Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, my colleague was asking questions of the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment, and the Minister talked about 513 seniors accessing the seniors' heating subsidy. Can the Minister explain if this number has gone up or has it decreased from last year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's roughly about just over 500 every year. The more information and more awareness that we get out there to seniors in our communities, we can expect to see possibly numbers rising. As I also mentioned, we're doing a review of the Senior Home Heating Subsidy, and we're looking at thresholds, we're looking at zones, we're also looking at fuel allocations. When that review is done, there's potential that we might even see even more seniors who can actually access that program, so it's a benefit to our seniors' population throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for that answer. It's great to hear that we're helping our seniors and we're looking at that. The Minister talked about this review going on, and he's made that commitment to committee and they're working on it. Does he have a timeline when this review will actually be done and we can be looking at this review?
We should have something early on in the New Year. If anything, by the end of this fiscal year, we should have something ready to present to committee and share with all members of the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer and look forward to that report. So what happens when the seniors are not eligible for that? Is there a process that the Minister can explain to this House? What happens if the seniors are not eligible for this support? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have many programs within our department. Seniors could also get assessed under the Income Assistance Program, where they might be eligible for a full tank of fuel twice a year or a cord of wood twice a year. Those options are available for the seniors that might not qualify. But, if any seniors don't qualify, I also encourage them to do a reassessment to make sure that they're assessed properly and that they might actually make the needs. If they don't make the requirements under the Senior Home Heating Subsidy, then they can also apply under the Income Assistance Program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. It's good to hear that we're able to try to find avenues to help our seniors. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise this House what happens if the seniors run out of fuel or wood subsidies when they're looking at during the middle of the winter? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We work it on a casebycase basis, Mr. Speaker, and we try to inform our seniors to try to lengthen out their fuel subsidies throughout the winter months. But, because some of the concerns that were brought up at the end of last winter with some of our seniors that were running out of fuel for their homes under this program, that's why we're doing the review and we're going to be looking at threshold levels, we're going to be looking at the zones. Hopefully, it'll address that need so that seniors won't run out of fuel during the winter months. As I said, we should have that review ready by the end of this fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
