Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the reasons I believe our Power Corporation needs a new board not made up of deputy ministers is because it needs a fresh look at its goals and objectives. Is it an ally in fighting climate change or a corporation determined to protect its bottom line, keeping our communities on diesel at the expense of our rate payers? Does its mandate include devolving energy sovereignty to Indigenous governments, or is it determined to maintain a public monopoly at all costs?
We have seen the Northwest Territories Power Corporation resist handing over control of power systems to communities. This is because, when a community increases its renewable energy capacity, net metering kicks in. Even if that community has 100 percent federal dollars, the NTPC is afraid it will lose ratepayers and the costs will have to be passed on to everyone else. This is not an easy decision to be made. It is a complicated fight, but I believe that NTPC has lost its vision in where it's going.
I would like to suggest another area for the NTPC to expand its mandate into: heat. The Northwest Territories Power Corporation in their act specifically includes district heating in the definition of "energy," and it is well within their mandate to provide heating as a utility. District heating is proven to work. It comes with cost savings, and it decreases emissions. However, the work needed here cannot be done without coordination. It requires thought from start to the finish. Even if a community gets 100 percent federal funding and connects all of the residences in that community to district heat, they would then need to hire multiple staff and operate and establish a utility. Mr. Speaker, especially in our underfunded communities, that is well beyond their mandate.
What we are left with is proven technologies that lower the cost of living for our residents, with no one willing to implement them. Private enterprise is not equipped, nor are they able to access the same level of funding. My point being that there is nothing more I have to do as a legislator to permit the Power Corporation to provide residents with district heating, a much-needed additional revenue stream for them, I might add. It is now a business decision by them. I know the City of Yellowknife would be very encouraged to put the pipes in the ground if the Power Corporation and the Department of Infrastructure would assist and find some way to take on the utility-management aspect. No one is better suited than the Power Corporation to do this work. I will have questions for the Minister about directing the NTPC to begin this work and start getting themselves and our communities off diesel.