Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As has become a bit of a tradition, a tradition I hope to put an end to, I open every session asking about the Ingraham Trail fire services, so my question for the Minister of MACA is: Can I have an update on whether there are plans to reinstate fire services to the Ingraham Trail for April 1st? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member's comments and the advocacy that he has for the Ingraham Trail. I would like to advise the Member that conversations are still happening between the City of Yellowknife and the department and also with the people at Ingraham Trail, as well. There was a consultation that was just recently completed. I should be able to provide an update to the Member by the end of February.
Also, I wanted to include to the Member, as well, that with these conversations going on and going forward, it is a very unique and different service that we would be offering throughout the territory. We do have a lot of community built-up areas outside of the municipal boundary, so it is something that the department is looking at, but also at other areas throughout the Northwest Territories.
The problem with this issue is that, if services are going to end, my constituents want some time to perhaps set up their own volunteer service. If the city can't reach agreement with MACA, then, perhaps, the Dettah fire services can be upgraded and certified to provide services. However, this all takes time, and it's unlikely to be done by April 1st. As such, the best option here is to get some sort of interim agreement with the City of Yellowknife so that other options can be explored in time. Do we have a sense of how long that will take? I hear the Minister say she will have an update for me by next month, but my understanding is that this would be a bylaw amendment, and we have to deal with both our funding process and the city's approval process, which does not give us the time. I am asking: Do we have a sense of how quickly the city could do this, should they actually agree?
The contractual services that would be provided outside of municipal boundary is very unique for a municipality, but we are working with the city. The conversations are happening, and we are trying to come to an agreement prior to April 1st. I do hear the Member's concern about that specific date, as well, and as a department and working in conjunction with Ingraham Trail and with the City of Yellowknife, I am confident that we will reach something by that deadline.
I am happy that the Minister is confident that we will reach that deadline. I do recognize that there is work to be done all across the territory. I know this is an issue with Hay River providing ambulance services outside of boundaries. I know there is a lot of work to do in this area, but I am hoping that we can buy the time such that we can find a territory-wide plan. I heard the Minister state that some consultation has begun with residents of the Ingraham Trail. I was not aware of that. Could I just get an update on what communication efforts have been done and will be done to make sure that residents on the trail know whether or not they will be able to call for a fire truck?
Presently, the City of Yellowknife will be providing fire services up until April 1st. I will have to follow up with the Member and be very specific on the type of consultation that has been completed, who has been contacted, and looking at the results. I want to have a full recommendation and a follow-up by the end of February, but I will be able to provide the Member with the update of the conversations and consultations prior to that.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
