Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for that response. I was thinking more about financial resources. How does the department access financial resources for activating this plan? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to let Ms. Young elaborate on the financial resources that are available to initiate the emergency plan. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Ms. Young.
Thank you, Madam Chair, under the Emergency Measures Act, of course, the act provides authorities, and we have a territorial planning committee that would be overseeing this with all of the departments. If it got to a situation where we needed additional financial resources, there are provisions under our Financial Administration Act to seek emergency funding if it was necessary. We also have a disaster financial arrangement with Canada. Again, depending on the size and scope of the emergency, it's actually a sliding scale of reimbursement to get money back from Canada.
For example, with the wildfires from 2014, we've just recently finished our audit of that claim and are receiving partial reimbursement for our expenditures from the 2014 wildfires. Those were funded on an emergency basis for the GNWT, but we've been able to recover part of that funding from Canada. It's multi-layer. The same thing happens with the communities. If their resources are exceeded, they can come to the territorial government. When our resources are exceeded, we can go to Canada. That's the way the structure is set up. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Young. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just out of curiosity, what percentage of money is the department getting back that was spent in that 2014 fire season?
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Member, for your question. 2014, honestly, I'd have to get back to you on the amount that was returned back to the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Are there any further questions under public safety? If there's no further questions under public safety, please go to page 333, Municipal and Community Affairs, public safety, operations expenditure summary, 2020-2021 Main Estimates, $2,839,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now move to page 337, regional operations. Starting on page 336 with information items up to 340. Questions? Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Can someone tell me what the municipal funding gap currently is?
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's approximately $40 million a year. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I just commit that with our mandate commitment of reducing the municipal funding gap by $5 million, that in three and a half years, it will be at $35 million a year approximately? Is that correct?
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, that is correct. I want to elaborate a little bit that we are trying to work with the municipalities, and trying to look for other sources of funding where they can look at that funding gap and find resources for their services. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate we should be working with our communities to find other sources. Get money from the feds is the slogan around here. I want to confirm: if it's approximately 40, and it's going to be approximately 35, and we know that the gap actually increases with inflation, and it increases with devaluing of assets, are we going to be spending more than $5 million in the life of this Assembly to reduce the municipal funding gap?
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to elaborate a little bit on the municipal gap. I had to get the briefings, and I had to understand where this municipal gap came from. I just want to really express that it wasn't just that it had happened one year, that $40 million. All the communities were cut. It was a number that was developed through a report, in a study that was done for the Northwest Territories. Since the report has been distributed, we have not cut back within our communities. The budgets have still stayed and remained the same. The communities have not been cut back as long as the announcement has been made. I am going to let Ms. Young elaborate on this topic. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Ms. Young.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The point the Minister, the MLA is making is exactly what we saw in the last Assembly where despite an investment of $11 million, the gap did grow. Part of the plan, we have the mandate item as identified, but there is an opportunity each year to come forward through the forced growth process to deal with the inflationary increases, and that would be the intent so that you don't lose any pace with that $5 million. It would be the goal, so that the $5 million is a net deduction in the gap is our goal. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Young. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that. That's exactly the answer I was looking for. I tried to ask this a couple of times, and I think that clarifies it. I'm very happy to hear that, which we will make a dent in it. Thank you, Madam Chair. No further questions.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Are there any other questions under regional operations? Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Is it reasonable to assume that that municipal funding gap will decrease over time considering the age of some of the infrastructure in the communities? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It is built into the calculations. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I assume that the department is working with the communities to identify some areas where they can raise money. I'm just wondering if you have any idea what those areas may be. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Working with the communities, and I just want to mention land transfer, but it's a very difficult process for the communities to gain that responsibility. There's a lot of other situations that come along with it. In looking at the grant-in-lieu that we do have, in looking at the federal funding, as well, that we do support the communities and with their application process for them to receive additional funding. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just looking at community government funding and formula funding. Has the department reviewed the formula funding in the last while to confirm it's equitable and it works for all the communities? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will just revert this question over to Eleanor Young, Ms. Young. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Ms. Young.
Thank you, Madam Chair. That was exactly the work that was done in 2014 was to go out and take a look at our funding formulas and ensure that they were fair and equitable across all communities. That work was what resulted in the funding gap numbers that we have been discussing now for the last few years. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Young. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just going over to recreation and the sports programming. I see we spend a few dollars in that. I'm just wondering if the money we're spending is actually providing any benefit or some benefit to supporting youth, and helping them keep in shape, and whatever else they have to do? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Just to clarify, that would be under sports and recreation, so that is the last section of MACA. The sports and recreation is our last. We're on the fifth, and that's the seventh section. Did you have further questions on regional operations? Member for Hay River South.
Just to clarify, we're on regional operations?
We are on regional operations.
Page 339?
Sorry. I thought you were asking about -- there's a whole section of sports and recreation. I will give you some time on the clock. Can you re-ask your question?
Thank you, Madam Chair. The funds that we're providing for recreation funding to children and youth and the programming, is the money we're spending, are we getting value, I guess, for those dollars? For me, recreation and sports are very important. I think it helps develop youth. I just want to make sure we're providing the funding and we're getting the value for what we are providing. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
