Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if this government build more houses in communities and met the basic human needs, this evaluation of the CYCC would not be needed.
I'm going to say these questions anyway even though the Minister's going to say that it's under evaluation. So, Mr. Speaker, we need to ensure that CYCC staff understand the unique culture of our communities so that students can trust them and use them. Can the Minister explain how the CYCC staff become integrated into the communities so that there is trust between them and our students? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to start by saying the CYCC program has a steering committee, and the Tlicho Community Services Agency sits on that steering committee. So it's not like there's a big huge gap between the Tlicho Community Services Agency and the program itself.
That said, there is antiracism and cultural safety training offered, 14 different sessions between February of this year and March of next year. Of course, the Living Well Together curriculum is mandatory for all GNWT staff. So there are several important ways that we impress on new hires the importance of cultural safety and antiracism.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, drug addiction, especially crack cocaine, is a major issue in my region. And even now with the allseason road open to Whati, they are seeing the impact, the social problems. So can the Minister explain what is being done to educate students on the negative impacts of using drugs and how we can make sure the CYCC staff can direct students to the supports they need to avoid or overcome addictions? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the CYCCs are available to talk about a broad range of issues that youth encounter, whether that is drug use and abuse, family violence, negative social interactions, and so on. They are there to support the students and talk to them about the issues that are of concern to them, and that would include drug use. So we have various media campaigns that dissuade or attempt to dissuade people from using drugs, and those would be available to the people in the Tlicho region as they are every other part of the NWT. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we need to ensure the Indigenous government are working with the schools and the Government of the Northwest Territories to make CYCC positions as effective as possible. How is the Government of the Northwest Territories working with the Tlicho government and other Indigenous government to share best practices and information on supporting students in being drug free and directing them to support where they are available? Thank you.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, the CYCC program has a steering committee that includes all of the health authorities, including the Tlicho Community Services Agency. So I certainly think that there would be a possibility for the Tlicho Community Services Agency to raise issues in that forum. There's also a board of the TCSA who could be involved in this area of advocating for services for its students. So I think there are a number of ways.
There are big ways too, like the bilaterals, which I attend and answer questions directly to the Tlicho government. There's the NWT Council of Leaders. So I have to say that the CYCC program issues seem to resonate most in the Tlicho region. I'm aware of that. The evaluation is underway. It's being expedited so that changes are going to be in place for the next school year, in the fall of this year. So we are trying to take into account people's concerns and to address them. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.
Okay, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since this program is, you know, going under review, I would like to ask the Minister what is the new equivalency going to be of the program once the review is completed? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I missed a word in the Member's question, but I think she wants to know what's going to happen after the evaluation of the program is finished.
We can't know that at this point. We need to collect more information from the people who use the program, teachers, parents, students, community members, and we need to hear what the strengths are in the program, what the issues are, and what ideas, hopefully, they have to address those issues. So once that work is complete, we'll have a better idea of the future of it. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about NTPC. I want to take about aging infrastructure that NTPC has. I want to talk about frequent power outages. And I want to talk about temporary backup power. But my questions aren't for the Minister of NTPC; it's for the Minister of housing.
Mr. Speaker, during an extended power outage, what backup power is available to housing units owned by Housing NWT? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd have to get back to the Member. I don't I'm not familiar if we do have backup generators for when the power goes out in our smaller communities. I'd have to get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Power outages during the winter months can result in considerable damage to equipment I mean to the house, to the appliances in there as well, and also, you know, it's hard on the people who may have to be stuck in a cold house for an extended period of time. So has the department considered this a potential issue, or has it been a potential issue in the smaller communities further north?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since I've had the portfolio, I haven't been asked this question. I don't know if it's an issue in our smaller communities, but I can get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This question, I know, the Minister will be able to answer because we just had a chat about it yesterday.
Is the Minister willing to have the department cost out an upgrade to electrical panels in existing units that would allow for use of small generators to power the houses during an outage? So it's a matter of flipping a switch and plugging in our little Honda generator or whatever you have. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am always looking for innovative ideas on how further look at cost savings, energy savings throughout the territory. And the Member is correct, I'm interested in looking at this further, so I'd like to bring this back to the department as well and looking at those emergency circumstances when it comes to power outages as well. We do live in such a harsh climate as well and looking at the harsh weather conditions in the winter as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And would the Minister consider having her department look at actually building, you know, that right into the new units that are that will be coming on stream or going forward? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will bring this back to the department as I'm quite interested in looking at emergency responses when we're looking at power outages in smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was asking I know they do the evaluation for a reason. There's a reason behind it, because the program is not working in many of our communities. But even like my colleague from Thebacha mentioned, that a lot of people lost their job as a result of the new of the equivalencies. So I'm just asking the Minister that once the evaluation is completed, what kind of options are they looking for in this for this, part of the equivalency like, what kind of options are they looking for within this for this CYCC positions, like, once it's completed? Like, what kind of options. Like, right now the barrier is the master's degree so I'm just checking asking about the equivalency of the positions. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Okay, first of all, this program is being evaluated because it was first introduced in 2018 and the rollout finished last year so it's time now to revisit its strengths and areas that require improvement. That's the reason that it's being evaluated.
What we committed to doing was changing things leading into the next school year as we found issues and ways to address them. So, for example, there's long been discussion about the threshold of education for the CYCCs being too high and excluding people who may have good cultural connections but not the same level of education required. So a second job description has been drafted to allow regional mental health teams more flexibility in capturing a wider variety of counselling candidates to fill those roles in schools. So in plain language, what that means is the master's degree is no longer the only qualification or the most important qualification for filling those jobs. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question 5819(2) asked by the Member for Monfwi on February 14th, 2023, to the Minister of Infrastructure, regarding Frank Channel Bridge Replacement.
Mr. Speaker, since the original 2021 application to the National Trade Corridors Fund, project costs for the Dehk'e Frank Channel Bridge have increased due to a variety of external factors. This experience is not unique to this project or to the Northwest Territories. All jurisdictions in Canada are experiencing inflated commodity costs, supply chain shortages and increased labour costs, which are impacting infrastructure projects.
Regarding the Dehk'e Frank Channel Bridge, the Department of Infrastructure received an initial cost estimate from the TlichoKiewit general partnership and also solicited an independent third-party cost estimate. Both estimates indicated the previously announced $50 million contribution agreement was not enough to deliver the project.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Northwest Territories has requested a topup to the funding agreement with Canada that, if approved, would increase the total contribution agreement to $70 million. The project will be advancing to procurement stage and therefore the detail breakdown cannot be shared.
In 2021, the Government of Northwest Territories and Infrastructure Canada announced $50 million in funding for the replacement of the Dehk'e Frank Channel Bridge under the National Trade Corridors Fund. This would be cost shared, with Canada contributing 75 percent and our government contributing 25 percent.
It is important to note that total project costs include more than construction costs. Other costs relate to engineering work, design, consultants, project management, environmental permitting and monitoring, and contingency funding.
Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table two documents to answer the Member’s question: the 2021 Frank Channel Bridge Inspection Report and Inspection Form.
The Inspection Report finds that no major repairs are immediately recommended for the bridge. It did recommend that the potholes in the deck be repaired. These potholes were subsequently repaired by the department.
The report also recommends that repairs be done to the existing bridge if the new bridge is not constructed within five years, including:
Rehabilitating the deck;
A routing inspection;
Repainting several bridge elements;
Replacing the bearings on pier 2; and,
Repairing concrete on several bridge elements.
Department of Infrastructure staff inspect the bridge on a regular basis. Minor and preventative maintenance of the existing bridge will continue, as required. The structure also undergoes an intensive inspection every three years. The last intensive inspection was performed in July 2021.
Appreciating the Member for Monfwi's concerns about community safety, we welcome her to attend an upcoming inspection of the bridge. My office will reach out to her, as well as to community leadership, about accompanying departmental staff and myself on a routine bridge inspection this upcoming summer.
If future inspections determine additional interventions are required to prolong the lifespan of the current structure until the new Dehk'e Frank Channel Bridge is built, mitigations could include reducing the bridge to single lane with alternating traffic, reducing the maximum weight of vehicles crossing the bridge, or a combination of both.
Please note that the current bridge crossing speed is already reduced to 40 kilometres per hour, which was the first step to reduce impact and prolong the lifespan of this critical piece of infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Bridge Inspection Form Frank Channel Bridge, July 2021; and, Stantec Consulting Ltd. 2021 Frank Channel Bridge Inspection Report dated February 12, 2022. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Madam Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: The Plain Language Summary for Bill 72: Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: What We Heard: A Forest Act for the NWT, February 2023. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I wish to table the following document: A letter from Alternatives North regarding comments on Forest Act Summary of Policy Intentions dated January 26th, 2022. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 9th, 2023, I will move the following motion:
Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that the Legislative Assembly recommend that the Government of the Northwest Territories update the Northwest Territories Residential Tenancies Act to include maximum allowable rent adjustments which are no more than the fiveyear average of the Canada Consumer Price Index;
And further, the government include in the Northwest Territories Residential Tenancies Act that increases to rent above the fiveyear average of the Canada Consumer Price Index can be applied for by private landlords to the NWT rental officer;
And further, the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Notices of motion. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 9th, 2023, I will move the following motion:
I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that when this House adjourns on Thursday, March 9th, 2023, it shall be adjourned until Monday, March 27th, 2023;
And furthermore, that at any time prior to March 27th, 2023, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, or at a time later than the scheduled resumption of the House, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as if it had been duly adjourned to that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
