Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ITI. In my Member’s statement today, I spoke about the need for our government to encourage investment in mineral exploration in the territory. It is an important way to encourage the growth of employment for Northerners and of course, wealth in the territory, but a recent media release from the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines last week called for changes. It says that time, transparency, and certainty around permit approvals for exploration projects is causing exploration companies to have lower confidence in an already high-risk endeavour. Could the Minister tell us what steps the GNWT is taking to help reduce the lengthy timeframes that companies have to wait to receive permits for exploration? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Minister of ITI, we take these reports very seriously as our exploration and mining industry depends on being able to obtain permits in a timely manner. Of course, this is a concern for the Government of the Northwest Territories and proof that we need to improve on and streamline our policies, and make the necessary changes in order to attract and reinvigorate our mining and exploration sector.
We are also committed to regulatory streamlining. One of next steps in our process of devolution and evolution is to examine our legislation and related processes in support of mineral resources to ensure that they meet the needs and priorities of our territory. With devolution, the Government of the Northwest Territories is now in a better position to address industry concerns and work with our land management partners to improve regulatory processes.
We also have to remember that a key piece of our regulatory framework still rests with the Government of Canada, such as the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. The Department of Lands has lead responsibility for regulatory reform. During devolution, we agreed with the government of the day that they would review the MVRMA within five years and we would make a representation to move that up faster with this new Government of Canada. It is not a quick or easy process. We have also committed to developing a new, leading edge Mineral Resources Act in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for his answer. According to the release, on the ability for exploration companies to understand the rules and how they are applied, the NWT emerged with the poorest rating. Could the Minister please explain for this House what action the GNWT is taking to make process and procedures clearer and more transparent for applicants?
The Northwest Territories also ranks in the top in the survey for mineral potential. We have the right building blocks and are committed to providing increasing certainty for industry and other parties. We are looking at a combination of legislative amendments, regulations, and strategic policy to achieve a responsible, sustainable, and balanced approach to industrial land use moving forward. The Government of the Northwest Territories will work with stakeholders as the government evolves with this new devolved responsibility, keeping a transparent process underway.
Thanks again to the Minister. It is good to hear that we have the right building blocks to build certainty because that kind of encompasses my next question. Lastly, the statement from the Chamber of Mines says that almost one third of mining companies feel “low to no confidence” that their exploration applications will be granted. How will the GNWT rebuild certainty and encourage industry to maintain and increase their investments in the territory?
As a government, we recognize that it is very important to develop confidence. We have been working very hard at it to gain the confidence of the industry. We know the importance of exploration in the Northwest Territories. Those people that are filling out these surveys, like the Fraser Institute, have long memories. Some of them have been in the North a long time ago and haven't been back since. But we’ve done a lot of work in this area.
We have developed a Mineral Development Strategy, which is a strategic plan to increase mineral exploration and mine development in order to ensure residents with a sustainable economy. Some of the ways that we are encouraging exploration is through the Mining Incentive Program where we spend $400,000 a year. We also have an Assessment Work Incentive, developing a regulatory roadmap for explorers; development of a Mineral Resources Act, as I said already; education and awareness, ensuring that our residents understand all aspects of the mineral industry in the Northwest Territories, and investment in infrastructure. As Minister of ITI, we contribute to the studies being conducted by the Department of Transportation in this regard. We are very heartened by the federal government's stated plans to invest in infrastructure in the North and throughout Canada. We see this investment in strategic infrastructure as very important in helping us gain more confidence for investors to come to the Northwest Territories.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Today, we learned via the media that the NWT Housing Corporation is planning to provide brand new housing units in Norman Wells, Inuvik, Fort Smith, Hay River, and Fort Simpson for the RCMP. Why is the NWT Housing Corporation taking on this role when the federal spokesman is quoted as saying that it doesn't provide value for money? Thank you.
Masi. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The federal government, as people know, is getting out of the staff housing for the RCMP. They approached the NWT Housing Corporation. We look at this as two things. One is that to retain employment within our communities, we need to have housing for the RCMP to be in the communities. The other thing is it will be a revenue resource. With the declining CMHC funding, we are looking at the revenue that would come from that to be able to transfer into the operating and maintenance for public housing. Thank you.
I know from the same media source that this plan has not yet been taken to the Financial Management Board for approval, and I do wonder if that is putting the cart before the horse. But before going to FMB, can the Minister confirm there is no existing capacity to meet these RCMP housing needs in the privately owned market in the communities where they are getting out of housing?
The priority for the RCMP housing would be non-market communities where there are no landlords that provide it. Those would be the first ones that we would be looking at.
Thank you to the Minister. This list of communities, I believe, has some market capacity. Once again, Norman Wells, Inuvik, Fort Smith, Hay River, and Fort Simpson. It was the Minister of Justice who told us that the RCMP was looking at getting out of housing in these communities. I just want to reiterate my question, whether the Minister can confirm there is no existing capacity in any of those communities to meet current RCMP housing needs.
The agreement with the federal government was to look at the housing for RCMP territory-wide. We are, however, willing to meet with the SCOSD committee to be able to review it and see if they would like changes to it.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
I would like to ask the Minister whether she knows what is going to happen to the housing that the feds no longer want or need.
At this point, no, we don’t know what their plans are, but we can inquire and we can get back to the Member on that.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, I spoke on the housing situation on the Hay River Reserve. If I could perhaps sum it up, before I get to my question: The issue is criteria for program and homeownership eligibility, at the same time in terms of homes and how lands are disposed to make them available for members. There is urgency to resolve this matter between the government and the First Nation. The reserve has been established since 1974. KFN is one of the outstanding land claim agreements or groups that we need to try to establish a relationship and settle a final agreement. Therefore, I have some questions for the Premier. Because this issue crosses jurisdiction, I ask the Premier: Am I correct in understanding that the responsibility for land administration on the Hay River Reserve did not transfer to the GNWT under devolution? Mahsi.
Masi. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm very pleased to report that the K'atl'odeeche First Nation and the NWT Housing Corporation are working together to resolve the long-standing land tenure matters on the Hay River Reserve that have impacted the ability of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to deliver its programs on the reserve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Premier for responding to give me encouragement that this matter is being worked on. I understand through the Devolution Agreement, groups that have signed on have an opportunity to arrange a bilateral agreement. I'm optimistic that an agreement like that would be advanced and that a workable relationship would be worked out. My second question is: what is the nature of the arrangement between Canada and the GNWT, which gave the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation responsibility for providing housing on the reserve, for basically providing housing on non-reserve communities?
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada is working with the K’atl'odeeche First Nation and the NWT Housing Corporation to draw up the federal land leases that require the approval of their federal minister. In order for the NWT Housing Corporation to provide home ownership programs and public housing, land tenure must be in place. Once the designation process is concluded and federal leases are provided to the NWT Housing Corporation, up to 16 units will become available for NWT Housing Corporation programming, with 10 units going to public housing and the remaining six being used for other housing programming.
It's very promising that you know there are some steps being taken, and I commend the Premier for leading the charge with the Cabinet in terms of working with the K'atl'odeeche First Nation. I'm seeking at least some encouragement that things are being done on behalf of constituents. The Premier indicated and stated that there was work being done with the Department of INAC and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to designate some of the units to make them available for constituents. At what point would the question of land tenure be resolved and those homes been made available to constituents?
On June 25, 2013, the K'atl'odeeche First Nation approved the designation of six lots by majority vote, allowing Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada to issue 50-year federal Crown leases over the lots. Also, the NWT Housing Corporation has a loan guarantee for 10 lots for $900,000 with Peace Hills Trust to support previous years' construction of 10 KFN-owned housing units. Upon request of the K’atlodeeche First Nation, the NWT Housing Corporation has agreed to pay out the loan guarantees to Peace Hills Trust in return for ownership and land tenure over the 10 units.
On September 10, 2010, the Minister and the NWT Housing Corporation met with K'atl'odeeche First Nations, where they agreed a reserve plan could be designated in favour of federal Crown leases. The KFN was familiar with the practice as they had previously financed commercial developments on the Hay River Reserve through their principal banker Peace Hills Trust. This will allow the NWT Housing Corporation to obtain leases that would secure its investment of housing. Several steps needed to be completed before the lots could be put on a designation vote, such as surveying of the lots, completion of an environmental assessment, and the initiation of the formal designation process by the KFN. On June 25, 2013, KFN approved a designation allowing Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada to issue their federal leases.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I'd like to thank the Premier for replying to the question. It seems like we're kind of reflecting upon some historical steps that have been taken and it's encouraging to see the progress in terms of the work between the government and the First Nations group, but the fact of the matter is that in my statement I've stated, that there are some empty units that are sitting basically boarded-up and they're not accessible to constituents on the reserve, so there's a level of frustration. How can we make those houses available to constituents now, and what is the government's position on the future disposition of these units? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that now we've all reached a clear understanding of who is responsible for what, and the fact that K'atl'odeeche First Nation have signed on to devolution. We've had some very good discussions with K'atl'odeeche First Nation, and I think we can work together to resolve the outstanding issue of the vacant housing that the Member refers to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, follow-up to my Member's statement earlier today: As I mentioned, many of my constituents in the Mackenzie Delta would like more on-the-land healing programs to be held within our riding. I'd like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, when will the first on-the-land healing program be held at the Gwich’in Wellness Centre? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Healing Voices Final Report from the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness that was released in May 2013 recommended that the department adopt culture-based approaches to dealing with treatment and wellness of people suffering from addictions. The top recommendation in that report was to increase the availability of on-the-land programming. To that end, the department has put in their budget $1.23 million for on-the-land programming that we flow to different governments and regions in the Northwest Territories.
We do have a contribution agreement with the Gwich’in. It's a multi-year agreement for two years, $125,000 a year for 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 to deliver on-the-land programming. We don't dictate to them how they run those programs. They design the programs that they feel will meet their needs. At this time, I'm not certain if they are using the Gwich’in Wellness Camp as part of their on-the-land programming. Thank you, Mr. Speaker,
That sounds great. I'd like to ask the Minister if he knows how often will programs be available, and will there be a schedule available to my constituents.
The agreement that we have with the Gwich’in involves a number of different camps. Camps will incorporate cultural practices that support wellness and healing through traditional methods, medicine, and social interactions. It's my understanding that they are going to be delivering programs in all four seasons here in the Northwest Territories. As far as how one would apply, I don't have that information in front of me, but I'll certainly talk to the department, get the details, and share with the Member on how the Gwich’in are intending to advertise these camps and how they're encouraging people to attend. I'll certainly share that with the Member when I get it.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement earlier, I mentioned I was going to address the housing minister on questions that are within our riding. As also mentioned earlier, housing needs are a fast-growing desire of many clients and many young couples and general public in all the communities.
My question to the Minister is: Can I get an inventory list on the assessment of the five set to communities? There are three types the units in all the communities. You got foreclosure units that are sitting there, as one of my previous colleagues have mentioned. They’re sitting dormant doing nothing, collecting snow, kids broke the windows, so the value of these units is vastly deteriorating. Insulation, as you know, gets cold, gets wet, it's no good. You might as well burn the unit down, settle for the insurance income, and build a new one.
---Laughter
You've got those types of units and you've also got social housing units, and those are getting old. You've got them units out there and you've got market housing as well. In those categories, if I can lump that up and get the inventory, if that's possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is actually, at this point, compiling a listing of all of the housing that we have available. Right now, we have no housing available for public housing. Just to let people know, the buildings that people see boarded up are scheduled for demolition, it’s expensive to do that, or else they are public houses owned by the community members, but we can provide a list of those houses that the corporation owns that are empty. Thank you.
I look forward to the information. My next question is, once we have the information, and considering the next few days we have of this Second Session, there will be some time for some people, but I am hoping that the Minister will have time and if she is willing to attend the Sahtu Housing Conference.
Masi. Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation.
I am more than interested in visiting the communities and the regions. I would, however, have to have a date, so I could check my schedule. If available, I would be pleased.
As advised here by a notable leader of mine, I would like to ask the Minister when and what dates she would be available within the next 60 days, so we could coordinate with the leadership of the Sahtu.
If the Member would like to meet with me any time this week, then we would coordinate our schedules and see what times works good for both of us.
I will take up that offer of the Minister and correspond accordingly.
Masi. I will take that as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
