Mr. Speaker, I rise today to update the Legislature on continuing activities in support of our territory's most promising growth industry. Tourism is the Northwest Territories' singlelargest renewable resourcebased sector. It has enjoyed continued growth through 2015. Thanks to investments and initiatives undertaken by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and our many partners and affiliate industry organizations, we are also wellpositioned today to capitalize on even more opportunities in 2016.
Later this afternoon, on behalf of Northwest Territories Tourism, the Government of the Northwest Territories’ destination marketing organization, I will table the recently released “20162017 Marketing Plan Northwest Territories Tourism.” The plan will see our successful “Spectacular Northwest Territories” brand expanded to include “Spectacular Stories” collected, submitted, and shared via Spectacular NWT's website and social media pages. This is a major piece of the organization’s pivot to modern, contentfocused marketing.
The new approach will provide NWT Tourism the ability to costeffectively reach southern Canadian and international audiences with engaging, informative content and attract new and returning visitors to the territory. This type of marketing relies on stories rather than slogans and the North has never had a shortage of great stories to tell. NWT Tourism's 20162017 Marketing Plan will also place renewed focus on engaging businesses and community stakeholders throughout the territory. Recognizing the importance of having regular input from NWT operators to guide their marketing efforts, the organization will be scheduling regular regional and sector consultations. In addition, it will be offering expanded marketing programs that feature a wide variety and price range of cooperative advertising opportunities and information updates.
This informed and strategic approach comes on the heels of an impressive year for tourism in the NWT. We are noting a direct result of the strategies, programs, and initiatives that are already in place. We can now see, for example, that our China trade missions are paying off. The growth of the Chinese middleclass, paired with the low Canadian dollar offer opportunities for even further growth in this area. Only 0.5 per cent of travellers from China currently visit Canada, and a fraction of this number visit the NWT. As we continually invest in improved services and new initiatives, we can obtain a greater share of this lucrative, growing market. This incredible potential is already spawning new investment for our territory. The proposed redevelopment of the treatment centre on Detah Road and several planned and ongoing hotel developments in Yellowknife are testament to the growth and potential of the Asian tourism market. With nearly 7,000 people from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan visiting the NWT last year, we are already also seeing a return on our Aurora marketing investment in higher revenues and local jobs.
But our industry is being built on more than just Asia and the northern lights. We have also seen an influx of visitors in other parts of Canada and the United States. In fact, tourism operators across the NWT reported higher revenues and visitor numbers last summer. The 2015 NWT territorial parks overnight visitor numbers were up by 17.5 per cent despite forest fires, road, and campground closures. Opportunities for whitewater adventures are attracting more and more people to the wild expanse of our territory. We've always known the Nahanni to have a great reputation amongst adventurers, but the winding mountain rivers of the Sahtu are attracting a growing crowd of adventurers as worldclass paddling destinations. We saw yearonyear growth in sport fishing, outdoor adventure, and visitors of friends and family amounting to 24 per cent, 12 per cent, and 22 per cent growth respectively in 20142015. The low Canadian dollar and the robust economic recovery in the US is reflected in a strong surge of Americans coming back to fishing lodges in the NWT, which is great news after several consecutive years of decline in this market.
Many communities in our territory now have ambitions to create and improve their own tourism products, working to capitalize on the unique opportunities that this sector, Aboriginal tourism in particular, provides. To assist and support these ambitions, ITI delivered over $1 million in funding for the development of exciting new tourism products and over $300,000 in tourism infrastructure development and education opportunities in 20142015. Our regional offices put in the hard work each and every day to ensure efficient service delivery to each of our 33 communities. We have heard from the Minister of Finance last week about the challenge that slow economic growth is creating for this government. Strategic investments in promising sectors of our economy like tourism are one of the best ways to address this challenge. We will continue to invest in the opportunities tourism offers in the Northwest Territories in pursuit of a vibrant, diverse economy in step with the economic priorities of this 18th Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers’ statements. Minister of Transportation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the economy, environment and climate change among the priorities identified by the 18th Legislative Assembly, the Government of Northwest Territories is pleased to highlight the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway construction project as a leading example of economic diversification and environmental stewardship. Since the third construction season began in early January, already more than 300 individuals are back at work on the project. Over 70 per cent of the contractors' 24-hour workforce is comprised of residents of the Beaufort-Delta region and other NWT communities. The contractors' workforce peaked at over 600 employees during the busiest part of construction season in March of last year, a substantial contribution toward creating northern jobs.
The project is also fulfilling the 18th Assembly’s priority to foster life-long learning, skills development, training, and employability by delivering meaningful training opportunities. Already over 130 people have taken advantage of the training offered on different types of rock truck and excavator equipment using a simulator. Ten heavy equipment operators received additional training over the summer of 2015 and another 12 heavy equipment operation training opportunities are anticipated in 2016. Frontline project personnel are also receiving valuable training on practices necessary to protect water resources during highway construction through a Department of Transportation developed course called Working Near Water. Nationally accredited training in erosion and sediment control practices has also been delivered. This is in addition to the Predator Defence Training to ensure continued safety of staff on site to help minimize potential negative encounters with wildlife.
Our contractor EGT Northwind is focused on hauling and placing approximately 1.4 million cubic metres of material this season to construct approximately 50 km of embankment. Work also includes installing four bridges and 19 major culverts. The contractor’s goal is to see the north and south construction spreads joined towards the end of April. We are pleased to confirm that the project remains on schedule and continues to be managed within the $299-million budget. All operations of this project are subject to continuous monitoring by regulatory agencies. The Department employs construction and operational procedures that use the best environmental practices to ensure wildlife, land, fisheries, and water resources are protected with wildlife and environmental monitors on site 24 hours a day. Staff continues tracking progress on the 286 regulatory commitments to ensure the project is delivered in a manner that addresses the concerns, expectations, and requirements of all parties involved.
This is a one-of-a-kind highway infrastructure project. It's engineered to protect the region's continuous permafrost environment by adapting innovative construction methods. The Department of Transportation is organizing a science summit in April for world experts in permafrost, cold-region engineering, and northern infrastructure to see the project, watch construction, and visit two separate research-development test sites sponsored by Transport Canada's Northern Adaptation Initiative. One project constructed at Kilometre 22 will test the performance of alternative drainage structures. The goal is to find ways to minimize ineffective water drainage on highway embankments near drainage structures. A particular focus of this project is to reduce heat transfer through various types of drainage structures. The second research project, at Kilometre 82, involves building a deep-fill embankment section to assess the benefits of adding geotextile materials between successive lists of material to add stability. In addition, the embankment is instrumented with over 70 thermistor devices to monitor ground temperature. The aim is to improve highway construction methods in the future by gaining a better understanding of permafrost conditions.
In addition to the science community, the construction project continues to receive attention from international audiences already planning to drive or cycle what will become Canada's only public highway to the Arctic Coast. The author of a recent feature in the New York Times' travel section wrote that during his career as an American diplomat visiting places like France, Israel, and Haiti, the Arctic expanse in Canada is the most exotic place he's been. Progress of the construction of the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway is exciting to observe. Once completed, Northerners will have the contribution, fulfilling a vision of Canada's connection by road from coast to coast to coast. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers’ statements. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, increasing the availability of safe affordable housing and building stronger relationships with community governments and other stakeholders are two of the priorities agreed to by Members of the Legislative Assembly. I am pleased to report that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is working on both of these priorities by creating new local housing organizations in Fort Liard, Gameti, and Whati. Not only will this create jobs in the community and increase economic development, it'll also greatly improve service to community members. Residents who previously had questions about their housing corporation of rental units or homeowners that were interested in repair programs previously had to contact their housing corporation district office for more information. These changes mean that the residents get the answers that they require immediately.
The investment in new local housing organizations in these communities will result in the hiring of fulltime housing support staff, including a housing manager, a maintenance supervisor, and a housing maintainer for each community. In Gameti, the housing office and workshop have been setup and are now open for business. Planning for housing offices in Whati and Fort Liard is now underway. In the communities of Colville Lake and Wekweeti, the Housing Corporation and the Department of the Executive will be partnering in an initiative that will have Government Service Officers provide some housing information and administrative support. The expansion of housing services in communities and the increased emphasis on a more person-centred approach will make the delivery of services more accessible to community residents across the Northwest Territories. These changes respond to the needs of our people and will build community capacity as local residents will be hired and trained to take on the roles in the new LHOs that are being established. These actions support our government's priorities of ensuring that we invest wisely in our workplace and that we have a housing system that is safe and affordable.
Masi. Ministers’ statements. Colleagues, I'd like to draw your attention to the special guests in the gallery today. We have 10 young men and women who are participating in the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme, visiting us for the rest of the week along with their academic director. I understand that they are looking forward to seeing consensus-style government in action, and I want to assure them that they have come to the right place.
---Applause
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Friday, the Finance Minister provided the people of NWT with the government's fiscal update. It was interesting, to say the least. The Minister said the government is committed to fiscal responsibility and the government's Fiscal Responsibility Policy. He went on to say we need to live within our means, not just for today or just for this year, but for all four years of the 18th Assembly. After reading this, I tried to wrap my head around what he meant by “fiscal responsibility.” I spent the weekend doing research on what fiscal responsibility should mean to the government. This is the definition I like best: “A pledge of fiscal responsibility is a government's assurance that it judicially spends, earns and generates funds without placing undue hardship on its citizens. It includes a moral contract to maintain a fiscally sound government for future generations on the understanding that a functional society is difficult to maintain without a fiscally secure government.” As I read more articles about fiscal responsibility, it became clearer that government can take these necessary steps to be responsible to their citizens. All that is needed is to develop and implement some sort of fiscal transparency. This would involve a number of things, including the ones that I will identify here: finding areas to reduce waste; identifying areas of financial ineffectiveness; identifying ways the government can function better; and identifying other funding opportunities.
I know it is sometimes hard to make all aspects of the budget visible to the public, but the government needs to look at better ways to engage the public and the public servants, not just the senior staff.
Later on in the speech, the Finance Minister said, “We cannot take the position of an ostrich and bury our heads in the sand and pretend and hope to escape reality.” I agree. However, the government cannot be like Chicken Little and go around crying, “The sky is falling” every chance they get and expect business and people to want to come and invest and live in the NWT. I agree with the Minister that we were aware that there were going to be some challenging times and hard choices to be made during the 18th Assembly. I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and sorry for not getting that right. I will hopefully get it right next time. I agree that we must work together to address these fiscal challenges. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what we meant by working together. Later on, I'll have some questions for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I address in my Members' statement a building under construction in Norman Wells, a building that is going to cost this government $35 million to provide well-needed healthcare to the surrounding communities. For the newcomers in the audience, I represent five communities in the Central Mackenzie. It's remote. We've got three ways to go in there. We have no all-weather road, so the government provides meaningful institutions and services to our five communities. Getting back to the statement here, the facility is under construction, but is going to be seeing the opening of the doors within this calendar year. In addition to the regional facility, we are going to see 18 rooms to accommodate long-term care for elders as well, so that's very exciting news for the area. Later I will have questions for the Health Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in February 2010, the Hamlet Council of Fort McPherson passed a motion supporting the construction of an elders' homecare facility in the community. The hamlet council and community members were very happy when this $3 million facility was put in the GNWT's Capital Plan. Construction was scheduled for 2015-2016. Like every other community in the Northwest Territories, Fort McPherson is challenged to provide appropriate housing for its residents. Our esteemed elders deserve comfortable and secure accommodations during their golden years. This nine-unit multiplex, which is designed to house eight seniors plus a caretaker, is much needed in the community.
Since the hamlet council motion six years ago, the community has waited patiently for this important project. Community members are concerned, and so am I, Mr. Speaker, that progress on this project seems to be stalled. During last year's construction season, the contractor drilled half a dozen pilings on the site. I was told that work halted when they hit water during the season, which was August, Mr. Speaker. There has been no visible progress on site. Therefore, today I will be seeking an answer to the questions: What is causing the delay in the construction of this much-needed facility and when can community members expect to see it completed?
The Bathurst caribou herd has suffered a catastrophic decline over the last 30 years from 472,000 to as low as 16,000 animals today. The response from this government to date has largely been centred on restricting the harvest by non-Aboriginal people and more recently, on Aboriginal peoples who have agreed to not take any caribou from this herd. The causes of the decline are not clear but we do know that the herd is less resilient when numbers are low and any further cumulative impacts may push the herd beyond the point of no return. A recently released study by the Tlicho Research and Learning Institute found: "The establishment of large-scale mines and associated industrial activities on the Bathurst caribou habitat as the main factor behind caribou health defects and changes to their behaviour and migration." It also states, "In response, caribou have chosen to avoid centres of mining activities due to poor-quality forage and noise and dust pollution. The activities of the resource extraction industry around the Ekati, Lac de Gras, area, have established a ‘wall’ blocking the main caribou migration route.”
This study also marks a remarkable convergence of traditional knowledge and western science. Data from collars and aerial surveys have established a Zone of Influence around the diamond mines where caribou calves and cows are less likely to be found. I attended a cumulative effects workshop for the Slave Geological Province in 1993 following two mineral staking seasons where an area the size of France was taken up. There have been many, many workshops and meetings since then on cumulative effects on the Bathurst caribou herd but there is still no management plan for the herd, no legally binding land use plan for the Northwest Territories' portion of the range of the herd, and I am not aware of one square centimetre of land that has been permanently protected for the caribou in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut. Mr. Speaker, I seek a unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
It is not just this MLA that is concerned about the state of the Bathurst caribou herd. The Mackenzie Valley Review Board said this in its February 1, 2016, report on the Jay Project, “The lack of a management plan for the Bathurst caribou herd during a period of very low numbers and a declining population is unacceptable to the Review Board. There is no evidence the GNWT is developing a herd recovery strategy. The Review Board notes that the GNWT was required by Section 12.11.2 of the Tlicho Agreement to prepare a comprehensive proposal for the management of the Bathurst caribou herd within three years of the effective date of that land claim.”
That was 2005, Mr. Speaker. “There is no evidence before the review board that this legal obligation has been satisfied. The GNWT needs to complete and implement an interim recovery and management plan for the Bathurst caribou herd before this herd's population is so reduced that recovery of the herd is no longer likely.” That's the end of the quote. I will be tabling the Tlicho Research and Learning Institute Report I mentioned earlier, and I will have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Masi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT's population of older adults is projected to grow dramatically in the next ten years. The number of adults over age 75 across the NWT is expected to double, and here in Yellowknife it's expected to triple. These numbers come from a strategic plan developed by Avens – A Community for Seniors.
If we want these seniors, along with their transfer payments and consumer spending, to stay in the NWT, we need to offer them affordable housing. Instead of enjoying a comfortable and secure old age, many seniors in Yellowknife face long waitlists to access the housing they need. A total of 54 people are on the waiting list to get into Aven Ridge and Aven Court. They're going to wait a long time for those 32 units. In fact, if you join the list today, you may wait as long as six years for a unit to become available. Meanwhile, people who are unable to live independently are also waitlisted for longterm care at Aven Manor and the Territorial Dementia Facility.
The situation of people who are waiting for longterm and dementia care is especially troubling. Here's why: One of my constituents has been living independently all his adult life. He's now in his late 60s. But he's developing dementia. He lives alone. Sometimes he walks away from where he lives very late at night, not dressed properly for the weather, confused and unable to find his way home. His dementia is putting him in danger. Family have been helping. They take turns cooking for him and they take him to medical appointments, but they have fulltime jobs so it's hard to keep him safe on a 24hour-aday basis. Neighbours keep an eye out for him, too. His doctor believes the best place for him to go is the Territorial Dementia Facility, but it's full. He was offered a spot in Fort Smith, but his family said no because they all live here in Yellowknife and he has lived here all his life. He doesn't know anyone in Fort Smith. His family is worried that he is now at the bottom of the waiting list because he won't move.
The GNWT informally committed $12.5 million to building an athletes’ village for the 2023 Canada Winter Games with an additional matching amount from the federal government. Now it looks as if we won't need an athletes’ village because there isn't enough public support to bid on those games. May I seek unanimous consent, Mr. Speaker, to conclude my statement? Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, homelessness looks different in the North than in southern Canada. Homelessness is less visible here, but just as distressing. Our harsh winter temperatures force the homeless indoors where they wind up couch surfing, moving between the homes of family and friends for two or three days at a time. They arrive late, leave early, and spend their days walking around. They struggle with addictions. They hide from local housing organizations so their hosts don't suffer the consequences such as increased rent or renovations for housing an extra person. It's a hard life.
The statistics on homelessness are unreliable and vary widely. For example, the City of Yellowknife estimates their homeless population at 150, while The Homeless Hub, the Calgary think tank, and the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition would estimate the number of people who access Yellowknife shelters at over 900 per year, almost five per cent of the city's population. A lot of people from small communities migrate to Yellowknife when they are homeless, meaning they may have even less support from family and friends. Because the homeless have no permanent address, they can't be easily counted. This makes it difficult for governments to assess the size of the problem or to adequately address it. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has introduced Northern Pathways to Housing, a program to partner with three smaller communities to operate transitional housing. That's three communities out of 27, Mr. Speaker. Clearly, the GNWT underestimates the size of the homelessness problem.
In Fort Providence, five per cent of the population equals 40 people. This is the number of homeless estimated by a new notforprofit group called the Community Advancement Partnership Society, or CAPS, which has formed in Fort Providence. Their goal is to fund the construction of a multiplex with seven single-bedroom units to provide the Housing First for those who need it the most. The Housing First report has been used successfully by the City of Medicine Hat, which launched the program in 2009 to provide small permanent apartments to homeless residents. Six years later, they have housed 885 homeless adults and children and are nearing their goal of eradicating homelessness. Mayor Ted Clugston makes financial sense. You can actually save money by giving somebody some dignity and giving them places to stay. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to complete my statement. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi, colleagues. Fort Providence CAPS is using some creative approaches to raise funds, including an online crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe.com and a “chase the ace” funding campaign, which works a lot like a payday pool and is becoming a popular way for charities to raise funds. It could take three years or more for CAPS to achieve their funding goal. In the meantime, there are homeless people needing assistance. Fort Providence needs support from the GNWT in the form of transitional housing, income support, and addictions treatment to lift the homeless up and help them turn their lives around. The Housing First approach has proven successful in reducing homelessness and saving program dollars in communities across North America, including Saskatoon, Medicine Hat, and Montreal, to name a few. When is the GNWT going to get on board and make this program available to every small community in the Northwest Territories that needs and wants it? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as the 18th Assembly gets down to business, there's a degree of uneasiness out there among the people of the Northwest Territories. Notwithstanding the Premier's good-news comments just now on tourism, there's been very little good economic news of late. The oil patch has slowed to a standstill, our friends to the south in Alberta have seen up to 35,000 people laid off over the past couple of years, and the Canadian dollar is only worth 70 cents U.S. Although there was a partial restoration of our Territorial Formula Financing funding, a significant portion still remains in question. Here at home, oil and gas exploration has slowed down to nothing. One of the three diamond projects has gone into care and maintenance while also moving their head office to the South. Right now things aren't that good, and that gives all of us a sense of uncertainty, and that's not comforting for most folks.
I share in the concern of many, that this government has chosen this time to pile on with drastic fiscal measures in the interests of balancing the books by the end of our term. While balanced books are a nice thing to have, they should not be the single overriding factor determining our fiscal direction over the life of the 18th Assembly. In challenging times, it is important to be cautious and sensible in allocating public resources, but austerity for its own sake does not constitute a benefit to families, businesses, and communities. It does not constitute better government. We must take a triple- bottom-line approach to conducting our business, one that sees a balance struck in managing our financial, social, and environmental responsibilities. I'm also concerned that decisions taken now in response to the current economic climate will tie our hands over this Assembly's entire term. A year from now the economic picture might be very different. We should not make decisions now that will restrict our flexibility to respond to changing circumstances. Northerners demand that we be sensible with public dollars, indeed. But they also call on this government to do careful research into the impacts and consequences of fiscal decisions. They need us to conduct open and thorough consultation with Regular Members, Aboriginal governments, the business community, and the public on government priorities and initiatives. They call on us to not commit ourselves to a direction we cannot change. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. They call on us to not commit ourselves to a direction we cannot change, and they call on us to not prioritize balanced government books over the real needs of families, businesses, and communities. It's a crucial time in our history, Mr. Speaker, and our decisions will have extensive impacts across the territory. I call on this government to engage in broad consultation, conduct careful research and consideration, and apply a balanced approach toward the way we conduct our business before we commit to a course of action that may tie our hands later. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I will talk about the community of Tuktoyaktuk and the major changes to come in the next 10 to 20 years. Shoreline erosion has major effects on the housing infrastructure, as well as some of the roads in the community completely flooded during the fall storms. This has since eroded the shoreline on the northwest side of the community, and if there are no action plans in place some homes will collapse into the ocean, which will result in families and the GNWT losing much-needed homes. This will also create environmental issues, as a majority of the community harvest beluga and fish in and around the harbour, which will affect the social and cultural well-being of the community.
Currently some of the areas of the community are no longer suitable for building with encroachment and some homes will have to be moved to higher ground. With the completion of the all-season Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, it will have major positive and negative impacts in the community. Having access in the summer will give the GNWT a better window of access to work on the shoreline erosion, as well as set the tone for relocating homes that are immediately affected. Tuktoyaktuk will require a new land use plan to better manage development within the community's boundaries. Some action plans may include identifying some of the land parcels for development that will protect against flooding in the fall season. Today I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm using my first few Members’ statements of this Assembly to inform the other Members and the people of the NWT about the major issues affecting Hay River. I know the returning Members are aware of this particular issue, because my predecessor made countless statements on it.
I'm speaking of the build-up of sediments in the Port of Hay River, which has reached a crisis level. The federal government used to dredge the waterways around Hay River and at points on the Mackenzie River. That program ended in the early 1990s and virtually nothing has been done since. The result is that tugs are dragging barges through silt, boats are being damaged, and veteran commercial fishermen aren't willing to go out on the water because it's unsafe. I'm aware that dredging is the federal government's responsibility. That was the answer my predecessor received over and over again when he tried to spur this government into action. Regardless of whose responsibility it is, it's our problem and we have to do something about it.
Safe marine operating conditions are vital to maintaining and growing the South Slave economy. The Port of Hay River is the largest inland port in Western Canada. It is home to a Canadian Coast Guard base, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans office, and NTCL's operations headquarters. It's the heart of the NWT's fishing industry. The port is the reason that the town of Hay River exists, so it's shocking that we've let its condition deteriorate to this level.
The proposed mandate contains a bold vision for the NWT's fishing industry. The problem is that if the fishermen can't get to the fish because the port is too shallow and unsafe, then we don't have an industry. It's as simple as that. Hay River has a burgeoning tourist industry with amazing potential. With our southern proximity and access the town could be a destination for recreational boaters and sport fishers, and in fact, there are entrepreneurs making investments in that market right now. Without action on dredging, that opportunity is lost. The viability of our shipping industry and the cost of goods up the Mackenzie are also directly and negatively affected by our lack of action. This problem has consequences beyond Hay River. Finally, as each year passes and the sediment builds up, the risk of flooding grows greater. We've been lucky recently, but the flooding in 2009 is a reminder that our luck won't last forever. From what I can tell, the previous government did little more than encourage the federal government to dredge, which seems to have gotten us nowhere. I hope this government will be more proactive. I will be working towards finding solutions, so hopefully together we can fix this problem once and for all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, one of the highest priorities of any government must be the health and well-being of its citizens. The delivery of quality and affordable healthcare is a cornerstone of good government in Canada and it's something that Northerners have come to expect. Yet the standards of the Northwest Territories' healthcare system vary wildly across regions and not all of our residents have the same standard of care. The 17th Assembly recognized the need to take action on improving healthcare and began the process of health system transformation in an effort to provide the best possible care to patients and clients. A system that is focused on the needs of clients and that is efficient, sustainable, and accountable. Standardized levels of care and healthcare policies will also make it easier to implement broad policy changes that may be required by emergent concerns, such as the imminent issue of physician-assisted dying. How our government proceeds with that and other issues is just as crucial as having a means to deliver on those new policies and a stronger healthcare system, and is a welcome initiative on the part of this government.
While it is agreeable that our government continue to make progress and improvements to our healthcare system, we owe it to Northerners to ensure that a holistic and integrated approach is taken that respects regional differences and ensures that all of our people have a voice in how system operates. Significant changes to how our government provides any public service must be carefully implemented and effectively communicated, especially as it relates to the provision of healthcare. I will have questions for the Minister on the current status of health system transformation, as well as questions on the structure and overall benefits to healthcare this new system will provide to Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. –
[English translation not provided.] Mr. Speaker, today I will be making a Member's statement on aging in place. Aging in place will keep seniors in their own homes and their own communities for as long as possible. In order to do this, the NWT Housing Corporation will have to make adjustments and changes to their repair programs. Mr. Speaker, aging in place, when the NWT Housing Corporation works with the Department of Health and Social Services' homecare program, can defer $125,000 per year per senior. That, Mr. Speaker, is the current cost of having one senior in long-term care for one year, not to mention the cost of building more long-term facilities. The capital cost of building long-term facilities is between $100,000 and $200,000 per bed.
Many seniors across NWT are now finding it difficult to remain in their homes. Most of them need their units to be retrofitted to a barrier-free or senior-friendly state so that they will not have the burden of a poorly functioning house in their later years. Once the seniors have their homes retrofitted to meet their needs they will need homecare services to remain in their home, and the NWT Housing Corporation and the Department of Health and Social Services must work together to make this possible. In addition, the seniors themselves want to remain in their homes and in their communities for as long as possible. Seniors wish to remain as independent as possible. This will give them the independence they so desire.
Currently about 15 per cent of the population across Canada is 65 years and over, and this number is expected to grow by about a half per cent per year, actually slightly under a half per cent per year. Therefore, the government should have programs for the costs of modifying the homes to accommodate the changing needs of aging elders and support should be put in place so they can continue to enjoy a high quality of life in their own homes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm very pleased to recognize the NWT Tourism executive director, Cathie Bolstad and marketing director, Ron Ostrom. Welcome.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.
This week we have two Pages from Diamond Jenness Secondary School in Hay River. I'd like to recognize them, Riella Bordey and Marcel Frise. They're grade 9 students and they'll be helping us out all week, and I thank them. I'd also like to thank my constituency assistant, Anne Peters, in the gallery. She's also a constituent. Prior to this, she was an executive assistant at the Chamber of Commerce in Hay River and spent 22 years with the Canadian Armed Forces. I'd also like to recognize Mandee McDonald and Erin Freeland Ballantyne from Dechinta University.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake,
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Mandee McDonald and Erin Freeland Ballantyne. Both work with Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, which is a great made-in-the-North post-secondary institution, and it's good to see them here. Thank you.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to also recognize a couple of Pages from East Three Secondary School in Inuvik: Kylie English-Traer and Chantal Schab. They are here with my constituency assistant, their chaperone, Christine Cardinal.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Along with my colleagues, I'd like to recognize Mandee McDonald and Erin Freeland Ballantyne, who do some very good work with Dechinta University. Welcome to the House.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must, like my colleagues, pour it on. I want to recognize Erin Freeland Ballantyne and Mandee McDonald from Dechinta. Dechinta’s offices are in the riding of Yellowknife North. Like the Premier, I also want to take the opportunity to recognize the executive director of NWT Tourism, Cathie Bolstad, as she is also a resident of Yellowknife North. I thank them all for coming today.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we missed those individuals in the gallery I'd like to welcome everyone for being here today with us. It's always great to have an audience in the gallery.
