Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back in 2018, the Minister and the government of the day had announced a 48-bed long-term care facility to be established in Inuvik. I know we've had this conversation in the House a couple of times, and I'd like to request the Minister of health to provide an update on where that project stands. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the project approved for planning only in 2024-2025. The geotechnical analysis has been completed. The functional programming, including operational planning, is underway. And an RFP for schematic design and class C cost estimates will be posted this winter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back around that same time I know there was an operational plan provided as well as a schematic design that was provided by both partnership between both Indigenous governments in the community. Is that something that the department is still considering looking at or are they going for a fresh set of eyes on this? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and I do recall the plan that was presented -- I think it was even presented to the community. At the time, the numbers of the day, the beds that were needed for long-term care placement in the Northwest Territories were very high, and then they relooked at it because of the cry for many residents outside in the small communities wanting care closer to home, and it made a priority of the last two governments is to being able to, you know, age in place gracefully. And I mean, that was a priority of the 19th Assembly. And so there was much more work done on how do we support seniors on different levels of care to remain in their communities longer with their communities, with their culture, and less likely to have to be moved to a regional centre. So with that, then there was a new focus on revisiting the bed numbers and then when that happened, it came down to Inuvik's bed reduction to 20 beds that are needed currently in the Beaufort Delta region -- or for Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, yes, I thank the Minister for that clarification, and I had understood that was kind of a priority of the 19th Assembly. I'm glad to hear it's still at least 20 beds, not the 48 that we had originally wanted, but certainly I'm glad to hear that it's progressing.
Is there still an appetite, then, Mr. Speaker, for this government to consider working with the Indigenous governments on either through procurement, either having them design and build this facility and lease it back to the government or at least -- I guess least of all build this facility through the Indigenous governments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, no, because -- I think the Member will speak to and has spoke to a lot of the work that was done in the previous governments that had a collaborated approach to doing this. As of now, we do not have that and so because -- and then the delay of the project and the change in the project, I think right now where we're at is just going for the schematic design and it's going to be put out to -- like I said, it's going to be put out for RFP publicly to be posted winter of 2025. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So if I understand that, the RFP will be going out in 2025, and can then the Minister provide an update on when she expects this facility to be completed and operational? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have a timeline as to when this will be completed or operational. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Member from the Sahtu.
