Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to our officials for being here for the second hour.
The community of Houston in northwestern B.C. recently got news that Canfor, a large forestry company, isn't going to rebuild the sawmill in their community, as previously promised. It's a decision that's going to have serious economic and social implications in that community. This is a community of about 3,000 people.
One key social service provider in Houston is the Dze L K'ant Friendship Centre. They're working to replace and rebuild their building, which provides services for families, seniors and elders. They provide child care, counselling and a whole suite of social services that are going to be needed even more, given the economic news. They received a funding commitment under the green and inclusive community buildings fund. However, construction cost escalations since that time mean that now they're at a point where they have to dramatically scale back the scope of the project to fit within the budget, yet they need the original project to be built. They're put in this really untenable situation.
How does Infrastructure Canada approach situations like this, when construction cost escalations outside the control of the proponent make the original project, which met the need of the community, unfeasible? Is there room to work with the proponent to ensure that the objectives of the original proposal are met?