This is page numbers 5553 - 5574 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was climate. View the webstream of the day's session.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you to the Minister. I really appreciate that his department and his staff are undertaking endeavours to communicate with SSi Energy and the community of Fort Providence. We look forward to being posted on that in the future. The Minister talked earlier about continuing to vest in wind and solar, and so my question is: what ongoing support can the Minister offer to the number of solar energy companies starting up across the NWT? Can the Minister also convince his energy division and particularly Cabinet colleagues to increase the net metering allowance from 15 kilowatt an hour to 50 kilowatt an hour, like our friends in the Yukon are doing?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

What I can tell the Member is that the government has over $330 million to invest in electricity infrastructure in the Northwest Territories going forward. That is going to result in more construction jobs, local jobs, and suppliers where it's possible. In addition, the GNWT is investing over $31 million in the Low Carbon Economy Fund that we announced here earlier this year, which will leverage over $70 million over the next three years. This will also support the local builders and contractors and suppliers who do energy retrofits and install renewable energy in the system. Fifty-percent rebates have been available through the Arctic Energy Alliance to residents and businesses in thermal-zone communities and provide an excellent incentive for new installations emerging in over 25 diesel communities.

To the point about raising the net metering, that is going to put a lot of pressure on the system and is something the Department of Finance and NCPC would have to have a serious look at. It would have serious implications on all residents across the system, and that is something that we are going to have be very careful about because, when we went out and talked to the people of the Northwest Territories, they made it very clear to us that we had to have a secure, affordable, and sustainable plan going forward. This could put more pressure on the system and make it more expensive for everybody.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for his reply. We can certainly leave the solar and net metering discussion for another day, but the NWT's reliance on diesel-power generation is one of our biggest challenges. We all know that. There is a growing sector of renewable diesel -- I will repeat that: renewable diesel -- which can replace fossil fuels without engine modifications and greatly reduce emissions. The City of Vancouver has been changing over their entire fleet to renewable diesel. Will the Minister commit the government to research renewable diesel as a possible option for the future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

I would like to update this House that we are already looking at this. We are investigating this potential of renewable diesel technologies. The one thing I can say is that there is one contractor supplying western Canada and confirmed that it has been deployed in one major city, which is probably the City of Vancouver.

We have concerns over this thing. When I talked to the deputy about this specific possibility, we were worried about the life cycle of this stuff and the storage capacity that we have in the communities and how long it will be good for. It is way more expensive than the price of diesel fuel right now. That goes back to the question of what the people of the Northwest Territories told us; they want a secure, affordable, sustainable energy plan going forward. With only one supplier in the country and it being more expensive, right now, at this point, it is probably not viable, but we will continue to monitor this thing. With further hopes and further developments, maybe this can become successful, and we will be able to implement it into our system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. In response to the high-rise fire, a public health order was issued to the owner of the high-rise on April 10th. It detailed what needed to be done before it could be assessed whether or not residents could return. The owner was ordered to obtain a qualified environmental professional to prepare a plan for assessment and remediation in order to prevent mould growth due to water damage and to submit a report detailing the remediation work that had been done.

Mr. Speaker, no report was provided, and there is no evidence that any remediation work has taken place. In fact, the situation seems to have worsened significantly. What is the department doing in response to the owner's noncompliance? Does the department have any recourse, or is the order essentially toothless? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On April 10th the Chief Public Health Officer did make an order for the owner to do an environmental assessment on the building, to determine the things that the Member has identified. At the time, we were comfortable knowing that there was limited access to the building, because the Fire Marshal and the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission also had some orders. They were in care and control of the building, which would limit access.

Mr. Speaker, on May 14th, when the orders from the WSCC and the Fire Marshal were concluded, we had an opportunity to get into the building and see that things have, in fact, worsened. We have actually issued another order, and the order is a little bit more significant this time. We are actually asking that a qualified environmental company be identified and taken into the building to determine the level of exposure in the building. As the Member has said, things have worsened since the fire. The building did get significantly wet inside. There is mould growing. There are more problems.

Mr. Speaker, we never got a report on the initial assessment when we asked for it. We are hopeful that we will get something from the owner of the building. Before they can actually move forward and do anything on that building, any rehabilitation or any changes, they will have to meet that order, and they will also have to meet any additional requirements put on them by the WSCC and the Fire Marshal.

We will be monitoring. The order is not toothless, Mr. Speaker. We do have the ability to fine the individual should the order not be met. We also have the ability to require some work to be done, which we can bill back to the owner. We haven't reached that point. We have just gotten access to that building on May 14th and have issued the order since then. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

You can't get blood from a stone, so I am not sure that fining the owner or doing work and then billing it back is going to do anything here. I am not sure if there is money there to do any of this work. It certainly doesn't seem that way. What is the department willing to do on its own if the owner doesn't do any remediation work? At what point does this become a public health issue that the department has to deal with?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

The department isn't blind, and we can also read. We have seen the information on Facebook and other social media that the owner of the building is likely not going to do this work. We are prepared to work closely with the WSCC. We are prepared to work closely with the Fire Marshal. We haven't moved forward with a fine, because of the exact reason the Member has indicated; the likelihood of getting money out of that is unlikely, and the bottom line is that we are more interested in remediation of the building and health protection than we are in getting money from the owner.

We are exploring our options. They haven't all been determined. I will certainly, absolutely, without question, share any information with the Member when it becomes evident or when we actually have some concrete actions in line, but at this point we are working closely with our other partners to see what is done and to see what pressure can be put on the owner. If the owner does come forward with a rehabilitation plan, it will have to meet the conditions outlined by the WSCC and the Fire Marshal and it will have to address the hazmat and the contamination issues that are identified within our order.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

What is the deadline for compliance with this new order?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

The issue was ordered on May 17th. I will confirm with the department what the deadline on that order is.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister spoke of some of the challenges that they are facing, but does the department have a plan in place if this order is not complied with? Is there something concrete that he can share with us right now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

The Department of Health and Social Services is concerned about the public health of the residents of Hay River and the contamination in the building. We have limited access to the building. There is no access to the building unless somebody is properly gowned and prepared to go into that building recognizing the hazmat and the contamination issues. We don't have a plan to do anything with the building, other than keep it under lock and key until such a time as our conditions are met, but we recognize that work needs to be done. We are prepared to have conversations with owners, community, and other organizations, like the WSCC and the Fire Marshal's office, to attempt to find some resolution moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Time for oral questions has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to the Commissioner's opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Report of Special Warrants Issued (March 15 to May 22, 2019)." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following documents entitled "Follow-up Letter to Oral Question 693-18(3), Positive Feedback for Health and Social Services." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Tabling of documents. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a letter dated May 21, 2019, from the Mayor of Fort Simpson addressed to me, regarding Nutrition North and bridges. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 26, Statistics Act; Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act; Committee Report 15-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of Bill 30: An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act; Minister's Statement 151-18(3), New Federal Infrastructure Agreement; and Minister's Statement 158-18(3), Developments in Early Childhood Programs and Services, with the Member for Hay River North in the chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 5572

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

I will call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 5572

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chair.