Thank you, Madam Chair. There is always a concern about timing, that from the time you file the plans to receiving a response doesn't fit in with some of the projects. It takes a little too long. Is there any appetite to increase the number of staff there? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Debates of March 12th, 2020
This is page numbers 659 - 708 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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 community.
Topics
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Presently, the Fire Prevention Act is under review, so once that review is done, we'd be able to determine the amount of staff to support the Fire Prevention Act. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 12th, 2020
Page 675
Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. I've got some concern is that there are modular units that come into the Northwest Territories, whether they're camps or whether they're residential trailers. I know that we operate under Part 9 of the National Building Code. If you've got a modular unit coming out of Alberta, it's under the Alberta Part 10. There's a little bit of a difference there. I'm just wondering, with one staff in that office, and I understand there's regional staff as well, assistant fire marshals, I'm wondering if that's sufficient staff to monitor those types of buildings coming into the territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. This concern has been brought up quite a bit throughout, looking at the infrastructure that we are building within the communities and in respect to modular homes, as well. Once the Fire Prevention Act is passed and we've determined and it's finalized, I would like to look at the staffing for that position. Knowing that we do have assistant fire marshals within the district offices, I would also like to really emphasize on the support that we would have at headquarters. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to plan review, what aspects of the plans does the Office of the Fire Marshall look at? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Looking at the aspects for what the Fire Marshall would hold, I was going to refer this question over to Mr. Schauerte, just so he can elaborate on it because I know we don't have a building act, and I don't want to get those two confused. I want to be very clear. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Schauerte
Thank you, Madam Chair. Under the Fire Prevention Act, we adopt the component of the National Building Code that deals with the threat of fire, fire and the threat of fire. It really is that component of the National Building Code that the plan review office reviews for compliance with respect to the architectural drawings and the building plans that come before the plan review office. The complexity of some of the buildings that come forward and some of the drawings that we get contribute to the plan review process. Largely, the better the plan review documents that come before us, the easier it is for the plan review officer to review them and approve them and approve the project.
As the Minister has pointed out, the Fire Prevention Act is a priority for the department for the review during the 19th Assembly and, of course, the plan review function is a critical component to that. There's been considerable interest, not only within this House, but with community governments and the NWT Association of Communities to look at building standards, which is a view to expand a little bit the role of what plan review would look like. Really, as part of our legislative agenda, to review the Fire Prevention Act, this gives us, the department, the opportunity to look at all these functions to determine how best serving the building industry relative to the National Building Code and improving projects.
A lot of the questions that are being asked around building standards are really tied back to that discussion around the Fire Prevention Act and the work that we can do there. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 675
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. Under infrastructure, I think it is, we have gas. We have the gas inspections, and we have the boilers. Is your department looking at maybe bringing those together with the gas inspections and possibly even plumbing?. Right now, we have no plumbing inspections required in the NWT except for Yellowknife, I think. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. We did speak about the building code and looking back to the Northwest Territories, and having the functions under one act. I'm going to have Ms. Eleanor Young elaborate on that a little bit further. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. The issue the Member is raising are issues that have been raised as part of phase one of the Fire Prevention Act work through engagement with stakeholders. The fact that we've got regulatory function sitting in two or three departments with regard to construction industry in the North. We had started down the path of getting ready for a phase two engagement specific to that latter part of the Fire Prevention Act around building plan review and building inspections. Unfortunately, the 911 legislation sidetracked some of that work for a year or two. We're now getting back to it. In the interest of much of the conversation around a broader building act, what we intend to do is do a discussion paper to finish the work on the Fire Prevention Act, but also gather information on whether the Fire Prevention Act is the right tool to fix many of these issues or whether it is broader building legislation or whether it's some sort of harmonization of the processes we currently have.
We expect that that process will lead us to a recommendation in terms of the legislative fix. Whether it's under Fire Prevention Act or whether we take on a second act with a building standards act. We hope to have that decision, I think our goal is within this year so that we can finish whatever the work is in the remainder of this Assembly. Many of these issues are why we stopped and slowed down that work on the Fire Prevention Act because we realized there were much bigger discussions and decisions that had to be made about where we go in terms of all of these different regulatory authorities. Where they get housed would fall out of that final decision about legislation. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess if we have an all-encompassing act and regulations -- I'm thinking about the smaller communities where they kind of get left out. If somebody's doing a project and you're waiting two or three weeks for an inspection, that's a problem. I am assuming that as you're doing this review, that's in the back of your mind, as well. Is that correct? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. That is correct. I do run into a lot of comments and a lot of conversation that surround that exact conversation that, when constructing infrastructure, that we should just be operating under one act instead of several -- not several, but we just have so many different compartments. It kind of gets complicated for smaller communities. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Committee Motion 7-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 676
Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just one quick question with respect to page 334, ground ambulance and highway rescue. It's always an issue in Hay River. I understand the community has never really been fully funded for providing that service. If there's an accident, we pretty well go out there. I just want to confirm that that's the case, and I suspect that the department's in consultation with Hay River on that issue? Thank you, Madam Chair.