I am pleased to present the 2015-16 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. This budget strives to strike a balance between being mindful of the economic outlook of the NWT and making critical investments in key areas. These include early childhood development, education renewal, reducing the cost of living, improving support to those most vulnerable and bringing services closer to the people. Overall, the department’s estimates propose an increase of $4.2 million, or 1.4 percent, over the restated 2014-2015 Estimates. These estimates continue to support the objectives of limiting expenditure growth in order to sustain the long-term sustainability of the fiscal framework. Despite the government-wide fiscal situation, ECE’s budget identifies significant investments. Either through re-profiled or new funding, ECE will invest in key initiatives all of which will have tangible, direct and concrete benefits for the people we serve.
Highlights of the proposed estimates show that ECE is not standing still. They include: • $1.75 million to increase benefits for food,
clothing and other incidental expenses. This will ensure income assistance clients receive adequate benefits to meet their needs and to stay current with the cost of living. This amount is part of the planned $6.6 million investment to
be phased in over the next four years. It will provide a direct benefit to those most in need.
• $548,000 for increased costs associated with
the Income Assistance program. This is largely coming from increased client uptake and projected increases for rent, fuel and utilities.
• $390,000 to be invested in the Early Childhood
Staff Grant Program for licenced daycare centre staff. This $900,000 program will begin to address the fact that early childhood staff are paid some of the lowest wages in the country. It marks a real benefit to the people who care for children.
• a two-year pilot project to create five new
employment service officer positions for each region of the NWT. This will reduce income assistance caseloads by providing intensive individual support to targeted income assistance clients in finding work or entering training programs. This initiative not only supports our government’s decentralization objective but improves services to people in our communities and regions.
• a transfer of $1.6 million to the NWT Housing
Corporation to add 75 new public housing units specifically for income assistance recipients. This cost neutral program will provide income assistance clients in new public housing units with decreased rent. It will also allow for an easier transition to the workforce because of the NWTHC’s graduated rent to income scheme.
• a reduction of $1.95 million as part of the
government-wide expenditure reduction in 2015-2016. This money comes from various discretionary areas internally throughout the department, paying attention to avoid program cuts that affect people. I also note that we have sheltered education authorities and the Aurora College from passive restraint.
• $4.7 million for Collective Agreement increases
for education authorities, the Aurora College and the department.
The proposed departmental estimates continue to support the priorities of the 17th Assembly. Specific
activities in support of these priorities include: • ECE has initiated an ambitious system-wide
review of the education system. We have finalized a 10-year Education Renewal Framework, supported by a three-year action plan. The plan has been developed in collaboration with our education partners. It includes significant investments totaling $6.2 million over the three-year time frame. Many of the initiatives are one- or two-year pilot projects. This will provide us the opportunity to test our ideas and correct our course of action based on our experience throughout their implementation.
• This budget proposes an investment of $1.24
million to continue the activities listed in the Early Childhood Development Action Plan. As you know, the plan focuses on families and their children from birth to five years of age. Each of the 22 actions together will go a long way to ensure that every child, family and community, including those most at risk, have access to high quality, comprehensive, integrated early childhood development programs and services that are community driven, sustainable and culturally relevant.
• The revitalized Territorial Nominee Program has
demonstrated early success and is projected to exceed all expectations in 2015-2016. It will be a major contributor to supporting the growth strategy. The NWT Express Entry System will see employers linked with potential skilled immigrants, growing the population and improving our skilled NWT labour market.
• Our Skills for Success initiative promises to
ensure Northerners have the right type of skills for the jobs our economy will generate now and in the future. As we reach out beyond our borders to grow our population, it is just as important to ensure Northerners derive direct benefits from our economy by becoming active participants in our wage economy.
• an investment of $2.2 million dollars for the
implementation of ECE’s French Language Services Operating Plan, which will ensure that we meet our obligations as directed by the Supreme Court of Canada, and
• $6.7 million for Aboriginal language services to
promote and support the nine official Aboriginal languages of the NWT. This includes $3.5 million in funding to Aboriginal governments to help them implement their five-year Aboriginal language plans.
• Lastly, ECE proposes to do its part in support of
a key priority of this Assembly. We propose to decentralize an additional nine positions into regional centres. This brings our total to 16 positions being decentralized. By doing this, we will increase employment opportunities in the regions and bring services closer to the people we serve.
We could do a lot more with additional money but I believe that we are making best use of the already considerable investment in our education system, early childhood development programs, income security programs, post-secondary education, official languages and culture and heritage. That concludes my opening remarks. Mahsi, Madam Chair.