Mr. Speaker, I also have a return to an oral question asked on December 1 by Mr. Fred Koe, about the planning and funding for the Inuvik Health Care Facility.
In April, 1993, the Inuvik Regional Health Board, with the support of the Department of Health, will be initiating development of a strategic plan for the health board and an operational plan for regional health services. The development
of a regional health service plan will be a collaborative initiative involving residents, aboriginal groups and councils.
The first phase of the planning program will be to complete a regional needs study and profile.
The second phase will translate the findings of the needs study into health programs and service needs.
The third and final phase will be the development of an action plan. It is anticipated that the overall planning program will take between six and nine months.
The needs of individual communities will be addressed as well, with a requirement for capital projects. Until the community and regional health needs are clearly understood, it is premature to speculate about what the regional capital planning program will be.
While there is a commitment to replace the Inuvik Regional Hospital, the programming and design of a replacement facility must wait until the proposed planning is completed. Funding is currently proposed for 1996-97 and 1997-98 to complete the program and design of a replacement facility.
The Department of Health will review the current capital plan and determine whether the programming and design for the replacement facility can be advanced to begin in 1994-95. This approach will provide the necessary time for a regional health plan to be completed and the capital needs of the region to be identified. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.