Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As far as the ones in Detah and Ndilo go, I’m not quite sure how many have actually been sold yet and then the ones that are vacant out there, so I will undertake to get that information for the Member. I know I did commit to getting the information for the Member. There’s still a little work to do, but I will get that information not only for Detah and Ndilo but for the units across the Northwest Territories.

Start over? Right from the start?

Mr. Speaker, that is a question that we’ve had a number of times before from those regions outside that are not covered by a municipal building inspector, and it’s one that we continue to look at.

If you’re building in a small community, obviously if it’s a house, that’s through one of the NWT housing programs, we have project officers that would inspect the building to ensure that it conforms to code. However, if you’re self-financing this or financing it through the bank, I’m not quite sure yet – I’d have to check on that – but I’m sure there would be a...

Mr. Speaker, it depends on what part of the territory you live in. In a place like Yellowknife, for example, and some of the larger communities that do have community building inspectors, when you’re building a home you would have to get a building permit from them, they would review the plans, and then once your home is completed, they would inspect it to ensure that you conform to all local building practices and the National Building Code. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, again, looking at the priorities as far as legislation goes, we would have to weigh this. Also, I said we haven’t had any feedback from industry or community governments on this particular type of legislation; however, if committee were to come forward with a request, we would have to have a look at it and explore options going forward from there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have not received any type of request from the funeral industry or from the community governments to establish cremation services in the Northwest Territories. In order to establish this industry, we would need to complete further research to better understand the legal requirements or the need for enabling legislation.

Mr. Speaker, again, that is a question we do get a lot. It’s one that I think, as a department, we would have to explore to see… Well, we’d have to weigh everything, the finances and all the other things that go with it.

I will commit to the Member that as a department we will have a look at this, and we’ll do a bit of research as to what areas are covered, what’s not covered. I know for commercial buildings they’re pretty well covered. I know for houses, through the NWT Housing Corp, inspection is covered. However, we do have very few private homes going up into the smaller non-market...

Mr. Speaker, that’s a question that we’ve had a number of times in the past from some of the communities out there. They’ve asked about building inspection services…

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The National Building Code of Canada guides construction in the Northwest Territories, where all buildings built in the Northwest Territories have to be code compliant and they have to follow the National Building Code. Thank you.

We would have to weigh this against any other legislation that we are planning on bringing forward. Given that we haven’t had much contact with those who provide the service, it may not be a priority right now. However, that could change. If there’s a feeling that we need to proceed with this, then we’d have to step back and look at that, again considering the financial costs and the other legislation that we have right now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs doesn’t keep statistics related to death. However, based on the death registration statements filed with Vital Statistics, there were 113 burials and 34 cremations in 2012. These numbers are approximate as some members did not put burial or cremation on the statements.