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MLAscheckonInuvik-TukhighwayprogressEconomicadvisorsnotconcernedaboutdelays2TuesdayMarch312015INDUSTRYTRANSPORTATIONNEWSBRIEFSFederalgovernmentappealssuperboardinjunctionTheCanadiangovernmenthasledanappealoverarecentterritorialcourtdecisiondelayingitsplantomakechangestotheNWTsregulatorysystemincludingtheamalgama-tionoftheitslandandwaterboards.LawyersforAborigi-nalAffairsandNorthernDevelopmentCanadaledwiththeterritorysCourtofAppealonMar.23.arguingthataninjunctiongrantedbyNWTSupremeCourtJusticeKaranShanerwasbasedonawedlegalreasoning.ThenewsuperboardwhichwouldeliminatetheWekeezhiiSahtuandGwichinregionallandandwaterboardswassupposedtolaunchthisweek.ResourcedevelopersaskedtopostsecuritydepositsRegulatoryboardsintheNWTareaskingtworesourcede-velopmentcompaniesforsecuritydepositsontheirNWTprojects.EarlierthismonththeSahtuLandandWaterBoardrenewedImperialOilslicenceforoperationsnearNormanWellsforanotherdecaderequiringa178-millionsecuritydeposit50millionlessthanapreviousGNWTestimate.ClosertotheYukonbordertheMackenzieValleyLandandWaterBoardaskedNorthAmericanTungstenforanaddi-tional19millioninsecuritypaymentsforitsCanTungmine.FemaleinmatetransportedtohospitalafterbeinginjuredincustodyAfemaleprisonerwastakenfromtheYellowknifeRCMPcellblocktoStantonTerritorialHospitalfortreatmentatapproximately130a.m.onMar.26.Policesaythewomanwastransportedbyemergencymedicalservicesafterseri-ouslyinjuringherselfwhileshewasaloneinasecurecell.MedicineHatRCMPwillbeleadinganexternalreviewontheincident.Thewomanhadbeenarrestedbypolicebutwasnotlaidwithanycharges.AlDumontandRayCurriefortheServiceTheSmithsLandingFirstNationDrummersTheChurchChoirSmithsLandingFirstNationJenniferCheezieDonalynBenwellChristineSeabrookMyNephewTonyTheLavioletteFamilyPeterandFriedaMartselosMarleneandBasilTourangeauDarlenePowderCrystalBenwellMarnieVilleneuveRobertandShirleyMcDonaldJeannieShaeMtisfortheHallAlsotoallthepeopleforthekindnessandsympathyshowntousduringourdifficulttime.Thiswasandstillisverymuchappreciated.Itbroughtcomforttoourfamily.Thankyouisjustnotenoughtosay-Godblesseachandeveryoneofyou.ByDALICARMICHAELWorkontheInuviktoTuk-toyaktukhighwayisnotasfaralongascrewshopedtheydbebytheendofthesecondcon-structionseasonbutGNWTrepresentativessaytheyarecautiouslyoptimistictheywillmeettheexpectedcompletiondateof2017-2018.MLAsandmembersoftheStandingCommitteeonEco-nomicDevelopmentandInfra-structureSCEDIvisitedcon-structionsitesoneitherendoftheall-weathergravelroadtheweekofMar.20wheretheyweretoldthatjust55kmofthe120-kmstretchhasbeencompleted.OvertwoseasonsontheInuviksideofthefuturehigh-wayNorthwindIndustriesLtd.hascompleted25kmofroad.MeanwhileinTukGrubensTransportLtd.hasfinishedabout30km.Thefullextentofthehighwayissettospan137km.Inaddi-tiontothemainlengthbetweenInuvikandTukthecompanieshaveworkedonTuksSource177AccessRoadandInuviksNavyRoad.Allinallabout74kmoftheprojecthasbeennished.GNWTestimatesattheoutsetofthisconstructionseasonhadpredictedanamountcloserto94km.Bynextyearbothcontrac-torsareexpectedtomeetinthemiddletocompletecon-structionofthehighwaywithnishingtouchesaddedin2017-2018.WegotareportacoupleofweeksagobeforewewentupfromthedepartmentthatlookedlikethenorthendwasalittlebitfartheraheadthanthesouthendsaidMLARobertBouchardamemberoftheSCEDI.Werecautiouslyoptimis-ticthatitllbecompletedthemainstuffwillbedonenextyear.BouchardpointedoutthattheterraininInuvikismuchhillierandrequiresmoredirttolltheroadin.Tukisquiteabitatterandtundra-basedhesaid.Ifyoucomparethetwoendsthematerialshauledareprob-ablyaboutthesame.CrewsinTukarefacedwithdivotsintheterrainashighassixmetreswhileinInu-viktheyarellinginupto12metresofdirtlifts.IndicationsarethattheyhavecaughtuponsomeofthestuffthatlastyearwasalittlebitslowbecausetheyweregettingequipmentinBouchardsaid.Thefederalgovernmenthascommitted200millionto-wardsthe299-millionproject.WereinthestageswheresomeofthefundingfromthefederalgovernmentiscominginnowsoitsnotasmuchofacapitalburdenBouchardsaid.Iknowthatthedepart-menthasbeenabletogetfromthefederalgovernment-itusedtobetheyweregoingtopayusevery10km-nowtheyvemadetheagreementthattheyllpayusevery5km.ConstructionisexpectedtocontinuethroughtotheendofAprildependingonweather.Iftheyhitawarmstreakthentheymaybedone.TheyrehopingforalongcoldspringspottheycankeepworkingBouchardsaid.Theroadcanonlybeworkedoninfreezingtemperaturestoavoiddamagingthefragilepermafrostoftheregion.Atthispointitsestimatedthatabout1.9millioncubic-me-tresofgravelhavebeenmovedbyroadconstructioncrews.ImnottooconcernedrightnowBouchardsaid.Itlookslikethingsareprogressingthere.Onthesouthendtheyjustsetarecordamountoftruckhauls-theydid350inonenight.Theyweregettingintosomeshorterhaulssotheywerefeelingliketheyweregoingtogetabunchofstuffdoneinthenextlittlewhile.PhotoGNWTToughtimescontinueinHayRiverwithstrikepowerstrugglesByDALICARMICHAELForamomenttensionsthatbuiltoverthepastfewmonthsinHayRiverbrokeasstrikersputdowntheirpicketsignsandcelebratedawinningbidforthe2018ArcticWinterGameslastweek.Nowitsbacktobusinesswithcracksinthetownssenseofcommunitygrowingasciti-zensdebatetheongoingmunici-palstrike.ToaddtothestressHayRiverisnowhostingopenbidsforthedeliveryofitselec-tricalutilitiescreatingyetan-otherdivisiveissue.Initsmostrecentcommu-nicationwiththepublictheUnionofNorthernWorkerssentoutaierpointingoutthatHayRiverhadalreadysaved11.5percentinwagecostsforits31strikingworkerssincethestrikebeganorvetimesmorethanthewageincreasewouldhavecostthetownthisyear.AdditionallytheystatedOverthelifeofathree-yeardealthetownalreadysavedmorethanthecostofthewagedemands.Werenotjustlookingatthisthree-yearbargainingcyclesaidMayorAndrewCassidydefendingcouncilssteadfastpositiontoTheJournal.Wehavetobegintocontrolourwagesbecausetheincreasestheyreceivetodayhaveanim-pactonthenextcouncilandthenextcouncilaswell.SincethestrikestartedonFeb.24thetownhasofferedwageincreasesofonepercentperannumoverthenextthreeyearsthe31strikersareaskingforincreasesof2.5percentintherstyearfollowedbytwoyearsof2.25percentincreases.InthesamecommuniquetheUNWpointedoutthatanumberofcommunityeventsincludingtheever-popularhighschoolgraduationceremonywouldbeatstakebutCassidysaidsomevolunteersareal-readyplanningfortheworst.Theresalwayscontingen-cies.TheTownofHayRiverhasanumberoffacilitiesbutwearenottheonlyoperatoroffacilitiesintownhesaid.Despitereassurancessomearecallingforthemayorsres-ignationovertheissue.Andtomakemattersworsesomehaveexpressedtheirconcernoverthetownsdecisiontodiscon-tinuereceivingelectricityser-vicesfromNorthlandUtilitiesLtd.NULwhenthefranchiseagreementexpiresinNovem-ber2016.Councilisconcernedoverthepowercostsjustgener-allythecostoflivingCassidysaid.Thisisoneareawherethecouncilfeelswehaveanopportunitytoinuencethatcostandsoweformedafran-chisecommitteetoreviewtheagreement.LogicallywewouldexpectabidfromNTPCNUL.TheresotherpowerprovidersouttherethatareoperatinginAlbertaandBritishColumbiaandSaskatchewan.TheremaybeopportunitiesforthemtobidaswellCassidysaid.Werenottryingtopitonecompanyagainstanotheratthisstageinthegame.Whatweretryingtodoisopenitupforacompeti-tiveprocess.ThediscussioncomesjustbeforeaNWTPublicUtilitiesBoardpublichearingaddress-ingNULsPhaseIIGeneralRateApplication.Onthedocketareproposed2015baseratesched-ulesrevisionstotheassump-tionsforfuelcostadjustmentriderschangestothetermsandconditionsofserviceandamendmentstoratesschedulestoservicenetmeteringcustom-ers.ThesessionwilltakeplaceoverApr.23and24atthePtar-miganInnstartingat900a.m.WorkontheInuviktoTuktoyaktukhighwayisexpectedtocontinueintoAprilmakingupforsomeofthisyearsdelays.POLITICSMUNICIPAL