Mr. Speaker, the people of the Northwest Territories have been telling their elected leaders for some time that changes needed to be made to our electricity system so that it was more efficient, more affordable and more equitable for all Northwest Territories residents.
Today that change has come to our Territory, with the tabling later today of the Government of the Northwest Territories response to both the electricity review and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation review, entitled: Efficient, Affordable and Equitable: Creating a Brighter Future for the Northwest Territories Electricity System.
This document is a significant achievement. Through the actions the Government of the Northwest Territories will undertake, we will dramatically lower the cost of electricity for most Northwest Territories communities at no additional cost to any other community.
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And lowering the cost of electricity is a big step towards fulfilling one of the 16th Legislative Assembly’s five strategic initiatives in the Northerners Working Together plan: reducing the cost of living.
The Government of the Northwest Territories response to the two reviews will also go a long way toward meeting some of the goals of the 16th Legislative Assembly set out in that plan. Lowering electricity costs will help our communities be more
competitive and remove barriers to economic development. This, in turn, will lead to sustainable, vibrant communities and a diversified economy that provides all regions and communities with opportunities and choices as envisioned by this Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, other governments and legislative assemblies have tried to make changes to our electricity system. We have built on this work and have developed a response that the 16th Legislative Assembly can be proud of. This response represents real action and real change that will improve the lives of all of our residents.
Most of our communities have very high electricity rates and nine communities in the Northwest Territories currently pay over $1 per kilowatt hour. Electricity rates of 49 cents per kilowatt hour and an enhanced subsidy program will reduce the electricity bills for families in these communities.
Businesses in communities such as Tuktoyaktuk, Fort McPherson, Fort Simpson, Tulita, and Deline will see their bills reduced by 30 to 40 percent.
Businesses in communities such as Sachs Harbour, Jean Marie River, Nahanni Butte, Wrigley and Gameti will see their bills reduced in the range of 70 to 80 percent.
I would like to note that the Government of the Northwest Territories intends to monitor the impact of this substantial change on the prices of goods and services in these communities. This response is a significant achievement for the Government of the Northwest Territories and the system-wide improvements we are making to our electricity system will help stabilize costs for all Northwest Territories residents and protect us against unexpected price increases in the future.
At this time I would like to acknowledge that the Government of the Northwest Territories did not arrive at its response in isolation. We have carefully considered the recommendations of both review teams and the input we received from communities, businesses and organizations throughout the Northwest Territories. We have worked closely with the Members of this House on the response through the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning. I believe this process has been a fine example of consensus government at work and I thank the Members for the input they have provided us.
The changes this government is making to our electricity system will have a significant impact on our Territory for years to come. The impact will be a positive one. I think we can all agree that electricity is an essential service and that this service must be efficient, affordable and equitable to all. Today we have taken a major step towards achieving this important goal. We have made a change and it is a change for the better.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
