Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the new facility would have to incorporate the Dehcho Education Council, Education, Culture and Employment’s regional office, Aurora College program delivery administration, the Department of Justice and the community wellness worker. The other occupant of the building would be the community library, the Multimedia Society, cultural centre, day care and Fort Simpson Historical Society. They would not be housed in a new facility. I don’t have the exact square footage. It would not be the same size, as a lot of the building right now is unoccupied because...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have to correct a pretty fundamental thing here. I had referenced that these would be going forward. In fact, they are tied to a three-year strategy. So it isn’t ongoing. A big correction there. Looking at our information here it is, in fact, tied to the program. So it would lapse at that time. If there are further programs that bring more dollars to the North, then that would be reviewed and brought back to this forum. So that is the situation that the request is going forward for. So it would be tied to the three-year strategy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in discussions with the fire marshal’s office, the minimum amount of upgrade required if we only intend to use the building for another two to four years is what’s been identified. If we intend to use it beyond that timeline, then we have to upgrade the rest of the code requirements that are put in place, and that’s where we get into the $12 million figure. To meet the minimum requirements that we have been directed to, we’re looking at the $3.5 million. So ultimately it’s if we were going to go beyond the two to four years, then we’re going to have to...

Yes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The building was originally constructed as a student residence in 1957. The amount we are requesting is the amount identified of $3.520 million would deal with code compliance for the building to keep it open for two to four years.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The request from the Housing Corporation in this area is based on the request for 16 new positions in the area of lands and technical positions. The technical officers, five in the districts; lands officers, five in the districts; headquarters, mechanical and electrical designer, one position; GIS mapping specialist, one position; senior lands development officer, one position; land negotiator, one position; lands administration clerk, one position; and, manager of lands, one position, for a total of six within headquarters.

The total amount on an ongoing basis would...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, if we were to do the full requirement of complete renovation for that facility to get another between 10 or 20 years, I believe, a full renovation would be $12 million. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that Bill 10, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2006-2007, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the forgiveness of debts in accordance with the Financial Administration Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as I stated, the money would be used for a number of areas. One is a consultant to conduct planning and functional programming. As well, we would have to, for the departments and travel for our own staff to talk with other departments that would be directly affected. As well, the surveying that would have to happen at a site, and geotechnical review. There are a number of locations of land that's owned within the community by the Government of the Northwest Territories. We have to see if they're in fact suitable sites to look at an office space.

The...

Thank you, Madam Chair. In this case, the leases that are there would incorporate the cost for this work that’s been done and we’ve approved the money upfront so they can get the work completed. As it’s recovered, it would go back into the general revenues. So in a sense, those who have leases in that area would pay additional cost tied to their leases. So the leases would be renewed and the term of the leases would incorporate the remediation that has been done. Thank you.