I'D BE HAPPY TO SEE IT IN I'M OKAY IF IT'S NOT.
BUT MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY ABOUT THE PROCESS.
FOR I WAS JUST CURIOUS, MR. CHAIR, IF YOU AND THE CITY MANAGER HAD A CHANCE TO CONSIDER WHETHER THIS RESOLUTION AND NOTWITHSTANDING THE OUTCOME OF THE NEXT ONE, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS JUST GIVEN THEIR IMPORTANCE AND THE REASON WE'RE TAKING THE TIME TO DISCUSS THEM AND DECIDE ON THEM.
IF THERE ARE ITEMS THAT WE COULD WALK ON TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA, ESPECIALLY GIVEN TONIGHT'S AGENDA GIVEN THAT THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT STATEMENTS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING MAKING, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU GUYS HAVE CONSIDERED THAT AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS, IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT OR IF COLLEAGUES WANTED MORE TIME, OF COURSE, TO REFLECT. COOL. JUST WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION. THANKS FOR FLAGGING IT TO ME IN ADVANCE, BECAUSE IT GAVE ME A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE CITY CLERK ABOUT IT. YES, WE CAN. IF WE'RE IN AGREEMENT AND WANT TO, WE CAN WALK IT ON TO THE AGENDA TONIGHT UNDER NEW BUSINESS.
SO WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE AT TPC AT THE END OF OUR CONVERSATION.
WE CAN DO THAT TONIGHT IF WE'RE INTERESTED. OKAY.
SO WITH THAT I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.
SO I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE THE JOYS OF BEING CHAIR I'M GOING TO PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT WHICH IS TO INCLUDE POTABLE WATER BECAUSE AS SAID COUNCILOR FEQUET SAID THERE, IT'S ULTIMATELY UNDER POINT TWO.
THIS IS ABOUT A RECOMMENDATION TO THE GNWT AT THAT POINT.
SO THAT'S FAIR. I THINK THAT'S FAIR. IT'S CLEAR.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THE POINT 5, WHICH WE HAD ALREADY DISCUSSED, BUT CHANGE IT TO, WHEREAS THERE MAY BE PUBLIC USE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS, DRUG DEALING AND VANDALISM TAKING PLACE BECAUSE THAT ALWAYS CAPTURES THE REALITIES OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. BUT CONSIDERING THIS IS A MOTION AROUND ENCAMPMENT SPECIFICALLY, IT STILL LEAVES OPEN THE BROADNESS OF WE ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW, AS COUNCILOR MCGURK SAID, WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, MAY OR MAY NOT BE HAPPENING WITHIN AN ENCAMPMENT AT ANY GIVEN TIME, ANYWAY, I THINK THAT CAPTURES BOTH REALITIES.
AND I THINK THAT CAPTURES THE MAJORITY OF THE VIEWS OF COUNCIL, BOTH FOR THOSE THAT DIDN'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY WITH IT AS IT WAS, WHICH I RESPECT.
AND SINCE I DRAFTED IT, I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE MY HEAD WAS AT IN THE FIRST PLACE. BUT I THINK ALSO CAPTURES THE OTHER VIEWPOINTS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP. AND THAT'S THE POINT OF CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS, IS TO CAPTURE COUNCIL'S VIEWS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE REPRESENT RESIDENTS.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY OVERALL RECOMMENDATION. SO AGAIN, IF YOU GO DOWN TO POINT 5 IS CHANGE IT TO NO, IT'S THE FIFTH WHEREAS, WHICH IS WHEREAS THERE MAY BE PUBLIC USE.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO POINT 2, WE ADD IN ACCESS TO BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS POTABLE WATER, WASTE REMOVAL, PORTA POTTIES AND OTHER NECESSITIES, IT'S NUMBER THREE. IT'S POINT FIVE AND THREE, OH, POINT FIVE AND THREE.
OKAY. YEP. IN RECOGNITION, BUT IT'S THE SAME CHANGE.
SO WE'LL DO THAT SAME CHANGE. SO IF, DOES EVERYBODY WANT TO TAKE A BREAK? I CAN CAPTURE THESE IN WRITING, AND WE COME BACK AFTER A TEN MINUTE BREAK AND WE GO FORTH? OKAY I'LL DO THAT, AND THEN CITY CLERK HAS A WRITTEN COPY AND YOU ALL HAVE A WRITTEN COPY.
SO LET'S TAKE OUR TEN MINUTE BREAK NOW AND WE'LL COME BACK AT 1:35.
AND I WILL CALL OUR MEETING BACK TO ORDER. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR CONVERSATION UP TILL NOW.
AND SORRY, COUNCILOR COCHRANE, YOU HAVE. YOU HAD AN INQUISITIVE FACE.
OKAY, SO I SENT THE DRAFT MOTION AROUND TO EVERYBODY.
WITH THAT, IS EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT WORDING COMING FORWARD THIS EVENING? I SEE HEADS NODDING. OKAY. COUNCILOR FEQUET, COUNCILOR MCLENNAN, I SEE NOTHING THERE.
SO WE'LL MOVE THIS FORWARD FROM COMMITTEE NOW. WE'LL COME ON NEW BUSINESS TONIGHT FOR COUNCIL.
WE'LL HAVE BASICALLY A VOTE TO ACTUALLY ADD IT TO THE AGENDA AND THEN AN ACTUAL VOTE FOR THIS.
SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR ENGAGING IN THAT CONVERSATION.
[6. A discussion regarding a resolution to Support the Development of the Arctic Security Corridor.]
SO AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE LAST RESOLUTION, I'LL SORT OF, YOU KNOW, GIVE SOME BRIEF COMMENTARY ON WHY THIS IS COMING FORWARD.[01:25:01]
AND THEN I'LL PASS IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER.BUT JUST BUILDING ON OUR MOTION FROM LAST DECEMBER, WHERE WE WERE CALLING ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE YELLOWKNIFE AS A PLACE FOR DND INVESTMENT AND ACCOUNTING FOR INTEREST IN NATION BUILDING PROJECTS THAT MR. [INAUDIBLE] HERSELF WAS HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING, CONSIDERING ALL OF THE INTERESTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ACTION THAT THEY'RE TAKING.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TIME. AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE LAST MOTION WHERE US AS COUNCIL SORT OF, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY STATE OUR POLITICAL POSITION.
AND COUNCILOR COCHRANE AND I WERE BRIEFLY TALKING ABOUT THAT ON OUR BREAK. IT'S IMPORTANT AS A COUNCIL TO TAKE POLITICAL STATEMENTS AND POSITIONS ON THINGS THAT MATTER TO US AS A COUNCIL AND MATTER TO OUR CITY. SO THAT'S THE RATIONALE FOR BRINGING THIS MOTION FORWARD AGAIN.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, SAYING THAT WE WERE BRINGING THIS FORWARD, I SAW A SMILE FROM THE MINISTER.
SO I THINK THAT SHE'LL SEE THIS AS A VALUABLE TOOL AS WELL.
IN THE GNWT´S ADVOCACY TOOLBOX, BUT WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I WON'T ADD TOO MUCH MORE, OTHER THAN TO JUST REMIND COUNCIL THAT THERE WAS INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN NOT THAT LONG AGO ABOUT THE CLOSURE OF SEVERAL DIAMOND MINES OVER THE NEXT LITTLE WHILE.
ONE OF THEM IS IMMINENT AND WILL HAVE A RESULT AND AN IMPACT ON MONEY COMING INTO THE CITY, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY AND SERVICES PROVIDED IN THE CITY.
SO THERE IS A REAL AND PRESENT IMPACT WITH RESPECT TO ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PART OF THE ECONOMY HAS THE CHANCE TO GROW RELATED TO THAT, OUR ECONOMIC ASSETS IN THE REGION WITH RESPECT TO THE AIRPORT AND WHAT ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORTS THAT THAT CAN PROVIDE.
AND THAT, MR. CHAIR REQUIRES US, AS WE'RE DOING OUR COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE, TO DECIDE WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF SERVICES AND LAND USE REQUIREMENTS THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE MEDIUM AND LONG TERM. SO GETTING THIS ON THE RADAR I BELIEVE IS WELCOME AND CONSISTENT WITH OUR NEAR AND LONG TERM ECONOMIC INTERESTS.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. VAN DINE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES RELATED TO THIS MOTION? COUNCILOR COCHRANE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE ON THIS.
AND I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS HOW HAPPY I AM WHEN THE CITY AND THE GNWT CAN SEE EYE TO EYE LIKE THIS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR COCHRANE.
ANYONE ELSE? NO? THEN WITH THAT, IS THERE GENERAL AGREEMENT TO BRING THIS FORWARD FOR THIS EVENING? LOADS OF HEAD NODDING AND THUMBS UP. SO WE'LL DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY, FOR ENGAGEMENT ON THOSE LAST FEW ITEMS. THE NEXT UP WE HAVE, VERY RIVETING FOR EVERYBODY, A MEMO REGARDING A REPORT REGARDING MINE AND COUNCILOR COCHRANE´S TRAVEL TO OTTAWA TO
[7. A memorandum regarding a report regarding Mayor Hendriksen and Councillor Cochrane’s travel to Ottawa, ON to attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference, May 28 – June 1, 2025.]
ATTEND THE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES CONFERENCE MAY 28TH TO JUNE 1ST, 2025.IT'S FOR INFO, BUT DOES ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS? MYSELF AND COUNCILOR COCHRANE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
RIVETING STUFF, I KNOW EVERYBODY. OH, COUNCILOR MCGURK, YOU HAVE A QUESTION, GO FOR IT. OH, COMMENTS WORK TOO. OH YEAH. [INAUDIBLE]. THAT WAS KIND OF A FUN LITTLE IDEA AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
THAT'S COOL. WELL, MAYBE COUNCILOR COCHRANE CAN FILL IN EVERYBODY ON THAT ONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU TO THE COUNCILOR FOR THAT COMMENT.
YEAH, NO, ESPECIALLY WITHIN PRIDE MONTH. I THINK IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT INITIAL DIALOG TO HAVE WITH THE MAYOR OF RADIUM SPRINGS, COUNCILORS FROM LETHBRIDGE CITIES IN NOVA SCOTIA AND NEW BRUNSWICK.
BUT, YEAH PRIDE MATTERS. BEING QUEER, ESPECIALLY WITHIN A MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP CATEGORIZATION MATTERS AS WELL. AND I'M HOPING FOR ALL US GAYS GET TOGETHER AND ORGANIZE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR COCHRANE. IT WAS, YEAH, IT WAS A GREAT CONFERENCE. AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE, YOU KNOW, YOUR ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHER COLLEAGUES AND SEEING YOU KNOW, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE ACROSS THE GNWT AND ACROSS CANADA ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AS PRIDE. I T WAS GOOD TO SEE.
[8. A memorandum regarding whether to proceed with surface patching treatment of Franklin Avenue (41 Street to 43 Street).]
ON THIS ONE, I WILL IMMEDIATELY PASS IT TO MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M GOING TO CALL ON MR. GREENCORN TO WALK US THROUGH THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.[01:30:13]
BE QUICK AND SHORT AND SWEET. I'M NOT AS VERSED IN POWERPOINT BIRDS THAT MY COLLEAGUE IS, SO I LIKE TO CUT STRAIGHT TO THE CHASE. SO FOR CONTEXT, THIS IS A BIT OF A DEPARTURE FROM OUR CAPITAL PLANNING PROCESS.SO I'LL WALK YOU QUICKLY THROUGH WHAT WAS ON THE TABLE AND THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'D LIKE TO MAKE.
FRANKLIN AVENUE, MORE COLLOQUIALLY KNOWN AS. WHATEVER, I'M AN ENGINEER.
FRANKLIN HILL FROM 43RD STREET TO 41ST STREET TO 43RD STREET IS IN CURRENTLY IN DESIGN PHASE AND WAS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETE RECONSTRUCTION IN 2026. ADJACENT TO THAT IS 49A AVENUE WHICH UNDERWENT EXPEDITED REPAIRS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 2024 DUE TO SOME SIGNIFICANT FAILURES IN THE AREA THAT IS NOW BEING SLATED FOR PAVING IN 2025.
SO KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND. LIFT STATION ONE.
TENDER CLOSED. WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
IT IS UNDER BUDGET. CONTRACTOR PRIOR TO TENDER CLOSING, REQUESTED A 12 MONTH PROJECT EXTENSION FROM 2027 UNTIL 2028, CITING RISK CONCERNS DUE TO THE TIMING OF THE TENDER, THE AWARD, THE SHORT CONSTRUCTION SEASON, WE DON'T WANT TO BE DOING MAJOR UNDERGROUND WORK SHORING AT LAKE LEVEL IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES.
SO THAT GAVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY IN SCHEDULING.
SO THE EXTENSION OF THE LIFT STATION SCHEDULE COMPLICATES THE PAVING OF FRANKLIN AVENUE.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK IN THE SAME AREA AT THE SAME TIME, WITH LIMITED DETOUR OPTIONS, WHICH ARE 49 AVE OR DOWN THE HILL BY THE SCHOOLS DOWN 44TH STREET BY WATERMARK. WATERMARK TOWER? ANDERSON, ONE OF THOSE TOWERS. WE'D PREFER NOT TO DO THAT.
TO PROVIDE SOME REPRIEVE IN THE AREA AND BETTER COORDINATION WITH THE LIFT STATION PROJECT.
THIS DOES, HOWEVER, PUSH FRANKLIN AVENUE OUT FURTHER THAN WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT ON THE ROAD.
IT'S CAUSING SOME CONCERN FOR BOTH TRANSIT, MOTORISTS, CYCLISTS, PEDESTRIANS ALIKE.
SO WE'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT WITH A SURFACE TREATMENT WHILE THIS PUSHES THAT OUT A FEW SEASONS BECAUSE LIFT STATION ONE IS A SIGNIFICANTLY BIGGER PROJECT. DUE TO ICIP FEDERAL FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR THE PAVING, WE DO HAVE SOME CARRYOVER MOUNTS THAT THIS CAN BE USED FOR.
SO JUST FOR THOUSAND WORDS. YOU SEE LIFT STATION ONE ON THE RIGHT, 44TH STREET, AND I BELIEVE EVERYBODY KNOWS FRANKLIN HILL. ODDLY ENOUGH, THIS WAS MY FIRST PROJECT THAT WAS PAVED IN 2004, AND YOU COULD STAND AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, AND WE LOST A COMPLETE VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE IN ONE OF THE DIPS ONE DAY, AND THEN IT CAME UP THE OTHER SIDE.
SO IT'S LIKE, OH, THERE IT IS. SO THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AREA.
BUT THIS IS A SURFACE PATCH TO TIDE US OVER UNTIL LIFT STATION ONE IS COMPLETE.
SO HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT. BUT THAT'S THE ADJUSTMENT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. COUNCILOR WARBURTON.
THANKS. SNAPPY, SNAPPY. THUMBS UP FROM COUNCILOR MCGURK.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYBODY ELSE? SORRY. CITY CLERK.
I CAN'T SEE COUNCILOR FEQUET AND MCLENNAN IF THEY'VE GOT ANYTHING.
[01:35:04]
OH, AND IT WAS A GREAT VIEW OF YOUR THUMBS UP, COUNCILOR FEQUET, WHEN YOUR HEAD POPPED UP, SO THAT WAS EXCELLENT. NOTHING ELSE FROM ANY COLLEAGUES.OKAY, THEN THIS WILL COME FORWARD FOR APPROVAL TONIGHT UNDER NEW BUSINESS ON OUR COUNCIL AGENDA.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. THANK YOU. SO THAT IS THE END OF OUR AGENDA TODAY.
SO CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? COUNCILOR COCHRANE,
SECONDED BY COUNCILOR WARBURTON. WE WILL SEE EVERYBODY TONIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.