Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I spoke about the shoreline erosion in Tuktoyaktuk. My questions are for the Minister of MACA. My question to the Minister is: what is the status of work currently under way to address the shoreline erosion issue in Tuktoyaktuk? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that we have been seeing a lot of videos and photos of what is going on in the community of Tuktoyaktuk on the shoreline erosion there. The first phase of work that we have done is a report was provided to the community, and it identifies both the long-term and short-term solutions. At this time, the community has not decided which of those options would work best for the community of Tuktoyaktuk. We are still making sure that those communications are open, and we are working with them to identify how we can find a solution. MACA is continuing to work closely with the community to identify what is the best, appropriate solution moving forward.
However, in the short term, the hamlet has secured funding to help move several homes that are most at risk. We appreciate the work that they have done. We continue to lobby and work with our federal counterparts to see how we can access the funding and whether or not we can make some of that funding a little bit flexible to get the work done. We are continuing to communicate with the community and the leadership to move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thanks for the update. We have definitely been getting a lot of pressure from constituents. Talking about funding, when the federal government announces funding for projects like this, we really need to ensure that there are government-to-government relationships where the Ministers are working with their ministerial counterparts with the federal government to ensure that the funding is utilized and ensures that it is as effective as possible.
There are concerns in the community that some homeowners need more time to move their homes and want someone to protect the shoreline until they are ready to move. Can the Minister explain why the houses need to be moved now and why there is no effort or funding to protect the shoreline?
As I mentioned, there are houses that are right on the shoreline that are going to be impacted. We are working with the federal government, and I know that we do have funding that may no longer be available from the Government of Canada come March 31, 2020. That is where we need to put a little bit more emphasis to get this work done.
I do also understand that protecting the shoreline is also the responsibility of the hamlet. We are going to be working with the government to see how we can support them and make sure that things are done in a timely manner. We do know that we had two big storms in Tuktoyaktuk that had an impact on a couple of units. As I mentioned, we are going to be working with the federal government and the hamlet to see how we can address this issue in a more timely manner.
I remember the community of Tuktoyaktuk was talking about the regulations of the funding. I think when it comes to issues like this, we need to provide additional support and capacity so that we can utilize this. Homeowners have also expressed additional concerns about damage to their homes during the move and after being placed on new foundations. My question is: can the Minister explain how the integrity of these homes will be maintained so that the homeowners can be assured their houses will remain liveable? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is my understanding that the hamlet is inviting contractors who have experience moving houses and that the structures will be properly braced before moving, which is a big concern, because I know that we do have at least one unit that we need to take into consideration when bracing, possibly two. The new foundations include geotextile material for drainage, various granular materials to ensure good support, and the screw jacks, and the hamlet will be able to adjust the foundation to ensure the structural integrity of the homes. This type of foundation is in common use by the NWT housing authority, and we have a lot of good experience working in that area.
All of this information is available through the hamlet, which has been actively engaged in this effort from the beginning. Residents can seek answers to their questions from the hamlet or through their MLA, and also through our office, so that we can make sure that we do this in the best interests of the residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
