Evidence of meeting #40 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was parks.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
Mr. Chair, under the program a portion is devoted to assessment. As we continue to assess contaminated sites, the liability changes. We of course continue to remediate sites. That leads to retirement of some of that liability, and we continue the assessment. It also can add to that liability in some cases.
It's part of the evolving process.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
Are most of these federal responsibilities? Are they federal sites?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
These are federal sites, yes.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
Would Giant mine be considered part of the federal sites?
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
Absolutely, okay.
This year you have $80 million for contaminated sites, to work on $11 billion worth of contaminated sites. Is that correct?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
While we play a role in coordinating this program, Environment Canada itself has relatively few contaminated sites. Other departments have custody of a large number of sites. For example, Aboriginal Affairs has custody of the Giant mine. The money we are seeking here will support Environment Canada in its remediation activities for its contaminated sites.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
What's the total of your liabilities with Environment Canada?
Carol Najm Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Finance Branch, Department of the Environment
As reported in the public accounts, it's around $120 million.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
How much of the liabilities will be retired with the $80 million?
Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Finance Branch, Department of the Environment
I would have to get back to you with that response. I don't have the details. That $80 million covers multiple departments. It is not all Environment Canada.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
You don't have those numbers in front of you. Do you have a plan for your own $120 million? What part of that is going to go into remediation on your own sites?
Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Finance Branch, Department of the Environment
I can tell you of the $4.9 million that we do have, part of it will go to doing the risk assessments and the lion's share of it will go to the remediation activities for the sites that we own.
I can provide you with the specific details.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
On the departmental performance review, Parks Canada admits having problems maintaining and repairing its own infrastructure. Is that correct? Is that a reasonable statement?
Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada
We have some challenges in the state of our infrastructure, but Mr. Chair, as I mentioned earlier, this year the government is investing $57.7 million. That's being increased over the next four years up to $391 million over five years. Very recently, again, there was the announcement by the government this Monday of a significant investment of $2.8 billion.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
Was any timeframe attached to that $2.8 billion by the Prime Minister?
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
—to even say this is a 10-year program, or a 20-year program.
Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada
When the Prime Minister talked about the federal government's overall infrastructure program, he was clear that the bulk of it would be done in three years.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
The $2.8 billion was going to be spent in three years?
Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada
Based on my recollection, the comment that was made was that the bulk of the federal infrastructure program would be done in three years, but we don't have a fixed timeframe yet. This will be worked out over the next month or so, but our objective is to move quickly. I just want to reassure committee members.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
You had the $391 million for infrastructure repair. Now you've got the $2.8 on top of that.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
Yes, and that totals more than what your estimates are for the repair of the infrastructure. So is there some new infrastructure involved in that as well? If you have $391 million and then you're adding $2.8 and here it says you have about $2.9 billion worth of deferred repairs, obviously you're going to do some new work as well.
Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada
The $2.8 billion is potentially not only for Parks Canada. There are often other departments that may benefit from that, but the lion's share of that is for Parks Canada.