The answer is yes. The bottom line is we are working already with the City of Yellowknife, the Department of Justice, the NWT Housing Corporation, the RCMP, to come up with some ways to address some of the issues that we're experiencing in our downtown core and the demands those are putting both on our ambulance services here in Yellowknife but also on our emergency room.
A couple of things we're looking at is expanding our hours of service for our day shelters. We're looking at moving our day shelter to a more appropriate location. We're also looking at a sobering centre here in Yellowknife. Many people have been talking about a managed alcohol program. We feel that a managed alcohol program would be a nice fit within a sobering centre. Our first goal is to get a sobering centre in place, do the research on managed alcohol programs, and see if it will be a fit in the future. It is absolutely something we're open to, but we need to get the other work done, the sobering centre, the change in hours and the ridealong programs that the city is looking at implementing. There's a lot of work being done in this area, Mr. Speaker.
Again, thank you to the Minister for that. I'm pleased to hear there's a lot of work being done in this area. When can we expect it to be done?
Mr. Speaker, the city has already made a significant amount of progress on putting together the RIDE program. One of the challenges we face is, unfortunately, finding a location for the sobering centre, itself. We've also made a commitment to relocating the day shelter, which is also proving difficult. We have our staff currently out looking for appropriate locations in the community.
If we're able to get a location, and we're hoping to find one soon, we need a bit of time to do some retrofitting to make it suitable and we need a bit of time to do some staffing in order to get appropriate staff that can actually manage things. I don't have a deadline because, bottom line, it really depends on whether or not we're able to find a location. That is our challenge right now. When we find a location, we intend to move quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Could the Minister then commit to undertaking some study on the managed alcohol programs or harm reduction programs, such as INSITE in British Columbia and the successful managed alcohol program in Ottawa, and share those recommendations with Members of the Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, managed alcohol programs have existed in Canada for 20plus years. The first one started operating in Toronto in 1997. But all these programs, they differ a little bit in how they operate. Some of them operate as part of day programs; others operate as part of supportive housing or shelters; and some are non-residential dropin programs.
I have committed and I will commit again to the Member that part of the development of the Addictions Recovery Action Plan, building from our framework, the department will research all these established programs, identify emerging best practices for addictions treatment, which include this particular model, the managed alcohol program, and come with options for the delivery of a wide range of services for residents of the Northwest Territories as part of a recovery initiative.
I will say, Mr. Speaker, we've heard from residents across the Northwest Territories. What they want is options. No one program fits all. We need to come with more options. In the last Assembly, we moved from basically one option to a far wider range of options, and we're looking at expanding on those options again in order to meet the variety of needs of residents across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Item 7, oral questions, Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister for ENR, pertaining to the stranded barge on Toker Point north of Tuktoyaktuk. Mr. Speaker, my first question to the Minister is: What is the Department of ENR doing to be more prepared in the future to minimize the environment impact of ships going aground in the Arctic Ocean? Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe this is going to be an issue that we're going to be faced with more of in the future as more traffic is travelling through the Northwest Passage, so I think it's good planning to have our governments ready to deal with any situations that might arise, and we're hoping that they don't.
Our staff from Inuvik and Yellowknife, we've been involved with the federal science tables, which the Government of Canada agencies with authority to respond to these types of incidents. We're not the lead in this, but we do provide, we will provide support to Canada Coast Guard, who is the lead. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thanks for the response on that, and I do believe there will be more activity in the Northwest Passage and the Arctic Ocean in the next few years to come. Mr. Speaker, my second question is pertaining to the incident, since there was such a long time for activity, to this incident. Can the department identify the process once a ship has run aground in the Beaufort Sea? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, according to the NWT Nunavut Spills Working Agreement, all spills or potential spills must be reported in a timely fashion to the 24hour spill line. In the case of a ship that runs aground, Canada Coast Guard, as I said before, is the lead agency for response component on behalf of the Government of Canada, and Transport Canada is responsible for the management and governance of Canada's marine oil spills preparedness. ENR will be involved in communicating critical aspects of the incident, and we can provide assistance when Canada's agencies request it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the response from the Minister. My final question to the Minister of ENR is: will the Department of ENR work more closely with the federal government to ensure that the GNWT and communities are more prepared in the future in a case of a significant incident such as this in the Arctic Ocean? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
HON. ROBERT MCLEOD: Mr. Speaker, as I said before, because of the increased traffic or expected increased traffic, we will have to better plan for incidents like this, should they happen. I mean, I can assure the Member and the folks up in the coastal communities that we will work with the Government of Canada and see what kind of processes we can have in place, what our role as ENR can be in these processes, because it is very important that we start planning in the event that anything like this happens again, so we should be prepared for it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier some questions about his sessional statement that was delivered earlier today. In here, he mentions that there's going to be a technical team that will visit the Northwest Territories to study issues around carbon pricing. I'm wondering if the Premier can just tell us a little bit more about what this team is going to be doing. Are they going to be designing a carbon pricing system for us? Just if the Minister could just tell us a little bit more about what this team is going to be doing. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to the Member's question on the technical team, they're coming up in a couple of weeks. We're not quite sure the makeup of the team or what their schedule is at the moment. However, as we become aware of their schedule and who's part of the team, we will communicate that with the Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the response from the Minister. I'm just wondering when this technical team comes up, can the Minister commit to have the team meet with Regular MLAs through the standing committee if necessary? I think it would just be important that we understand a little bit more about what this technical team is going to be doing and that we're able to offer our perspective on some of these issues, as well. Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I can't commit to meeting for the technical team. I can commit to working with the technical team or communicating with them that there is an interest to have some further discussion with them, and, if they come back with a positive, then we will let committee know. I do commit to working with the technical team and seeing what their availability is for further meetings with the Regular Members or others that may be interested. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Item 7, Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, I spoke about the planning study for the replacement of the Fort Simpson Health Centre. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services a few more questions about this project. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the Department of Public Works and Services has already gone into the community in 2015 to discuss this project. Can the Minister please provide us with an update on this meeting? Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, I think, at the time, that meeting was to discuss land location and a few other things to get, actually, a confirmed sense of where that building would be located. There was some talk about some of the specifics of the building. It is going to be a level B/C facility, which is basically one of our larger health centres in the Northwest Territories, providing a larger range of services given the size and scope of the community that it's located in and the regional nature of that community.
In a sense, the facility is going to be very similar to the one in Norman Wells. There was some conversation at that meeting about, you know, customizing and making it specific to represent the culture of the region and the area. When it comes to clinical rooms, those clinical rooms are very specific and have to meet certain health care standards, including infection protocols, but we've made a commitment to the community, we've made a commitment to all communities when we build health centres, that we're open to discussion on how to have some of the common areas designed and modified to meet the cultural needs or the cultural realities of the regions that these facilities happen to be located in.
I thank the Minister for his answer. It clears up a little bit more. He talked about it being a C facility; it could be a B or a C. Could he elaborate a little further about the guidelines, the parameters or designs on this facility, what a B or a C or a combination of B and C facility is?
Given the region, the location of this particular health centre, this would be what we would consider a level B-C facility, which is kind of a combination of both B and C facilities, recognizing some of the unique realities that a regional centre has. This facility will be very similar to the facility in Norman Wells, which is much larger than the facility they have now. It has more space for clinic rooms, as well as an emergency room, but will be providing the same services that are currently being provided in the existing health centre in Fort Simpson, but it will meet our technical and infection control protocols and standards, and it will be larger as a result.
I thank the Minister for the answer. This did clarify a few things a little bit better. So are they looking at additional services in there so we don't have to come to the major centre, or is there just going to be the status quo? We're going to continue to have to utilize the facility in Hay River and the one in Yellowknife?
As with all the facilities that we've built, including the ones that we're currently building, there is no addition of services being added to Fort Simpson. The facilities will provide us with the ability to provide services better, more effectively, safer, given the technology requirements of our health system as it stands today. So there will be no new or additional programs being added to Fort Simpson, which is consistent with the health centre in Norman Wells, which is consistent with the health centre in Fort Res, and the one we would be building in Tulita. The one difference is the health centre in Norman Wells does have an adjoining capacity for long-term care, but there are already are long-term care services in Simpson. We are looking at expanding those as well.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. In regards to long-term care, can the Minister explain the existing facility? Are they looking at utilizing that as long-term care as well, because I know he keeps giving the numbers out there. It's over 200 at a certain - I think 225 or 226. Can the Minister please elaborate on that?
The current long-term care facility in Nahendeh is attached to the health centre in Fort Simpson. We do recognize that, by 2026, we will have a shortage in Fort Simpson for the region of 29 beds. I will verify that number for the Member, but I'm pretty confident that it's 29. So we have to include in our planning the ability to create 29 more beds. If we move forward with the health centre, there has been some discussion about expanding the long-term care facility on the existing site.
It's quite frankly a really beautiful site. It's got a river view. It's already a strong part of the community. So there is some value in having those discussions. But before we can commit to that, we obviously have to make sure that we can utilize that spot, so we're certainly looking at that existing location. We would want to build a building, or rather have a building that has a long life to it, so we would have to look at whether or not the pilings in the existing building would give us that long life or whether we would have to rebuild, or whether there's an option to rebuild portions and save portions.
We're confident that the long-term care facility that's there now has a long life. It's whether or not we can use the existing health centre to add or whether that would need to be replaced. We have to explore all the options, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question asked by the Member for Mackenzie Delta on June 24, 2016, to the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation regarding heating issues related to the Joe Greenland Centre.
The Joe Greenland Centre is heated by an oil-fired hydronic boiler heating system. The total incremental cost of electricity due to the use of space heaters by elders in the Joe Greenland Centre from September 1, 2015, to June 1, 2016, was $1,440. This was due to four units in service during this time frame, with an incremental cost of $40 a month per unit.
Regarding the cost to install additional radiators in the facility, a contract has been awarded for $77,000 to complete the repairs. This work is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2016. As the Joe Greenland Centre had an energy efficient heating system installed, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation did not undertake a feasibility study for biomass heating.
With an energy efficient heating system in place, the payback from a biomass heating system investment is expected to be much longer. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is open to considering a wood pellet heating system for this facility in the future, based on a sound business case and available funding.
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