Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 9-18(3) asked by the Member for Nahendeh on March 15, 2018, to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, regarding societies' eligibility for the business incentive policy.

I am pleased to provide the following information to address the questions asked:

1. The Business Incentive Policy does not infringe on any legal rights of incorporated societies. Section 4(2) of the Societies Act does not require the Government of the Northwest Territories to extend the benefits of a policy instrument such as the Business Incentive Policy to incorporated societies, as these benefits are not vested in law but rather set at the discretion of Cabinet through policy only.
2. A business meeting the requirement of section 6(2)(e) must also meet one of the requirements of section 6(2)(a) to (d) in order to be approved as a Business Incentive Policy Business. If a society applies to be incorporated or owns a business, that business may apply to be registered under the Business Incentive Policy so long as it meets the aforementioned requirements.
3. It is not the intention of the Government of the Northwest Territories to make any amendments to the Business Incentive Policy specific to incorporated societies. It remains the Government of the Northwest Territories position that the Business Incentive Policy scope as a policy instrument continue to apply to only those incorporated enterprises under comparative funding and tax structures. That is not to say other procurement policy instruments and tools cannot be used to encourage incorporated societies to participate in sectors of our economy in the future.