Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on September 20th, 2022, after meeting with residents individually, MACA shared their process document entitled Process to Rebuild or Purchase a Home on a Different Property for Residents of the Town of Hay River and the Hamlet of Enterprise. In early March 2023, some residents, not all, were advised the GNWT was no longer pursuing a buy back or property acquisition option as originally explained by MACA staff.
So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister responsible for MACA, has his department reconsidered its decision of not using property acquisitions as a mitigation tool for those areas of Hay River and Enterprise that have experienced flooding and now damage due to a forest fire? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Disaster Assistance Policy has been applied to both the 2022 flood and the 2023 fire season, and this tool that will continue to be used to help those who have experienced property losses or damages during these events. The DAP does not contain specific buyout or buy back language, but its provisions do accomplish similar results in supporting home and business owners to relocate if they choose to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal government's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements allows for innovative recovery solutions under section 3.4.1, a tool provided to help those impacted by disasters. What are the barriers stopping the Minister's department from using this tool? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Municipal and Community Affairs is using this section of the DFAA as part of its approach to the 2022 flood recovery and supports to those impacted. As part of its claim to eventually be submitted for reimbursement from Canada under its Disaster Assistance Program, the GNWT intends to seek reimbursement for mitigation costs used towards relocation as an innovative recovery solution under the DFAA section 3.4.1 to assist individuals with relocations where mitigation on their existing properties is not feasible. Like many others, department staff were impacted by the recent evacuation but are now again working on this file, working with those who were impacted by the 2022 flood and still have decisions to make regarding their next steps. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister if we are using the property acquisition option, has consideration been given on how the acquisition would be calculated. Would it be based on fair market value or like what is currently done under DAP? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the end of June 2023, I wrote to the Paradise Gardens residents to advise that the GNWT is not amending the DAP to provide for a different approach. The GNWT is providing the eligible claim under DAP. The government is also directing or directly paying for damage assessments, emergency work, structural assessments, mitigation assessments, and property appraisals. Finally, the GNWT is also providing mitigation funding of up to or of $75,000 per claim. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we're talking about, we're talking about Paradise, it's actually a flood plain and, you know, the damage there was significant and there's potential for it to happen again. So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister if he is prepared to offer the property acquisition option to residents in areas where rebuilding is not feasible due to the severity of flooding and fire potential, such as Paradise Valley, and if not, is he willing to step aside as the Minister responsible for MACA and allow someone who will? Thank you.
I'll answer the first question. If the Member wants to come sit over here and deal with these disasters, I'm more than willing to sit over there and ask the questions. But saying that, Mr. Speaker, we have been working with Paradise Gardens residents for over a year on their options under DAP and provide and prior to the fire wildfire event, I had written to them to clarify what is available to them under DAP. We are aware that people are in process of making their own personal decisions about their next steps, including whether or not they want to rebuild in Paradise Gardens. MACA staff are available as they have been over the past year to work with Paradise Gardens residents through a disaster assistance process. And, Mr. Speaker, I've had the conversations with the Member, and we do have some residents who were impacted by the flood and this fire season here, so we have reached out to the federal government and to talk to them about that situation. So we are working on these files, both files on moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
