Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The other issue, I guess, is we do have that agricultural strategy in place, and I am hoping that we do something with it. In talking to some of the growers in the area, one of the problems they have is that, in the South Slave, there is no access to land. It is a big problem. They are allowed a little portion there, and they tried to move out past their lot lines there, and I am sure that Lands will go after them at some point for that. I am just wondering if there is anything that we could do in the South Slave to allow some lands to be opened up, even if it is on a yearly basis, to assist in the development of that agricultural sector. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Madam Premier.
Thank you, Madam Chair. At this time, it might be a little bit too early to make a commitment on yes or no. However, Lands is also part of the process that will be reviewing all its policies and regulations to identify the barriers that impede local food production, so they are part of the review that is happening. Again, we have to identify the barriers before we can identify what regulations need to be changed, so I can't make a commitment at this time to say yes, that will happen. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The other thing that was brought up to me, as well, is that some of the producers hire people and they are paying basically minimum wage. They are wondering if there is any financial assistance they can get to offset those wages for workers. The workers may not be there eight hours a day, but they are just looking for some options. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Madam Premier.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I know there might be. I am trying to think on the run here. I believe there may be some work supplement things happening. If not, Madam Chair, I know that anyone who is under a certain income level, even if they are working, can still qualify for income support. If people are low-income, I really recommend that they go and apply to see if there is any support we can give them within the GNWT. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess before my time runs out I had better talk about the fish plant. Basically, where are we on the construction of that? Are we making any headway, or have we begun looking at it again? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Madam Premier.
Madam Chair, I would like to transfer it to the Minister of ITI, but if we could ask the Member to repeat his question for the Minister, that would be helpful. Thank you.
Member for Hay River South, could you repeat your question?
With respect to the fish plant, where are we on looking at going forward with the construction of it? I know it was stalled because of pricing, so I am just wondering if we have got a plan in place. I hear rumours, and I just kind of want to get the straight goods from the Premier or the Minister. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
I think we talked about this earlier on in session. When the bids came in on the fish plant originally, they were much larger than the GNWT had allocated budgets for. I am seeing here in my notes it was about almost $6 million more than we had anticipated. The last that we discussed was that we are back looking at the actual design of the plant and how we can scale down maybe what was too ambitious of a project to begin with, and how we can bring that design back down under the budgeted price that we had anticipated. I believe that is exactly where we are right now, is revamping that plan. I am just trying to look here if the department has given me a date. I don't have a specific date for that completion, but I can definitely commit to the Member that I would return and get him that information. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.
Like I said, for Hay River, that is a very important industry, and for, I think, communities around the lake. We have got stock there. We don't have to feed it. It is just waiting to be caught and go in the frying pan, so we have to take this seriously. The other thing is that I guess I am concerned that sometimes the expertise we use within the communities, we use the bureaucracy and the bureaucrats who don't quite have that expertise, but they may think they do. I want to make sure that we actually have somebody who knows, who can provide us with some sound advice on how to proceed with this to make sure that it works. Over the years, we have tried and we have tried, and we don't seem to get anywhere. If I can get a comment on that? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Infrastructure.
I will keep it really short. We are working with Memorial University out of Newfoundland to work on the design of the fish plant, so we are looking to experts for that advice; but noted. I take the Member's concerns in note and will make sure that they are addressed. Thank you.
Thank you. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have been looking at this one. Affordable food is so important, and you look at food indexes and the price of just a basic bag of groceries costs in the territories, just insane prices in the small communities. Again, I have said this a couple of times, I always think about the single parents in the small communities, and any sort of fluctuation affects those vulnerable sectors. That is what I would like to see. Right now, I am looking at things like the greenhouses and community gardens. It says they want to ensure supports in this document, so my question to the Premier is: what kinds of supports are we proposing to help out with greenhouses and the lot? Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Madam Premier.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like the Minister of ITI to answer what kinds of supports are available for greenhouse operations. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Minister for ITI.
Just one moment, please, while I look through my numerous binders here for greenhouses. I know we do have supports in place for greenhouses. My apologies.
Madam Premier?
Thank you, Madam Chair. At this point, we don't have the information, but we can get back to the Member on the exact types of supports that are available to greenhouses. I know that we are trying to build greenhouses in every community. I don't know the exact support, but we will reply. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for the response. It is good to hear, just to find out what we can get. I think, the way I look at it, any sort of ways we can lower the cost of living and groceries. I keep on going back to the example if you are a struggling family and you only have $100 to spend on groceries, it is so much easier to get unhealthy foods. It would be nearly impossible to feed a small family with $100 and try to follow the Canada Food Guide. I am hoping we move in this direction. This is not so much a question, but more of a comment. I hope we keep on moving in that direction, keep chipping away at the costs for our vulnerable sectors. What I mean by that is the single-parent families, our elders, disabled. If we help those, it will be good for everybody across the board, and I am hoping that we keep moving in that direction. That is all I have to say. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. I will take that as a comment. Are there any further questions on "Increase food security through locally produced, harvested, and affordable food"? Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I just get some clarification? The government confuses me. We have a "what we heard" report for agriculture, and now we have an agricultural strategy that goes to 2022. Has that agricultural strategy been implemented, or are there plans to develop an action plan? That is not in here. Can I just clarify also, perhaps, whether, whenever we have a strategy, the next step is then an action plan? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Madam Premier.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Personally, I am not big on strategies, action plans, new strategies, new frameworks, new action plans, but I am open to feedback from all Members. If the Member is recommending that we would do an action plan, then I am open to hearing those comments. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Yellowknife North.
No. I guess what I am asking for is perhaps for EIA to create some consistency across departments, especially in this one, which is led by ITI, Health, ENR, and Lands. I am looking at the agricultural strategy, and I believe it covers off almost everything that is in here. There are a lot of amazing recommendations. It is clear a lot of them have not been accomplished, it goes to 2022. Would the Premier be able to provide an update on the status of the recommendations in our agricultural strategy?
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Madam Premier.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Absolutely, we will have the Department of ITI offer a briefing to standing committee. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Madam Premier. All right. Are there any further questions on "Increase food security through locally produced, harvested, and affordable food"? Seeing none, committee will move to page 32, "Increase the number and variety of culturally-respectful, community-based mental health and addictions programs, including aftercare." Questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a few questions on this page. I will start maybe right in the middle. In the second section, under "How we will do it," it reads, "Establish medical detox and managed alcohol programming." I am wondering if the Premier can speak to where Cabinet sees those being located, if they will be central to Yellowknife, or if these services will also be available in the communities across Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Madam Premier.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This will have to be determined as we move forward with implementing the program. However, I do want to say that medical detox and managed alcohol are very specific programs that have to be monitored properly by medical professions. This isn't just giving out free drinks to everyone and hoping that they survive it. It would have to be in places that they have the capacity, the health centres that have the capacity, to be able to do this. At this point, we haven't defined exactly where. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Madam Chair. My next question is in the same section. In the last column, it reads, "nine transitional housing units added in several communities." I am wondering how Cabinet will decide where those transitional housing units will be located? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Madam Premier.
Madam Chair, again, these are new mandate issues. These were developed within Cabinet within the last couple of months, so the actual identity of where the transitional housing hasn't been determined yet. We are willing, as soon as we identify them, then we can bring it forward to committee. The Minister of Health and Social Services want to expand on that? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Health.
To maybe just go back to the first question on the availability of the models is the examining models before determining locations to answer the first question. I do want to talk about the transitional housing options. The department will review leading practices and research on transitional housing models, aimed at supporting individuals returning from facility-based addictions treatments. That means consulting with communities, Indigenous leaders, to identify regional and community needs for transitional housing.
We will also be doing a needs assessment with individuals who are attending these facilities for their treatments to better understand their barriers to housing, recovery, and then develop some options for partnerships with other governments. We talked about there are so many times when we have our clients come out of treatment and there is nothing for them afterwards. This is something the department needs to work with other departments: income support, housing. It is a full-approach model. We also see this work as a priority because the availability of the safe sobriety housing is also a key piece in the recovery. Although our locations are not yet determined, it is just looking at individual needs as they come out of facilities. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I completely agree with the Minister that it is an essential part of the recovery to have somewhere to go to when you are done your treatment. I think if we ended up polling our communities, we would find that 33 communities would identify that they need transitional housing, so I guess I am wondering: if the need is there in all 33 of our communities, how are we going to decide where to distribute nine units? Thank you.
