Agreed.
Agreed. Thank you. That brings us to page 366. It's just information on page 366 and 367. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know this is an information item, but I have a question for the Minister on the gas tax. I can't remember last year how we ended up with $11 million extra in gas tax. Could the Minister just refresh my memory? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The $11 million was actually just a carry-over figure from the previous year. Mr. Chair, I will let Ms. Young expand on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Ms. Young.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the way that the gas tax program works, we have a funding agreement with each community, and as they maintain their compliance, we issue payments twice a year. If there is an issue with compliance, we work with the community to try to bring them back into compliance, but if they are in non-compliance, we have to hold the money in accordance with our agreement with Canada until we bring them back in to compliance.
What you saw there was an accumulation of issues related to non-compliance. We have resolved most of those now with communities, but we continue to work with communities to maintain the compliance with their agreement. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Young. Any further questions, Mr. Beaulieu?
No. That's okay.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Committee, it's actually information item from page 364 to 367. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to follow up on my colleague's questions about gas tax reporting, then. I heard the deputy minister say that we are working with communities to improve compliance. What does that actually look like? Are we sending folks to the communities to assist with preparation of reports? I have no idea. What are we doing to improve the reporting so that the money is going to flow better into the future? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have a variety of training programs offered through the School of Community Government. We have webinars that we provide for them. If a community is struggling, we do pay close attention, and we will send someone into that community to try to work with them to ensure that that community meets the requirements of any funding applications that they have outstanding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am glad to hear that. I know that we have a circuit rider program for water treatment training and so on, and if we need one on the Finance side, that would be a good use of money, I think, to make sure that the money flows properly. I don't have to tell the department this; they know this stuff, but I appreciate their efforts on improving the reporting. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister, do you care to comment?
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will take that as a comment.
Thank you. Any further questions? Next, we have Mr. O'Reilly. Sorry, Mr. McNeely.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I realize it is getting late here. I just don't want to be mistaken for someone else here, please. That is what I am getting at, is the compliment here portion, to the Minister.
I am a strong believer on these three particular programs: the Gas Tax, the Small Community Fund, and the Clean Waste Water Fund. To give you some examples of how well I think it is working, and the weakness part, is now the Community of Colville Lake has a new water intake facility, providing cleaner product to go into the delivery truck.
Last year, I was very happy to witness the dust control liquids going to improve the roads around Deline. Now we don't have this dust blowing all over the place and people having to close their windows all the time.
Those are just examples of what I think this program is doing for the smaller communities. I am glad to hear the deputy minister is addressing the weakness part of the administration, which is compliance and reporting. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. McNeely. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will take that as a compliment, and I will share that with our department. Thank you, again, to the MLA. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Any further questions, Mr. McNeely? No further questions on page 364 to 367? Seeing none, we will now return to the departmental summary on page 331.
Municipal and Community Affairs, total department, $107,177,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Agreed. Thank you. Does the committee agree that the consideration of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is concluded?
Agreed.
Agreed. Thank you, Minister, and thank your witnesses for appearing before us. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
A motion is on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and is non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
I will now rise and report progress. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.
Masi. Do I have a seconder? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Orders of the day for Friday, February 23, 2018, at 10:00 a.m.:
Prayer
Ministers' Statements
Members' Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to Commissioner's Opening Address
Petitions
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
Motions
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Minister's Statement 1-18(3), North Slave Correctional Complex Inmate Concerns
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Minister's Statement 19-18(3), Aurora College Foundational Review Process
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Minister's Statement 32-18(3), Update on the Northwest Territories Disability Framework and Action Plan
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Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Masi, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Friday, February 23, 2018, at 10:00 a.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 8:44 p.m.
