Yes, Mr. Chair, I move that Committee Motion 13-18(2) be amended by deleting the words "expand and." Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Sebert. The motion to amend is in order. To the amendment to Committee Motion 13-18(2). The amendment to the motion is being distributed. To the amendment to the motion. Mr. Sebert.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The wording change proposed by the committee is more concise and improves on the original text of the draft. The only issue of concern to the GNWT is the use of the word “expand” in reference to access to energy conservation and efficiency programs. The GNWT currently funds very generous energy efficiency and conservation programs, including the Energy Efficiency Incentive Program, the Commercial Energy Efficiency Program and the Alternative Energy Technologies Program. The Energy Efficiency Incentive Program provides incentives for products we use every day, including washers, dryers, refrigerators and stoves. Residents can receive up to $700 for the purchase of a wood pellet stove. The Commercial Energy Conservation and Efficiency Program is a program available to businesses. Rebates are available to businesses. Rebates are available for energy upgrades of up to $15,000 for qualified commercial energy efficiency products.
The Alternative Energy Technology Program provides funding for renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and wood pellet heating. Applicants may receive funding of up to one-half of the project cost, up to $21,000 per year. Generally, many of our incentives are much more generous than one would find in other parts of the country. An undefined commitment to expand programs is not prudent at this time in view of the fiscal restraints we've heard about. The GNWT does support the inclusion of the words “improve access.” This is an ongoing objective of the Arctic Energy Alliance and the GNWT has funded the establishment of Arctic Energy Alliance regional offices in recent years to improve access to services in communities. Provincial and territorial governments continue to advocate for renewed federal investment in energy conservation and efficiency incentives. The federal government once played a more direct role in this area but has refrained from doing so in recent years. The GNWT will look for a renewed federal presence in supporting energy conservation and efficiency. For those reasons, we are proposing this amendment. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Sebert. To the amendment to the motion. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I do appreciate the Member opposite providing a good summary of the good work that Arctic Energy Alliance does carry out. I think part of the difficulty here with this proposed amendment to the motion is that it would basically take away one of the measurable targets or actions for this particular item in the mandate, and that's to expand programs. We haven't said over what period of time or even how much, but it's an inspirational part of this action in here to basically expand those programs.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. I remind all Members to direct their comments through the chair. To the amendment to the motion. A recorded vote has been requested. All those in favour, please stand.
Mr. Moses, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. McLeod – Yellowknife South, Mr. McLeod – Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Schumann, Mr. Sebert.
All those opposed, please stand.
Mr. Blake, Mr. Testart, Mr. Nakimayak, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Thompson, Mr. O'Reilly, Ms. Green, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Vanthuyne.
All those abstaining, please stand. The results of the recorded vote are six in favour; nine opposed; zero abstentions. The motion is defeated. The motion to amend is defeated. The amendment to the motion is defeated. I'm sorry. To the motion.
---Defeated
To the motion. Seeing no more comments, I will call for a vote. All those in favour of the motion. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. A recorded vote has been requested. All those in favour, please stand.
Mr. O'Reilly, Ms. Green, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Vanthuyne, Mr. Blake, Mr. Testart, Mr. Nakimayak, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Thompson.
All those opposed, please stand.
Mr. Moses, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. McLeod – Yellowknife South, Mr. McLeod – Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Schumann, Mr. Sebert.
All those abstaining, please stand. The results of the recorded vote are nine in favour; six opposed; zero abstentions. The motion is carried.
---Carried
We will now continue comment to questions on the ”Cost of Living” section. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to make a motion. I move that Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, be amended on page 22 by deleting the words “We commit to assisting community governments as they innovate to address efficiency and conservation, address climate change by supporting the development of community government capital plans and asset planning, and ensure training recognizes the challenges of climate change” and inserting the words “We will assist community governments to improve energy efficiency and conservation to reduce the impact of climate change by supporting development of community governments capital and asset plans to ensure training includes challenges related to climate change and enable community governments to set up revolving funds for energy efficiency measures.” Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Residents of the NWT are combating the impacts of climate change and are seeing the highest costs of living ever. Elders are seeing dramatic changes to the land they've known since childhood. Animals are following new migration patterns. Shorter, warmer winters, more severe summer storms, erosion and wildfires are just a few changes in life-long climate conditions that are currently faced by Northerners.
I present this motion to enable this government to help people in our communities as they grapple with the impacts of climate change. In March of last year, both the NWT Association of Communities and Yellowknife City Council passed similar motions. Speaking on behalf of territorial communities, both these bodies urged the GNWT to consider amendments to territorial legislation to enable community governments to use LICs, known as local improvement charges. These LICs, in my amendment referred to as revolving funds, would permit communities to directly assist local homeowners and businesses to retrofit and become more energy efficient, and adapt to renewable energy technologies.
Many municipalities across Canada are now using LICs to help their residents and businesses lower their energy costs and safe money. This may be through energy efficient retrofits, or the use of solar, wind, or other renewable energy sources. The territory will save money and reduce effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and will be supporting a real mechanism for reducing the cost of living. As directly requested by the NWTAC and the council of our capital city, this government can give our communities a direct tool to encourage energy efficiency and use of renewable energy and reduced costs of living. It's time for the GNWT to partner with our communities to give them the ability to implement these changes at the community level. These are my comments in support of the motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. To the motion. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm going to be voting in favour of this motion for a number of reasons. Recently, Yellowknife MLAs did meet with the mayor and city council here in Yellowknife to talk about some issues of importance for them. The mayor has been on the public record as supporting changes to the Cities, Towns and Villages Act to enable the City of Yellowknife to use local improvement charges as one way to set up a revolving fund that would allow residents to access the capital costs of energy efficiency without having to put all the money themselves up-front. They can start to pay for the costs of the capital improvements on their homes through the energy savings that they would get right away. What this motion is doing is putting in our mandate that we enable local governments to do this. It doesn't say they have to do it, but it starts to establish this as a higher priority for us as government to enable our communities to put in place revolving funds that will allow residents to immediately start to save money and also save on greenhouse gas emissions. I do hope that our Members on the other side of the House are going to be supporting this. This is not a major change to the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, it doesn't force anybody to do it, but we have to give our communities the authority to be able to set up a revolving fund and local improvement charges to carry out this important work. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. To the motion. Deputy Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll use my Deputy Premier voice.
---Laughter
We're not totally opposed to this motion. Just a couple things. The motion, as I read it here, is basically something that the government already does in working with communities. I noticed that there was a motion passed in 2013 from the NWT Association of Communities. We've given the communities a lot of responsibility, and they've taken on that responsibility with the construction of a lot of their infrastructure in their communities to make sure it's energy efficient and all that, but I look forward to having further discussion with the NWT Association of communities during their AGM in May to confirm the motion that they made in 2013. But a lot of the items in here are something that we already work with the communities on doing. But as I said, we're not totally opposed to this motion. I just thought I should add a few comments. I look forward to having a further discussion with the NWT Association of Communities during their May AGM that's held here in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. I call upon Mr. Vanthuyne to conclude debate on the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have no further comments. I appreciate the comments from previous Members. I would like to move the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.
---Carried
We will continue our discussion of the “Cost of Living” section. Are there any comments or questions? Ms. Green.
I move that Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, be amended on page 23 by deleting the words “We will develop options for universal daycare and changes to support overall affordability, ensuring sustainability for early childhood program operators and expanded access to early childhood programs across the territory,” and inserting the words “We will develop an action plan for universal daycare within the next two years, including a timeline for implementation.”
Thank you, Ms. Green. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Finding and paying for quality childcare is a significant problem for many families in the NWT. Childcare is available to only 39 per cent of children ages zero to for in the NWT, and 12 communities don't have licensed childcare centres now, including centres with substantial populations, such as Fort Liard, Lutselk'e, Norman Wells, and Tsiigehtchic. As a reference point, one in four NWT families has a child under five. There is no question that need outstrips availability. This information comes from a feasibility study completed by academics on universal childcare delivered to the 17th Assembly last year. Parents now face a variety of choices for childcare. They can stay home and care for their children themselves; they can make arrangements with family members; they can use a day home, a daycare centre, or a program such as Aboriginal Head Start. All have their merits. Cost is the major issue. In the cost of living study for Yellowknife last year, childcare emerged as the second-largest expense for a family of four at over $1,500 to have one child in fulltime, licensed care and another in an after-school program. The cost to families is prohibitive, especially if they have more than one child. Often, one parent decides to stay home rather than work fulltime to pay for childcare.
The answer to this problem is to provide more quality childcare. The feasibility study I mentioned just now ran the numbers on cost and benefits. Childcare provided on a universal basis becomes an important part of the economy. It returns $1.16 to the local economy for every dollar spent on childcare. As well, every childcare job creates or sustains two more jobs in the economy. This is a better investment than in mining, oil, or gas sectors. The authors of the study estimate that implementing universal daycare will add at least $16 million to our NWT gross domestic product and at least $15 million in labour income. There would be increased tax revenue and a decrease in income assistance costs. What's important to note here is the benefit to the economy of investing in childcare as well as the benefits to children and families.
Another benefit of providing universal and affordable childcare is that it would bring people, especially women, back into the workforce who are not working now, all other things being equal, such as jobs being available and the workers having the appropriate qualifications. While there’s no specific number for the NWT, studies of labour force participation in Quebec indicate a seven per cent increase in the size of the workforce, once universal childcare was introduced there in 1997, and of course, those who participate in the labour force pay taxes, another benefit to the economy. The cost to government of providing universal daycare is $20 million a year, if funded at the same level as Quebec. I don’t want to go down the road of how we’re going to pay for increased childcare. That’s a question we’ll address during budget deliberations. What I’m looking for now is agreement that we build on the feasibility study by creating an action plan and a timeline for rolling out universal daycare when our financial situation allows and Members agree that it is apriority. The study recommends that we study the PEI model, because our population is small, as theirs is, and their model has avoided some of the problems that have developed in Quebec delivery of childcare. What I’m looking for now is agreement that there is a significant need for licensed, affordable childcare in the NWT. Providing this care has development opportunities for children by providing them with education as well as care. It has the potential to help parents return to the workforce and the creation of a sector of our economy that is now described as a cottage industry. In short, Mr. Chair, it’s time.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is time, and I think that's what the 17th Legislative Assembly did with some of the motions that passed, as well as some of the development of the action plans Right From the Start where we just developed them and we're trying to put some resources to those so we can have quality-educated people to run those facilities. However, with the motion before us, universal daycare may be an admirable goal, but it is important that we include items in our mandate that are achievable. The Feasibility Study on Universal Daycare done during the 17th Assembly showed there would need to be incremental annual investments between $17 and $40 million. There would also need to be investments to double the number of daycare spaces and there would need to be more than double the number of trained early childhood educators.
The department has committed to a number of activities that will help us to move towards the eventual goal of universal childcare. We intend to take steps to make childcare more affordable, strengthen the support for daycare operators, and improve access to licensed daycare spaces. We are supporting early childhood educators through wage subsidies, training, and scholarships for our residents that want to go into this type of work. However, given our fiscal situation, as all Members know, it is unlikely that we can make the kind of investment that will be needed to achieve universal daycare. We know the federal government has committed to investing in social infrastructure and we look forward to the detail on that investment.
We also recognize that the NWT's need in areas like social housing and seniors’ facilities, which has been mentioned in this House during this session already. In my view, we need to consider whether our time and effort is best served detailing an action plan and implementation for an aspirational goal, or whether we should focus on strengthening our early childhood supports, programs, and build on those component parts that will be needed for universal daycare at some point in the future. As mentioned, the Right from the Start Early Childhood Development Framework is fairly new to this government from the 17th Legislative Assembly, and we want to put our efforts into making sure that we can achieve those goals that eventually lead us up to universal child daycare. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Moses. To the motion. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to say a couple of things on this motion. This is an important part of the future of our territory and our government. This type of spending is spending that has tremendous returns. We need to be able to be prepared to have people in the workforce. We need daycare that's affordable for people to go to work and turn our economy around. We know that spending in early childhood has tremendous returns and this is asking the government to develop an action plan within the next two years. We're looking down the road for a couple of years when it would be time for us to invest in our people and invest in our territory.
These investments, like I said, have tremendous returns and the government should be looking at it from that perspective rather than just looking at the bottom line today and how much it might cost two years down the road. We should try to set the table for individuals to go to work and decrease the social spending across the territory, especially in small communities where we're relying so heavily on social spending by this government. This is one of the moves that is going to turn these things around. Eventually, we have to turn the ship and start to spend strategically. This is part of what I spoke about earlier in the Member’s statement on employment -- that this gives an opportunity for small community spend. People working in daycares is an opportunity for people to be working and any sort of spending in this area has tremendous returns.
I spoke to teachers in small communities where they see the vast difference between kids that have gone to daycare and kids where their parents can't afford to put them in daycare or have no ability to put them in daycare because there's no work. Those kids are coming in are more than a year ahead of some of the kids that are not going to daycare. This is important. This is very important for our people that we have the ability to place kids in this environment, get them ready for school. This has, like I said, tremendous returns. I don't know the exact stats, but kids in daycare are starting off in kindergarten way ahead of kids that are not going into daycare, and I think for that reason this is a motion that I would support strongly. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. First off, I'd like to thank the mover of the motion for a very eloquent and detailed rationale that sets out the importance of supporting universal daycare in our communities. I don't really want to repeat any of her arguments. I think she made them very well. What I want to do though, Mr. Chair, is focus back on the priorities that we identified as the 18th Assembly earlier on in our lives here. Back in December, the priority reads under “Cost of Living” number 6: “Implementing universal and affordable childcare.” That's what we committed to do together before people assumed their Cabinet hats and folks on this side. That's what we committed to do. What came back from Cabinet is “We will develop options.” That's helpful. I think what this motion, though, is really about is to try to strengthen that commitment and make it a measurable action. What we suggest is that there should be an action plan within two years, that's the difference. We've put a timeframe on it. It's not just about developing options, we want an action plan.
How we actually implement it, that's something we can debate and discuss in terms of the budget and when we see the action plan, but a vague commitment to develop options I just don't think reflects the priorities that we developed together for this Assembly back in December. I'm also very persuaded by the comments of the previous speaker about the importance of this for small communities and investing in our people. That's what this is really about, and making sure that we move that forward as a clear priority for the18th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. To the motion. Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of brief comments. I'd like to thank the mover for bringing this motion forward. We have a lot of challenges in our small communities as I have said for the last four years now. In Tsiigehtchic, for example, we haven't had a daycare there for over nine years now. You know, that's pretty challenging, whether it's single mothers or parents that want to go to work, but they can't, because there's no daycare. It's pretty difficult to find a babysitter in the community, too. Those are the challenges we face. A lot of the Ministers may not understand that, not coming from a small community, but those are the facts that we deal with on a daily basis in my community.
Also, creating a couple of new jobs is huge for a community like Tsiigehtchic. Also, as the Ministers may recall, in the last term there was an investment in an Inuvik facility, a little over $1 million, I believe. It did a lot for the community but they're still challenged. They're paying in the neighbourhood of $800 or more per child per month. With a family living in that community with two or three children, it's very difficult for the parents, especially with the high cost of living in our region. Those are challenges that our residents face and we have to keep that in mind. I know for the last four years that I've been bringing up daycares that's the same answer we get all the time: “Well, the federal government is making investment in this so we can't put money into it.” That's the answer I have been getting for four years, and I heard a little bit of that earlier today. I think it's time that we try to make our contribution to this. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Mr. Vanthuyne. To the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I clearly agree with the previous speakers with regard to the concerns they are raising. Our territory is clearly young and it has a growing population. Many of our residents, as we know, live in isolated communities where economic opportunity is often hard to come by, and it’s our job as a government to remove as many obstacles to advancement as we can. Our government, as we know through the priority-setting process, is setting goals pertaining to education, pertaining to trades and apprenticeships, careers, business development -- all in the name of economic growth. If our territory is to achieve these goals, young families must have childcare that they can rely on.
Universal childcare is a model that has been embraced by some of the most advanced societies, as we know, around the world. We should demonstrate that we have the will and the insight to follow that lead. Childcare must not only be reliable but, of course, affordable. It helps no one to have a childcare system that consumes the family budget. Without it, all manner of economic opportunity remains difficult and in some degree may even be unachievable. Lastly, the people who provide childcare must be able to make ends meet. If we are to trust them with the safety and care of our children, then in turn they must be able to be financially secure. I will be in support. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. To the motion. Mr. McNeely.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will be supporting this motion here, and I’ll share some information just to justify, as my previous speakers mentioned. In the speech that I said last week, in Norman Wells, at the current situation, I met two families. The man is bringing home the paycheques and the wife was working, and she can't work now because they can't find daycare services or homecare services. There’s two families right there who lost out on market paycheques coming in. We also had a daycare centre, and for whatever reason, it's not open. But at the current moment, it is a nice building.
As I mentioned last week as well, it's a community initiative, well built, well put together, lots of toys inside for the kids, and so on. but it sits there dormant right now, just collecting snow, waiting for this motion to get active so we can reopen the doors. For those experiences and thoughts that I went to the houses on, and there are many others in the other communities as well across the NWT where spouses are experiencing that. For those reasons and other reasons, I will support the motion. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. McNeely. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm not going to elaborate. My colleagues have been pretty articulate on what we're trying to get across here. In my riding, representing Nahendeh, there are a number of issues with daycare, or childcare, I guess we'd say. In Fort Liard, we had to close our childcare because we couldn't afford it. The community couldn't afford it. We have other people in the communities having to not work because they can't get affordable and reliable childcare, which means income support has to be paid. It's unfortunate that this is happening. I think we need to be looking at it, come up with a plan and a strategy and a timeline that we can look at. I don't think it's being unrealistic for us to ask it. We've heard it on the campaign trail. This is what the residents of the Northwest Territories are asking us to do. I will be voting in support of this motion as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. I would like to remind Members that at 6:00 p.m., the Chair must rise and report progress, so we have about 50 minutes left until then. I don't know if the Chair wants to get through this today, but I'm just letting you know.
Question.
