Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to the CERB payments, I do know that the Member had asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about what we could do here. I don't know if it's just looking at the CERB payments when I lobby the federal government. What I've been lobbying the federal government is, even before COVID, is that our costs are high. The Speaker really outlined that yesterday in the House. I've asked to get a copy of his notes, actually, so I could use some of the statistics when I go to Ottawa. It's important that the federal government realize that the Northwest Territories is not like the south. We have huge problems in the North. We don't have the transportation, access that people have, our cost of living, our food is expensive. I hear that. So I'm trying to lobby the federal government for more than just to alleviate the CERB payments. I'm trying to lobby the federal government so all residents of the Northwest Territories will benefit and that we will have a sustainable cost of living. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, Mr. Speaker, we're in a tough situation right now across our territory. We got people going without. Our government could make a difference today. Our Premier could make a difference today and stand up for our people and stop penalizing them with a stroke of a pen.
Would the Minister or the Premier of the Northwest Territories stop recovering for CERB, recovery from Canada Recovery Caregiving monies that was given. And the people that took it just called in. They weren't given a T4 or given a receipt upon, and they did not some of them people that did not know that they had to claim it in. They should have known, but they didn't.
Would the Minister or would the Premier do what's right for the people in the small communities that are being penalized, that are going without and going without food and having to make those tough choices, would the Premier stand up and make that change? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do know that the I was just talking to the Minister of housing, that the CERB payments aren't being deducted from the housing payments. We're trying to do what we can. I'll have a discussion with ECE to see what the issues are. However, I do want to say that the federal budget just came out yesterday and I spent my lunch hour this afternoon talking to Minister Vandal who is coming here tomorrow, and we'll have more conversations with Minister Vandal. We talked about what's in the budget. There's supposed to be increases for the Northwest Territories around health funding, around housing funding, and around food security. So, you know, these are the issues that I hear the Member speak of often from his communities and other Members as well. So I'm pressuring the federal government to find out what exactly the new budget allocations are for, how much we can get for the Northwest Territories. And things that around in the budget I will be pressing for, lobbying for, because like I said many times, it's important that the federal government realize that we struggle in the Northwest Territories. We're not the same as the south. And so it's important that they realize; it's important that they recognize the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework and that they support us as appropriate. We're Canadian citizens. I'm glad we have some leaders here today, not only as do we lobby from the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Council of Leaders has met with Minister Vandal as well and told him the priorities of the North. So all of us, as leaders across the territories, are lobbying to try to get the supports from the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd love to meet Minister Vandal.
Yeah, the Regular MLAs.
In regards to what's happening up here, in regards to letting him know how our liberal government's shortchanging our their own people. We're being penalized because where we live. High cost of living, all the stresses put on the family on trying to make ends meet, and it's not working anymore. Before they did. Income support gives enough for the first two weeks. It used to be three weeks now it's down to two, Mr. Speaker. You know it as well as I do. We all do in our small communities. People need help. I need my Premier to tell Minister Vandal, you know, to stop this recovery in regards to that. Stop it right across. It was two years ago. But yet that liberal government gives money to everywhere else but here. Minister's got to stand up and make a stand for the people of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Any time I meet with any federal minister, including the prime minister, I stand up for the people of the Northwest Territories otherwise I have no reason to be there, Mr. Speaker. In honesty, though, I will bring it up to Minister Vandal again. I had spoken to him this afternoon at lunch time, spoke to him about our needs, and I will continue to speak to him about your needs. I'll talk to him about some of the problems that we have with CERB as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Premier consider in regards to stepping in on stop penalizing for those two for the CERB and the Canada recovery benefits, would the Premier step in and stop all penalizations in regards to people that are on income support and unable to help themselves because there's no employment in the Northwest Territories, and especially my riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stated earlier I will follow up with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and actually all of Cabinet will have the discussions and see what we can do. We're not trying to penalize people. We're trying to support people. And that's why the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment said, yes, there's issues but we've increased this Cabinet, the first time in many, many years that we've actually increased the payments for income support people because we recognize the high cost. So I will follow up and see what we can do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I've been an MLA in this Assembly for seven years. I've never had an opportunity to meet with a federal minister. I'm glad that the Premier's doing that tomorrow. Why doesn't the Premier invite the Minister to meet with any of the Regular MLAs? It's never happened. So will the Minister commit to see if she can get a meeting for us as Regular MLAs with one at least one federal minister before I finish. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Order. Oral questions. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In honesty it's hard to get a meeting with any Minister, especially the prime minister. Often, we get half an hour. We're very focused. We got to get we tell them what our agenda is, etcetera. It's not my understanding when I talked to my staff before about having Regular Members there, it's never been done in other jurisdictions. It's not something that's normal, that happens. However, I will like to say that Minister Vandal is coming here tomorrow, and I am assuming, if things go right, that he'll be a visitor in our gallery. So I can't guarantee that I'll get a personal meeting for the Regular Member, but the stairs there's one set of stairs, unless they go through the back so I'd recommend that run out and shake hands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I remember going to Ottawa one time with Bill Erasmus as the national chief of the Dene Nation at the time. We actually went into the House of Commons. We actually stood by stairs, you know, as they're coming down, and we actually did meet with a federal minister in the lobby. But we shouldn't have to do that in this building. Yeah, we do things differently. That's because we're a consensus government, Mr. Speaker. So I want this Premier to actually commit to raise this issue with the Minister while he's here that he should actually start to meet with some of us as Regular MLAs because that's how we do business as consensus government. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely we are a consensus government, and everyone has role and responsibilities within this government. Like I say, I struggle to get meetings with federal ministers. My time is short. If anything, I'm trying to get meetings with the Indigenous governments with federal ministers. However, I would like to put it back, Mr. Speaker, and say that the chair of AOC should send a letter to the Minister and invite him to meet with the committee in the spirit of consensus government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. No, that's a great idea. And I'll be happy to discuss that with my colleagues on this side of the House. But, you know, yesterday in the context of the government response on Bill 60, you know, we asked the House asked the Premier to actually write a letter to the Prime Minister of Canada on the lack of energy options here in the Northwest Territories. And their side would refuse to do that, to actually send a letter to the prime minister on our behalf after a motion in the House. So I don't think I have a lot of confidence anyways, what I want to do is get the Minister the Premier to commit that she will actually raise this with the Minister tomorrow that on this visit, maybe the next time he's here, that he should actually take the time to meet with this side of the House. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think what I'll do is, again, I'm going to put it back, I'm going to say that the chair of AOC should write a letter to the any Minister that they want to invite in the spirit of consensus government. But I will make a commitment because I do want to give him a yes. And I will commit to bringing up the carbon tax concerns that we have to the Minister to the appropriate Minister. Although like I've said many times, my knowledge is that when we speak about the federal government, they are listening. So they're already hearing that. But I will raise the concerns of the carbon tax and the impacts to the people of the Northwest Territories because it's a federal tax. We have the choice to do it within the territories, but it's going to happen anyway. So I will bring it up because it's part of what I always say about the high cost of living, no jobs, no transportation, the reliance that we have. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Final short supplementary.
I'm just going to ask the Premier to add one more thing to that list when she's meeting with the Minister tomorrow, that this trip, next trip, would the Minister please meet with some of the Regular MLAs. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that the Speaker this morning started with that get in order but I'm feeling generous today, so I'm kind of feeling a little bit generous today. I already committed that I'd bring up the carbon tax as an issue. I will tell the Minister that the Regular Members would love to meet him. But I'd like to get confirmation, perhaps in another time because we're at the end of oral questions, that the chair of AOC would also write to the Minister because I think it would help if there was both of us doing that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Colleagues, order.
Colleagues, our time for oral questions has expired. Written questions. Madam Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.
Thank you, Madam Premier. The Premier is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Madam Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have quite a gathering here today in the gallery. We have a lot of Indigenous leaders and some of their officials because we're doing the first reading of bills on the United Nation of Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, the Implementation Act. So they're here for that.
Just telling committee, there will also be, during the break of Committee of the Whole, we'll be having a small reception with the media. People are welcome to attend.
But the visitors here are excuse me, if I say these wrong
Ayoni Keh Land Corporation and SSI Incorporated board member, president Joseph Kochon.
And SSI manager of intergovernmental relations, Valerie Gordon, who I also believe is a Range Lake constituent.
Danny Gaudet from the Deline Got'ine government.
Leonard Kenny from the Deline Got'ine government.
Vicepresident Paul Herrington from the Northwest Territories Metis Nation; and
Ayoni Keh Land Corporation and Behdzi Ahda' First Nation governance advisor Stephanie Irlbacher Fox.
And my own team, that small team that worked on the United Nations Declaration from Executive and Indigenous Affairs:
Ms. Shawn McCann, the Indigenous and intergovernmental affairs deputy secretary. I'll read them all off:
Anne Marie Grueben, the manager of Indigenous affairs, and
Isabelle Gauthier, the intergovernmental analyst.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I as well want to recognize the Sahtu leadership as well, Ayoni Keh president Joseph Kochon. Also Danny Gaudet, Leonard Kenny of Deline Got'ine government. And also I'd like to recognize Ms. Valerie Gordon who is an intergovernmental relations lands resources manager with Sahtu Secretariat. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Sahtu. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize one of the new Aurora College board members Stephanie Irlbacher Fox. Thank you for joining us. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to Written Question number 6419(2) asked by the Member for Kam Lake on March 8th, 2023, regarding the Housing NWT Funding Formula for Local Housing Organizations.
Based on the Housing NWT formula, what amount should each LHO be. Funded to deliver public housing?
Local housing organizations, operating as agents of Housing NWT, are funded for the administration of public and affordable housing rental units. Under their Service Agreement with Housing NWT, local housing organizations are funded to provide property management services including the allocation of units, the assessment of rent, the collection of rents, and the provision of preventative and demand maintenance services.
Local housing organization base funding is based on the number of units in the Local Housing organization's portfolio. The funding local housing organizations receive covers their core operating requirements for management and administration staff, maintenance staff, materials and supplies, contractor’s services, costs associated with vehicles and equipment, board of director fees, and other administrative costs. Members should note that this does not reflect all costs to deliver the public housing program.
In 2014, the then NWT Housing Corporation, implemented changes to the funding formula to remove some of the less predictable costs from the LHO funding and pay them directly through Housing NWT. The costs included in the base funding are the items that are generally predictable.
The significant costs involved in operating the housing units themselves is now being paid directly by Housing NWT, including utility costs, land leases and property taxes, totalling over $31 million annually. By making that change LHO's were not put in a position where they were making staffing, or maintenance cutbacks because utility costs had increased significantly. Housing NWT pays all of these costs directly on behalf of all of our LHO’s and public housing clients.
Housing NWT continues to closely monitor each Local Housing organization's funding including the need for inflationary operation and maintenance cost increases.
Question 2: What amount is each LHO funded?
Local housing organizations receive an annual base funding allocation of approximately $21 million. Later today I will table a detailed breakdown of this base funding allocation by LHO. LHO’s are allocated staff positions based on the number of units under administration. The funding for compensation and benefits are based on equivalent GNWT positions adjusted to reflect community differences in cost of living based on the GNWT northern allowance rates. Funding for materials, supplies and contract services is allocated by the number of units under administration.
Funding for staff compensation is primarily increased through FMB approved collective agreement increases. Funding for materials, supplies and contract services are primarily increased through FMB forced growth submissions and by using Housing NWT internal resources. Overall, local housing organizations base funding has increased 6.4 percent in 20232024 compared to 20212022.
In addition to base funding for administrative and maintenance activities, Housing NWT provides over $1.1 million annually to support the hiring of local housing organization apprentices and for local housing organizations to attend workshops and training opportunities throughout the year. Housing NWT also funds extraordinary funding requests as needed outside the base funding formula, such as expenses related to tenant damages, security related costs and legal fees. This past year, Housing NWT has paid over $700,000 in extra unforeseen costs for local housing organizations.
How does Housing NWT intend fund this gap given LHOs cannot source third party funding or funding from financial institutions?
Through the base funding formula, and additional funding provided by Housing NWT, local housing organizations are currently funded at appropriate levels to deliver their core services. It is also important to point out that as per the March 31, 2022, audited financial statements, local housing organizations reported net financial assets surplus of over $5 million. Most local housing organizations maintain solid cash positions and some of them are able to have shortterm investments. Housing NWT allows each local housing organization to retain accumulated surplus to maintain working capital and manage any immediate cash requirements. Where service gaps exist, Housing NWT reviews each gap on a casebycase basis and strategically positions additional support as required.
As part of our renewal strategy, Housing NWT conducted extensive engagements with many local housing organizations. This process provided valuable perspectives and information for consideration as Housing NWT reviews and updates our policies and procedures, including the local housing organization funding formula.
Will the Minister ensure that the Corporation’s full list of assets by community, their condition, and required asset maintenance costs be included in Housing NWT's Annual Reports, including the upcoming 202223 Annual Report?
Per recommendations of the Auditor General, Housing NWT instituted an internal unit condition inspection and reporting process. This internal assessment process is critical to prioritizing maintenance and repair activities within Housing NWT assets.
We support and agree that Housing NWT should find an appropriate means to provide public reporting on our assets and are looking to find the best way to do this. One of the recommended outcomes identified in Housing NWT's renewal strategy is an enhanced asset management plan. As Housing NWT develops this plan, we will look for opportunities to develop more comprehensive public facing reporting, potentially through a dashboard solution. We believe that a public dashboard approach, will offer a better public reporting solution than an appendix to the Annual Report listing 2600 public housing units with unitbyunit detail. We look forward to developing our asset management plan beginning in 20232024.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 77, Nursing Profession Act; Alcohol Strategy for the Northwest Territories Final Report March 2023; and, Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act, Three-Year Report 2023. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Plain Language Summary for Bill 78, Waste Reduction and Resource Recovery Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Justice.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Plain Language Summary for Bill 79, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
