Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Finance. I spoke in my Member’s statement about the possibility of establishing an NWT green fund and referenced the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund. That fund has proved extremely successful for communities across Canada. It’s been used for sustainable community activities and, as I mentioned in my statement, some of those are sustainable community plans, feasibility studies, field tests and implementing capital projects. I’d like to ask the Minister whether or not we have legal or procedural roadblocks that exist for this government to inhibit the establishment of an NWT green fund. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d suggest to the Member that this Legislature has made a conscious commitment to set up a government-wide, territorial-wide green fund filled with $60 million, funded by $60 million, for projects across the land in a whole host of areas. We have the capacity, as a Legislature, to set up funds. We’re coming forward here in the next week to table our heritage fund proposal for consideration. So it’s a decision of the Legislature, but I would suggest that, clearly, we’ve already put some significant resources into a government-wide fund for those very purposes. Thank you.
I thank the Minister for that information. I already know that information and I agree readily that we have earmarked a huge amount of money for energy projects for green projects, but there is no opportunity within that $60 million that has been identified for municipalities or for communities to apply and to access those funds. So I’d like to ask the Minister how any NWT community can access those funds for a particular high cost capital project that they might have. Thank you.
I’d point out to the Member we have the wind energy proposal coming out of Tuk that’s going to be funded. We have mini-hydro out of Lutselk'e that’s going to be funded. We’re looking for pilot projects. We’re looking at some of the communities like Jean Marie. We’re looking at waste recovery at specific communities that have come forward. So, once again, I’d suggest to the Member that the process we’re setting up is based partially on government retrofitting its own buildings, but the majority of that money is targeted to go to communities. We’ve got extensive money in there for rebates and incentives to homeowners as well as businesses to make the right choices. So, once again, I would submit to the Member that if you look carefully at what work this Legislature has undertaken, we have addressed that issue. Thank you.
I thank the Minister for the information. Again, I have to agree to disagree with him, unfortunately. I’d like for him to answer for me how a community can get to be one of the many projects which he’s mentioned. I give the government credit for the wind energy, for the recycling, all those things that we have done, but those are government projects. I would like to know how any community can access those funds. What is the application process? What are the guidelines, et cetera, et cetera? Can he explain that, please? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, let’s take Tuk for example. That was a project that was brought forward by the Inuvialuit up in the Beaufort-Delta. They’ve been pushing it for a long time. By making the decision to put $60 million into a fund, we had the capacity to move on that. Mini-hydro in Lutselk'e, same thing. We’ve committed to getting hydro into Whati; huge community involvement. They’ve been pushing that. We’re committed to work with the Tlicho in Whati to sort that out. Those are examples and they’re across the North. We’ve done that geothermal in the Deh Cho. I mean, there’s a long, long list. Projects are there, the people are coming forward and we’re considering them. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister I guess I have to say that I appreciate that people can apply for these funds, but there’s no identified pot of money that is going specifically to communities. I guess I would encourage any community out there to apply to the Minister for some funds.
The last thing I want to say is that the situation that exists now with no specific process for communities to apply does not allow them to apply for a loan, and in many cases it’s the community needs a loan not necessarily a grant. So can I ask the Minister how a community who needs a loan for a project could get that money out of this government? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we would have to, of course, point to the gas tax money and infrastructure money that’s flowed to communities; New Deal money. They have the capacity to plan their own projects. They know that there’s an availability to come to government. They also have the ability now, as far as I recollect, to, in fact, borrow money. So they would have to look at that. If they need extraordinary financing they would have to talk to organizations. MACA would be there to provide advice. So that potential is there already. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
