This is page numbers 2989 - 3034 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 know.

Topics

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that we have a lot of conversation around small communities and retention of money there, can the Minister briefly describe the community engagement process that's been undertaken until now and tell us what she's been doing differently to ensure that the benefits of the project are retained within that small community and are not being lost to businesses from the south or in regional centres. Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Great Bear River Project has potential to bring significant socio-economic benefits to the Sahtu. My department has been working very hard to optimize how we can retain benefits in the region and community, as well as how to involve as many local businesses and contractors as possible. Engagement meetings have been taking place since August 2018. The project team has also held public meetings in each of the five Sahtu communities. Also have met with Sahtu Secretariat, community councils, land corporation, resource councils, all throughout the Sahtu.

Topics addressed during meetings have included discussions on how business and people of the Sahtu can be prepared to provide services to the project. So the next round of meetings are being scheduled for December and January.

The NWT business incentive is in place to favour bids with local and northern content. We will work with Department of Finance with regards to procurement options and also utilize the Northwest Territories Business Incentive Policy which is in place to favour bids with local and northern content. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear that, although I do want to caution the Minister that BIP is only for a small portion of that overall contract so it may not actually have much weight in this.

And further to that, could the Minister speak to what is the estimated value of the work from the project that could realistically be executed within the community by local contractors. So this includes opportunities such as camp provision, work for laborers, catering services, camp attendants. What do we realistically see that Northwest Territories businesses could actually execute. Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't really give an exact figure at this time. However, it is expected with a project of this complexity that a higher portion of cost will be attributed to bridge construction itself. That's what we've been telling the communities in the Sahtu that, you know, it -- this is a complex bridge. As a matter of fact, it will be the second biggest bridge here in the Northwest Territories.

We could expect that local and regional and Northwest Territories contractors would be able to carry out quarry operations, roadway work, earth works, bush clearing, just to name a few, Mr. Speaker.

Additionally, businesses are available to supply camp services, heavy equipment operators, skilled and unskilled labourers, camp cooks, attendants, to name a few. There are many components to a project of this size and the work will take more than two years to complete, providing opportunities for local, regional, and territorial participation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm glad that the Minister supplied even some further examples of areas in which the local community can benefit.

And so I guess my next question is what is the Minister going to do or what requirements will be filled into the project plan in order to ensure that those small and local businesses and contractors are competitive in bidding on work for this project. Does the Minister commit to changing how RFPs are written to ensure greater scoring for those who incorporate training, Indigenous and community engagement. Thank you.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, there has been and continues to be significant engagement with the Sahtu and community folks that are interested in this project. In addition, the Northwest Territories BIP program, which provides support to local contractors bidding on projects, small and local businesses have an advantage when bidding on local work as they do not need to build in costs for things like accommodations or mobilization, because they're already there. This gives local businesses and contractors a competitive advantage over someone that perhaps is outside the Northwest Territories.

As the project is still in the early stage of design regulatory permitting, it's kind of early to discuss the method of procurement. But I can assure Members our department is making every effort to optimize local and regional opportunities for this important project within procurement framework of the GNWT while also respecting the procurement framework and trade rules that are associated with this primary project funder, the federal government.

I would also remind the Member that I am appearing in front of SCEDE tomorrow morning with some of my senior staff to discuss all the projects that are happening in the Sahtu and be able to answer a little more detailed questions to some of the project that's occurring. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my Member's statement speaking about the Beaufort Delta and the core housing need, can the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation tell us what is the current waitlist for the Beaufort Delta communities right now. Thanks.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the question. The total number that we have as of today is 178. We've got Inuvik has 73, Aklavik's got 18. Fort McPherson 21, and Tsiigehtchic 9. Those are the numbers that I was provided that are on the waitlist. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister what immediate actions are being taken to reduce this waitlist. Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As of today, the number that I have for the Beaufort Delta, including Inuvik, Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic, is 26 million that has been invested into this region. We have 17 of the market housing units which are the RCMP constructed units. They should be completed by the end of this government.

But we have got two units going into Inuvik. In Aklavik, we had 600,000 that was invested into six public housing units. Also home ownership repair programs for private homeowners and minor unit repair, all expected to be completed in 2022-2023. McPherson, we've got four public housing units coming available. And also Tsiigehtchic two housing units and three major repair home ownership programs as well too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I also wanted to add that we continue the effort working with the Indigenous groups in the Member's riding as well to continue lobbying the federal government for further additional housing infrastructure money. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for those numbers. You know, Housing keeps bringing up these RCMP units. They don't resolve our housing crisis. They do provide our RCMP with new units in that, you know, since the Minister has brought that up, what I want to know is with all these new units that are being for RCMP, what are we doing with the old units? Are we going to absorb them into GNWT and are we going to use those to reduce our public housing waitlist? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that question coming from the Member.

Right now, as these RCMP units are being constructed, I am in conversations with the federal government and I want those units to be transferred over to the Housing Corporation so we would be able to work with the Northwest Territories and add that to our public housing stock. And also that there is possibly an opportunity to work with the Indigenous groups as well too, as they would have preference before the GNWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll go back to my other question that I had. So knowing that we've heard in this House many times that there's communities and there's boarded up and there's vacant units, what is the Housing Corporation -- how many housing units are in the Beaufort Delta communities that we are talking about, and what is the plan for those units that are vacant that Housing Corporation owns. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm going to provide the Member with some numbers.

We've got 11 in Inuvik. We have two that are under repair and four that were scheduled for repair in 2022-2023, and five require funding.

Aklavik, we've got eight. Two are under repair. One is scheduled for 2022-2023 completion. And also five require funding as well too.

In Fort McPherson, we have four. Three are under repair, and one is required funding.

In Tsiigehtchic, we don't have any numbers.

But then, you know, I look forward to looking at those numbers as well too because we don't have the funding to repair those units and have them available for the clients. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] I am thankful for today and I also thank my colleagues. The things that they are bringing up is very important, especially to the smaller communities and we are in need of a lot of things, and it's the people that are needing these things; I thank them for that. And we're not going to stop asking for these things for our small communities, and we're trying to make sure that we -- we help our community.

Yesterday's Member's statement. So I'd like to ask a question towards Housing Minister. [Translation Ends]

This is not to be disrespectful for the loss of loved ones, especially in my regions. There are some family that I know that are still grieving. So this is a question for the Minister.

Can the Minister share what types of assistance are available to residents regarding the transfer of property and land ownership from deceased relatives.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for MACA.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that there is not a Municipal and Community Affairs issue. I think that's very much about wills, about working with the justice system. But if the Member is talking about land transfer and that, that there is very much about a municipal government.

It's been very confusing, and I thank the Member. She's hit me a few times with this question, and I greatly appreciate it. It's trying to understand how it works in the Tlicho government, but it is my understanding land belongs to -- or is looked after by the Tlicho government, whether it's Behchoko, Gameti, Whati, or Wekweeti. And they need to develop a bylaw to do that type of work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you for the question. I just wanted to know if the Minister is aware, knows, Behchoko, Whati, Gameti, and Wekweeti is a public government. So it is responsibility of Municipal and Community Affairs.

With that, can the Minister advise what possible assistance is available relating to accumulated tax arrears. Thank you.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I'm well aware that it's a public government. And, again, it's understanding the complexity of a new government and how we do things.

So in regards to taxation, this was an issue that I brought up in the 18th Assembly and what we were able to do is work with the Minister of Finance is that we were able to do a reverse mortgage, I would call it. Basically we would just pay -- come up with a payment plan to work and pay off the taxes and then as the interest would be reversed. So that option is available. You would have to reach out to the Department of Finance. That's what I have had to do with working with my community members in my riding, and my understanding that option is still available but would need to confirm with the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you for the answers. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit to instructing staff to reach out to the Tlicho and community government to address barriers in the transfer of land and property title. Thank you.