Thank you, Member. We're going a little bit away from this, but I'm going to let it go a little bit. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to note that the Department of Infrastructure is supporting IDC in their discussions with the Ferus Natural Gas. We are also helping them with their logistics plans, including the supply chain support, which is important. I do want to say that we have a nondisclosure with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. Therefore, we can't share too much information about this. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you for that. Moving on, in regard with all the infrastructure, the DMAFing with the fuel tank storages in Ulukhaktok and Tuktoyaktuk and Sachs Harbour, the timeline on that, I heard the assistant deputy minister before saying one is approved. Are all three projects approved? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to ask Mr. Jenkins to be able to provide that.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Jenkins.
Thank you, Madam Chair. That is information we will have to follow up with committee on. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. Are there any further questions, comments to programs and services on page 46? I will now call the activity, infrastructure programs and services, infrastructure investments, $94,424,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Members please return now to the departmental summary found page 40. Infrastructure 2021-2022 Capital Estimates, $292,766,000. Mr. Norn.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that the committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Infrastructure at this time. Marsi cho, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Motion is carried.
---Carried
Consideration of the departmental summary has been deferred. Thank you, Minister, and thank you to your witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses out of the Chamber.
Committee, we have agreed to resume consideration of Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, with Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Does the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation wish to bring any witnesses?
Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce her witnesses?
Thank you, Madam Chair. With me today, I have the president of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Tom Williams, and finance and administration vice-president, Jim Martin. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister and welcome. The committee has agreed to forgo general comments. Is committee agreed we will proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?
Agreed.
Committee, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is included in the capital estimates as an information item and the totals are not votable. We will continue to review these estimates as we have for the previous considered departments, however, we will not vote on the totals. If Members have comments or questions they can be raised at the appropriate time.
Committee, we will defer the corporation totals and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning with finance and infrastructure services on page 65, with information items on page 66. Are there questions, comments? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Yay, I have two items here! It looks like there is going to be some retrofit work in Deninu Kue here. I did have a few questions about that, but I could start with my first question: when is this work expected to be started? Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to defer this question over to Mr. Williams as I know the Housing Corporation has had delay in project delivery because of COVID-19. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Williams.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will defer the question to Mr. Martin.
Thank you. Mr. Martin.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The projects in question relate to the major retrofits. For the communities noted, we expect to start that work, tender that work, later this fiscal year for delivery next year. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Martin. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you. I am disappointed to see the other communities in my riding not in this, like Ndilo, Detah, Lutselk'e. I know, a lot of us in the small communities, we get a lot of housing complaints, a lot of them, and it doesn't ever stop. You are always advocating for these types of things, and that's why we're here. Again, it's a bit frustrating, and we do get a lot of these programs turned down. A lot of my constituents get turned down for things like the CARE and SAFE programs. It gets a little bit disheartening, but like I said, I don't take no for an answer the first time. I keep plugging for it, and that's what I'm here for. This is more of a comment, but I've noticed so far, through all our capital estimates, that you see a lot of offsets from the federal government here. My question for the Minister is: why don't we see more of that in these line items? It's very curious. Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to be clear, with the Member's question, is that additional federal funding that he is asking about? If he could just clarify.
Thank you, Madam Chair. We have federal engagements, and the federal funding that we do have is for the structure of our cost savings for our units, as well. It is not identified as we do apply to the federal government, and it's not included in the estimates that we have provided. I will defer the question over to Mr. Martin. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Martin.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. The delivery proposed for 2021-2022, the capital projects set out, the Housing Corporation is proposing to recover $1 million in 2021-2022 from the current investments proposed under the Low Carbon Economy Fund. That is an example of where we will be leveraging additional federal dollars. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Martin. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you. I just had a quick question. I know it's not so much this, but are we expecting to see more retrofits forecasted in terms of more of these retrofits in my riding? Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I can provide the Member with the list, the current list that is to be delivered in 2021-2022. We do have plans to be doing additional work in Detah, Ndilo, and Lutselk'e for 2021-2022. I also wanted to add that we are working within COVID, as well, so we are working with the restrictions of the communities. A lot of our projects have been delayed because they didn't want new people entering into their communities, but I will keep you updated and provide a document to you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you. That is encouraging to hear. I did have one other question, too. When I do my constituency visits, it really pains me to see, like I said, when you have existing buildings and infrastructure there that are not being used as best as they can. You still see a lot of abandoned buildings, and you know they used to be NWTHC assets or probably still are. I can count at least four or five occasions when I was walking around in Lutselk'e and Deninu Kue that I've seen that. What are the plans for buildings that are deemed abandoned? What is the threshold where they are deemed abandoned or they cannot be salvaged? Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Housing Corporation does have something similar to asset management, so we do look at the lifetime of our buildings, and we do have a demolition process, as well. One of the things that the Housing Corporation does do, because land is limited, as well, we administer our buildings. If they are beyond economic repair, we will demolish those buildings, and we will end up replacing them. As our budget is rolling out, it would depend on the amount of money and funding that we will be receiving that year. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
If I could just get something in writing, too. If there is a list of buildings slated for demolition, that would be good for our communities to know. Like I said, a lot of these buildings, they are eyesores, and nobody wants to see that. It's always good to keep our stock updated and keep them up to date. That's all I have for now. Thank you. If I have more questions, I'll forward them when ready. Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will provide the Member with a list of the demolition and the inventory that we have in his riding. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
