Mr. Speaker, one of my first Member's statements in this House was about the Department of Lands and their recent increase on the minimum price of lease rent cost for leaseholders on territorial lands, which is administered and managed within the lands department.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Lands increased the minimum rent cost for territorial land leases by $690. It went from a minimum cost of $150 and jumped to a minimum land-lease cost of $840 annually. This is a huge rent increase to absorb all at once. The rationale from the lands department for this large increase in rent minimums for territorial leaseholders is because the rates had not been adjusted for 20 years, so the Department of Lands decided to apply 20 years' worth of unchanged rent minimums and increase the cost all at once rather than staggering the increase at a nominal annual rate, as done with property taxes for example.
Moreover, Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, amid our government's initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Lands put out a statement which waived the land-lease fees for all existing surface dispositions for the fiscal year 2020-2021. Cabin Radio reported on this story further on May 11, 2020, stating that the Government of the Northwest Territories would collectively save residents and businesses $2.7 million, $1.4 million of which was provided relief to all the mines.
Mr. Speaker, I suspect that the Department of Lands would not have waived these costs if it only affected smaller leaseholders by regular people. I am convinced that the Government of the Northwest Territories only applied this waiver across the board because it primarily benefits the mining sector and large businesses.
Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe that all rights-based land-lease holders must be exempt from this policy and that all permanent and long-time residents of the NWT must be dealt with fairly. A 5- to 10-percent increase is sufficient for all residents I just mentioned. If anything, I think the bulk of the rent increases should rest with the non-NWT leaseholders. I will have questions for the Minister of Lands later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.