Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's been a modernization of the federal disaster financial assistance arrangements known as DFAA. The Northwest Territories has -- well, you yourself, Mr. Speaker, in a different role understand this program very well. This modernization is supposed to improve how money flows to jurisdictions, especially when they face climate change induced emergencies. Can the Minister responsible for emergency preparedness through Municipal and Community Affairs give us an update as to how this is going to help our ability to respond more quickly to emergencies? Thank you.
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member's probably aware, the program is a federal program and we adopt it or utilize it in order to get funds back from the federal government during an emergency. So some of the changes that have happened in the new update, they have the new strategic investment. This increases funding for disaster mitigation, building back better to minimize impacts and future risks; the risk reduction incentives, encouraging pre-disaster planning; hazard awareness to proactively reduce disaster impacts; also has expanded supports, more help for people experiencing significant disaster impacts, and more efficient administration. So these are just some of the changes that are in the new DFAA that's supposed to be rolling out and effective April 1st. We're still opening the books essentially, if you will, and hopefully by April 1st, we'll have a better handle on what it fully entails. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister mentioned improved support programs for individuals impacted by disaster. I still -- he's aware I still have constituents who are at significant financial hardship as a result of this owing thousands of dollars. Are these changes going to help my constituents recoup their losses from the evacuation in 2023? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think there was a lot of hardship through the territories with the disasters in no particular riding. I think there was a lot of impacts to people's livelihoods. And, you know, we've all worked through them. The government's worked through them and trying to get federal funding to these impacted residents. However, this new DFAA is starting off April 1st. It is not retroactive and doesn't cover off any previous emergencies. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is sitting on funding that it lapsed for disaster relief. Can the Minister explain why that funding that's been received is still with the department and not being sent to communities or individuals who are affected by disaster? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not aware of any funding that we're sitting on. The money that is approved or that has been sent to us is for estimated disaster costs through what the department has received through the estimates. And that covers off emergency or any expense claims that are eligible through the DFAA. So those claims are being put through and as part of the cycle, we have to account for all that money is being processed. So as far as I'm aware, we're not sitting on any money. This is money that's all accounted for and being transferred to impacted residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
