Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess there's no wonder why I had the record questions asked a couple Assemblies ago. Enthusiasm.
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, I'm getting numerous emails and calls regarding the evacuation travel support program and the fact that people have applied two, three, four months ago and still haven't received payments. I'd like to hear how the Minister is tracking these lack of payments; in other words, does she know who's applying for this program, and can she explain why so many people are waiting so long for their actual $750 payment? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure which question to start with. I wasn't expecting them today. I am receiving quite a number of inquiries, and we are working through each one with respect to this program. This was a program that we started up quite at the last minute in the midst of the evacuations. And building on the last exchange that the Premier just spoke to, we were faced with an unprecedented situation and we're doing our best to try to create a program to support individual residents in the midst of our own staff having been evacuated in most cases.
So I am aware that there's quite a number of payments that have been missed. Sometimes we receive bank information that is incorrect. It gets inputted incorrectly. In other cases, I know payments have been sent out only to then be returned. Whether that's returned by a bank or returned through cheque or through mail. A lot of the requests that come through my office, Mr. Speaker, as I said, a number of different reasons for the delay. So right now we are trying to work through each one. I do encourage people to continue to use the online information about making inquiries or to certainly send their inquiry through their MLA. As I said, I know that when they come to me, they do get it rectified in general. It shouldn't be taking this long. I hope it doesn't. But we also very importantly are looking to change the system and the process so that if people are faced with a similar situation this summer, they won't be facing similar delays. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wasn't quite clear, and maybe no one else was, is how are they actually tracking these particular things, because Yellowknife Centre can't be the only riding who gets these questions from constituents, and I'm seeing nods here. So, Mr. Speaker, does the Minister track these things, and how are they monitored to make sure that they close the loop on these applications? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. I think there was two questions in there, so two but I will turn to the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I suppose if I'm not clear it's because the question is not clear what is being asked about the tracking. Every application that is sent to the department is logged, and every inquiry that is being sent in with respect to say that there's been an issue, that one, they are also being monitored. And to the best of my knowledge in terms of the tracking, most of those that have applied and have been processed are, indeed, paid and have been paid. So there's been some late payments. But, I mean, as far as someone saying that they made an application and haven't, again, I'm not because I'm not sure what it is I'm going asked to track. We tracked all the applications. We're tracking and they're at the process when they're being approved. And then we are watching and monitoring when an inquiry comes in to see that it does get resolved. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And by the way, I apologize, earlier I just restated the question, so it might have sounded like two. Mr. Speaker, my question the Minister says they track them, so then why do we have the department saying that they've issued payments when they haven't if they're tracking them?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, again, Mr. Speaker, some people are finding that if they've sent incorrect banking information or if the banking information has been sent or has been inputted incorrectly as I've noted, so there may be a time where a payment doesn't get issued or that it's been delayed, so again, yes, in those instances, someone wouldn't receive a payment. They then there is a notification email and phone number that folks can make contact with to confirm whether or not they have been had their payment issued or whether or not their payment has gone through. In those cases, those inquiries are then tracked. So at this point, I would like to hope that there's only a small number that are outstanding of individuals who made an application, who had their application accepted, and who still haven't seen a payment, and certainly would encourage them to use the resources available. The ones that have come to me do get resolved and generally get resolved quite quickly. And, again, the applications or the reasons for the errors or the reasons for the delays are noted. So in each case, there's I've seen a number of different or variety for those reasons. Some certainly reside with the department. Others may have other explanations. But if people are still waiting, I'd encourage them to contact us. We are working through any errors that arise. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is I see the program is closed for people to make their applications to apply for the program. Why did it close so early before at least the very least, that is, the end of the fiscal year? And I want to understand why they closed it and when did they publicly announce it so it's transparent to people? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the details of this program, which I don't have standing in front of me right now in terms of the specific policy, but the details were communicated back in August when the program was announced. That included the timelines for making applications, the process for making applications. The initial evacuations when the programs that we had for those who were evacuated early in the year, we actually had staff attending at the facilities within the Northwest Territories to help people make their applications and to explain the process to them. And so all of those details were announced at that time. The intention was to make it so that this was a sometime somewhat time sensitive but not so time sensitive as to make it prohibited for those who were under evacuation as, again, tried to send out staff where they were available to help people through the process. That certainly have been intended also this coming year. But it was really about the evacuation timeline. And I believe it was within a certain amount of days thereafter the time when somebody was evacuated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member for Range Lake.
