Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair I move that Tabled Document 143-18(2): Capital Estimates 2017-2018, be amended by deleting the section of the document entitled "Infrastructure" found on pages 43 to 49. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. A motion is on the floor and is being distributed. The motion is in order. Mr. McLeod, do you wish to speak to the motion?
Pardon me?
Do you wish to speak to the motion? The motion is in order. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed?
---Carried
Thank you, committee. We will now proceed with Tabled Document 163-18(2) starting with the Department of Public Works and Services on pages PWS-1, Minister Schumann would you like to bring any witnesses into the Chamber?
Yes, I would, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Minister Schumann, would you like to introduce your witnesses?
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left is Paul Guy, deputy minister of Public Works, and on my right is Brian Nagel, director of infrastructure and accommodations.
Do we have any general comments on Public Works and Services? Seeing none, we will proceed to PWS-1, Public Works and Services. This will be deferred in consideration. Activity summaries, total capital, $14,017,000.
We will proceed on for the activities on pages PWS-2, Public Works and Services, asset management, infrastructure and investment, $12,617,000. Detail is on page 3. Questions? Questions from committee? Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We're on page 2, correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair. Previously we talked about the Health and Social Services about replacing the health station in Trout -- or Sambaa K’e. Could the Minister please provide us an update on what the status is with this project as DPW asked is the department actually building this structure? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Schumann.
I'll defer to Mr. Guy.
Mr. Guy.
Mr. Chair, that's a project for the Department of Health and Social Services that we would be delivering on behalf of them through our project management program, Mr. Chair, and further detail Mr. Nagel can answer. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Guy. Nothing further?
Yes, Mr. Chair, we are currently doing a planning study on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Services. We're in the phase 1 of that process to finding that needs assessment. As you have heard before, there were some issues with the site and we couldn't finish the planning study until the site was secured. Now that it has we're on to phase 2 of the planning study and we will have that completed in approximately eight months, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Nagel. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was asking about the Sambaa K’e Health Centre, not the one in Fort Simpson. That's all right. I understand. So, again, it's the Sambaa K’e Health Centre. Can you please provide the status on that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Schumann.
Do you want to take it? Go ahead.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Nagel.
The Sambaa K’e Health Centre is a level A health centre. It's a health cabin. We're proceeding with it. It's been approved in the plan, and we don't see any issues with moving on with the project, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Nagel. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my struggle or I'm trying to figure out and the community's trying to figure out how we're going to proceed with this. Has the department been working with the community to see if they're going to build and rent back, or is the department going to do a stick built, or are they going to bring in a modular unit? We need to get that clarified. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Schumann.
I'll defer that to Mr. Guy.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Guy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The project as currently proposed in the capital plan is for the construction of a new health centre that would be owned by the Department of Health and Social Services, so we would be going forward with the procurement of that early in the new calendar year. We'd be working with the Department of Health and Social Services to finalize the program requirements and, of course, doing the consultation with the community prior to moving forward on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Guy. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my struggle is that the health centre, health cabin, whatever you want to call it, in Sambaa K’e, the one presently is owned by the community and they've used that as an opportunity for revenue themselves. In my conversations with the community, they were looking at a number of options. Has the department finally made a decision to move ahead and just build it, and does the Government of the Northwest Territories own it? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Schumann.
Mr. Nagel.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we are currently trying to set up a meeting with the chief in Somba K’e. There were some issues with scheduling here a week or so ago. We're, again, meeting with the chief in company with Health and Social Services to determine the best way forward and the methodology in which the community would like us to deliver this project. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Nagel. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, just to clarify I've heard two different answers has a decision been made how we're proceeding, or are they waiting for that meeting to make that final decisions? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thomson. Minister Schumann.
Thank you Mr. Chair. I’ll defer to Mr. Guy.
Mr. Chair, as of today, there is no definitive way forward. We would like to meet with the community first to determine that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Nagel. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's actually good news. I just wanted to get it clarified on that, and I hope the department is able to keep me updated. I know the community will, but, if the department can, as well, on the process of this as they move forward on this project. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thomson. Minister Schumann, do you want to add to that?
Okay. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on the Capital Asset Retrofit Program, I'd like to ask the Minister if the plan is to retrofit all GNWT owned buildings? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Schumann.
I'll turn it over to Mr. Guy.
Thank you, Minister Schumann. Mr. Guy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Through the Capital Asset Retrofit Program, we focus on the GNWT-owned buildings that are managed by the Department of Public Works and Services. There are approximately 800 assets in our database that we identify for these energy efficiency upgrades. We look at each building. We do an energy audit, a detailed assessment for the proposed scope of work that we would consider through the Capital Asset Retrofit Program. We prioritize it based on payback as well as what other work we have planned on that building. That's how we develop that list. So it is focused on the GNWT's own assets that are maintained by the Department of Public Works. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Guy. Mr. Beaulieu.
