Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about the maintenance of heavy equipment assets in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e and the need for the department to provide assistance to the communities. I’d like to follow up on my statement with questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Will the department work with the communities in developing much needed maintenance programs for the heavy equipment assets in both Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e?
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As part of the New Deal the authority for capital infrastructure was transferred over to the communities. Along with that transfer came the responsibility for maintaining a lot of the equipment they have. Having said that, MACA does work with the community governments to establish preventative maintenance plans to ensure that equipment lasts for a while. There are also the community works advisers in each regional office to assist the communities in coming up with these plans.
I don’t believe the money allocated to the communities for this activity takes into consideration hiring qualified mechanics from outside the community or extra travel and accommodation costs for mechanics and, if parts are needed, expensive freight costs. Will the department look at increasing community budgets to allow them to properly maintain their equipment?
MACA provides O&M formula funding to all community governments to support them in operating and maintenance in their communities. They do a review every couple of years to see if there’s an increase that might be needed because of the high cost of living and supplying these services. MACA is always willing to support community governments to try to find the most cost-effective ways to take care of the equipment they have in the community.
Will the Minister and the department agree to do a mechanical assessment of all heavy equipment in Tu Nedhe to determine what needs to be done to assist the communities to reduce capital expenditures in this area?
As I said earlier, MACA is doing all it can and will continue and commit to working with the communities to identify their equipment and come up with any type of plan that they can. This is the early stage of the New Deal, and MACA is always willing help the communities come up with a plan until they’re to a point where the capacity is there to take care of all this type of information themselves.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At one time the Department of Public Works maintained an office and staff in Lutselk’e and also had mechanics in Fort Resolution who looked after the maintenance of all heavy equipment in the community. This was discontinued eight years ago. Would the Minister look at working with the Department of Public Works to assist the communities in maintaining their equipment, in addition to what MACA is doing?
As the Minister of MACA I can’t make a commitment of funds on behalf of other Ministers. However, I will commit again that MACA’s staff will work with community governments in Tu Nedhe to see what options they have and support them in ensuring their equipment and planning and preventative maintenance needs are looked after.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
