Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the Member is correct. We have a working group with NWTAC members and LGANT members sorry, I shouldn't say the acronyms. Local government administrators. So they're working with that. So we were hoping to have it done by the end of this fiscal year. Unfortunately, we've had a couple hiccups so it will be done sometime in June, which means our contribution agreements, which we are signing with our community governments, will be signed using this year's numbers but with the new ones, then we're communicating that with the communities as well, that when we come up with the new numbers it may we will have the new contribution agreement in place. Some will see increases and some may see decreases as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, NWT Association of Community expects communities to take a financial hit from the increase in carbon tax. Our counterparts in the Yukon take the carbon tax into account for community funding. They've estimated that community governments pay 3.5 percent of the tax which is then returned to them in rebates. If we return 3.5 percent of our carbon tax revenues to community governments, they would receive over $2 million in 20232024. So will the Minister consider including carbon tax offset in the municipal funding formula? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the new policies will consider to account for the cost changes in utility prices, not just the carbon tax. The water and sewer funding policy already uses actual power in heating fuel rates in the communities when we do its calculations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while many of our communities are underfunded, the GNWT is projecting an operating surplus for the next year of $178 million as we heard last week in the Budget Address from the Minister of Finance. So will the GNWT share some of its operating surplus for 20232024 to actually reduce the municipal funding gap in the life of this Assembly? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our budgets are out there right now. However, as I had the conversation with the Member and as the process and I have to give credit to the finance minister. She's more than willing to have these conversations on how we can work together and how we negotiate so part of the ask can be from committee to see if we can see that. But right now I can tell you we have our budgets in place right now, and this is how we're moving forward on it. But if the negotiation process comes up with the money, then we're more than willing to help the communities out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the mission of Housing NWT is to, quote, "increase the wellbeing of individuals and communities by providing fair access to quality housing support for people most in need," end quote.
Mr. Speaker, it certainly doesn't feel that the Tlicho communities have fair access to quality housing support. Can the Minister commit to improving the delivery of housing programs and services in the Tlicho region? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for her question. Housing support in the smaller communities is a priority and also working with the strategic renewal that we have put together. I addressed that very passionately in trying to make the changes here within the Northwest Territories. To date, the government in the last ten years has invested $32.4 million into the Tlicho region, and we're looking at a current year delivery summary of $13.4 million to complete ten new public housing units, repairing our 25 public housing units, $1.6 million towards homeownership repair and private homeowner repair as well. And we're projecting a 20232024 delivery of $7.2 million into the Tlicho. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this House, we heard so many times about strategic renewal and with the housing itself as you know, with the housing itself. It seems like we've been hearing about it all the time with no actions.
So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit to decentralizing programs and services from Yellowknife to the Tlicho region? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question as well too. I knew that I would get some questions on our strategic renewal. But it's a driving document for change for the way that housing actually works with our communities and also driving the change in relationship with the federal government as well.
I just wanted to just to let the Member know that the Tlicho government had established a housing action plan that identifies eight key areas that the GNWT has been working with the region. They're looking at bringing in a total of 60 new units by 2023, lot development design, development of Tlicho design housing solutions, establishing of Tlicho housing and infrastructure department, implementation of Tlicho governmentHousing NWT MOU, development of Tlicho housing and maintenance programming, completion of Tlicho home assessments, and also increasing trades and apprenticeship strategy for the Tlicho government.
And, Mr. Speaker, I just want to emphasize that this is in result of working in partnership with the Indigenous governments, also recognizing the Tlicho region as a settled land claim and a selfgoverning Indigenous government area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since Tlicho government is doing a lot better than the Housing NWT for program and services so therefore, I appreciate she acknowledged that.
Can the Minister commit to improving regional decisionmaking authority for housing in the Tlicho? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. But I want to clarify that this working relationship is established by an MOU that was signed in May of this year, and it emphasizes on our commitment and our working relationship to develop those partnerships with Indigenous governments. This collaboration was created together with the Tlicho government and the GNWT, and they did identify establishing a housing infrastructure department in result of this working relationship that we're developing. 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 transportation or Infrastructure I guess I should say. It's not the first time, but I've asked this House right from the start, about what's being done on the Dempster Highway and how and the Minister before has said that they're going to try to do a joint application with Yukon. This Minister now has said the same thing. So I just want to ask the Minister where are we with this joint application? What's being done because the highway is not just in the summer or in the spring, it's even horrible in the winter now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the last sitting the Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes asked me if I would commit to meet with the Yukon government, the Minister of transportation. And I did. And we had a very good discussion in terms of working together in partnership on the Dempster Highway. I understand there's some very rough spots. My discussions with the Minister were very favourable. So, yes, we are working together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And that's great to hear. So if you're working together, what are we working together to do? Are we working together to ask for a joint submission to the federal government to fix the road, our goat trail to the Yukon, or are we going to just repair certain areas? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, the Dempster Highway's been, you know, around for a number of years and, you know, it does need work. We hear comments about driving on the Northwest Territories side and the road is pretty good. And, you know, you get past the border and it is difficult. You mean, you know it's a conversation that we need to not only at a ministerial level but at deputy minister and ADM level as well, to work with the Yukon government. So what I've meeting with the minister of transportation in the Yukon, he has agreed to drive the Dempster Highway. He hasn't driven that road in a while. And I will continue to keep asking him to come up with some dates and times so that we could make this drive work and, you know, just having a look at other opportunities to get some of his staff on there. And also, I'm just looking at Premier here, we've got an invitation from the Yukon Premier to drive the Dempster Highway with me. So I'm very excited of that. He understands that there's issues happening on the Dempster Highway that we need to address. There are a number of things. There's the bridge. There's the widening. There's the embankment, there's the drains the list can go on. I'll use up my one minute of time if I want but I'm not. Anyways, there is a lot work, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to finish off, I just more of a comment. Thank you, and I look forward to the whatever the Premiers have to say after they get to travel that road. And hopefully they travel it winter and summer. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Taken as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs in regards to the sport physical activity and recreation framework and thank you to the Member for Nunakput for also raising this today.
Mr. Speaker, my first question is MACA's 20222023 business plan reports that the SPAR, or Sport Physical Activity and Recreation Framework, would be finalized in 20222023 and implemented in 20232024. At this point in time, I'm not aware that MACA has, in fact, released this SPAR framework. So can the Minister clarify by what date we can expect to see the SPAR framework finalized and implemented, and will we see it in the life of the 19th Assembly? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for MACA.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member's correct that MACA is currently doing engagement and has met or is planning to meet with sport and recreation organizations, Indigenous governments, NGOs working with underserved populations, community coaches, and territorial sport organizations. After engagement, the department will publish a “what we heard” report by June 2023 follows the release of the SPAR framework. If the engagement work advances positively, my intent is to approve the new SPAR framework this Assembly, but it will depend on what we've heard or what we've heard through the engagement and how much is required to address this engagement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, work on the SPAR framework has been significantly delayed. The RFP to develop a framework went out originally in August of 2018. A $60,000 contract was awarded in September 2018 but then, according to the business plan, in 2020 MACA became aware of concerns that the framework didn't adequately address recommendations 87 to 91 of the TRC's final report. Those calls to action include ensuring sports policies are linked to health and wellbeing, providing stable funding for and access to community support programs.
So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide more details on why the GNWT procured a SPAR framework that didn't account for the calls to action, and can he confirm that the updated SPAR framework, when it arrives, will actually reflect these calls to action properly? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so when we brought it in 2023 [sic] prior to the pandemic, the one thing we noticed it did not identify the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action, specifically recommendations 87 to 91. So MACA has taken this feedback and included this work we are now undertaking now to update the SPAR framework. My expectation is that specific actions will be included in the final SPAR framework. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very appreciative that the GNWT has a contracts website where we can easily see and kind of keep tabs on what's going on with certain contracts within the GNWT because it now appears that a new tender for the SPAR framework opened and closed in June of 2022, then it changed from closed to cancelled in September of 2022. I'm troubled by this because, luckily, I'm hearing from the Minister that this is supposed to be done, but this is really important work that's being done here. For example, when the Standing Committee on Social Development put forward their review of the Child and Family Services Act in the March 2022 sitting, one of our recommendations actually called on the government to create more activities for family and youth across the territory. This is something we've heard time and time again in all of our community engagement from the Standing Committee on Social Development. And when we received a response from the government, it actually hinged on sorry, Mr. Speaker. The recommendation actually hinged on the finalization of this SPAR framework. And so it is so important, not only to this House but to the people of the Northwest Territories.
So can the Minister please just confirm why the tender was cancelled and generally tell this House how MACA ensures that this work is going to be done? This work needs to be done. This work is important to the people that we all serve. Thank you.
Minister responsible for MACA.
I would get her to write my Minister's statement because that's exactly how I feel about this.
Mr. Speaker, what happened is we went out. Nobody bid on the contract. Nobody did. So we had to cancel it because there was nobody interested. Fortunately I can say that we have somebody that's interested or a company that's interested. We're very happy with the people that are doing it. They already started the work. So we're hoping it's going to be successful and we're hoping that it like I said this year, hopefully, be able to get this SPAR framework done and ready to go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: 20212022 Public Accounts, Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. Committee wishes to deal with Tabled Document 81319(2), 20232024 Main Estimates, Housing NWT. Mahsi.
Thank you. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with the first item.
---SHORT RECESS
I now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we've agreed to consider Tabled Document 81319(2), 20232024 Main Estimates. We will now consider the estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Please note we consider the main estimates. I will be referring while we will be considering the main estimates, I will be referring to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation rather than Housing Northwest Territories as the name has not been legally changed.
Also, please remember that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is included in the main estimates as an information item and the totals are not voteable. We will review these estimates as we will for all other departments; however, we will not vote on the totals.
If Members have comments or questions, they can be raised at the appropriate time. Does the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation have any opening remarks?
Yes, I do, Madam Chair.
Go ahead.
I am here to present the 20232024 Main Estimates for Housing NWT. Overall, the corporation's estimates propose an increase of $12.97 million over the 20222023 Main Estimates. These estimates support the mandate objectives for Housing NWT while continuing to meet the GNWT's fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.
Highlights of these proposed main estimates include the following:
$4 million ongoing allocation from the Government of the Northwest Territories to increase funding for Housing NWT's homeownership programs for private households and provide incremental operating funding to support the delivery of 100 new public housing units for the territory;
$121,000 of ongoing forced growth funding from the Government of the Northwest Territories. This includes a $82,000 increase in funding for inflationary increases on contributions with local housing organizations and a $39,000 increase in funding for inflationary increases on contributions with thirdparty affordable housing providers being funded under the social housing agreement;
$3.1 million onetime internally funded allocation for forced growth requirements related to utility rate increases;
$3 million onetime initiative funding allocation for priority minor repairs for public housing units and replacement of public housing fuel tanks with federal funding support;
$1.25 million of onetime initiative funding for additional investment in the community housing support initiative program with federal funding support;
$500,000 of onetime Initiative funding to deliver additional maintenance management and accounting systems training for local housing organizations with federal funding support; and,
An additional $900,000 increase to the annual amortization expense budget to recognize additional new housing assets being brought into service.
These estimates continue to support the priority of the 19th Legislative Assembly and a vision of Budget 2023 by:
Fostering strategic partnership, including those with federal and Indigenous governments, to increase the number of affordable homes and reduce core housing needs, especially for seniors and vulnerable persons;
Reduce the cost of power by investing in energy efficient solutions for both new construction and repairs; and,
Delivering increased opportunities for homeownership.
This concludes my opening remarks, Madam Chair. Mahsi.
Thank you, Minister. Do you wish to bring witnesses into the House?
Yes, I do. Thank you.
Thank you. Sergeantatarms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Minister, could you please introduce your witnesses.
