Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past several weeks, I have met with business owners who are concerned that the BDIC loan deferral program is ending this week, which is, I guess, tomorrow. It was indicated that the program has been very effective and was welcomed. Can the Minister of ITI confirm if her department is considering extending the BDIC loan deferral program after March 31st? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was already some time ago that there were conversations happening within the BDIC around what to do with the loan deferral program, and the option that we took was one of reaching out, in fact, to every single one of the 139 loan clients who had their loan payments deferred. In doing that, they were better able to tailor their response such that quite a number have actually begun to resume their regular payments. Of the remaining 76, in fact, who had requested some further reductions or deferrals, they were able to tailor-make the program to either defer or to reduce payments or to essentially otherwise be able to be really business-specific and client-specific in their response rather than a blanket deferral. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That is good news for businesses. Businesses are also concerned that the interested rates charged by the BDIC are higher than those currently charged by the banks, and a good reason for it. Can the Minister confirm if the BDIC would consider reviewing current interest rates charged to clients and potentially reducing it retroactive to the beginning of the pandemic and at least for the duration of the pandemic?
Interest rate reductions certainly are a little bit more complicated, and that is really a lot of the way in which the BDIC generates the funds on which it relies to actually run the programs that it provides and to provide the loan portfolio that it currently has. It's a fairly delicate balance. That is not something that is right now being looked at. That said, obviously, as we move into a recovery stage and continue to go through the recovery stage, BDIC, as I just said in my last response, continues to be quite client-oriented in looking at specific ways of solving issues and solving problems, so I am confident that, if that is an option that is available to them, they will look at it but again with the caveat that that is an area that is one that has to be fairly delicately balanced.
Some of the BDIC clients have had limited or no revenue over the last year due to the pandemic. Yet, they are required to pay interest and principal amounts on equipment that is not generating any revenue or assets that are sitting idle. Considering that the BDIC is a developmental lender, will the Minister consider having the BDIC waive some of the interest accrued on BDIC loans as a supportive initiative for those businesses impacted by the pandemic? This would allow them to, hopefully, the ones who require the help, survive this probably another year of slow business.
As I said at the beginning, my understanding is that BDIC has contacted all of their clients. There were some whom they were unable to get a hold of, and certainly, there are no doubt some whose situations may continue to change. I cannot say strongly enough that, anyone who is a client of BDIC or who might benefit as a client of BDIC, that they please get in touch with the loans officers. There are a number of different options. For example, although some businesses have restarted on their regular payments, some have renegotiated to actually have lower payments than what they had before, some are paying only principal or only interest, and some are seeking to continue to defer entirely. BDIC is really trying to be client-oriented here, so what I would say, again, is: rather than a blanket tool, we are trying to be client-specific and client-responsive, so if there are businesses out there which need that support, please contact the BDIC. They are going to work with them to try to continue to provide the supports that they have been providing.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is some concern whether or not all or most existing business supports put in place at the outset of the pandemic will continue or end at March 31st or sometime thereafter. Can the Minister give us some idea what business supports will continue in place and which ones will be eliminated? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
There is actually quite a complex network of supports, I would say, both from the federal government, some from the GNWT, and many through the support of both levels of government. Right now, it's really only the GRIT program that is certainly sunsetting. A lot of the other programs were filling in of gaps or topping up of programs. It is certainly our effort and our intention to continue to do that into the new fiscal year. A lot of things became available in the latter part of this fiscal year, when there was an awareness that, for example, some businesses needed bookkeeping support, so running that program up so that those who needed it could get those supports to apply for further funding. As much as can remain in place will remain in place, and as the new year gets off and as we receive a federal budget later this month and find out what is coming out there, I am very confident we are going to continue to do what we have done over the last year, which is to fill gaps and to top up and to find areas that are not otherwise being addressed and to continue to address them. Again, there is no intention to stop supports. It's a matter of figuring out, as the pandemic progresses, what we need to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
