Mr. Speaker, electricity is an essential service in today’s society. Access to affordable electrical power enhances our quality of life and allows economies to grow. Without it, we face serious challenges.
Today I would like to provide an update on one of the Government of the Northwest Territories most important initiatives: the electricity review process. In November 2009 I tabled the report of the Electricity Review Panel titled Creating a Brighter Future: A Review of Electricity Rates, Regulation, and Subsidy Programs in the Northwest Territories, commonly referred to as the Electricity Review. This report was distributed to all communities and key stakeholders so they could provide comments for the Government of the Northwest Territories consideration.
I am pleased to report that a number of communities and key stakeholders took us up on this offer. We have received comments from the communities of Inuvik, Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Hay River, as well as the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and the Public Utilities Board. We have distributed copies of these comments to all Regular Members of the Legislative Assembly through the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning. We will consider those comments as we work with the standing committee on the development of the Government of the Northwest Territories response.
As we develop our response, the key issue of concern to residents of communities -- high energy costs -- is at the forefront of many discussions.
It is incumbent upon our government to address this issue and achieve the objectives we set out at the beginning of this electricity review process:
reduce costs where possible;
distribute costs equitably; and
ensure affordability.
When I tabled the report of the Electricity Review Panel our government proposed to develop a comprehensive response by March 2010. This response was to also consider the findings of the review of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, a report that the Premier will be tabling later today.
As all Members have come to appreciate, the development of our response is a complex undertaking. In addition to consideration of the findings of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation review, we need to ensure that any change can work for all communities, residents and utilities in the Northwest Territories. I believe all Members of this Assembly agree that it is important we take the time to get it right. That is what we intend to do.
As we embark on completing this important work, I believe we need to make the choices that will strengthen the entire Northwest Territories. This includes access to affordable electricity for all our communities and our residents.
That is the task before us as we set a course for the future. The Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee will continue to work closely with the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning to develop our government response. We have achieved a great deal of progress to date and I am confident that we will be in a position to release our response by May 2010.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.
