Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's based on a threshold, an income threshold, and we're looking to increase that threshold. We're also looking at having different tiers for a threshold for families as opposed to a threshold for individuals. Some individuals will still have to pay the co-payment, but with the threshold changes we're looking to minimize the number of individuals who may have to pay a co-pay who don't have insurance to help them.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We allocated the entire $1 million in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, but I don't think it is a surprise. There were certainly significantly more applications than funds available. I think it was $4 million that was requested. That is up double from the previous year.

The previous year, we started with a budget of $500,000. Through the O and M process that we are going through today, it was increased to $1 million. We had $2 million in asks that time, and we spent the entire $1 million. This time, $1 million was known, $4 million in applications, $1 million approved. Thank you...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the therapeutic services area, there have been some increases over the years. We've been doing a multi-year roll-out in this particular area. In phase one, we rolled out a speech-language pathologist and an occupational therapist and an audiologist in Inuvik, as well as one admin person to help with those services in Inuvik. Just as a note, I'd like to recognize that all of those positions are filled. I think the speech-language pathologist will be starting on March 3rd. Phase two is to roll out another speech-language pathologist in Yellowknife, an assistant in...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to introduce my witnesses. On my left is Bruce Cooper, who is the deputy minister of Health and Social Services, and on my right is Jeannie Mathison, who is the director of finance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the challenges with the budget that you see in front of you, as I said earlier when I was talking about the expansion of Stanton services and the money that is needed to do that, is a lot of the money for an initiative, call it early childhood and development, is spread throughout the budget in many, many different areas. If we were to look at this page, we would say, "Oh, there is X amount of dollars" and that sounds like that is it, but really, there is more. I think, if we actually were to quantify the types of money that we are spending on early childhood...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Extended health benefits have not changed, as far as what is provided. It is still consistent with what is provided through NIHB. This is demand-driven.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do need to wait for the report to come in. That will help us articulate where our pressures are and where we need to strengthen our investments. That would certainly include ensuring that we are spending our money the right way today, which might mean changes of positions, re: description of positions, and doing those types of things.

If it does require money, we have an obligation to build a business case, as every department does, that is evidence-based and makes sense. We are prepared to do that work, but we can't guarantee, obviously, that it would make it as far as...

That is the plan. I will note that that wasn't applied this way in this particular round. We are funding all. We are increasing funds to all the shelters using the $500,000 this time, but, going forward, that is the expectation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm pleased to present the 2019-2020 Main Estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services. The total proposed budget for the department is $495,934,000. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $34.4 million, or about 7 percent over the 2018-2019 Main Estimates.

Highlights of the proposed estimates include:

Forced growth of $3.98 million;

Funding for initiatives totalling $7.87 million; and

Sunsets and other adjustments of $16.5 million, which includes operationalization of the new Stanton Hospital.

These estimates continue to support the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I look forward to working with the Member as well.