Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment. Even though this topic does include Infrastructure, but from previous commitments, I have questions for the Minister. I would like to ask the Minister: when did the Department of Public Works and Services, as it was previously known, advise that a major retrofit or a replacement of Moose Kerr School was not necessary? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After every annual capital planning process, the department goes back and looks at its 20-year capital needs assessment. You have to understand that there are a lot of areas that we have to look into; colleges, museums, libraries, information technology, other infrastructure. Last year, in June of 2016, a review was done, it was looked at, and it was done by the Department of Infrastructure, and at that time it was considered to be in good condition. All the work that has gone into Moose Kerr School over the number of years, and the Member had made some mention of it, did extend its life by 20 years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
When did the Department of Education, Culture and Employment accept this recommendation?
I do not have the exact date at this time. I am willing to get that information and get it to the Member so he knows at what time the department accepted the review and recommendations from the Department of Infrastructure.
A follow-up to my two previous questions, then: to what assessment was the Minister referring to on February 8, 2017, when he said, "Should the assessment determine that a renovation is required, a planning study will be launched in 2018-2019 to begin this process?"
As I mentioned, there has been a lot of work that was done to Moose Kerr School. I also mentioned that we have a lot of infrastructure within the Department of ECE. After every business, or every capital planning process, we do go back and look at our 20-year needs assessment. There are priorities in every community across the Northwest Territories. We also have 49 schools. We look at utilization rates when we take those into consideration, as well as our own needs assessment criteria, so those things come into play when we have to look at the whole scope of infrastructure needs within our department, but across all departments in the GNWT.
Mr. Speaker, what criteria indicated to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment that a major retrofit or replacement of Moose Kerr School was not necessary?
There are various criteria that we do look at, Mr. Speaker, such as safety, stage in the asset life cycle, environmental concerns, program needs, and preparation for further future business plans. As I mentioned, when the Department of Infrastructure looked at it, they said it was in good condition and extended the life cycle by 20 years; that is part of the criteria that we do look at. We base that on other infrastructure projects not only within our department but also right across the board of government. Those are some of the areas, but I can get more detailed information for the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member Tu NedheWiilideh.
