[English translation not provided.]
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many homeowners across the NWT heat their homes with wood or pellet stoves. This is something that the government is actively encouraging people to do in order to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Many homeowners in our smaller communities who burn wood or pellets are running into some problems. In order to get or renew their insurance on their homes, these wood burning appliances need to be inspected or certified. There is often no local or even regional person to inspect or certify these wood stoves.
A constituent of mine was told these types of inspections were not within the mandate of the Office of the Fire Marshall. His only option was to get a private contractor certified to do wood stove inspections to come from Hay River. The cost of this inspection was around $1,400.
Mr. Speaker, this is just wrong. People are caught between not carrying home insurance and paying outrageous amounts of money in order to comply with the required safety standards.
The GNWT provides a number of inspection services throughout its departments, such as electrical and boiler services. Why can’t the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs provide wood stove inspection services or work with community governments to ensure that there is someone properly trained to carry out these inspections?
This isn’t just an insurance issue. It’s also a significant safety issue. If the government is encouraging the use of alternative energy sources such as wood burning appliances, it has an obligation to ensure that people can get them inspected and certified in a timely and affordable manner. I urge the government to address this gap in our service as quickly as possible. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
