Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the 2008–2009 Main Estimates the schedule that was laid out at that time, which was approved, states a new computer data centre for Yellowknife. In 2009–2010 it’s $1.3 million; in 2010–2011, $6 million; in future years, $5.7 million. Is that the schedule that is still being contemplated for this project?
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Aumond.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That was the schedule that was originally contemplated, but as the Member may recall, we had asked consideration and approval of the House to accelerate four projects we identified. That was considered in the House two weeks ago. The $1.3 million for the data centre was moved out of ’09–10 into ’08–09.
Mr. Chair, can Mr. Aumond give us the breakdown in regard to what the capital costs are going to be over the next four years?
Interjection.
We’ll go back to Mr. Krutko. He had some additional comments.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Clarification in regard to what is now the schedule of capital expenditures for this project going forward.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger.
Mr. Chairman, the cash flows are as in the information the Member has before him.
Mr. Chairman, just restating that. Basically, $1.3 million has been expended for 2008–2009, which is this fiscal year. Next fiscal year, 2009–2010, we’re expending $6 million. Then future years, 2010–2011, will come in at $5.7 million. Is that the schedule we’re now on?
Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, just for the public record and the Minister’s, I support this project, so don’t think I’m trying to delay it in any way. I know there’s a substantial need for this facility. Again, I’m just trying to ensure that when we make this capital investment, we have a fair process that’s transparent and fair to other projects that are out there and just as substantial in regard to this capital investment we’re looking at for the data centre. I think it’s important we look at that.
But, again, we have to find fairness by way of our infrastructure, from schools to water treatment plants to these types of facilities. I’d just like to again thank the Minister for that.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I didn’t hear any question. Any other comments? We’re on page 4-7, Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Technology Service Centre, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $7.075 million.
Department of Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Technology Service Centre, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $7.075 million, approved.
We’ll move along to page 4-10, Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Petroleum Products Division, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $5.230 million.
Department of Public Works and Services, Activity Summary, Petroleum Products Division, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $5.230 million, approved.
Thank you, committee. We’re back on page 4-2. Seeing as we have deferred pages 4-4 and 4-5, we’ll have to defer page 4-2 until we get that information we’re looking for. Is the committee agreed?
Agreed.
Okay. We’ll move on to the next department, which is the Department of Health and Social Services. We’ll defer page 5-2 until Activity Summary, so let’s turn to page 5-4. Health and Social Services, Activity Summary, Health Services Programs, Infrastructure Investment Summary, Total Infrastructure Investment Summary: $16.003 million. Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don’t know why the H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital is on our schedule, because nothing shows up until a very, very small amount in 2011–2012. But for the record, could the Minister tell me again how the Fort Smith Health Centre got so far ahead of Hay River? At some point they were on par at the same time in the capital budget.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Minister Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There was an agreement relatively early on in Fort Smith with regard to the master development plan — community service, bed issues, the scope laid out within the master development plan. In Hay River there were questions about the catchment area, the population, bed numbers, questions over the master development plan. As well, there was a request that consideration then be given to, rather than a renovation, a new facility, which was also being considered.
Mr. Chairman, I could spend some time and camp on that subject, but I won’t. The consolidated primary care clinic for Yellowknife, the work to commence in ’09–10…. Actually, I think there is already some prior spending on that, but the completion of it in ’09–10. Could the Minister please describe for me the intent? Just give a description of this project.
The intent of this project is to consolidate the clinics in the downtown area into one facility. It will have better services, more treatment rooms, the ability to do basic testing that is right now done at.… People have to go to Stanton in terms of basic blood tests and basic diagnostic efforts.
It will allow for a better coordination of use. Right now the patient cancellation rate is very high. There’s a lack of coordination among the existing three clinics. Consolidation is intended to remedy that, to bring some efficiencies to bear. As well, hopefully with the changed hours and such, it will take some pressure off the emergency room in Stanton.
It doesn’t seem like that long ago, Mr. Chairman, that we just bought the clinics in the downtown area. I think we also spent quite a bit of money renovating them once we did buy them and took them in. So now they’re going to be rolled up and become part of this new consolidated primary care clinic?
The three clinics in question, some of them are relatively old. They have some significant shortcomings in terms of examination rooms and such. Quite possibly, if the Minister of Health is in a position to provide more detail, I could ask if she’d be prepared to do that.
The Minister of Health, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think the Member might have said that we own some of the clinics downtown. We do not own any of them. The Gibson Clinic, Great Slave clinic and Family clinic, I think — the one next to the Explorer Hotel — are the three that are going to be combined to move into the consolidated clinic. Those are all leases. We have leases with the landlords. Some of the renovations that were done were with respect to Great Slave Medical clinic, and that was done mostly with federal funding.
This consolidated clinic would allow us to have lab work and X-rays and diagnostic imaging and that sort of thing. That could be done in a location like this kind of clinic, and that would lessen the traffic of people who are going to the hospital right now for lab tests and X-rays and such. I think that’s the question the Member might have had.
The dollar value that’s being proposed in the capital budget for this consolidated primary care clinic, is that just for leasehold improvements to another leased space?
I believe so.
I think I heard the Minister say, “I believe so.” Was that the answer? I couldn’t hear it; it was very quiet.
My understanding is that it’s for the lease improvements of 1,800 square metres that the clinic is looking for, to renovate, but I could defer to Mr. Aumond to see if that information is correct.
Mr. Aumond.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The dollars in question are for tenant improvements to fix up the consolidated clinic and also to provide some equipment, I believe.
Mrs. Groenewegen.
This is a new process we have here, and it’s very difficult to talk about these projects and not be able to talk about the dollars. We’re not talking about the dollars, because we want to go to a fair, competitive process in order to acquire the leasehold improvements. But oh, my gosh — this is for tenant improvements? This is a very large amount of money. Did the department consider building a free standing clinic somewhere else as opposed to renovating somebody else’s space to the tune of $6.5 million?
Minister of Health, Ms. Lee.
Mr. Chairman, this capital funding includes everything to do with the clinic. That would include tenant improvements as well as all of the medical equipment and everything else that would have to go into this clinic.
Secondly, I do want to inform the Members that there have been extensive studies done. Initially when this project was approved, I think about three years ago, the thought was to build a new building. The review has come to the conclusion that it’s more economical to use the existing site and do tenant improvements.
I’d be happy to get back to the Member on the exact breakdown of how much of this allocation is for the tenant improvements and how much is for the equipment. I just don’t have that on me right now.
Well, that sort of begs the question: what’s going to happen with all the equipment that’s in the leased facilities now? And what’s going to happen to the clinics that are currently leased, the three that Ms. Lee or…? Somebody made reference to three clinics. Where is the equipment going from them, and what’s going to happen with the government’s investment, I guess, even if it was the federal government?
Since the GNWT invested money, particularly in the one downtown here, do they have any other alternate uses that have been contemplated for those buildings since we have invested so much?
The Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. One of the concerns, of course, that led to this is that the current clinics don’t have a lot of the equipment they need. They don’t have the space. They don’t have the exam rooms. They don’t have the plumbing and other infrastructure, let alone the equipment to do the testing or the X-rays and such. So a lot of that will be new.
The government will look at the length of the leases and put the existing space to whatever use they can during the life of the lease. I would imagine they would look at their other requirements and see if there’s any further need for those particular leases.
Mrs. Groenewegen.
I’m good. Thank you.
Next on the list I have Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to ask some questions, too, about the consolidated primary care clinic in Yellowknife. It’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a number of years now, and I’m glad to see it is finally going to materialize.
I just wanted to ask some questions and make sure it’s going to be in a location that’s accessible, that there’s going to be parking. I want to know whether or not a lease has been signed. I want to know where it is and when we might expect it to happen.
I guess the first question I have is: has a lease been signed with anybody to get this primary care clinic off the ground? Has it gone to RFP? Where is it in the process?
The Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Interjection.
For the record, Mr. Minister, if you want to refer the question, can you do it through the Chair?
I apologize, Mr. Chair. The Minister of Health is in a position to answer that detail.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Minister of Health, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. An RFP was issued in July, and the lease has been awarded with downtown access space as well as the necessary parking. I expect to do a public statement on that. It’s just that the employees of the centre have not been advised yet, but it will be in a downtown location.
Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under what authority was a lease signed that would commit the government to spending dollars on leasehold improvements? I’m not privy to the contract that was signed or the lease that was signed.
Obviously, when you look at a contract or a lease that’s been signed, it has provisions to say what the government would be responsible for in terms of leasehold improvements, what the rate of the lease would be per month or per year, however that’s worked out. So, yeah, that’s a question: under what authority was that lease signed?
Mr. Aumond.
