Thank you, Madam Chair. On my right is Deputy Minister Laura Gareau. Thank you.

Sorry, what was her last name?

You want me to do it again? Deputy Minister Laura Gareau.

Welcome. The committee has agreed to forego general comments. Is the committee agreed to proceed to the detail in the tabled document?

Thank you. Committee, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs begins on page 64. We'll defer the departmental totals and review the estimates by activity, beginning on page 65 with regional operations with information items on page 66. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess the first question is can I confirm that this is 100 percent flow-through money that goes directly to communities.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

There's my yes for the year.

Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker -- Madam Chair. I appreciate -- I don't get a lot of yeses out of MACA so I'll cherish them.

I guess I'm a little frustrated that this number is actually going down. We added two and a half million dollars to the municipal funding gap last capital budget, and now it's not here. Can I get an updated figure of what, according to our own policy, the municipal funding gap for capital is at.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Come again, sorry, Madam Chair?

Member, can you repeat your question.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I get an updated figure of what the municipal funding gap for capital is presently at. I see we're giving communities $29 million here. If we were following the formula as we have set it, what should this number be. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Members have asked us to work with NWTHC to look at what that gap is and we're working with them on that presently. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I recognize there's some work being done to revisit the formula, which will then give us a new number, but I'm wondering right now what we quantify the gap being. I know we have a mandate commitment to reduce it by $5 million. I know we've made a lot of progress on the operations side and some on the environmental. I believe this is the largest part of the municipal funding gap according to the current formula we've agreed to. Can I just get a numerical figure of how short it is right now?

Thank you, Member. Minister.

For the detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Thank you. Deputy minister Gareau.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.