The proposed Deferred Maintenance Program is billed under the work undertaken by the Risk Management and Assessment Program to identify critical maintenance deficiencies with the GNWT’s current infrastructure stock. The committee supports this initiative and sees it as an effective approach to managing future maintenance and energy costs and extending the life of these assets.
Public Works and Services provides water and sewer maintenance services on a contractual basis to several communities in the NWT which do not have trained personnel to carry out those services. Committee members would like to see those services devolved to the community and appropriate training programs put in place to support community government staff in assuming those responsibilities. Department officials indicated that they have been working with the school community government to establish a job-shadowing program for hamlet staff.
The Petroleum Products Division (PPD) purchases, transports and stores the annual requirement of petroleum products for NWT communities not served by the private sector. Through the Petroleum Products Stabilization Fund, which is generated through profits from sales to PPD customers, the PPD has been in a position to subsidize the cost of fuel products to non-government customers.
While committee members recognize that this subsidy helps to offset the very high cost of fuel in small NWT communities, more needs to be done to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and provide communities with alternative sources of fuels, such as biomass. Members recognize that the shift away from the consumption of fossil fuels is a significant
undertaking that will require time and collaboration across government departments and with communities.
The committee recommends that the department identify a process to providing renewable energy sources to communities as part of the Greenhouse Gas Strategy and Energy Plan.