Economy, Environment and Climate Change 1.1.3:
We will strengthen connections with public sector partners in transportation infrastructure, such as encouraging the Fisheries and Oceans Canada to maintain federal community resupply port facilities and marine services in the NWT, to restore safe marine operating conditions in the Port of Hay River and at key sections of the Mackenzie River Corridor, and to improve charting and navigational aids.
On August 27, 2017, Transport Canada announced that under the Oceans Protection Plan (OPP), $94.3 million will be invested over five years in the Safety Equipment and Basic Marine Infrastructure in Northern Communities Initiative. This initiative is intended to make Arctic resupply operations faster, safer, and more efficient for remote coastal communities along the Arctic Ocean. Investments will be made in on-the-ground safety equipment and basic marine infrastructure to support safer community resupply operations and in training for the use and maintenance of equipment and infrastructure.
There is an opportunity to use OPP funding to improve the state of NWT marine facilities to support important resupply operations that help stabilize the cost of living in NWT communities, better take advantage of shipping opportunities, and increase the efficiency and safety of operations across the NWT marine corridor.
Next Steps:
INF is continuing discussion with Transport Canada and DFO Small Craft Harbours about investments to improve marine transportation infrastructure in the NWT, including investments to rehabilitate the harbour bed in Hay River and expand facilities at the Port as the territory’s marine hub and the base of marine operations across the NWT marine system.
The Department of Infrastructure (INF) is refining a list of priority marine infrastructure in the NWT, which may benefit from federal funding under the Oceans Protection Plan, including improvements to the Port of Hay River, the purchase of double-hulled barges to augment the GNWT’s Marine Transportation Services fleet, and establishing a Marine Services Centre in the community of Tuktoyaktuk as a few key initiatives.
The GNWT is requesting that Canada could provide GNWT with special consideration and first right of refusal where marine related services are supplied to federal departments, boards and agencies within the waters of the NWT.
The federal government is currently developing regional engagement plans to initiate formal discussions on the OPP with provinces and territories. There is currently no timeframe for these engagements.
Accomplishments to Date:
INF has worked with CCG to review the results of the June 2016 harbour survey, which determined the scope of work required to dredge the harbour. A total of 99,391 cubic metres of mud, sand, and silt are required to be removed to restore the harbour to grade.
INF also worked with Hay River’s Great Slave Harbour Authority and the NWT Fisherman’s Federation to develop an informal Request for Quotes (RFQ) for dredging services and to solicit reponses from local contrators. Restoration of the harbour to grade is estimated at $10 million. $1 million annually would be required or operations and maintenance (O&M) for 15 years ($25 million total).
Background:
The Hay River Harbour is heavily silted affecting marine safety and limiting the efficiency and effectiveness of critical marine resupply operations provided by the GNWT’s Marine Transportation Services (MTS), federal operations, and local industry. Hay River Harbour was last dredged by Public Works and Government Services Canada's dredging fleet in 1993 under the former dredging program operated by the federal government. Annual funding is no longer provided to Public Works and Government Services Canada for regular harbour maintenance in the NWT, including dredging. However, funding for dredging activities remains a federal responsibility and the Department of Infrastructure does not have the mandate or the resources to undertake this initiative.
The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) are responsible for the delivery of marine support services in the NWT, including marine search and rescue, aids to navigation, marine communications, charting, navigation channel maintenance, icebreaking support, and community marine resupply facilities. Starting in 1995, the Department of Infrastructure maintained community marine landing sites and docks on behalf of the federal government through a Memorandum of Understanding with Canada that provided $500,000 in funding. The federal government cut funding to the Federal Marine Re-supply Site Program in 2013/14. Since then, the INF has increasingly received report from communities regarding the poor condition of federally-owned marine facilities.
Links to Other Government Activities:
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NWT Transportation Strategy 2015-2040: Supports priority of strengthening connections to continue maintaining and improving our existing transportation system to enhance the level of service, increase reliability, improve transportation safety, and build on partnerships and priority of embracing innovation to adapt the transportation system to the effects of climate change.
For more information about this initiative, please contact the Department of Infrastructure.