Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about the idea of a city charter for Yellowknife. Currently, the powers and authority of the City of Yellowknife are described by the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, but the CTV act applies the same rules to all communities. That means the City of Yellowknife, with 20,000 residents, has the same authority as other communities with only a few hundred, let's say.
Mr. Speaker, I think we can all agree Yellowknife has different circumstances that aren't shared by smaller communities. Its city government deals with unique issues, opportunities, and challenges that other communities may not. That's why a city charter is long overdue. City charters recognize the unique challenges and opportunities a larger centre faces every day. It provides authority to the city over areas that directly affect residents' lives. It recognizes that a larger centre deals with demands at a scale and level of complexity that other communities may not. It gives the city the tools to deliver quality infrastructure and services to its residents. It allows local solutions for local needs, and it allows the city to respond and adjust to changing times in a timely fashion.
City charters in Canada date as far back as 1785. Many major cities today, including both our neighbours Calgary and Edmonton, have city charters that define their powers and authority. A city charter for Yellowknife would make that possible. This would be achieved by legislation and regulations giving Yellowknife authority in areas like lands, homelessness and poverty, policing, and economic development. Local decision-making would be more sensitive to the specific, unique needs of the city and its residents. It will also lead to increased collaboration between the city and the territory, and, through a devolution agreement, we can better clarify roles and responsibilities so there will be greater efficiency of community government and improved services to residents.
I believe, just as the territorial government took some powers from the federal government through devolution, it makes sense that we begin to devolve some authorities and powers to the city government. This will make for better community administration and much better services to residents, businesses, and visitors alike because the city will have the tools it needs. Going forward, Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful this idea will get meaningful attention and direction from the 19th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.