Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past week, I received many emails from teachers, parents, and students complaining about a longstanding issue with the plumbing at the Ecole Boreale portable in Hay River.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of ECE confirm if his department has looked into the issue and determined what the cause of the problem is? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also received dozens and dozens of emails from students, staff, parents, perhaps other people in the community who were concerned about this issue, and I appreciate those emails because it brought it to my attention.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment became aware of this issue just prior to the flooding in Hay River, and that was really the first time that we knew about it.
So the issue that we've learned, in consultation with the Department of Infrastructure, is that there have been ongoing sewage backup issues. This goes back to the original issue goes back to when the portable was installed. The sewer line was hooked up to an abandoned sewer line. The sewer line from the building was hooked up to an abandoned sewer line instead of the newer sewer line which it should have been hooked up to. There has been a temporary fix in place for many years and from what I understand, it had been working but over the last over this year in particular, and perhaps over the last few years as well, there have been increasing issues. Thank you
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been a longstanding one, as the Minister said.
Can the Minister confirm how and when this plumbing issue will be addressed to the satisfaction of the Ecole Boreale staff, students, and parents, as those students, staff, and parents accessing the building have a right to a safe place to learn and work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I agree, students need a place to learn that is supportive of that learning. And in a supportive learning environment, staff need a safe supportive workplace as well. And so as soon as we learned about this, we started working with the Department of Infrastructure, and there will be a permanent fix in place over the summer. So in the next school year, it will no longer be an issue. It would be great if we could fix this issue before the summer, fix it now, but it's a very disruptive process. I believe it involves digging up the parking lot and, you know, the smell of sewer would be far beyond what it is now. So we have to wait until the summer to get it done but it is getting done. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if there are issues other than the plumbing, such as heat and cooling, as those were mentioned as recurring issues that need to be addressed as well.
Will the Minister also commitment his department to following up on these issues and remedy any issues found before the start of next school year? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And there have been concerns about the classrooms being too hot in the late spring/early summer. As a result, Infrastructure has installed portable air conditioners. There isn't a plan to connect the portable building to the main air handling unit but we do have the portable air conditioners in place. And I will say that, you know, this issue brought to light the fact there needs to be a little better communication. So I've reached out or I've had conversations with the president of the CSFTNO, the French language school board, and I've had conversations with the Minister of Infrastructure, and we are going to ensure that if there is an issue that the school board is encouraged to bring it forward. I want to hear from the president when there's these issues, and I told the department they need to have that discussion at the officials level as well because we don't want these to become longstanding issues; we want to get them fixed as soon as possible. I'm here to advocate for those education bodies and advocate for the students, and I need to know what's going on in order to do that. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when this portable was first put in place, I think it was supposed to be a threeyear fix. It's probably been ten years since it was actually, you know, installed. So, Mr. Speaker, when the portable was constructed, like I said it was a shortterm solution to address lack of space in the main building, is it the department's intent to look at an expansion of the main building to eliminate the requirement for the portable? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So currently there is nothing on the books to build a new permanent facility at Ecole Boreale. As the MLA, I advocated for, you know, that in the past, advocated for a gym, advocating for all of these issues as the Member is doing now. Unfortunately, there was a decision made, you know, 15 years ago that we are now dealing with. It would have been great if they had just built a permanent building at that point. But now we're at the point where we have many schools that are in need of repair. There's 49 schools in the territory, you know, over 50 years old some of them, in desperate need of repair, and so it's a very competitive environment. So there is nothing on the books. But I hear about those issues. I hear about the desire for a gym at Ecole Boreale. And I would love to give them one. I'd love to give a gym to Jean Marie River as well, to N'dilo, to Dettah to a number of different schools but the fact is it's tough to get together the money to serve all the needs in the territory. But I am going to work with the Minister of Infrastructure and with my department to determine what the needs are at Ecole Boreale and see what we can do in the future. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement I talked about transparency in infrastructure budgeting, and I want to use the Whati Transmission Line as an example.
The Whati Transmission Line has been debated for years in this House. It's clear that millions of dollars have been approved because it appears in the main estimates debates year after year. It's clear that millions of dollars have been spent because there's talk of geotechnical and reporting and a feasibility assessments being done. Some Members have oftrepeated that it would be cheaper to introduce three hydro projects as opposed to one transmission line, which is a statement you can't evaluate because there's no public figure telling you how much the transmission line actually costs.
So my question is, after years of talking publicly about this line and the different costs and weighing the benefits, can we finally have an estimated cost of the Whati Transmission Line? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Whati Transmission Line is a key initiative, and I'm going to keep saying this, under our 2030 Energy Strategy. This proposed project will occur 100 percent on Tlicho lands, and the GNWT and the Tlicho governments are committed to advancing this important project together.
The Department of Infrastructure and the Tlicho government recently began working together to be able to determine an acceptable routing corridor for the transmission line between the Snare Forks hydroelectricity facility and Whati. The tentative date for the completion of this part of the work is in fall of 2022. Once this routing corridor for the project is known, infrastructure and Tlicho will collaborate on preliminary engineering and design. This work will include internal preliminary capital costs estimates that reflects the design work and the routing corridor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, a "no" would have sufficed. I actually don't have any idea how much this project costs, and what we're talking about.
Can the Minister tell me how much money we've spent to date on this project and how much money this Assembly has approved? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will go back to the department and see how much of that was spent. We're so early in the stages of this project, we're still working with Tlicho. We haven't decided on a route. There's so many different factors that are involved. Without us knowing that, we don't know how much it's going to cost. Thank you.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I get that, you know, there's different classes of cost estimates and they have different specificity. You know, we know that the Fort Providence Transmission Line costs $60 million. The GNWT doesn't have that publicly anywhere but the federal government told us that when they gave us the money. So I'm just assuming we're in about the $60 million range of public money here. That's the assumption I operate on. But I would like to understand the reason when we pass money in this House for infrastructure projects we are not told the total cost publicly is that it would affect the tendering. And in this case, I want to know for a transmission line that is going to cost 10s of millions of dollars, and I think might even be a P3, whether there is in any actual real concern that the public figure of the total cost will affect tendering of this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, releasing internal construction costs estimates publicly before procurement has a strong potential to influence that process and could result in higher costs to the government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to point out that every single municipal project ever has the total public amount released before tendering because it's approved by council. I want to note that every time the federal government announces money, we have the total amount because they announced it. Did we get mad at the federal government when they told us how much the Fort Providence Transmission Line was going to cost, which has not yet been tendered?
Mr. Speaker, additionally, we don't give public estimates and we don't give business cases. I don't know if there's actually a business case for this transmission line. And so my question is, is there a business case and is that something that could be shared publicly before we spend or approve millions more of public money? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Whati project is not being developed using a traditional business case. This project is part of an initiative under our 2030 Energy Strategy, to use federal dollars earmarked to displace diesel in our remote communities.
Fortunately, typical maintenance costs for a 60kilometre transmission line are significantly less than the annual diesel fuel savings. That will result from converting the community of Whati from diesel to hydro power for the next 50 years.
As I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, in my response to the first question, this is an important investment that will reduce GHG emissions in the community and help stabilize the costs of energy going forward to the community of Whati. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of the Department of ENR.
Has the Minister's department completed the Hunters and Trappers Disasters Compensation Policy and when can we expect this policy publicly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I answer that, I'd like to thank both the MLAs from Yellowknife and the Speaker for keeping constant contact to me as we watched the river break up there. I mean, it was devastating. And my condolences to the residents that have been impacted.
Mr. Speaker, ENR is currently conducting review of the current Hunters and Trappers Disasters Compensation Policy, including program criteria, eligibility, and scope of operational guidelines. This review will build on past experiences, including recent flooding events in a number of communities across the Northwest Territories. The review is currently underway and will be shared publicly once updated. And I can guarantee the Regular Members will be getting that information as soon as it's ready to go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the Minister alluded a little bit of the changes but are you able to share what some of these significant changes that may be when this policy comes into effect? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the current review of the Hunters and Trappers Disaster Compensation Policy is being assessed all aspects of the program including eligibility, amount of compensation that will be available for harvesters. Any changes are intended to help people engage in traditional economy, support access to country food, and support people being on the land. ENR will engage with key partners before final changes are done. So the policy is open and we're trying to improve it globally. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister about past experiences.
So I mentioned in my statement that the Taltson River, when it flooded, a lot of the hunter and trapper cabins, there was increase in compensation during that flood to those hunters and trappers. So will my constituents now, and any other hunters and trappers impacted by floods, be eligible to the same compensation that was given to those in the Taltson River as it was referred to in some news articles, up to $40,000? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, and I thank the Member for this very important question. The Taltson River flooding event resulted in significant damages to cabins out there, and we viewed applications individually to look at how best to support the applicants. So there is an exception to it, in that process there. We will again review application on casebycase basis and suggest that affected hunters and trappers reach out to their local ENR office. Again, just so the impacted people out there, please reach out to our regional offices. We're willing to work with you and, again, there will be exceptions that we need to look at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that, Minister. As many people supplement their income by offsetting food costs now with harvesting fish, ducks, geese, moose, berries not everyone does this by selling furs or calculating how they're harvesting. So I think I heard in his statement in the review that some of this stuff would be added into the review. And they do this from their cabins out on the delta. So how does ENR or how will ENR, or is this going to be in the review, how they are measuring earning 25 percent and will they do will they ensure that there's a way to include this, measure this kind of offset? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for a great question.
ENR relies on hunters and trappers to provide evidence that 25 percent of their income comes from harvesting. At this point, no decision has been made on possible changes to eligible criteria under the new program but this aspect is under review. So we are working with impacted residents, hunters and trappers, as well as Indigenous governments to work on this, and committee. Hunters and trappers, again, can reach out to our local ENR office to get assistance to complete their applications. So we're there to help. And more than willing to work with the individuals but also the Members that have affected constituents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions.
Colleagues, before we continue, I'd like to welcome back our former Premier, Mr. Bob McLeod, and his wife Melody and the rest of his family. Welcome to the Chamber. Welcome back.
Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Housing. It just wouldn't be a normal session if I didn't ask for them to remove the community residency policy.
So, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of Housing remove the community residency policy? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now the Housing Corporation has taken direction into reviewing all policies within our department. Right now we are working with the Council of Leaders, which is a respected working arm for us throughout the territory. We had brought this to their table as well. I just want the Member to know that we are having those discussions, and we are going to be bringing that back to committee before the end of this government for committee to have their opportunity to make their suggestions and their comments on those changes to those policies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I fear that while the people of the Northwest Territories have waited four years for a homelessness strategy and no changes have happened that there are policies that can change in the meantime.
If the reason the Minister says that she needs to hold on to the policy is for fairness and housing can't be distributed fairly without this policy, then why hasn't the Minister updated the point rating system to ensure fairness when housing is distributed to residents? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for her question as well too.
Throughout my time holding the portfolio, I'm confidently wanting to say that I went to every region throughout the Northwest Territories, and I was able to speak with a number of the LHOs. I think the last number that I had was 20, and there's 23 throughout the Northwest Territories. So I had brought this up as well too, talking about the point rating system, and the LHOs didn't have too much comments to wanting to change the point rating system. And also I did speak about the residency requirements which where the LHOs do have a service agreement that is performed on behalf of Housing NWT.
The comments for that as well too is that they found that policy fair.
But I will bring that back to the LHOs. Housing NWT will be meeting with the local housing authorities regionally in the next coming months, and I will bring this back. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm kind of confused then. If Housing NWT has gone to LHOs and they have said that they don't want to change their policies but Housing is speaking with the Council of Leaders about changing policies, what power does Housing NWT have then over LHOs to change policies? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The policies are administered by Housing NWT. But I'm looking for fairness and consistency throughout the Northwest Territories and having the Council of Leaders at the table and having these discussions, looking at these policies, we have made great movement with them in talking with the federal government as well.
I did make an announcement this morning that I acknowledge what they had received throughout the territory, and I'm looking at this as a positive way to be doing and addressing housing in smaller communities as well.
And we are not waiting for the Council of Leaders to make the decision. We are looking for the recommendations and the comments from that table and the recommendations and comments from the local housing authorities. I would like to highlight their work and bring them to the table and update those service contracts as well too.
Mr. Speaker, there's a lot of work to be doing when I'm speaking about local housing authorities, and I respect the questions coming from the MLA because it really provides a lot of good feedback for us to be bringing that back. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister keeps speaking about fairness. But if a policy goes against the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the MMIWG, on the anniversary that it was tabled, if it goes against the TRC Calls to Action, then it's not fair; it's not a fair policy, and this is not a discussion about fairness. This is a discussion about Housing having a prioritization tool that doesn't work, and they won't change it. So at what point will Housing realize that this policy has unintended consequences and they need to step in and create policies that work? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And like I have said, we are right now, in the current time, we are reviewing those policies. As we speak, the department is working on them, and I am confident that we're going to be looking at future changes. And I know that you know, I've had the portfolio for three years. We are seeing significant changes throughout the Northwest Territories. And I know the Member's very passionate about this policy. She would like to see the changes made. The policy right now is out there for recommendations, for comments, and bringing that back. But I really want to stress to the Member that I did not hear any concerns from the local housing authorities when looking at the residency policy. But my commitment is to bring this back to those meetings that are happening and looking at further changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Finance about preparation of the 20232024 Operations Budget.
This Minister's carried out budget consultations each of the last three years, and I support that initiative. Can the Minister tell us whether there will be public budget consultations again this with year and whether there will be any serious discussion of the need for more revenues? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Finance.
