Mr. Deputy Chairperson (Ben Sveinson): The next set of Estimates that will be considered by this section of the Committee of Supply are the Estimates of the department of Sustainable Development Innovations Fund. Will the Committee of Supply please come to order.

This section of the Committee of Supply will be considering the Estimates of the Sustainable Development Innovations Fund. The minister for Sustainable Development, does the minister have an opening statement?

Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Environment): I am prepared to waive the statement.

Mr. Gregory Dewar (Selkirk): I am also prepared to waive the statement.

Mr. Deputy Chairperson: We thank the minister of Sustainable Development for the short comments, and we also thank the official opposition critic the honourable member for Selkirk for those short comments.

We are now on page 138 in the Estimates book and on page 11 of the yellow supplement book.

Mr. Cummings: Given that this is the first time the member for Selkirk (Mr. Dewar) has had to wrestle with this one, the Sustainable Development Fund is dollars are supplied from the waiving of the provincial sales tax on disposable diapers. That is where the revenue comes from plus a levy against liquor bottles. It is allocated under a committee system, under Agriculture, under I, T and T, Energy and Mines, Environment, Rural Development, and Natural Resources.

In those general categories, applicants apply under the fund for programs always not of an ongoing nature, more of a one-time nature, although we do the odd one for two years, a two-year project. So with that perhaps I can leave you with those thoughts.

Mr. Dewar: I just have a few questions. The obvious one is what are some of the innovative projects that the fund has supported, briefly?

Mr. Cummings: There were 199 approvals during the fiscal year that we are looking at, and I can give you some examples of the areas that we have looked at. For example, there were a number of biological control programs of encouraging and funding some work on areas like leafy spurge control using biological methods, bladder campion, safe use of pesticides. One other interesting one that we did, and this came up in discussion almost in a roundabout way in the House in another department's Estimates. We funded a small program in the core area of the city to encourage people to grow their own gardens on vacant lots where we supplied some help, some seeds and a rototiller for those who were interested in growing their own produce. Because we are also trying to reduce the amount of pesticide used in areas and diversify demands in an agricultural area, which makes some of our activities much more environmentally sustainable, we did fund some research into haploid canola.

In the interests of reduction of energy requirements, we assisted with a small project to reduce the bulk of hay for shipping, a unique program. We put some money into research on strawboard, a combination of aspects of that. We did a project at Gull Lake, which was a water improvement project out in the member's area.

Mr. Dewar: Well, perhaps the minister could provide me with a detailed list of the projects funded and what level in terms of grant assistance.

Just one final question, what is the process for someone who is seeking approval for a grant under this program?

Mr. Cummings: Through any one of the departments of government that I mentioned or through my department or directly to the Sustainable Development Co-ordination Unit, we have a proposal form that would be sent out to those who were interested. The process is that once it has been received and assumed to be appropriately filled out, it goes to the appropriate department for an assessment and an evaluation of whether or not it should be recommended for support.

It goes to committee, and then it is either denied or approved. If it is approved, there will be a portion of the money that will be dispensed upon appropriate documentation with a holdback. If it is over $25,000, it has to go through Treasury Board, the appropriate documentation and processed there. Under $25,000 can be approved directly by the minister of the department. It is not always this minister. It can also be other departments.

Mr. Dewar: I want to thank the minister for those answers, and we are prepared to pass this line.

Mr. Deputy Chairperson: Item 1. Sustainable Development Innovations Fund $3,200,000--pass.

Resolution 32.1: RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty a sum not exceeding $3,200,000 for Sustainable Development Innovations Fund for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 1996.

This completes the Estimates of the department of Sustainable Development Innovations Fund.

The next set of Estimates that will be considered by this section of the Committee of Supply are the Estimates of the Department of Labour.

The time is now twelve o'clock. Committee rise.