Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I made a Member’s statement on the Housing Needs Survey. I'd like to ask the Minister some follow-up questions. Yesterday I indicated the last survey I had was 2009, but it's actually 2014. There was an update done. The NWT Bureau of Statistics has worked with the NWT Housing Corporation to do a survey on housing. This survey began decades ago, and it's done approximately every five years, most recently in 2014. The survey reports on nationally acceptable indicators such as suitability, adequacy, and affordability. This is how they determine the core need. I'd like to ask the Minister if the Housing Corporation is continuing collecting information in this manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the NWT Housing Corporation does use the Bureau of Statistics to provide survey information every five years, and we will continue to do so. Thank you.
I was wondering if the Minister is contemplating collecting additional data in a different way in order to supplement the needs survey for future development of programs.
Yes, I really took heed of the 18th Legislative Assembly’s priority about wanting change within the government, and to be as transparent and as inclusive with the public as possible. The needs surveys that are provided every five years does give us the basic information, but we're actually looking for more information: a breakdown by community on what the people using the community -- the chiefs, the people, the LHOs, et cetera -- would like to see, and programs to be maintained, to be sustained, and to be expanded upon.
When the Minister reaches out to the communities and gets community input on what they see as key in their communities for housing programs, how quickly, after that, then, can the Minister make changes to programs so that communities can take advantage of the programs, say, this coming summer?
In all honesty, it is a question that I probably cannot answer. We are waiting to find out the negotiations that will be happening this coming week, actually, in Ottawa, with the Housing Minister and the definition of the budget coming down from the federal government. Once we get that funding and we know exactly what we're dealing with, or lack of what we're dealing with, then we will be able to develop a plan and start implementing program changes or upgrades.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
So I take it that if we don't get any money from Ottawa there will be no changes; that's not too good. Will the Minister take a serious look at the sale of public housing as a reduction in core need in the small communities? Thank you.
As stated earlier, my goal is to ask the communities what they want in each community. It's not up to me. If I'm doing the process according to accreditation standards and best practices, it's not up to me to define what the community needs. It's for the community to define what they want. We will be making choices whether the federal government gives us extra money or does not. We will be trying to base the Housing Corporation’s programs on what the communities need individually. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have some questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I mentioned, my constituents also want a school that could provide subjects -- for example, automotive. You know, many of our schools in the territory do not have, whether it's a two-bay garage or anything like that, that students can actually bring vehicles in and do automotive work or welding, carpentry; that sort of thing. I'd like to ask the Minister: the 20-year capital needs assessment dated 2011 showed a $24.8-million replacement of Moose Kerr School being funded over four years, starting with $2.9 million in 2018-2019. A later five-year capital needs assessment dated 2013 shows the replacement of 3,600 meters squared, Moose Kerr School, but without any funding. Can the Minister please clarify: What is the current status of Moose Kerr School replacement project in the capital plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Typically, for capital planning purposes, the replacement or major renovation of a facility is planned at 40 years from the date of construction or 20 years from the date of a major renovation. My understanding is that a large capital project was completed in 1999, and there were additions to the building including a community library, three classrooms, and a science room, and that there also has been some small capital funding included in the 2014-2015 capital that had been carried over into 2015-2016. Any maintenance upgrades in the amount of about $2 million from 2008 to 2012 was spent on Moose Kerr School in that time, and there's various amounts of projects that happened in that time as well.
I just want to let the Member know that as a Minister early on in this government, we are planning on getting out into the communities and the schools to do visits to the communities as well. One of our first tours will be up in the Beaufort-Delta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Will the Minister ensure that a planning study is undertaken as soon as possible, as the community of Aklavik expects?
As mentioned, based on the typical planning model, Moose Kerr School would be identified for renovations or replacement in approximately 2019 or 2020, but the existing condition of the building would need to be assessed prior to a recommendation for renovation or replacement. As I mentioned, technical assessments and numerous elements have been replaced or repaired through the maintenance funding, as I mentioned earlier, and that addressed a lot of issues.
Once again, I would be willing to work with the Member to do a community visit and look at the building. One of our policies as well is with school utilization. It’s good for all Members to know, I think, that once school utilization hits an enrolment of about 85 per cent, then a school will be looked at in terms of being replaced or additions would be added to that. The utilization over in Moose Kerr School is at 48 per cent.
As you may recall, the former Minister committed to actually replacing this school, and so I ask the Minister: will the Minister commit to red-flagging this project in the capital plan, so that the students can get into a safe, modern school, without the aging relic of a bygone era that they are currently stuck in?
As mentioned, if there was to be a replacement or major renovations to the Moose Kerr School, it would be in 2019, and that is during the life of this government. I will go back to the department and look at how we can put that possibly into the planning study before it gets into the building stages. I once again want to assure the Member that we will be doing a community tour up in the Beaufort-Delta during the month of March.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I mentioned in my Member's statement a made-in-the-North immigration policy could be a key element in the Northwest Territories' goal to increase its population and generate wealth and economic activity. The department had targeted last April 2015 as the date for implementing the NWT Nominee Program, which would identify and fast track opportunities for immigration. Can the Minister advise the House of the status of an immigration strategy for the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, enhancing the Nominee Program is critical for the Northwest Territories, as the Member had stated in his Member's statement, in achieving its population as well as economic growth objectives, and also meeting some of the staff needs for northern businesses and northern employers. We have had success moving forward, but the department, I'll have to say, is currently developing an immigration framework, which will provide an integrated approach to implementing and monitoring long-term objectives of the Nominee Program, while also supporting territorial population growth.
The framework will be developed with extensive consultation with all stakeholders, and as mentioned in previous answers to other questions during this session, we do have the labour market review that's coming out, as well as our Skills 4 Success Initiative that's going to help drive us to see what needs we have throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Has the department had the chance to learn from any successful nominee programs in other provinces or territories, and if so, what have we learned?
Yes, as best practices, the department does go look at other jurisdictions to see what's happening with their programs, and we try to fit that and adapt that to northern situations. We have also a consolidated program delivery and dedicated specialized resources to the program. We've engaged employers and stakeholders that do need some of the personal resources to help them do their jobs, and just for the Member, in 2015, there were 106 nominees and their dependents approved under this program, and 460 since 2009.
Thank you to the Minister for sharing those numbers because that answers my next question. I'll jump to my last question. Can the Minister identify any new ways in which we could help prospective employers and immigrants to find opportunities in the Northwest Territories?
The department is currently working on an immigration communication strategy, which will continue to promote and raise awareness about the program. Increasing the awareness is critical for all employers, as well as stakeholders in the Northwest Territories. We also have a 1-800 number and employers can check online to see how they can get into the program, and we are, I believe, looking at a goal of 60 nominees for 2016.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that the Department of Lands now coordinates GNWT participation in environmental assessment. Since the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act came into force in 1998, participant funding has been made available for exactly three of the more than 70 environment assessments or impact reviews that have taken place. Can the Minister of Lands tell this House who is responsible for participant funding for environment assessments in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the national scale participant funding is part of the overall federal environmental assessment regime in Canada, which also applies to the Inuvialuit Settlement region. The absence of participant funding in the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act is a long-standing issue. The GNWT takes the view that the Government of Canada is responsible for participant funding based on the fact that the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act remains federal legislation and Canada has retained key authorities, such as policy direction and appointment to boards on the basis the boards are funded by Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I'm glad I'm not a pencil today.
---Laughter
The current federal government has realized the mistakes associated with excluding Canadians from pipeline project assessments and has announced changes in the way that citizens can be involved in such decisions in the future. Can the Minister of Lands tell this House what he is prepared to do to ensure NWT residents have access to the resources necessary to meaningfully participant in environmental assessments?
The reason I dropped my earpiece before was I have had feedback that I do tend to snap my earpiece a lot. I just realized I was doing it, so I dropped it, so I picked up the pencil and now I'll break it.
---Laughter
The GNWT continues to press the Government of Canada to address this issue. Officials from the Department of Lands raised the issue in early 2015 in a meeting with INAC senior officials. Obviously, the GNWT supports decision-making in the environmental assessment process but we will continue to work with our counterparts in Ottawa to see if there's ways that we can address the issue of participant funding.
I appreciate the Minister's response and his work with his earpiece as well, but the benefits of participant funding are well documented and they include building confidence in our environmental management system and creating buy-in for our residents while considering projects. I'm wondering if the Minister can just provide a little bit more information about what specifically the GNWT is prepared to do to push this issue with the federal government. I understand he mentioned letters that have been sent in the past, but is this something he'd be prepared to take up with the new Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.
We recognize the value of having our NWT residents participate in a lot of these processes, and I will commit to the Member that I will continue to raise the issue with our federal counterpart. We are fairly new in devolution. The responsibilities we're taking over are fairly new. I will take up the cause and continue to raise that issue with Ottawa so people in the Northwest Territories are able to be funded to participate in some of the hearings.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the response from the Minister. I'd be happy to work with him on this issue. I've got a little bit of experience in this area and would be happy to share that with him, though Canadians south of 60 degrees are entitled to participant funding through federal environmental assessment legislation. Here in the Northwest Territories there's the Interim Resource Management Assistance Program, or IRMA, to build capacity in Aboriginal governments outside the areas covered by land rights agreements. This is a very helpful initiative, but can the Minister tell us whether the GNWT is prepared to enhance our resource management legislation with a real participant funding program that is actually legislated? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will take the Member up on his offer to work with myself on advancing some of these issues, again recognizing the fact that we're early in devolution and we're trying to work our way through the process and make sure we have a very strong regulatory system in the Northwest Territories. If that means funding some of the participants to make their cases to the respective boards, then it's something that we will continue to work on. Again, I will take the Member up on his offer.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during my 23 years of living in Fort Simpson, I've noticed there are some differences in how a section of Highway No. 1 -- not No. 7, No. 1 -- was maintained from Fort Providence Junction to Fort Simpson. As well, I've heard a number of issues raised by my constituents. Can the Minister of Transportation please advise this House how the section of Highway No. 1 from Fort Providence Junction to Fort Simpson is maintained?
Masi. Minister of Transportation.
Highway No. 1 is broken into two sections. The first section is from the Providence Junction at Highway No. 3 to Redknife, which is maintained by the Providence crew. That is managed by the North Slave region. From Redknife to Fort Simpson is the second section of Highway No. 1. That is run and operated through the regional staff in the Fort Simpson office. The maintenance on Highway No. 1 is done in accordance with the NWT Highway Maintenance Manual, which provides guidelines for various summer and winter maintenance. The supervisors in both regions are well-experienced and considerably skilled people at maintaining the road, and in the wintertime, both sections are maintained on a daily basis.
I thank the Minister for his answer. Can the Minister provide the House with the cost to maintain each section of the road, Fort Providence Junction to Redknife and Redknife to Fort Simpson?
To maintain each section of this highway is largely dependent on the weather and conditions of the infrastructure. There are a number of things that contribute to that, but both sections' cost is very comparable in maintenance.
I really didn't get an answer from the Minister, but that's all right. I'll move on to my next question. I find it very interesting that the Department of Transportation would split these two sections of the highway. Can the Minister please provide the rationale on why the North Slave district has a responsibility to maintain a section of the road and not the Fort Simpson District?
The Department of Transportation has divided the highway system in the NWT into four sections. We have the South Slave, the Fort Simpson section, the North Slave region, and the Inuvik Region. The boundaries for each regional operation are based on a range of factors such as operational efficiencies, workload, capacity, cost and service, and traffic levels, weather, and geography.
Masi. Oral questions, Member for Nahendeh.
