Sounds good. Just on my next question, I know it's not in the plans until next year but, the department has done a good job replacing both Chief Paul Niditchie School and Chief Julius School but now it's time to replace Moose Kerr School. I know I did ask the question to the Minister to begin a planning study. I know it is in the works for the next couple years here, and I'm just hoping the department has begun that work. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Over the past years there has been funding given to the community to upgrade the facility. Some was roof replacements, foundation remediation. We did tour that school as well. The foundation is good. Utilization rate of Moose Kerr School I think is 41 per cent.
As I mentioned, when the utilization rate gets to 85 per cent then that's when we look at replacing the school or retrofitting or adding onto it. As I mentioned, it has been identified for renovations or replacement in approximately 2019, but we'll continue to work with all our schools moving forward just to see what condition they are and continue to monitor the utilization rates in each of the schools. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My next question is on learning centres, similar to Mr. Beaulieu. You know, in Fort McPherson, a good example. Our learning centre is in the same school as our high school, junior high and, you know, even JK. You know, I think that as adults it should be in a separate facility; it's like that in many other communities, a separate place from high school and that. Hopefully, the department can look at having a different facility in the community. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Mr. Minister, you want to add to that?
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand the concern that the Member has, having adults in the schools with high school students as well. As we're preparing our Education Renewal and Innovation Action Plan it all ties in really well with our pathways to graduation, for one thing it's kind of similar to incorporating some of the daycare classrooms, the junior kindergarten to the school setting as well. It just adds an easier transition. When we do build in the communities, we try to look at how can do the best in terms of building to incorporate all services moving forward, such as having those kind of opportunities. But I do understand the concern that the Member has. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Blake.
That's all for questions right now. Thank you.
Mr. Testart is out, is in.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to follow up on some of the comments raised by my colleague, Mr. O'Reilly, on the Ecole Allain St-Cyr issues. The Minister spoke about new designs for expansions and things of that nature above and beyond and finding new resources for the school. How many schools in the Northwest Territories are eligible to receive funding from Heritage Canada for infrastructure improvements? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Mr. Minister.
Actually, that funding from the Heritage Canada is only for French schools, so there's, I believe, Ecole Boreal as well as EASC. So no other schools are able to get that money.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Given that reality, it would appear that our francophone schools have a unique opportunity to leverage a separate stream of federal funding that our other infrastructure needs do not benefit from. So does the Minister recognize that there's an opportunity to develop a very strong partnership with the francophone community and its constituent organizations, like the commission scolaire and APADY? Does the department in addition to the Minister, recognize that opportunity and willing to actually work on building a partnership that looks at how to grow the school moving forward? Not just the needs of the core agreement or the needs of our educational requirements, but looks at this unique opportunity as a way to leverage funds and can only be done with a very strong partnership. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe that since being in this position, we've been really working with the francophone community to strengthen partnerships on many levels, and we consistently meet with them. The staff of the department has been meeting with them and I agree it's a great opportunity to access federal funding dollars moving forward.
In terms of the expansions and the cultural areas moving forward, we need to have that schematic design to go to the federal government to access those dollars. As I mentioned, our staff would be willing to work with the staff at CSFT I know and provide the supports that are needed to look at developing that design. I think that is the next step moving forward and whether or not the departments can work together, but we're willing to do that. Maybe a little bit further comments, I'll ask my deputy minister, Ms. Haener, to add a few more comments. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Haener.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to echo the Minister's words, meetings are taking place in a very collaborative manner. In fact, one occurred last week to review the plans for the current expansion and to make sure that there's understanding and appreciation of what that space will look like.
We are, as the Minister referenced earlier, fully aware of understanding the desires around additional space above and beyond the initial space that we're going forward with right now, and want to ensure that in our planning and our collaboration we are keeping options there to ensure that the site is capable of allowing for additional construction, and, obviously, we do want to take advantage of funding that's available to us from other sources, including federal sources.
The Minister mentioned earlier, and we are highly appreciative of the fact that staff from the commision have engaged Heritage Canada and laid some very solid groundwork in terms of an understanding of what the needs and desires are there and want to build from that in order to advance those requests. We do, as we've said, need to proceed in kind of a staged manner, however, in order to not miss the coming construction season, and hence, kind of chunking things up, and trying to continue that collaboration in a way that allows us to access the additional funding and pursue the additional wants and needs that are present there. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Haener. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think that ground is well trod. I do think that partnership is a really unique opportunity given the role that Heritage Canada can play in this kind of funding, and I encourage the department to continue to collaborate with the francophone community for this, and to perhaps to look towards opportunities for other heritage sites, such as museums or cultural centres or services and infrastructure that could be useful to the francophone community.
My next errata question on this page was around the junior kindergarten upgrades. Are these upgrades tied to the announcement that the Minister made prior to this sitting about rolling out junior kindergarten by next year in all communities, or are these upgrades tied to existing junior kindergarten programs? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In view of the rocky road that junior kindergarten has taken since its first implementation days, however, it wasn't rocky in some of the communities. There were some concerns out of that report that we tabled earlier this year.
One of the recommendations was to continue our engagements with the communities to see what the needs were. So these are with the existing junior kindergarten programs that are currently operating in the Northwest Territories at the moment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Testart.
Nothing further, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So it's my understanding that JK is now operating in 19 communities. Could the Minister just confirm that to start with? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Minister.
Yes, Mr. Chair, that's correct, and I believe in the New Year we're going to have the community of Sachs Harbour, that's going to be implementing a junior kindergarten, so it'll be up to 20. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So it's my understanding there are 49 schools in the NWT and so upgrades have been completed in some schools or are contemplated for some schools. So does the Minister have any information about how many schools will need upgrading or what the total cost of those upgrades will be? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Not at this time. We're still doing the survey to get that information. We're contacting the schools to see what is needed in the community. If you look at the list as well of some our schools the utilization rates are pretty low, so there's space that is already available. So right now we don't know the total costs in terms of upgrades that may be needed. Some might. Some need it; some don't, so that's why we're doing the survey to get that information. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Minister read out a number of figures for the renovations being completed in Fort McPherson, Tuktoyaktuk, and on the K’atlodeeche First Nation, and so based on those figures, it seems that millions of dollars will be required to make the necessary improvements. Where is that money going to come from? That's my question for the Minister, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's just an assumption. I mean, we won't know until we go out and get that information. Some schools it was expensive, some wasn't, but it's just an assumption. We won't know until we continue to do those engagements with the school. Thank you.
Thank you. Mr. Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and could the Minister just say or say again when he expects to have that information in hand about the number of schools that require upgrades and the timing for implementing them. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Minister.
Thank you. Mr. Chair. As it was a recommendation that came out of the reports on junior kindergarten, we should have that information by the end of the calendar year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am looking forward to the Minister sharing that information with us. Those are all my questions.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the schedule it talks about Charles Tetcho School in addition there. Could the Minister please provide us with an update on the second phase of this project?
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the question and the concern for Charles Tetcho School. I know that we did have some back and forths in the House on this one. I believe the next discussion and talks will be happening in November. The department will go in and work on that schematic design with the community, and then moving forward from there, so they'll have a community consultation sometime in November. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for his answer. How is the department looking at this capital project for the disruption of it? So how are they going to look at modular units coming into teach the classes or are they going to be teaching the classes during this time when school is in? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister
