Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I can say that I have not heard it raised, the idea of requesting specifically a GST rebate on heating fuel. So as I said earlier, I'm happy to take that forward. And more generally, I will acknowledge I've certainly been tasked by my colleagues to take the message to Ottawa given the impacts of climate change in the Northwest Territories that the increased costs and what that's going to do to individual residents and businesses is, as I say, a message that I've been tasked to carry forward and I certainly will do so. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I certainly can. So we start off the year just to remind the House, we start off the year with the $35 million supplementary reserve, and we right now are in a deficit of just over $42 million. The main reason for that is as a result of the costs of the flood for 2022, and that is yes, that is a significant reason for that overage. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on my right I have deputy minister of finance Bill MacKay, and on my left the assistant deputy minister Terence Courtoreille.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, so it does still include that because the GNWT fronts the costs. But the Member is correct that because it has a different funding source from the federal government, we are expecting that those costs will be 100 percent funded as compared to the 90 percent under the disaster the disaster assistance policy. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I certainly will be able to release that and make sure that we get it to the Members, make sure we get that out to the public. And Madam Speaker, you know, to be very clear also there's a difference in terms of who's being impacted. Folks that own their home are likely to pay more because they pay their heating fuel. Folks that are in market rentals that are paying for their heating fuel are likely to pay more. Folks who are in social housing or affordable housing will not be paying simply because that's part of the costs that get paid for them. Or if...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So no, Mr. Chair, fortunately it doesn't work out that way. It really is just a way in which the funds are classified and where it's being reported upon. It's not a change to the funding arrangements or funding agreements that are in place but just a change in that it's being reported now as an appropriation whereas before, it was not. But it doesn't change money available to the government. It's just money that was previously being classified as money that was brought in to do work for others, federal government being probably the top of that list, as opposed to now...

So, Mr. Chair, with respect to the Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), I am happy to present these here to the House. These estimates propose a total decrease of $59.8 million comprised of the following:

First, a net decrease of $108.9 million to adjust infrastructure project cash flows to realign the appropriations with the anticipated project schedules. These amounts are fully offset by appropriations in prior or future fiscal years.

Second, $48.1 million to provide funding for community government infrastructure projects under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. That is correct. The $60 million special warrant, this appropriation, total flood costs are $109 million of the $117 million that's reflected at that line item. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we are a very interconnected little community here in Yellowknife. And so also present from Arctic Energy Alliance are Marta Goodwin and also Mike Goodwin. And, Madam Speaker, deputy minister Loutitt also happens to be a resident of Yellowknife South when he's not acting in his deputy minister role, as is Emmy Loutitt. I welcome all of you to the gallery. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let me turn that to the deputy minister, please.