Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is to help us all and together to define the types of and scope of services that are provided in the shelters and what we are able to provide some financial support to so that we have some consistency across the territory and we are able to fund based on a consistent application. I think the Member knows, for many years, we have been funding the shelters, but there really hasn't been any sort of set criteria on why one shelter gets X dollars and the other one does not. So that is where we are working on, is finding something that will help us set sort of some consistency in application.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If I understand correctly, this would also have a financial application so that there was consistency in how the shelters were funded. Is that correct?

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.

That is the plan. I will note that that wasn't applied this way in this particular round. We are funding all. We are increasing funds to all the shelters using the $500,000 this time, but, going forward, that is the expectation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.

Yes, thank you. Just finally in this area, when the standards are complete, is the Minister planning to come and discuss them with the Standing Committee on Social Development? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Certainly, I am planning to share them with standing committee. If standing committee wishes to have a meeting, I am always happy to do so. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further on this page.

Thank you. Any further questions, committee? Seeing none, I will call the page. Community social programs, operations expenditure summary, 2019-2020 main estimates, $34,325,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed. Thank you. That brings us to Health and Social Services, diagnostic and therapeutic services, operations expenditure summary, 2019-2020 main estimates, $28,280,000, from pages 184 to 186. Any questions from committee? Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, there have been some fairly healthy increases in therapeutic services here over the last couple of years, the same to a lesser degree with diagnostic services. Can someone explain what is happening? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the therapeutic services area, there have been some increases over the years. We've been doing a multi-year roll-out in this particular area. In phase one, we rolled out a speech-language pathologist and an occupational therapist and an audiologist in Inuvik, as well as one admin person to help with those services in Inuvik. Just as a note, I'd like to recognize that all of those positions are filled. I think the speech-language pathologist will be starting on March 3^rd. Phase two is to roll out another speech-language pathologist in Yellowknife, an assistant in Yellowknife, an occupational therapist in Yellowknife, as well as admin support in Yellowknife to help support the hub-and-spoke model, to increase services across the Northwest Territories in these areas.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Thanks for that information. The phase two increases, are they found in this budget, or are they spread out over a number of years? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Abernethy.

Phase two increases are 2019-2020 increases. They appear in this budget. Phase one [microphone turned off].

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Could you please repeat that? You kind of broke up there.

My apologies, Mr. Chair. Phase one was 2018-2019. Phase two is 2019-2020, so it appears in this budget. Thank you, Mr. Chair.