Thank you. I greatly appreciate that it is operational. I apologize for implying that it was delayed. Well, actually, I did say it was delayed, so it is great to hear that it is operational. When are we looking at implementing the new upgrade? When is that going to be done? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Ms. Bolstad.

Thank you, Ms. Bolstad. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you. If I am understanding correctly, you're not sure, so it probably won't be done during the 18^th Assembly? Is that correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Ms. Bolstad.

Thank you, Ms. Bolstad. Next, we have Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in services to the public, we also have the rental office here. We have shared some concern in the past with the Minister with regard to staffing of the rental office. I would just like to start there and see if the Minister can inform us as to whether now the office, based on its workload, is adequately staffed. One of the complaints in the past has been that there has been a heavy workload, and it has been causing a backup in terms of tenants and/or landlords getting their disputes resolved. I would like to start there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Sebert.

Yes. We do understand that there have been issues in the past in the rental office, and I understand now that there has been hired, on a contract, a second rental officer, and hopefully delays will be reduced.

The office has taken some other steps to reduce wait times, increasing the number of hearings via three-way teleconference and scheduling face-to-face hearings outside of Yellowknife more promptly. As I mentioned, the new deputy rental officer began training in December and, as of mid-January, is now presiding at hearings. This is in addition to the existing deputy rental officer, so hopefully wait times will be reduced. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Sebert. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is good to hear that there has been a deputy hired and that we are making use of technology to expedite some of the disputes, but the Minister has still indicated that he is hopeful that this will reduce wait times. What does the department do to actually measure whether these wait times are, in fact, being reduced? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Mr. Goldney.

Thank you, Mr. Goldney. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you for the additional information. Now that we are working towards putting adequate resources in at the rental office, one of the undertakings of the rental office is that they are available to present at public forums, for example.

Is there any indication from the department as to whether the department will actively go out and promote some information workshops in order to communicate a little better to both landlords and tenants around what their responsibilities might be with regard to the Residential Tenancy Act? Would the Minister look into how they might actively engage the public so that they can be better informed? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Sebert.

Yes, clearly, information is important because a lot of these disputes might be able to be resolved informally rather than going through the rental office. Certainly we do recognize that education is important. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Sebert. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think what I am trying to get at is that I can't speak for the whole of the territory, but certainly in Yellowknife there are a number of landlords of various kinds, whether it's in apartments, whether it's in town homes, whether it's actually in residences, who are challenged to understand what their obligations are. I am trying to see if the department would take an active role in trying to educate the public and, in particular, landlords and their tenants on what their obligations would be. Is there a way? Is there a means? Is there some budget or some resources that we can put toward doing that form of communication? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Mr. Goldney.

Thank you, Mr. Goldney. Mr. Vanthuyne.