I am here to present Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2014-2015. This document provides for a decrease of $542,000 to the capital budget.
The more significant items in this supplementary estimates include:
$1.418 million for the Department of Public Works and Services to facilitate tenant improvements required with the transfer of federal office space and 259 positions being devolved to the GNWT related to devolution implementation. The net impact on government operations is nil as these costs will be offset by funding received from the federal government.
A reduction of $2.75 million for the Department of Public Works and Services to provide funding in 2013-14 for the early completion of the Yellowknife General Purpose Office Building.
$500,000 for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for the new lighting systems project at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. The net effect of this project is nil as the cost will be offset by other sources of funding.
$350,000 to provide for the transfer of operations funding to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment for the implementation of a new Mineral Information Tenure System to support the administration of the NWT Mining Regulations, effective April 1, 2014. The net impact on government operations is nil as these costs will be offset by funding received from the federal government.
I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary estimates document. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Miltenberger, if you can just reintroduce your witnesses for the Chamber, please.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me the deputy minister, Mike Aumond, from Finance; and from Finance, as well, deputy secretary to FMB, Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Again, Mr. Kalgutkar and Mr. Aumond, welcome. Committee, we are going to open this up to general comments.
Detail.
Committee, we’ll go to detail. I will ask you to turn to page 5 of your supplementary estimates. Committee, 2014-15 Supplementary Estimates, No. 2, (Infrastructure Expenditures), Public Works and Services, capital investment expenditures, asset management, not previously authorized, negative $1.392 million, total department not previously authorized, negative $1.392 million. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Page 6, Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditures, education and culture, not previously authorized, $500,000, total department not previously authorized, $500,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that we have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 45-17(5)? Oh, I’m so sorry. Back page, page 7, Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, mineral and petroleum resources, not previously authorized, $350,000, total department not previously authorized, $350,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that we have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 45-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2014-15?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 45-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2014-15, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 45-17(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. We’re just going to circulate that motion.
Thank you, committee. The motion is order. The motion is carried.
---Carried
Committee, we are going to continue on to Tabled Document 51-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2012-2013. We will go to Minister Miltenberger for opening comments.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2012-13. This document outlines an increase of $3.794 million in operations expenditures for the 2012-13 fiscal year.
The supplementary estimates consist of one item of $3.794 million for the Department of Health and Social Services for operating costs that exceeded the department’s appropriation authority as reflected in the 2012-13 Public Accounts.
I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary estimates document. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Miltenberger, if you can once again please introduce your witnesses to the House.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me the deputy minister of Finance, Mr. Mike Aumond; and the deputy secretary to the FMB, Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Kalgutkar and Mr. Aumond, again, thank you very much for your patience.
Committee, I will open it up to general comments. General comments. Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I just have a couple of brief comments. This is the completion of fiscal year 2012-2013. We are now almost to the end of year 2014-15 and I appreciate that there are adjustments that have to be made at the end of any fiscal year, accounting bits and pieces have to be moved around and I can appreciate that, but I had great difficulty when I first became aware of these expenditures, understanding why it has taken almost two years for us to get this information and for these expenditures to come to light and to require us to approve them as an appropriation. I don’t have a problem with any of the particular details that are in this particular appropriation, but I do have, in general, difficulty in understanding why it takes us this long to get to doing year-end adjustments for two fiscal years back. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is an annual event, but I will ask Mr. Kalgutkar if he would provide further detail as to the particulars of the process. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Kalgutkar.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The main reason for the delay was that we were just trying to finalize the 2012-13 Public Accounts which were tabled last fall. If the Member does wish to see the amounts earlier, we could likely use the non-consolidated financial statements which these numbers are primarily based on, so we could likely have this supp presented at an earlier time that it is currently being presented now. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. It was just a comment. That’s all I’ve got.
Thank you, committee. General comments.
Detail.
I am hearing detail. Thank you, committee. If I can get you to turn to page 3, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2012-2013, Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, directorate, not previously authorized, $124,000.
Agreed.
Program delivery support, not previously authorized, $392,000.
Agreed.
Health services programs, not previously authorized, $2.623 million.
Agreed.
Supplementary health programs, not previously authorized, $162,000
Agreed.
Community wellness and social services, not previously authorized, $493,000.
Agreed.
Total department, not previously authorized, $3.794 million.
Agreed.
Does committee agree that we have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 51-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures) No. 4, 2012-2013?
Agreed.
Thank you, Committee. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 51-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures) No. 4, 2012-2013, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 51-17(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Just give us a second to circulate that motion.
Committee, the motion is in order. Motion is carried.
---Carried
We are going to continue on with Tabled Document 52-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operation Expenditures), No. 4, 2013-2014. We will go to the Minister responsible for opening comments. Minister Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m here to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures) No. 4, 2013-14. This document outlines an increase of $30.525 million in operations expenditures for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.
The more significant items included in the supplementary estimates are:
$6.6 million for the Department of Health and Social Services for increased costs for the provision of health care services to non-NWT residents. These costs will be recovered from the patient’s home province or territory.
$5.9 million for the Department of Health and Social Services for increased costs associated with adults in residential care outside the Northwest Territories.
$3.8 million for the Department of Health and Social Services for increased costs associated with the provision of health care services for NWT residents in non-NWT hospitals.
$3.4 million for the Department of Health and Social Services for increased costs associated with children in residential care outside the Northwest Territories.
2.5 million for the Department of Health and Social Services for increased costs for medical travel.
$1,728,000 for the Department of Public Works and Services for increases in electricity rates.
I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary estimates document. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Miltenberger, if you can one final time introduce your witnesses to the House.
