Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce that after several months of engagement and collaboration with territorial and regional sport organizations, the NWT Active Living Framework 20232033 has been approved. The intent of the framework is to guide the investment of public funds to support the development of recreation sports and physical activity priorities for NWT residents.
Work on the NWT Active Living Framework 20232033 began prior to the COVID19 pandemic following amendments to the Western Canada Lottery Act. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has worked hard, in collaboration with its partners, to develop a framework that is representative of the northern jurisdictions, and it supports those who will be underserved or underrepresented in the sport sector. There were some delays experienced due to the pandemic, but work resumed in the fall of 2022 with engagement starting in December.
Engagement included more than 24 organizations and 49 individuals who provided input on what residents felt should be a priority action for the NWT. This engagement culminated in early July with the publication of the What We Heard report which summarized the findings. From this report, the NWT Active Living Framework 20232033 was developed and has recently been endorsed by our partner organizations, including the NWT Sport and Recreation Association, the Mackenzie Recreation Association, the Aboriginal Sport Circle of the Northwest Territories, and Sport North Federation. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to these organizations for their input and guidance in advancing this project.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT Active Living Framework 20232033 represents the interests and needs of sport and recreation programs in the NWT and will lead to the best outcomes for residents. The framework will focus on six themes that are of critically import to the NWT active living sector. They include
Prioritizing Indigenous cultures and practices;
Building sector capacity;
Celebrating and supporting local champions;
Improving access and increasing opportunities for participation;
Promoting the value of the sector; and
Investing in the sector with sustainable, flexible funding.
With the completion of this framework, the department will turn its attention to the implementation of these priorities going forward. This will be achieved by aligning funding agreements under the Western Canada Lottery as well as department budgets to this framework. A monitoring and evaluation strategy will be developed to support reporting on key performance indicators and evaluate selected programs on a regular basis.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT Active Living Framework 20232033 could not have been developed without input and collaboration from key stakeholders, nor can the priorities be implemented without ongoing support of the many organizations that deliver sport, recreation, and physical activity programs to the Northwest Territories residents. Municipal and community affairs will continue to foster this collaboration to ensure the best results.
Once again, I extend my thanks to all those who contributed to this project. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the department to coordinate and manage this renewed effort that has resulted in a document that is broadly supported. I look forward to the implementation of the NWT Active Living Framework 20232033 for years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
