Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Over the course of this Assembly, it has come up quite often that the family violence shelters in the Northwest Territories are not funded by any sort of funding formula, which leads to disparities, leaving some shelters more in need than others.
When I spoke to the Minister about this before, during the business planning and during the budget session, he stated that he was going to work with the shelters, develop a funding formula, and that work would probably be done in August 2017. We are about 60 days away from August. I would like an update from the Minister to find out what work has been done on developing a funding formula for the family violence shelters. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I and my colleagues recognize that the current funding structure for the shelters has led to some challenges and some inconsistencies. Last year, I did direct the Department of Health and Social Services to examine and work with the shelters to identify some of these immediate pressures. As a result of this work, we were fortunate to receive $120,000 in new funding to offset the increased operating costs of family violence shelters across the Northwest Territories.
When I met with the shelter network in 2016, I also committed to exploring the potential for a more equitable funding formula. At that time, I indicated, give us a little bit of patience, work with us. We will be in a better position to start discussions in August 2017. That has not occurred yet. We have had some initial work done. We have been working on some preliminary information with the shelter leads, but we have not begun the negotiations around a funding formula yet, and we will not be getting that until August at the earliest. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am aware that there have been some talks, you could call them, with the shelter network and the individual shelters. There have been calls from the department saying, "How much do you spend on staff?" or questions like that. The department is doing something. I am not sure what this preliminary work is, but if the department is trying to figure out what the needs are, why are the shelters not being engaged now in this preliminary work?
In order to have an informed discussion, we need to actually understand where we are. We have done some preliminary work to determine where we stand, where the shelters stand, and we have been working with the chair of the shelter network who represents all of the shelters across the Northwest Territories. We have done this by e-mail correspondence, but also in face-to-face meetings.
As part of that work, the department has begun work on a bit of a zero-based budget exercise as our first step to determine the funding requirements, as well as the best and most equitable funding model for family violence. We need to have some information in hand in order to have informed discussions. We are working towards that, and we will have more fulsome or more complete discussions around a funding formula starting in August at the earliest.
I have also been working with the chair of the shelter network to try to get the department more engaged with the shelter network. The Minister says they are trying to determine the requirements for the shelters. Just getting the dry numbers for the shelters is not determining the requirements. It is determining how much money they are spending, which they already know because that is how much money they are getting. The Minister has already made his point clear that he is not going to engage with these individuals until August. When can we expect this funding formula to be complete and rolling out? How about that?
When I met with the individuals in 2016, I indicated to them clearly that we intend to move forward, we intend to work with them collaboratively, but we need a bit of time. We have just rolled out a single authority in the Northwest Territories, and I indicated at that time we will be in a better position to begin formal discussions in August 2017. I live up to that commitment. We are living up to that commitment. In the interim, we have worked with the chair. We have gathered information to help us present some information when we do meet with them. I do not think the Member is interpreting what I have said correctly. We are working with them, we are gathering data, and we will have informed discussion and dialogue with them starting at the earliest in August. As far as when we come up with a funding formula, it really depends how those negotiations and discussions go. I would hate to presuppose a solution without having those discussions.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
