Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The community counselling information system is funding for the implementation of a computerized system for the management of mental health and addiction clients. Can I get clarification on what we're comparing it to? Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am just wondering why we need a separate system for mental health and why we can't just use the electronic systems that we currently use for people of the Northwest Territories when they go to seek advice or medical assistance from their physicians. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Madam Chair. At this time, I don't know. We can definitely find out and get back. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I appreciate that. My last question is in regards to the organ and tissue donation registry. What I am wondering is, if the NWT decided to go for an opt-out rather than an opt-in version of organ and tissue donation down the road, how that would change the budget allocated to that type of a registry. Would it drive it up? Would it remain the same? Is it a base cost? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Finance.
Sorry for being presumptive, Madam Chair. Thank you. This is one project that certainly has had some delays in terms of the finalization of the agreement because of challenges in terms of people being available over the last few months. As far as if there is a complete change in the project and there would certainly be a change in the contracts that are already being developed, which would no doubt lead to changes in the budget. At this point, the projected cost is actually below budget, based on the model that they are using. Madam Chair, at this point, I know that is not entirely the answer the Member is looking for. I think perhaps what we could do between the Minister of Health and Social Services and myself is to certainly provide some more detail, if it would be of assistance to the Member, outlining the nature of the project as it is right now and then look at that going forward. Again, right now, there is a certain design in place, and that is what is being developed in terms of project contracting. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair, just a question with respect to the two long-care facilities there. I just see that the Hay River one is $5.6 million and the Inuvik is $1.4 million roughly. What is the difference there?
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Finance.
Madam Chair, thank you. That is a level of specificity that I don't have here. I do know contracts are currently in place for both projects. It shouldn't be difficult to delineate a breakdown for the Member. I can commit to getting that information to him.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. When you say contracts are in place, have the contracts been let for those already, then? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I understand that the projects are at different stages, and these are carry-overs, Madam Chair. I am forgetting that, as well. The carry-over amounts are different in terms of the projects. When you're comparing the carry-overs, you are not necessarily comparing the total value of the project, one to the other; you are comparing only the amount of carry-over, one project to the next. At this point, there are different cash-flow pressures on each project, and that in the one case, the one is simply, I suspect, further ahead than the other. As such, there is less of a carry-over. Again, I can certainly provide a more detailed breakdown of that cash flow if that's what the Member is interested in.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. No. That is fine. I think I have an understanding of what the issue is there. I would like to know when we can expect the design to be completed because I don't think it's completed yet and when we could expect ground-breaking on that facility, 48 beds for Hay River.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I think the Minister of Health and Social Services might have some more breakdown in terms of timing. Perhaps I will ask her, Madam Chair, please.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The 2020-2021 capital plan is currently under development. Any change to previous amounts will require a form of FMB in Cabinet. There are still some discussions around this scope and the project. We have been in discussions of possibly looking at the number of bed facilities. There is still some discussion around that and the impacts, whether it's increased costs. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Can the Minister tell me if the geotech has been done in the area where this new building is going to go? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I think I am getting the answer is "no" right now. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The other thing is: with COVID-19, I am just wondering what the added cost or are we anticipating added costs because of that for these projects because of design changes or special design to take into account what is happening today? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's too early to say necessarily. As far as design changes, there is no information here that suggests that is inevitable or imminent. I suppose the short answer is: not anticipated, Madam Chair. Again, the capital plan for 2021-2022 is underway, so if there do need to be significant changes, there would be an opportunity to see those at that time. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Geez. I thought I ran out of time there. I just wanted to talk about the sterilizer room. Is that for the new facility or is that to do with the old H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
Madam Chair, I am confident that the Minister of Health and Social Services has the answer.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The sterilizer room upgrade is for the Hay River Health Center. The funding for the insulation and condensing unit in the sterilizer room, to handle the additional heat load, they are adding air conditioning to the room. There has been a delay in the work to get it completed. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The next one is the heating system for Woodland Manor. Is that for the existing part of the manor, or is that for the new, 10-bed, extended-care facility? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The heating system, the furnace for the Woodland Manor long-term care facility was failing and no longer could be repaired and required replacement. It's anticipated it will be completed in the prior year. It is for the Woodland Manor long-term care.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Chair. No more questions.
Thank you. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. In regards to long-term care in Inuvik in regards to the 48 beds with the carry-over, the $1.446 million, where is that in this project and how is it going to affect my elders in my riding? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't know the exact stage of the project. I can find out the stage of the project, and that would hopefully provide the Member with a bit more certainty as to the timing of the project and how that would benefit, hopefully, his members.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's not going to benefit my riding. Where is the geotech work in regard to this? These long-term beds, you've got 25 beds in Inuvik right now. You're going to get another 48. That's 78 beds. That's probably 200 jobs that's going to create in Inuvik for this project. Now, what are you going to do with the elders in my riding in regard to bringing them in? I brought this up at the start. It's like you're going to be plucking elders out of the community again, when we know the cost of travel between our communities is over, probably, $2,000 from Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok, and Paulatuk, when we should be trying to put a smaller building in the community. Forty-eight beds, that's kind of a big thing. I'm sorry to bring it up like that, Madam Chair. For myself, how I look at it, it's residential school all over again, taking people out of their homes. Families want to take care of our loved ones, our elders. Being an Inuvialuit, you should know that in regard to that. I don't approve of these 48 beds. I need five beds, six beds, in Ulukhaktok. I need the same thing in Paulatuk to take care of our own. Again, it's all the bigger centres that, the blink of an eye, they're going to be ready to spend their money. For us, it's a have-not riding right now. It's not right. I really want to think before, if they didn't start their geotech, maybe they should downsize just a little bit, here, throw 30 beds or 20 beds you don't need,and have 45, not 78. I'm appalled the way that things are going, that this government, the way they are seeing how they're treating our elders. Like I said, we want to take care of our own. Inuvialuit, we take care of our own. I really think this should be rethought instead of just throwing another 48 beds because you could throw 48 beds that was done by the last government. Thank you, Madam Chair.
