Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The municipal funding gap has been an issue for our communities for quite some time. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs conducted a review of its policies in 2014 which reveals significant disparity between funding levels across community governments. Mr. Speaker, ten years later, they are now working to fix this.
The department is rolling out a three-year phase plan, and the changes in allocation are expected to be implemented in the next fiscal year. But I'm worried the government's plan will not work. By their own admission, our smallest communities will be most impacted and will receive less funding through this allocation - small communities with populations of less than 500 people. Well, Mr. Speaker, nearly half of the communities in the territory are small communities with under 500 people.
Earlier this week, the Minister of MACA said communities can charge fees to make up the shortfall in their funding. But I know residents who cannot afford service fees with the increasingly high cost of living in small communities. These small communities are most vulnerable and need all the help they can get. Mr. Speaker, taking money away from them and diverting it to larger centres is not the answer. Large municipalities have options when it comes to operating essential services that small communities like Tsiigehtchic and Aklavik do not have. I will have questions for the Minister of MACA at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
