Debates of June 1, 2022 (day 116)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to talk about the $10 million that has been set aside for emergency response activities related to the 2022 flooding.

So is that I guess I'm trying to get a sense of if that amount was used during the, I guess the initial stages dealing with the flood, or is that amount to be used for I guess covering damages for people who have I guess who are victims of the flood? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. It's Madam Chair. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, at this point, having made it into the supplementary appropriation, this is really just a very initial amount. And at this point, my understanding is that the assessors of course still have to do their work in order to ascertain exactly what the damages will be and then the full damage compensation process can begin under the Disaster Assistance Policy.

You know, and again for whatever it's worth in this place, Madam Chair, I know the Minister has asked all of us to emphasize the importance of folks registering, both businesses and residential individuals who have residential impacts. But this $10 million really was an initial amount to help support Department of MACA to get out as the emergency was unfolding, provide emergency services, such as sheltering. And I anticipate that there will be more to come as the full extent of the damage is better known. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Has any of this money I guess made its way to victims, especially ones that don't have the financial resources to I guess sustain themselves?

Like, we have people out there that, you know, that are financially stable. They, you know, they may have a mortgage but they're able to, or you know, if they have to move out of their house they can rent a hotel or whatever. But we have those people who are, you know, living paycheque to paycheque. They just don't have those resources. They're paying a mortgage. They're paying rent. So I guess I'm asking this, has any of these funds made their way to any of them? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, at this point, I think that's unlikely. And you know, I will say that I know when I had attended in Hay River, and I know Mr. Thompson has been there with the Premier. I think several ministers now have actually attended to Hay River. We were all quite keenly aware of the impacts. There has been an RFP out now to help support and provide shortterm accommodations within the community for individuals who can't return to their homes and who will require those supports.

As far as, you know, providing money into the hands of individuals, you know, again this $10 million is not that amount. There's no doubt going to be we will see in a future session, which will be the fall session, a much more detailed update of amounts that are being provided for those who are needing disaster assistance funds into their hands. But, you know, this is not that piece. This $10 million here was just the emergency part. But, you know, again, the department will have, and already is in there in the community, providing pathfinding services and providing the emergency services, including accommodations.

So if there are still individuals who are struggling, I can only encourage them to contact the pathfinding services which are, you know, many lessons learned from last year about the importance of having those four individuals who will be in a state of emergency need for some time. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I guess my concern I guess with this amount, it is a start, and I understand that, you know, the amount that we're going to be looking at is going to be substantially higher than this. However, you know, we have assessments that have been completed. I'm not sure if numbers have been put to them but I'm hoping that's going to happen soon. And if that does, you know, it goes back to pathfinders, my understanding, and they sit down with the resident and I guess come to some agreement that the number's good and maybe an advance.

So if all of a sudden, we get, you know, an influx of those people in there, the $10 million isn't going to cover it, so. I guess the question is, you know, how soon will we be seeing an additional amount? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we don't have substantiation of amounts in time for the spring session. I don't know that it was ever anticipated that we would have had the kind of substantiation necessary to make it into the spring session. You might recall that last year with the floods, a special warrant was done and had it brought in for fall. So, you know, I certainly don't want residents to think that simply because of the timing of session that funding won't be available. The Disaster Assistance Policy was updated such that the cap is now at $240,000, and that doesn't change based on the timing of session. You know, there are ways in which the government can manage funds to ensure that when people have their assessments done and that the monies are ready to go out that we can ensure that that money will be available to them. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I thank the Minister for the answer because, you know, that's what I was looking for, is that when those assessments start to, you know, start to hit the desk of the pathfinder and the agreements are made, I'm hoping that, you know, the advances can go out and people can start working on repairing their homes or replacing them right away. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, and I appreciate the question as well. Again, I don't you know, I don't have the answer. I'm not going to necessarily suppose or say exactly for sure this'll be a special warrant situation or if there will be other tools used in this instance.

What I can state again is that, you know, that people should be using their insurance if they have it, going to the Disaster Assistance Relief Policy via MACA or by registering, and the policy is there, and we are going to adhere to it, and the money will be there for people who qualify. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Hay River South.

No questions, thank you.

Thank you. Members, noting the clock, I will now rise and report progress. Thank you to the Minister and thank you to the witnesses.

Report of Committee of the Whole

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

May I please have the report of Committee of the Whole, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.