This is page numbers 1111 - 1152 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 going.

Topics

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, we haven't spent all of it yet. It does require an application process. I think we might have the up-to-date numbers available in terms of where we're at right now. If I could just check in, perhaps, with Mr. Courtoreille, he might have that available, or Mr. Koe, I'm not sure. Just to get a sense of an update as to what the total expenditures are to date. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Mr. Koe.

Koe

Thank you, Madam Chair. The latest statistics as of June 3rd, we've had 41 employers apply and 293 employees have qualified. We've granted about $90,000 and kind of the average monthly support for each employee is about $215 under that program. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think we would all like to see at least everyone in the Northwest Territories making $18 an hour. That's still well below a living wage for many of our communities. I recognize that there is some work to do. It's only $215 average a month for an employee. That's not that much money to us, but it's a lot to them. I'm looking for: perhaps there is a way, as this program expires, that we can meet those employers in the middle and offer some sort of wage-incentive program, and they can offer a bit of a raise to their own employees. Really, I don't think anyone should be paying people less than $18 an hour in the Northwest Territories. I recognize that is the reality for these workers. I'm hoping the Minister can give me a sense of whether we can use this current funding as a bit of leverage to get people closer to a living wage. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is one thing I would note is that this program is for individuals who work at least 30 hours per week. There are likely some individuals who are making less than this, who are at least closer to the minimum wage. A bit of conjecture here but they wouldn't qualify for this program if they're not working 30 hours a week. I would be cautious in assuming that this program is necessarily covering everyone who is making less than $18 per hour and that those numbers might actually be quite different. We certainly do have some statistics, labour market statistics, on who makes what, what number of labourers do make less. That might be a good project for one of the committees to undertake if they are so interested or inclined. At this point, Madam Chair, I'm not going to be able to give much more of a commitment on that particular project. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Are there any further questions, comments under this section? Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

I just want to echo MLA Johnson's frustration with the lack of financial support for the small regional cargo airlines. My concern is that we're going to end up losing them, either to bankruptcy or to having them move South. I've heard that from a local airline in Hay River, one that actually wants to expand into the passenger side of things. I'm just wondering: I'd like to ask the Minister how close we are to actually providing them some funding. It sounds like we're not going to see anything from the feds in the near future, so how close are we, as a government, in getting them a package out? Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

I'm cautiously optimistic that it won't be very long, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I know when she says "not long" it's usually a week. Thank you, Madam Chair. That's all.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Any further questions? Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I did give the Minister a heads-up that I would ask her some questions about some of these matters. The line of $23,400,000, that's to help cover some of our extraordinary costs related to the pandemic. Can the Minister tell us how much we've actually spent on self-isolation where we helped put up our residents, and in some cases, essential service workers, in hotels and pay for their meals and so on? What have we spent on that so far? Let's start with that. Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. The total costs, year to date, on self-isolation centres are $1.2 million, and a breakdown is that the majority of that are in Yellowknife, $535,000 or just over; a little over $207,000 in Hay River; $455,750 in Inuvik; and $2,160 in Fort Smith. Madam Chair, I'm happy to provide that chart to the Member so he doesn't have to write down my numbers. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Maybe if you could send that off to all the Members, they might want that. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yes. I think I got about three of the numbers down, so it would be great to get it in a table. Forgive me if this was said, but what are our projected costs? Well, we don't know when the pandemic is going to end, but has the department predicted any costs that might be associated into the future with self-isolation, supporting those individuals? Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to know, I think I said "to date" on the chart. Those are numbers that are up to May 15th, so there obviously has been almost the better part of a month since then, but those are the numbers that we have collated to now. Again, only having had a few months, but we're at about $1.1 million per month, on average, so if we use that as a projection, then we're looking at $5.6 million to the end of September. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. The Minister is well prepared. I appreciate that. With regard to the uptake on the wage top-up program, I think there are about 2,100 people who might be eligible based on statistical tracking. What is the uptake like as of the most recent number the Minister can give us? Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Madam Chair, Mr. Koe just said the number, but I didn't write it down. If I could ask it to go back to him, please?