As I mentioned earlier, as well, we do have the Community Housing Support Initiative, as well as the Rent Supplement Program, a lot of work that the Housing Corporation has done over this government to address those needs, and working with the NGOs, and giving them some of the rent supplements so they can help work with us to house and address some of these housing concerns that the Member has mentioned.
I'm going to repeat my question. The question is about extending the Housing First Program to homeless families in Yellowknife. Will the Minister provide that funding?
We did see some really good results out of the Housing First Program, and working with the City of Yellowknife, as well as the Yellowknife Women's Society, to address these housing needs, and we will continue to work with them. We have to make sure that we also secure funding from our federal counterparts to address housing needs right across the Northwest Territories, and looking at that model and trying to get that model out into some of our regional centres, where we also see very high housing waiting lists, as well as homelessness in some of our regional centres, taking that model that the Member has mentioned and seeing how we can adjust it to the regional centres and even perhaps some of our small communities. Yes, we will continue to work with our stakeholders on how to address that funding, and also with the federal government to increase our funding.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a family of six living in a bachelor apartment. They've been there for three years. What is the Minister going to be able to do to help them, now? Thank you.
As I mentioned, we do have the Rent Supplement Program that we help with our families that are in need. We also have programs through ECE in terms of income support. We do know that there are a lot of NGOs that do a lot of great work, working with us to address some of the core housing needs across the Northwest Territories, and the Member mentions that we do have a family of six. In some of our small communities, where we don't even have housing, those numbers go up, and that's what we need to work on addressing right across the Northwest Territories. We do have high waiting lists for housing, and we need to make sure that priority is given where it's needed, and I want to work with the Members to work on adjusting those. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. Can the Minister give us a brief update on the work that was done to both the Abraham Francis and Louis Cardinal ferries this year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will try to make this quick and try to get some more questions in for everybody. The Louis Cardinal, this year we were doing paint and deck repairs, under way all this week. We installed four brand new engines in the Louis Cardinal this season during the winter. The department is working with Transport Canada to complete the vessel inspections on that and inspect the new engines and the hull to be conducted today with the federal government.
On the Abraham Francis, there are the ramps that are going to be replaced. One of them has been completed already, and we are hopefully going to have the other one completed this week. Paint and deck repairs are also being completed this week, and the Peel River is now clear of ice and we are working on the landing as things commence today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Will the work that is being undertaken be completed on time and not hold up the operation of the ferry services?
As I have said, this work is commencing as we speak. If Members recall, last year, one of the hold-ups we had was Transport Canada officials who do the inspections got called away off to some other needy thing that they had to look after before they came back to the Member's riding to inspect the ferries, which held things up, but as things are going forward here for this season, it sounds like all the inspections will be done and the ferry should hopefully be in the water as early as Monday; and hopefully within three days of water testing, the ferries will be in operation.
That leads me to my next question, which he answered a part of, but when can my constituents expect to have services resumed for the summer? According to his math, that's May 31st.
As soon as we have Transport Canada approval to be in operation, the ferries will start operating. We are hoping, as I said, that probably the Fort McPherson ferry will be the first one in operation, and hopefully by May 28th or June 1st at the very latest would be the Tsiigehtchic ferry.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My two questions here are, in the spirit of time, to the Minister of ITI in regards to furthering my Member's statement on Destination Deline. Will the Minister commit to having the regional staff sponsor and facilitate a hospitality workshop in Deline? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We can certainly look into that. I know Destination Deline and the Member have been working very hard to attract tourism, and they signed a MOU with a number of companies in China on their last trade mission there. We will certainly work with the community. I know the department has spent a lot of money and investment, up to over $500,000, on helping them get their position as Destination Deline, and we will certainly talk to our department and our regional staff and see what we can do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thanks to the Minister for their response here. My next and final question is: as mentioned in my Member's statement, there will be a group later coming to the community of Deline, a contingent of approximately 25 agents. Will the Minister check his schedule to see if he can participate in that attendance on that gathering?
If the Member could share the date with my staff, we'll certainly have a look at it. Anything we can do to promote tourism in the Northwest Territories, especially around Aboriginal tourism and in the small communities to help bring economic opportunities to them, we will certainly participate.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
You just snuck in there, Mr. Speaker. I didn't think I was going to get it. Today, I noticed that there has been a lot of negative talk about the economy. There has been a lot of finger pointing and adversarial back and forths. Let's change the conversation. Let's talk about economic growth. Let's talk about investment. Let's talk about Cabinet and Regular Members working together. Let's talk about the Hay River fish processing plant, Mr. Speaker.
When I last brought this up, it was February, and at that time, the Minister of ITI was still trying to secure some federal funding. I would like an update in general on the fish plant, where we are with that federal funding, when we are going to be breaking ground, and anything else you would like to share with us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As all Members know, the department is fully committed to this process. We believe in revitalizing the fishing strategy. We want to implement this strategy. We have committed significant funds from this government towards this strategy. We have also committed a position to help the fishermen in Hay River in moving this strategy forward.
We are working with other federal departments to secure some funding around this and other funding partners. These initial discussions are still looking very promising and, at the right and appropriate time, I will announce what kind of dollars we have to put towards this fish plant. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
When we last discussed this, the Minister mentioned there was a $12 million fish plant, maybe $9 million depending on the funding. There are some concerns arising with that price tag, namely the O and M associated with running a plant like that. There are some fishermen who are concerned that, you know, the department is going to saddle them essentially with this massive fish plant and they might not be able to afford it in the future if times get bad. So I was wondering: what sort of financial risks are the fishermen, whether it's the Fishermen's Federation or the Tu Cho Cooperative, going to incur as a result of managing this plant in the government's plans?
A business plan was developed in partnership with the Tu Cho fishery, which is a business arm of the NWT Fishing Federation. The accounts for utilities were part of the operational expense. The business plan was based on a worst case scenario, and it still shows a profit based on the historic catches of the lake, and especially the latest quotas we are been pulling out of the lake. So, worst case scenario, this thing still makes money.
We want to see this thing succeed. That's why we put so much energy and time and money into this. We are working with the fishermen to make sure that this becomes a profitable business for them. I personally have a vested interest in trying to, you know, I have seen what the Freshwater Marketing Corporation has done to the fishermen in Hay River, and I don't think there was a significant amount of investment from them over the last few years, which has really made that place hard to manage and hard to operate. A brand new fish plant will bring different opportunities to them. We want to find different ways to do secondary processing beyond the business case to help support them to make more money and contribute to higher returns to fishers in the NWT. We will continue to work on that and reduce and mitigate any risk to them, but like with any business opportunity there is risk.
Another issue or another concern that some of the fishermen have is that, because of the issues with freshwater that the Minister has mentioned and because of the price of fish, some fishermen have developed local markets. You know, they have quite robust local markets. They have regular customers and they can make a good living this way. So the concern is that the GNWT's plan to revitalize the fishery might encroach on some of these local markets. Can the Minister guarantee that the plant to revitalize the fishery doesn't include local sales that are going to directly compete with the fishermen currently selling fish?
As part of the Great Slave commercial revitalization policy planning and a two-price system, the wholesale to fisher and retail price was proposed to the Northwest Territories Freshwater Marketing Federation, to consider and was approved several years ago. Like anything, the intent of the strategy is not to compete and displace existing sales channels that fishers have and compete against small businesses, but the system having adequate supply of year-round fulfillment for sales opportunities and develop new ones.
As the Member from Hay River knows, some of the challenges around the way that the fishery is right now, we don't even have a year-round supply. I wanted to get some fish earlier this spring, and it makes a challenge just because of the lack of supply. We believe that this is not going to hurt the local fishing people who are there. It's going to help entice more sales locally and bring better returns for the local fishermen.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Part of the reason that the government is pushing this fish plant is because nobody quite knows what is happening with Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation in the near future. Since the Minister has a direct channel to Ottawa, could the Minister please let us know what the GNWT knows about the future plans for freshwater? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The department has been in contact with the DFO and, at present, they still have not indicated what the future plans are regarding the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, but they have expressed to me and the Premier for sure that they want to ensure that the inland fishery survives, and sustainably, moving forward, and we will continue to update this House as we get more information of what DFO's plans are. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 9-18(3) asked by the Member for Nahendeh on March 15, 2018, to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, regarding societies' eligibility for the business incentive policy.
I am pleased to provide the following information to address the questions asked:
The Business Incentive Policy does not infringe on any legal rights of incorporated societies. Section 4(2) of the Societies Act does not require the Government of the Northwest Territories to extend the benefits of a policy instrument such as the Business Incentive Policy to incorporated societies, as these benefits are not vested in law but rather set at the discretion of Cabinet through policy only.
A business meeting the requirement of section 6(2)(e) must also meet one of the requirements of section 6(2)(a) to (d) in order to be approved as a Business Incentive Policy Business. If a society applies to be incorporated or owns a business, that business may apply to be registered under the Business Incentive Policy so long as it meets the aforementioned requirements.
It is not the intention of the Government of the Northwest Territories to make any amendments to the Business Incentive Policy specific to incorporated societies. It remains the Government of the Northwest Territories position that the Business Incentive Policy scope as a policy instrument continue to apply to only those incorporated enterprises under comparative funding and tax structures. That is not to say other procurement policy instruments and tools cannot be used to encourage incorporated societies to participate in sectors of our economy in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 8-18(3) asked by the Member for Kam Lake on March 14, 2018, to the Minister of Health and Social Services, regarding health information systems.
It is important to clarify that the purpose of the Health Information Act is to balance the collection, use, and disclosure of personal health information for the provision of health and social services, with the safeguarding of individuals' rights as set out in the act. Health information custodians are charged with the responsibility of complying with the act as well as appropriate use of one or more health information systems or applications designated by the Department of Health and Social Services to facilitate such compliance in the course of providing health and social services. There are health and social services information systems used throughout the Northwest Territories. Most of the systems and technology are proprietary, and the extent of modification allowable is limited by the technology. Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table a list of these health information systems to which health information custodians must provide information under the act. This list includes brief descriptions of the information systems.
Of the information systems used by the Health and Social Services Authorities and the department, 15 have been designated as Electronic Health Information Systems under section 6 of the Health Information Act Regulations.
The department's investment in electronic health information technology includes the assessment and, where required, update, modification or purchase of technology to support the work of health information custodians. Further, the department's training for health information custodians regarding the Health Information Act facilitates the appropriate use of this technology to fulfill responsibilities to their patients or clients and ensure compliance with the act. The department has not identified any existing health information system that currently requires modification, so no cost estimate is available at present.
As old technology is replaced and the department makes new investments in information systems, advances in technological options to support custodians in meeting their obligations to provide safe care and improve client outcomes are carefully considered. The department and the health and social services authorities continue to make investments in technology that enable best care and improvements to health outcomes for our clients.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 7-18(3) asked by the Member for Yellowknife Centre on February 23, 2018, regarding the Housing Core Need Action Plan.
The estimated $20 million of planned initiatives for 2018-2019 will be resourced from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's 2018-2019 capital plan, the base funded programs included in the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's 2018-2019 Main Estimates, and available internal cash resources realized from sources such as the sale of housing assets, mortgage collection efforts, and any residual budget surpluses. A current assessment of available internal cash resources was undertaken during the development of the 2018-2019 corporate plan and will continue to be assessed as part of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's annual business planning process.
The planned investments set out in the Towards Level Ground: Addressing Persistent Core Need in the Northwest Territories report were identified, taking into account the feedback received from the Housing Engagement Survey and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's available resources.
Specific areas of core need will be addressed through a variety of Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's initiatives and programs. The following are approximate projected numbers of households to be assisted by initiative: Emergency Repair - 348, Seniors Aging in Place Retrofits - 150, New Unit Construction - 135, Major Homeownership Repairs - 84, Rent Supplement Programs - 100, Policy Renewal - 40, Lease-to-Own Repairs - 90, Public Housing Portfolio Rebalancing - 30, New Seniors Housing - 40, Housing Support Pilot - 20, New Home Program - 11, Community Housing Support Initiative - 10, Habitat for Humanity - 3, Sahtu Homeless Shelter - 4, and Northern Pathways - 12.
Recognizing that a number of the planned investments set out in this plan involve territory-wide, application-based programs as well as a draft future year capital plan, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is unable to provide an exact regional breakdown of these investments at this time. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is planning to include in its annual Corporate Plan a status report on each of the Plan's initiatives, including actual spending by region.
The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's 2018-2019 Main Estimates includes a $600,000 funding allocation to the Rent Supplement Program. Recognizing that the historical utilization rate of this program has been approximately 40 per cent of that amount, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation considers the current base budget adequate at this time. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation will continue to assess the results of this new program and explore opportunities to align with upcoming federal programming.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 3-18(3) asked by the Member for Frame Lake to the Premier on February 7, 2018, regarding the Government of the Northwest Territories' participation in the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup in January 2018.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise this House that six Ministers and 28 staff were in Vancouver at the time of the Roundup. While attendance at the Roundup may not have been the sole reason for travelling to Vancouver, all Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and staff attended one or more events at this year's Roundup.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to participating in mining- and exploration-focused events and to support our government's ongoing efforts to raise awareness and understanding of the NWT's leading approach to Indigenous partnership and reconciliation, I took the opportunity while in Vancouver to meet with groups of students from Simon Fraser University.
I also had the opportunity to deliver a keynote address at the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and to participate in a round table discussion held at the Simon Fraser University Centre for Dialogue between NWT representatives, provincial and federal public servants, British Columbia Indigenous representatives, and representatives of environmental organizations.
The total cost of air travel for the 34 participants was $41,730. All travel was economy class, except some southern ministerial travel which was accommodated through business class travel when economy class travel was not available.
Participants' accommodations costs varied by lengths of stay but have been calculated at a total of $43,550 for the six Ministers and 28 staff. Other expenses for the 34 participants such as meals, incidentals, and taxis totalled $27,055. No allowances were paid.
The GNWT paid $6,035 in Roundup registration fees, and exhibition costs charged to the GNWT totalled $63,186. No consultant fees were paid.
The GNWT supported the participation of 14 individuals representing NWT Indigenous governments in this year's Roundup. The contributions toward these "other NWT representatives" totalled $63,000.
The hospitality events hosted by the GNWT were a Premier's Luncheon, and Indigenous Partners' Breakfast and an NWT Open House, costing a total $32,973. Each of these events provided NWT Cabinet Members with opportunities to address and network with large gatherings of industry representatives, including prospectors, geoscientists, investors, suppliers and those interested in the mineral exploration industry.
The GNWT's direct costs and contributions associated with the participation at Roundup in 2016 totalled approximately $137,000, in 2017 approximately $196,359, and in 2018 approximately $277,530. The increase in annual costs to attend Roundup can be attributed to an enhanced GNWT presence at this year's Roundup, indicative of the NWT's commitment to promoting and supporting responsible mineral exploration and development in the NWT.
The GNWT continues to view active participation in the Roundup as an effective means to promote the NWT as a destination for mineral exploration investment and new mining developments. Our investments are beginning to show returns with new exploration companies entering the territory, increased claim-staking and new activity in regions that haven't seen exploration for some time.
Resource development plays an important role in the NWT economy. The opportunity to engage with stakeholders at this conference allowed us as leaders to advance our objectives on growing a sector of the economy that provides jobs and salaries to thousands of NWT residents.
Promoting awareness of NWT priorities and advocating for its interests on the national and international stage is an ongoing responsibility that Ministers and staff undertake by participating in a range of events, including meetings with other government leaders and dignitaries, representing the NWT at Federal-Provincial-Territorial and other intergovernmental meetings, and attending and presenting at conferences, trade shows, workshops and other events like Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, the Geosciences Forum, Opportunities North, Meet the North, and later this year the Anti-Poverty Roundtable and the Alternative Energy Conference. While the GNWT does not track specific results for any particular event, this is part of the ongoing work of promoting the interests of the Government and people of the Northwest Territories that is common to all governments.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 10-18(3) asked by the Member for Yellowknife North on March 15, 2018, to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, regarding the Seniors Home Heating Fuel Subsidy Program.
The Senior Home Heating Subsidy, or SHHS, is intended to assist low- to modest-income seniors with the cost associated with heating their homes. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, or ECE, undertook a review of the SHHS and has as a result implemented a number of enhancements to the program including:
Extension of the program to seniors who rent their own self-contained unit that have heating costs in addition to rent;
Increased eligibility income thresholds;
Removal of the phase-out income thresholds to ensure eligible seniors receive 100 per cent of the subsidy;
A monetary-based subsidy moved from a fuel allocation subsidy to ensure seniors receive their full benefit; and
A modification to how communities are allocated to specific zones to better reflect the cost of living in each community.
The change to a monetary-based system was implemented, based on a sound methodology that determined a consistent and fair subsidy amount for seniors. By ensuring that the subsidy amount is appropriate, seniors will continue to receive support towards the costs of heating their homes. This change also ensures that seniors receive 100 per cent of the subsidy, whereas under the previous program seniors were underutilizing their benefits.
The change to a monetary-based subsidy will continue to enable seniors to choose one or more heating types or suppliers and provide seniors the flexibility to determine how much of their subsidy is paid to each of their suppliers.
As previously noted, the enhancements include a rezoning of communities to better reflect the cost of living in each community. Each zone was determined using the Living Cost Differential; a method used to determine the different cost of living in each community by measuring the cost of a basket of goods and services. The three zones were determined by grouping together communities with comparable costs for goods and services.
The SHHS has been expanded to allow seniors who rent their homes and have a heating cost to access the program. The SHHS is intended to assist seniors with the costs associated with heating their homes. By increasing the income thresholds and eliminating the phase-out income thresholds, extending the program to renters, and ensuring all seniors receive the full subsidy, we believe that over 300 seniors will be positively impacted. Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table details of the changes in the zones and eligibilities of the Senior Home Heating Subsidy Program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 121-18(3): TerraX Ptarmigan Mine," and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 165-18(3): Land Tenure Engagement Sessions." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Health and Social Services.
