Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are following up on my Member’s statement directed to the Minister of ITI. When we were reviewing the budget for ITI a couple of weeks ago, the Minister promised to look into the policy requiring that commercial gardeners have at least one-sixth of an acre to be eligible for funding.
Given that only one commercial producer of these operating producers might actually meet this bar, is the Minister now able to explain the reasoning behind this policy? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of ITI, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through the work of the EOS, it was identified that the territory does need to do some work in the area of policy when it comes to developing the agricultural industry here in the Northwest Territories. We are moving forward with development of an Agriculture Strategy for the Northwest Territories, which will include work towards a policy base, as well, for agriculture here in the Northwest Territories. We continue to work towards that. Thank you.
Thanks to the Minister. I will remind the Minister, it is planting season, believe it or not, as we speak. When he spoke on the 25th of February, the Minister said it is important we maximize any opportunity we have to get people involved with the agricultural sector here in the NWT.
Recognizing that new approaches and technology could substantially increase production from small, intensively farmed plots and especially given our modest markets, how does refusing to help people because their operations are too small help maximize opportunities for them? Mahsi.
We want to make sure we get things right and the Member is correct; we want to maximize opportunities. If changes to policy are going to allow us to maximize opportunities for people and it’s in the best interest of the territory and the sector, that’s something we are very much interested in doing. Thank you.
I appreciate the Minister’s commitment. With the one possible exception, the largest market gardens in the capital area are about 2,500 square feet, or about a sixteenth of an acre. These successful market gardens have just had their applications rejected because they are too small. So if the largest market gardens are too small, how does the Minister plan to change this policy in time for this season so that any agricultural development can go ahead in the North Slave region? Mahsi.
If there are changes that we could look at that would have an immediate impact – and I know the Member is very much interested in beginning to plant seeds here – we will take a look at that. I can give the Member every assurance that we will look into this matter and if we need to adjust the policy to allow funding applications to be approved, we will do just that. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I almost have no question left here.
Fresh produce is one of the largest contributors to the high cost of living, as I know the Minister is aware of in the North. We’ve got some very good people finding ways to make this happen and these are new ways.
Will the Minister commit to supporting the actual people and organizations that are, indeed, in place right now and making it happen and dealing with these disabling barriers in time for this season? Mahsi.
The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has a very good track record when it comes to working with the Territorial Farmers’ Association. We put on the NFTI, the Farm Training Institute in Hay River, last year. It was very successful. Again, we need to ensure that that relationship that we have with the Territorial Farmers’ Association continues to be nourished. We are going forward again this spring with an Agriculture Strategy for the territory. We need to ensure we have a sound policy base. We need to ensure we are including stakeholders in the development of that strategy. We are going to put our best effort into that so we can continue to see the success that we’ve had in the agricultural sector here in the Northwest Territories continue to move forward. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
