Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and lastly, I asked earlier about what limitations this new park might have on residents. I'm wondering if the Minister can expand on his response and provide more detail on what limitations, if any, this new park will have on industry.
I want to be clear, there will be areas where industrial activities will not be permitted within the park. Our research, however, has helped to ensure that areas of high mineral potential have been excluded and it will allow some industrial activities to take place. This too is part of the balance approach offered by northern tools. Beyond this the possibility, more importantly, the creation of this area also allows us to diversify the economy by opening up an entirely new industry, the conservation economy, with focus on tourism and recreational activities.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Shoreline erosion has been affecting the community of Tuktoyaktuk for some time. Mr. Speaker, my question is how long has the department been aware of this issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk completed a shoreline protection study in 1994 and they said at the time that their preferred recommendation was to relocate infrastructure currently on the peninsula. From 2007 to 2015, the Hamlet has had a shoreline erosion project on their capital plan. However, I understand in the 2016 capital plan they've removed the use of CPI funding for this and instead are seeking to try to obtain some federal funding or other forms of funding to help deal with the issue. Thank you.
My second question is what options are available to the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk to help them address the issues of shoreline erosion?
Community governments have the authority and the control to make decisions about infrastructure in their community. The Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk is responsible for developing and implementing a multi-year capital development plan on how to fund capital projects. Through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, we provide regular support to communities should they seek our advice on some of the projects that they have in mind.
The Government of Canada has recently made an announcement about the National Disaster Mitigation Program. Could this be a solution for Tuktoyaktuk?
In April 2015, Public Safety Canada launched the National Disaster Mitigation Program, and it does offer some cost sharing, funding, to support national disaster mitigation projects. We would have to work with them to see if this particular project falls under that program, and what the funding sources and funding levels are like. Like many of the programs with the federal government, there's a cost-sharing component to it, so we would have to work with the community of Tuktoyaktuk and the federal government to identify different types of funding that might be available to the community should they decide to pursue this.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what other types of funding and support from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs are available to support Tuktoyaktuk if they want to address shoreline erosion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I spoke briefly to the National Disaster Mitigation Plan. Again, we will explore the options there. The Hamlet also receives $899,000 annually in funding through the Community Public Infrastructure Program from the department. As well, a project dealing with shoreline erosion would be considered eligible for one-time funding in the amount of $789,000 through the Building Canada Small Communities Fund. The hamlet has chosen to utilize its funding on another project in the community. Again, the support that they would get from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is that we'd be pleased to go in there at the community's request, work with them on planning for this and identifying any types of funding that are out there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a follow up to my Member's statement. I have questions for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. I'd like to ask the Minister: how was the location for this new facility in Fort McPherson selected and was the community involved?
Masi. The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Ms. Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The selection for the seniors' facility was done in June 2013. We met the Fort McPherson Hamlet Council during their meeting to discuss the building and the location. In July 2013, we met with the Gwich'in Tribal Council and provided information on the building. In September 2013, we had a community consultation in the community. The location of the building was discussed at that point as well. December 2013 was the only time that we had an issue brought forward that talked about the location and we were asked if we could move it to the river. At that time, we looked at it and we realized that the lot was too small and also, we were using that building for market housing, so we didn't want to tear it down too, which would mean more housing needs in the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'd like to ask the Minister: what problems are causing the construction of the elders' facility to be delayed?
We had a couple of problems, actually, with the starting of it. We negotiated with the contractor in 2015 and this summer, he started working on it. He installed 11 piles in July, but we didn't have our geotechnical inspector on-site so we stopped work on that project. We need to have the proper regulators watching when they're doing the construction. As the MLA had stated earlier there were also some water issues and we are working with the contractor. Now we’re back on track and the building will be completed within this fiscal year.
When can the people of Fort McPherson expect the work on this facility to be completed?
November 2016.
That sounds great. Hopefully we have no other issues and if we do I'll have more questions for the Minister later.
---Laughter
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to follow up on my Member's statement with questions to the Minister of Finance. Can the Minister of Finance explain what he means by working together to make these hard decisions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Honourable Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a process in the Legislative Assembly that we go through where we appear before a committee with our business planning process outlining some of the challenges we're facing and then we get feedback from committee, and we will develop our main estimates that we will debate in the May/June budget session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Can the Minister please provide us with a picture of who was involved in coming up with these ideas for cuts, reductions, and revenue options?
Mr. Speaker, we have tasked our senior officials with providing us with some options to have a look at the workings of each department within the Government of Northwest Territories and we will work with committee. I have committed to the Priorities and Planning Committee that I would have a discussion with them again and that we will go through the business plan planning exercise. We will get more feedback from Committee as to how we are going to deal with the situation that's facing us, and then we will develop our main estimates that we will table in May/June. I must emphasize, Mr. Speaker, that we are still spending approximately $1.7 billion in our budget for the people for the people of Northwest Territories.
I’d like to thank the Minister for his answer. Can the Minister of Finance please tell us how the frontline public servants have been involved in providing recommendations to this government?
Mr. Speaker, again, we have tasked our senior officials, our deputies, with finding some options and bring forward to Cabinet that we can in turn share with committee. As part of that process, they would talk to all those in their department right down to the regional level as to some of the recommendations that they may have as to how we can address some of the challenges that are facing us. I'm sure there's a process that goes down and then they report back to the deputies who in turn would come forward to this Cabinet with some options and we would share them with committee and get their feedback as well.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. Is there any way that you can provide the Regular Members with a flowchart or how this message was relayed to the public servants, and if there's a way that the public servants are encouraged to provide this information? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
There has been no decisions made yet, but I take the Member's point. We will have a discussion with all those involved because this would have far-reaching implications across the Northwest Territories, at the same time we need to make sure that we live within our means. It's prudent on us as government to seek input from all those involved across the Northwest Territories and we commit to doing that, and I've committed to the committee that I would find some time with them during this particular session and give them an update as to the work that we're doing.
Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had mentioned here earlier in my Member’s statement, my question to the Minister of Health and Social Services about the newly constructed, still underway, facility in Norman Wells providing a modern medical care system to the residents of the whole area. It's the first of its kind in the area to also provide long-term care units and availability to 18 seniors in our community and our area. Taking into account a building of such, there's a transitional phase that would take place prior to the building being functional and ready to provide that service. I'm asking the Minister if I can get a copy of the transitional plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the budget there are actually some dollars allocated for the transition from the old facility into the new facility. It's about $200,000. Our intention is to develop a transition plan, but we do have a bit of time. This facility doesn't open until tentatively March 2017, so the transition plan hasn't been fully formed. Once it’s done, I'm happy to share it with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In that case, my next question, Mr. Speaker, is to seek who is actually holding the transition plan. When I talked to the CEO in Norman Wells, she says they're moving in in November. So actually, which is it?
I’d need to confirm. The information I'm familiar with suggests that we will take ownership of that building in March 2017, at which point we will start moving into an official opening of the building. I don't believe a date has been determined, but I will talk to the CEO to see which date she is working on.
My next question to the Minister is: If there is going to be a transitional plan for a portion of the department moving into the building this coming November, can the Minister provide the documentation to discuss some of the logistics and staffing that would be eventually included in the transitional plan?
Some initial work was done identifying the types of positions that would be required in that new facility as a result of it taking a new function in the Sahtu. The 18 long-term care beds was something that didn't exist in the region before. I'm happy to share the information that we have as we develop a transition report. I'm happy to have a sit-down with the Member and bring him up to speed on what's happening in that region. I do believe we have a bit of time. It's my understanding, as I indicated, that we're not taking ownership of that building until March 31, 2017, so we still have a bit of time.
I welcome the Minister's invitation and look forward to our further dialogue and meeting on that.
Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for Homelessness. The question is in regards to the conflicting figures that sometimes we use. The point is that homeless people are just not numbers. They are actually people, so my question is to the Minister: what steps is the Minister taking to correct the conflicting figures in terms of homelessness and to try to get a true picture, especially as it relates to engaging our federal colleagues in regard to funding on housing and homelessness? Mahsi
Masi. The Minister responsible for Homelessness.
