Mr. Speaker, I am in receipt of return to Written Question 16-15(4) asked by Mr. Jackson Lafferty to the Honourable Brendan Bell, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, regarding assistance to hunters and trappers.
- The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment administers the following programs in support of hunters and trappers in the Northwest Territories:
Local Wildlife Committee program aims to provide contributions to hunters and trappers associations, or band councils, that provide similar services, to assist in offsetting a portion of administrative costs in providing support for local hunters and trappers. The 2005-2006 budget allocation is $258,000.
The Community Harvesters Assistance Program contributes to local wildlife committees to provide direct assistance to resource harvesters. The 2005-2006 budget allocation is $473,000.
Western Harvester Support Program contributions, provided to regional or community aboriginal organizations, are matched by an equal amount by these organizations to establish harvest support programs to promote the local renewable resource economy. The total approved commitment of $15 million was established in 1994. The balance remaining on this commitment is $3.6 million.
The Disaster Compensation Program provides grants to eligible hunters and trappers to replace equipment lost as a result of natural disaster, excluding forest fires. The annual budget allocation is $15,000.
The Workers' Compensation Program for harvesters is delivered in collaboration with the Workers' Compensation Board and provides support of eligible hunters and trappers who are injured or killed while harvesting renewable resources. The annual budget allocation is $100,000.
The Fur Price Program provides grants to trappers in the form of a minimum price for selected species of fur. The program includes guaranteed advances, prime fur bonuses, and grubstakes. The 2005-2006 budget allocation is $345,000.
Humane Trap Development provides grants to investors working on the development of human trapping devices. The annual budget allocation is $5,000.
- Can the department also provide additional information on registered hunters and trappers?
Persons who hunt or trap in the Northwest Territories are either land claim beneficiaries or licensed under the auspices of the Wildlife Act.
- Can the department provide a breakdown of funding availability to, specifically, the Monfwi region?
Hunters and trappers in the Monfwi region accessed the following programs and funding for 2005-2006:
- a. Community Harvesters Assistance Program: $99,828
- b. Local wildlife committee funding: $31,000
- c. Fur Price Program: In addition to $96,945 in fur sales for the 2004-2005 fur trapping season, trappers in the Monfwi region received $37,611 in fur bonuses and $12,390 in grubstake payments.
It is anticipated that there will be a similar program uptake for this upcoming fur season.