Thank you, Mr. Minister. Deputy Minister Stewart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Right now, we get information from the boards on their current suite of teachers and their salaries. We then do adjustments for any expectation, not just for teachers but for all staff, any expectation of staff increases, those sorts of things, and any collective bargaining increases that would be expected in the upcoming year. On that basis, we calculate the expected salary and benefit requirements for every board. That is what goes in for that portion of the budget, currently is the way we do it. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Stewart, for that answer. The reason I'm asking these questions is I know we had a presentation in camera, but my understanding is that's confidential so I'm trying to understand what's out there. Are you guys looking at changing the process of how you guys calculate these things for the boards, and have you communicated that change if it's going to be out to the boards?
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
Yes. We're actually just going through that funding framework, but I will go to my deputy minister for more detail. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Recognizing Deputy Minister Stewart.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. As the Minster noted, we've recently gone through a review of our funding framework, the way we calculate the resources to boards. There are a number of changes that we did and worked with the boards on. One of the things that we are looking at is how we fund positions. There are some changes that need to take place. This won't impact the 2016-17 school year; it will be subsequent years to that. For example, the way the benefits have been calculated in the past is somewhat inconsistent with the way it is overall in the GNWT, and we think we need to align that.
Secondly, right now, as I mentioned earlier, we're providing funding for positions based on actual salaries. Typically, in the GNWT, a mid-point is used and organizations manage their human resources around those mid-points. That provides some certainty for the government as well as for the boards. Those are discussions we're having right now with the boards, and with the superintendents more specifically, the school superintendents. Those are fairly significant changes to make, so we weren't planning on doing that, as I said, for the 2016-17 school year. Those are changes that we are looking at for probably the 2017-18 school year.
Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Deputy Minister Stewart, for that answer. It clarifies a lot. There is some security for the communities or the regional boards presently, so I thank him for that. I notice that we've had a teacher increase of 10 positions throughout. Is that just based on the student-teacher ratio and the influx on that?
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
I think the changes that we did are seen because of the enrolment changes that we had throughout the Northwest Territories, and in some cases, there also being a decrease in students as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Have you guys seen or looked at the forecast of increases with the junior kindergarten age group and the birth population and that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
I'll go to my deputy minister for that one.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Recognizing Deputy Minister Stewart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we are absolutely looking at the impact on enrolments that are likely to happen when junior kindergarten is implemented in the communities that aren't currently offering it. We're doing the modelling to try to understand what the impacts will be overall financially on the system as well, given various scenarios around how that funding may take place. Yes, we are looking at those enrolments.
Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Mr. Thompson. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Mr. Thompson asked the questions that I was going to move forward with, so thank you.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Minister.
I'll take that as a comment. Thank you.
Questions? Education, Culture and Employment, education authorities programs and services, information item, $149,162,000.
Agreed.
Education, Culture and Employment, education authorities programs and services, active positions. Any questions? Page 71. Seeing none. Page 72, Education, Culture and Employment, Aurora College programs and services, information item. Any questions? Seeing none. Education, Culture and Employment, lease commitments, page 73. Any questions? Seeing none. Page 74, Education, Culture and Employment, work performed on behalf of others, information item. Any questions? Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I note here in this departmental budget and some of the others that there is funding shown for implementation for a number of the agreements with Aboriginal governments for the Tlicho implementation. It varies quite a bit from one year to the next, so I'm just wondering what's going on. Is that part of the original contribution agreement, or is it based on some sort of level of activity or work that's being done? I'm just wondering if the department might have some explanation here that would help me. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Minister.
Yes. The work that we do with the Tlicho Government does decrease and they give us the amount of money that we will work with the Tlicho on implementing some of the programs. It varies from year to year, yes.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. O'Reilly. Page 49, Education, Culture and Employment, department total, $315,848,000. Agreed?
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that consideration of the Department of ECE is complete?
Agreed.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Thanks to your witnesses for appearing before us today. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.
We have concluded consideration of Education, Culture and Employment. We will now turn to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. I'll turn to the Minister responsible for any opening comments. Minister Schumann.
Thank you. I'm pleased to present the 2016-17 main estimates for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Overall, the department's estimate proposes a net increase of $4.3 million, or five per cent, over the 2015-2016 main estimates. These estimates have taken into consideration the priorities and the mandate of the 18th Assembly while responding to the need to be fiscally responsible. Highlights of the proposed estimates include:
$5.9 million increase in the budget for suppression of wildland fires;
$1.6 million for the continued implementation of the Water Stewardship Strategy, including the implementation of transboundary water agreements with British Columbia and Alberta and the negotiation of similar agreements with Yukon and Saskatchewan;
a net increase of $311,000 for the expansion of the hydrometric network in the Northwest Territories; and
$2 million decrease in departmental spending.
The proposed Department of Environment and Natural Resources estimates supports the priorities of the 18th Assembly, including:
collaborating and fostering government-to-government relations with Aboriginal governments;
improving food security by encouraging local food production, traditional harvesting, effective co-management of caribou herds, and other wildlife;
investing in renewable resources, agriculture, arts, fisheries, forestry, manufacturing, tourism, and other traditional harvesting;
improving coordination and effectiveness in resource management systems, recognizing traditional knowledge, land claim agreements, and devolution; and
implementing a strategy to mitigate and adapt to climate change in collaboration with other governments and organizations.
This budget includes a number of significant actions which will help the Government of the Northwest Territories achieve these priorities:
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, or ENR, will continue to collaborate with Aboriginal governments to complete the next phase of regulation-making under the Wildlife Act.
ENR will continue to collaborate with Aboriginal governments, co-management boards, and neighbouring jurisdictions to protect and conserve our barren-ground and boreal caribou populations and their habitat, as well as other wildlife species.
ENR will continue to support emerging and existing forestry partners, providing essential forest planning, support, resource information, and advice to communities and entrepreneurs on a sustainable development.
A new five year Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Action Plan will identify key approaches to continuing successful implementation of the strategy by continuing strong collaboration and coordination among water partners. Ongoing capacity building within monitoring and research, concluding negotiations on the implementation, implementing transboundary water agreements and providing expert knowledge and advice on industrial development.
The Government of the Northwest Territories priorities for conservation and network planning will be outlined in a five year plan to move forward with finalizing and implementing a made-in-the-north approach to conservation and to continue the work of our Land Use and Sustainability Framework.
The department will also continue to conduct and support environmental monitoring and research in the Northwest Territories to support and form resource decision-making and better understanding of cumulative impacts on our ecosystem. The department will lead in the development of the Northwest Territories climate change strategic framework which will identify key themes and gaps in the areas of mitigation and adaptation, monitoring, research, and public engagement.
These are just a few highlights of ENR's ambitious agenda to ensure the sustainable use of our natural resources and protection of our environment. That concludes my opening remarks.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Would you like to bring any witnesses into the Chamber? Thank you. Sergeant at Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister Schumann, please introduce your witnesses.
Thank you. To my left is Ms. Susan Craig, director of finance. On my immediate right is Ernie Campbell, deputy minister. On the far right is Dr. Erin Kelly, assistant deputy minister.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. We will now proceed to consider the details for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The section starts on page 75, and I will allow Members to comment on the organizational charts if they wish, or the graphs. No? Nothing? Page 79 is the department total. We will defer that until we consider the rest of the detail. Are there any comments or questions on page 80, the revenue summary? Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I got a couple questions on this page. Can the Minister or his extensive team there help me understand what the federal cost shared line item is here under transfer payments? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Schumann?
I will get Ms. Craig to answer that.
Ms. Craig.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is an agreement we have with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada for cumulative impact monitoring. It was part of the devolution transfer. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Craig. Mr. O'Reilly.
Great. Thanks. I'm quite familiar with what CIMP is all about, so glad to see those federal dollars continuing to flow. The next question I had was about the environment fund. This is something I had some direct experience with, because I used to be on an advisory committee for the Minister on this. It looked like at the end of 2015 16 that the fund was actually in a deficit position of $356,000, but we are looking at making that up in the next year. I just want to ask the Minister if that's correct and what sort of actions are being undertaken there to bring it back into positive revenue position. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Schumann.
Thank you for that question. We only were in deficit for that one year, but with the implementation of our new programs, that's the expected growth of this program.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair, and thanks to the Minister for his response. Maybe I could just try to understand, so the fund went into a deficit probably in 2015 16. That was when the Electronics Recycling Program was under development and we were also looking at revising the Beverage Container Program deposits to get a better understanding of how the revenues were working and so on, so there is probably some adjustments going on. Now that that's settled down and the electronics recycling money is going to start coming in, we are looking at turning the fund around again. Is that what's happening here? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Minister Schumann.
