Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned in my Member’s statement, I'm addressing my question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on the daycare facility in Norman Wells and the surrounding communities as well. My first question is: what level of funding is being committed to the daycare home and the daycare facilities in the Sahtu communities?
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is funding, I believe, the Norman Wells Land Corporation, and they're providing programs in Norman Wells. We have had proposals from day homes. However, none of the day homes have met the standards that we can supply funding for. But the Norman Wells Land Corporation is getting funding and we are open and consulting with the community to try to open up the daycare in Norman Wells again and provided them with the options for funding, for rent, mortgage, food, all those types of expenses. We'd like to continue to work with the community and the residents of Norman Wells to seek options to open up the daycare in the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We have talked a number of times here on the physical limitations of our government, and currently, we are going into the closure of a fiscal year and entering into a new one. Would the Minister commit to supporting a funding model for the Norman Wells facilities? As said, it's a beautiful building here donated by the private sector, this government, and the Town of Norman Wells. It'll be a waste to see that facility going through another year of not providing services.
As I mentioned earlier, in 2015 we had consultants go into the community, meet with community members, and give them the options in terms of how to start up a licensed daycare, the funding that is available to the community. Unfortunately, community members after the consultations decided not to go ahead with the daycare. However, as the Member asked, there is start-up funding as well as program contributions should the community want to move ahead with the project that could total in the amount of, through our programs within the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment, about $89,000 for start-up in program contribution. So, as I mentioned, I would invite the community members to continue to look at opening the daycare facility.
On the comments and the information provided, we did have a new administration system or administration personnel in the Town of Norman Wells, so I look forward in working with the Minister's department and the new staff of the Town of Norman Wells to explore the re-opening of the facility there with the contributions as said.
It is unfortunate that the daycare centre did close in 2012. We do recognize that early childhood development is very important throughout the Northwest Territories, hence the Right From the Start Action Plan that we're developing, but I will commit that the department will work with the new administration to look at the possibility of opening the daycare again in Norman Wells.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
