Thank you. Mr. Koe.

Under community works and capital planning, one of the objectives is to manage the private service connection program. Can you advise me what the private service connection program is?

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll ask Mr. Christensen to answer that question.

Mr. Christensen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under our funding programs, we have provisions to assist people in subdivisions that are being converted, from trucked or other kinds of water delivery services, to piped services. In those situations, the home owner is normally responsible for the cost of the service connection from the property line to the house. But, in those cases we provide assistance to them, in putting in those service connections because they have already made

an investment in their house to receive trucked or other services in the first place. Thank you.

Thank you. Total region, $175,000.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Fort Smith, total region, $3.014 million. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'm just wondering whether the department abandoned this program. Are there still plans for the community core water and sewage system? I realize, several years ago, Providence was designated as one of the communities to receive that service but after this whole budget restraint thing, it no longer shows. I am wondering if that program is still being supported and, perhaps, eventually looked at by the department. Is it a dead issue for now?

The honourable Minister.

No, Mr. Chairman, it is not a dead issue. There has been a significant amount of work done in places like Fort Providence, Baker Lake and some other areas in trying to do a cost- benefit analysis of piped water and sewer, versus trucked. Obviously, there is a limitation of dollars, but it is certainly not on the shelf. To date, we are still looking at the options. It is very close, I am told, between changing from one system to the other. I think it is going to require further work. I suspect, as the communities expand, the net benefits of doing it may in fact materialize, because there are going to be more people who require it. I want to assure the Member that it is not dead, by any means. We need to do a great deal more work and see if, as the communities expand, the cost-benefit analysis does prove itself right. Then, we can put those systems in place.

The honourable Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The other thing to bear in mind is, as part of the community plan on several occasions, the community was expanding further back on one end of the community and on the other end, they are doing the same thing. But, there is a great deal of good areas along the river that could be identified as residential areas and perhaps reduce the cost for such a facility. I hope that, when the department is planning, look from the point of view that, perhaps in the future, we might get water and sewer systems. But, let us also look at it the most cost- effective way. If communities are expanding too much beyond that cost, then they don't get it. I would hope that the communities look at their plans in the anticipation that, if a system like this is in place, perhaps we shouldn't be expanding that way, but perhaps utilizing other commercial areas for residential areas. Thank you.

Thank you. That was just a comment, I take it. Fort Smith, total region, $3.014 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Inuvik, total region, $656,000. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. There is an item there, staff houses repair. I thought this government was getting out of the staff housing business. Why are there now funds for that? There are other regions here, too, that have money allocated for staff houses. Can you give me some indication why, on one hand, we have a policy to get out of staff housing, and on the other hand, we are allocating capital dollars to repair them?

Thank you. The honourable Minister.

Just give me a moment. This staff house is a community staff house, not a GNWT one. The hamlet purchased a mobile home from their own budget, supplementary funding from MACA in 1990. There is a retrofit going into place on this unit. It is not a GNWT staff housing, it is a municipal hamlet facility.

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

Thank you. Mr. Minister, you now have the floor.

I will ask Mr. Christensen. My understanding is that this is a municipal home, but the department does manage the repairs. Perhaps Mr. Christensen can provide the honourable Member with more information. I would point out that we are talking of a $3,000 expenditure here and it is the warranty work. So, I suspect that is probably airfares. Thank you.