Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This is the contributions section here, so this is detailing, I believe, money that is going direct to, for example, the maker spaces in contrast to the money that would be directed to a position that is there to support the work of the department, broadly speaking. Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry, that would be the $350,000. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Now I know what the $200,000 is here, but then I heard that there is $300,000 found somewhere else. The Minister, in her opening remarks, said that there is $350,000 to create an action plan for the knowledge economy. It still doesn't quite add up. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's good news here, Madam Chair, in the sense that there is money both to advance projects as well as money to put forward to the work of the knowledge economy as a strategy. Perhaps I'll try a third avenue and suggest that Ms. Strand answer the question, please.
Thank you. Deputy Minister Strand.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The funding which is allocated for the knowledge economy would be found under our operations expenditure summary, under purchased services.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
I think I'm going to move on because I'm not getting anywhere. I want to ask about the status. Is there any money in here for there was supposed to be a new NWT Arts Strategy, and I'm not sure where that falls between ECE and ITI. Maybe I could get an update of the status of that and what involvement ITI has and whether there is any money in here for that. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. ECE and ITI are, indeed, working together on this. I do not believe there is specific funding allocated at this point. If I could propose to have it go to Deputy Minister Strand, please.
Thank you. Deputy Minister Strand.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, ITI's arts funding for the businesses that are in the arts sector sits under our SEED program. I can let you know that, under special initiatives, we have programming that goes out to all regions for arts and film, but it falls under the SEED budget. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Can someone tell me about the status of the arts strategy itself? I understood it was supposed to be released by now, and I'm not sure where it's at. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I know we are partnered and working with ECE on this, and my understanding is that they are the lead. Let me see if Ms. Strand has an update on when we can expect it. I know it has gone through a review by me, but I'm not sure where it's at for its final revisions.
Thank you. Deputy Minister Strand.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, as the Minister stated, we are just finalizing that strategy with ECE. There were some final amendments that we wanted to make before releasing that, so I think that it is planned for the near future for committee and public release. Thank you.
Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks. I eagerly await that. Can someone tell me: what is the status of the NWT Film Strategy and Action Plan? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I expect that it should be released, I want to say, this session. "Imminently" is, perhaps, a safer way of putting it.
Thank you. Member.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I am imminently eager. Is there any funding in this part of the budget for a new strategy or action plan? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't know if that's in the section I'm in right now. Perhaps I will see if Deputy Minister Strand has that information at her fingertips.
Thank you. Deputy Minister Strand.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, ITI has several film programs, such as the NWT Film Rebate Program. We also create partnerships with a number of other associations, such as the Canadian media film, to try and leverage the funding that we do have, but yes, we will be looking to increase that, to remain competitive and compete against jurisdictions like the Yukon that are surpassing where we are in our film sector. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I look forward to maybe a large supplementary appropriation, then, to assist with that work. I want to ask a question about the community transfer initiatives on 211. The amount there is actually declining, and I would like an explanation as to why it is declining in the time or whether, in fact, it should be actually increasing in terms of economic relief and recovery. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would propose to have that go to Deputy Minister Strand, please.
Thank you. Deputy Minister Strand.
Thank you, Madam Chair. That decrease of $94,000 was the increased funding that went to Tuktoyaktuk in response to increased tourism activity, but I would like to note that it was in addition to the current EDO, economic development officer, funding that still remains in place for the community. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I am concerned, then, that we are actually reducing money to a community that now has an all-weather road. Hopefully, we can reopen later this year to allow tourism to start. Why are we reducing this funding now? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's a sunset, so it wasn't a reduction so much as this was the end point of the funding that was put in place when the road opened in order to help ramp up and be ready for tourism. Certainly, Madam Chair, what the intention is now is to monitor the reopening and to determine whether or not a position is still required and, if so, to, then, go back and seek that funding to have it return. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I look forward to that money being returned. While we are on the topic of new roads and so on, is there any specific funding in the budget here for assisting Whati in getting ready for a road that is supposed to open in November of this year, and if there is no specific money identified, why not? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. We are working actively with the Tlicho government and with the Whati government to determine what, in fact, they are wanting to see in terms of programming. At that point, there are quite a number of pots of funding that already exists under SEED, under tourism, that would be available to support whatever they determine to be the projects that they need. There is not a dedicated line item to the Whati road, or to the community of Whati as a result of the road, but it is more of a soft commitment that we are available and ready to work with them to help realize proper tourism, given the lessons learned from the Tuktoyaktuk road. Thank you.
Thank you. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just looking at page 211 and some of the various line items. In the last while, a lot of tourism operators took hits, I think, everywhere. It was a struggle to give people, like our tour operators and companies, assistance and try to help them weather out this storm, per se. I just wanted to ask the question for the Minister: how close their relationship is with CIRNAC to find out how funding is flowing to help out our tour operators in the NWT? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I don't have my tourism section open just now, but there is a close relationship, obviously, working with federal partners. It is our intention, much as when COVID first hit, to continue to work with them to understand what they are able to fund so that we are prepared to support their programs, complement their programs, or fill gaps if there are any. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Just kind of going down this line of questioning, if I was a struggling tour operator right now, in these line items, what programs are available? If you're a struggling tourism operator, what programs can I access within ITI? Thank you.
