Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The department manages and is responsible for the assessment portion. The taxation portion resides with the Department of Finance. But MACA will undertake the assessment services for all communities including the tax-based municipalities, and we do not charge them for that.
For tax-based municipalities, roughly what would that allocation be for the cost? Well, let’s put them all together, I guess, to get a sense of tax-based municipalities that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs does not charge back.
Again, the department provides assessment services. The taxation part and the collection of the taxes is with Finance. We don’t charge any community for the assessments that we provide.
I keep saying taxes; I mean the assessment process. My apologies for that. The deputy minister is answering the question correctly, because I’m saying it incorrectly. What is the cost that Municipal and Community Affairs is foregoing when it comes to the assessment of these properties for tax-based municipalities?
Minister of MACA.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We don’t have those numbers right now as to what it costs us to do those assessments, but we can attempt to gather that information and I will pass it on to the Member.
Obviously, the Minister doesn’t have the information here today, as he said, but would he be able to have it broken out by community when he assesses the tax-based municipalities? Thank you.
We’ll break it out by communities.
Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to follow up once again with my earlier questions, particularly this time with the biomass harvesting opportunities we have. I have before me that says ENR, ITI, and MACA will work to address issues related to land access and land claims that might impact development of biomass in the NWT. To me that casual sounding statement is quite important to our public. It really gets at cost of living, some of our issues on climate change, and some local economic development, especially in those communities that really, really need it. It goes towards the perspective of whether we’re going to talk about solutions or get them on the ground. So again, I haven’t been comfortable with the responses that they’re not aware of interest here.
This is supposed to be a cross-departmental initiative on these things: agriculture and biomass access. If the Minister recalls anything that they are doing on these, I’d like to hear about it and, again, I’d like to hear commitment. I don’t know where this would be in the budget other than on this page somewhere that we’re going to put some effort into actually dealing with these things, because they are relevant to the cost of living, as I say, and some of our broader goals of local economic development and environmental goals.
Minister of MACA.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member makes some good points. This is something we’ll have to look at in the future. I did make a commitment to the Member that I’ll gather some information. I’ll work with my colleagues at ENR and ITI and see about coming up with a plan. This is something that we will have to give some serious consideration to in the future. A lot of the harvesting out there just concerns Commissioner’s land. There’s a lot of harvesting out there on private claimed land. There’s a lot of harvesting out there on federal land. I did commit to the Member that I will work with my colleagues at ITI and ENR.
I appreciate that commitment. I think these aren’t issues that we should sit back on and let them come to us. I think the Minister is there. I look forward to his comments. These are obviously issues that we should move proactively on and take it to the people, anticipating that there will be increased interest, although we know there is interest already. I appreciate that commitment and I’ll look forward to finding out ways that I can help.
More of a comment. Municipal and Community Affairs, activity summary, lands administration, operations expenditure summary, $2.568 million.
Agreed.
Municipal and Community Affairs, information item, active positions, lands administration. Questions?
Agreed.
Page 6-33, Municipal and Community Affairs, activity summary, sport, recreation and youth, operations expenditure summary, $5.617 million. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some questions here with regard to multisport games. Somewhere, I believe it was in business plans, we were advised that there was -- and I’m not exactly sure who -- the department was looking at sort of a long-term plan for multisport games. I wonder if I could get some kind of an answer to that. I’m not sure exactly what was referenced, but if the Minister could advise whether or not there is any kind of a plan that is going to be in the works with regard to evaluation of multisport games and the whole Sport and Rec Council issue as well.
Minister of MACA.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Well, the Multisport Games Review, some of the recommendations that were made we’re following up on. The review is completed. The department’s completed its review of the input received on the multisport games and has agreed with the NWT Sport and Recreation Council to move towards developing a long-term strategy to stabilize the delivery of NWT participation in the games. So there were some recommendations that were made that we are following up on and are hoping to share our findings with committee and get some input back from them.
So in terms of the Sport and Recreation Council, is there any consideration to looking at the structure of the various organizations that deal with multisport games and/or just sort of games in general, even regional games and so on? There are a number of sporting organizations that exist that come under the umbrella of the Sport and Recreation Council. Is there any intention to look at how those organizations work together, don’t work together, whether or not the Sport and Recreation Council setup should be changed, et cetera?
The Sport and Recreation Council is set up. They receive the funding. Some of the other groups within their organizations, the Aboriginal Sport Circle, for example, would manage the North American Indigenous Games, and they might reach an agreement with Sport North to manage the Arctic Winter Games and Canada Games. So these groups are all working together quite well under the umbrella of the Sport and Recreation Council.
I’m sorry; maybe I wasn’t clear to the Minister. I was actually referencing the organization of SRC and the various groups that fall underneath it outside of games. I know that the games actually work reasonably well. At one point I had understood there was going to be an evaluation of the SRC and how well it was working and the groups within it and so on. Is that on the radar anywhere?
Not that I’m aware of. I don’t recall an evaluation of the SRC. It’s a fairly new organization. However, I suppose if there’s a feeling amongst Members that this is something that needs to be considered, then we’d have to have a look at that. But the short answer is no.
I know it is a new organization and in my mind that’s an opportune time to do a review or evaluation. I guess I would suggest that the Minister contact SRC and ask whether or not they are considering looking at themselves or if they want an outside evaluator. I think it would be a good time for them to look at how things are working for themselves.
I have one other question with regard to games and funding for games. This goes back to a number of months ago when there was a request from NWT seniors for some funding for multisport games. As we go forward into future fiscal years, is there any plan on the part of the department to increase multisport games funding? I know it’s set at about $650,000, but every other expense keeps going up so one can expect that the cost to involve ourselves in multisport games is also going to increase? I’d like to ask the Minister two things: Is there a plan to increase the funding for multisport games year by year as we go forward, or even every second year, and is there any intention on the part of the department to assist seniors who wish to go to a multisport, nation-wide games?
In response to the Member’s first question, this is a new line item that we’re proposing to put in this year’s budget. I suppose further down the road if we’re finding that this not a sufficient amount, then it’s something that we’d have to bring before this forum to seek an increase. At this moment we’re quite comfortable with the $650,000 and it’s something that we’d have to have a look at one or two years down the road.
As far as the Seniors Games, we do like to try and support seniors, but our main priority is with the youth. We’d like to work with seniors, but we’d look more at a regional type model. That would give more seniors an opportunity from the regions to take part in some of the events that could be planned in the regions. Thank you.
Next I have Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The question on the program delivery details under youth, $1.058 million for youth development initiatives and first contact with youth issues, I was wondering if the Minister could advise specifically what type of projects were charged to this budget line.
Minister of MACA.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Sorry about that. The $1.058 million under youth, that’s for the salary and O and M of the staff in the Youth Secretariat within the youth division, as well as grants and contributions to support youth activities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Just for the record, that was Laura Gareau, director of corporate affairs. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I didn’t know there was staff at the Youth Secretariat. That was to support the staff and what else? I didn’t hear the very last thing that the director indicated.
Ms. Gareau, can you elaborate on your response?
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, there is a manger of youth programs that’s included in the Youth secretariat. So there is a salary for that staff person. Also operations and maintenance funding and, as well, that figure includes the grants and contributions allocated to youth programs. That includes the youth contributions and the youth core grants and contributions. It also includes the salary and O and M for the three new regional youth officer positions. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
But there is youth core money in addition to that in sport and recreation. Am I correct?
Yes, there is youth contribution and youth core funding both in the sport, rec and youth division and there is additional grant and contribution programs in regional operations. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
That’s good. I am satisfied with what I’m hearing. I didn’t know that there is additional... This puts the youth budget over $3.5 million overall. That’s good. That’s all I have to say. Thank you.
We’re on page 6-33, Municipal and Community Affairs, sport, recreation and youth, operations expenditure summary, $5.617 million.
Agreed.
Moving on to page 6-24, Municipal and Community Affairs, activity summary, sport, recreation and youth, grants and contributions, grants, $100,000. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Maybe I’m jumping ahead of you, but underneath the grants under recreation contributions to the Council of Sport and Recreation Partners, I note that stayed at the same level funding for at least two years; well, three years pretty much. I don’t have any further back than that, but I wonder if the Minister could advise whether or not if this organization is looking at any kind of cost of living increase for this organization. Thank you.
I believe your question comes under contribution, so can we... Mr. Bromley, do you have a question under grants?
I do.
Under grants?
Yes, page 6-34. Grants, yes.
Maybe I will allow Mr. Bromley to ask a question under grants and then, Ms. Bisaro, you can ask your question under contributions. Is that okay, Ms. Bisaro?
Yes, no problem.
Under grants, no problem. Mr. Bromley.
I lied, Mr. Chair. Mine is under contributions.
---Laughter
