Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that that concludes the Legislative Assembly?

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Thank you, committee. That concludes the Legislative Assembly. We will now return to Municipal and Community Affairs. Does the Minister have opening comments?

No opening comments.

Thank you. Does the Minister wish to bring witnesses into the House?

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Cochrane, thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce her witness?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my right is Eleanor Young. She is the deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Minister. Committee, I will now open the floor to general comments. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a couple of questions about when we are likely to see investments in two areas that we have discussed previously. The first is whether there is a requirement for capital investment in the 911 service and, if so, when we will expect to see that in the capital estimates. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.

Thank you. You will not see any capital investments in the 911 during this fiscal year. It will be coming within the next fiscal year. We are still doing the work that needs to take place, such as mapping out communities, figuring out receiving calls, receiving in the communities, et cetera. The actual investment in capital will be in the next fiscal year, if we need any at that time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Office of the Auditor General reviewed the MACA operations and released a report earlier this year, and there were some recommendations that seemed to indicate increased investment, especially in fire safety. Could the Minister tell us whether there are any investments in this capital plan that address the recommendations in that report and, if not, when we are going to see them? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this present moment we actually provide the funding to the communities, and then the communities are responsible for expending any capital in that regard at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it is my understanding that the Office of the Auditor General found that the investment was not adequate to the need, and so there is a need for increased investment. How is the Minister planning to respond to that recommendation? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is just in the middle of developing a strategy that will be finalized in the fall of this year, and at that point we will identify areas that we need to move further on. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not sure what strategy the Minister has in mind here, but the Office of the Auditor General was clear that the firefighting capacity in the communities was inadequate. At what point will investments be made in improving firefighting, that is to say residential or commercial firefighting, in the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this point, on the recommendations of the Auditor General, we are actually in the process of doing kind of an asset management strategy with all of the communities to assess what assets they have in regards to fire protection; identifying what they have, what they are missing, and the condition of each asset. Until that is done, then we will not know exactly what financial assistance each community will need to address the emergency fire services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.