Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just have a few questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The feasibility study of universal affordable daycare in the Northwest Territories was tabled in this House on June 4, 2015, and recommended consolidating early childhood education and daycare grants, including small community initiatives grants.
What actions is the Department of Education, Culture and Employment taking to make daycare more accessible and more affordable in our small communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We’ve initiated the feasibility study that’s been undertaken by my department through a consultant. There’s been a lot of engagement with the general public and stakeholders across the Northwest Territories. Obviously, one of the key points that they’ve highlighted is for us to work very closely with the communities, all nine remote communities and the most isolated communities in the Northwest Territories. Some community members and also organizations feel left out of the core programs that are being delivered at the regional basis.
That is some of the emphasis that’s been highlighted as part of the recommendations which will be brought forward to the 18th Assembly to decide if they want to move forward on that. Mahsi.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment offers funding to licenced daycare centres and day homes. There are different rates for different regions and communities.
What options are available for communities in the Mackenzie Delta? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we are currently subsidizing the daycare establishments and early childhood centres across the Northwest Territories. We have provided funding for programming, the mortgage. There are various subsidies that we provide to these establishments. One of the highlights, obviously, part of this feasibility study is to capture what is being provided currently and how can we improve in those areas. Again, capturing those small communities has been highlighted by the stakeholders, and some of the recommendations, obviously, will capture that. It is an integrated approach, working with various organizations, so that will be put forward to the 18th Assembly.
What will the Minister be recommending to the 18th Legislative Assembly to improve support and funding daycare centres and family day homes, especially in our small communities?
The feasibility study, the outcome of the report and then the recommendations that came out of that will be brought forward to the 18th Assembly government. It does cover a spectrum of how we can improve our current programming that we have. As I stated before in this House, there’s always room for improvement in the programming, in departmental division areas. We look forward to those types of discussions as we move forward.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister, I know we are closing the 17th Legislative Assembly here, but is the department open to pilot projects?
Those are discussions that need to happen within the next government. We’re at the end of our session here and we only have a couple weeks as Regular Members now, so our term will be up as Ministers, Cabinet and Executive. This, what the Member is alluding to, obviously, will be brought forward within the next government to decide if they want to proceed with that other project.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Dolynny.
