This is page numbers 2019 - 2082 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 communities.

Topics

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am wondering if there are timelines associated with each of the first three acts that the deputy minister referred to, that being the property assessment act, the Fire Prevention Act, and the seniors and disabled property tax act, if there are deadlines that the department is working towards in order to have those through to this side of the House. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of MACA.

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hate to go back to COVID-19, but it did have a significant delay in our legislation coming forward. I will just have Ms. Eleanor Young elaborate on that a little bit because we did end up with some delays, as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister Young.

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Young

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, there are timelines worked out for each piece of legislation. I don't know how much detail you would like me to go into here today, but for example, with the Property Assessment and Taxation Act, we are working towards a legislative proposal by February of 2022. That's our timeline to do the initial work on phase 1 of that act. Under the Fire Prevention Act, the revised legislative proposal on that one has the same timeline, February of 2022. We can provide more detail on the steps to get to those timelines if committee would like. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Deputy Minister Young. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is around the assessment or legislation to do with the property tax for seniors. I have had several constituents reach out to me about what the department is going to do to help them should the municipality assess their properties at a higher value than they have in the past, whether or not there is going to be some help there or some control. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am looking at the specifics of the changes of this act and that we will be working with the town specifically, not looking at the communities right now. We are looking at all municipalities throughout the territory, but just recognizing that the municipalities do have their own bylaws and how to administer looking at the mill rate. I will have Ms. Eleanor Young elaborate on the response. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister Young.

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Young

Thank you, Madam Chair. We will actually engage organizations, such as the Seniors' Society, as we do part of this work. One of the real focuses of this work is to get fairness and equity across this act and across different types of communities. As it currently stands, there are some significant differences in the way that the act is applied in different types of communities. That is one of the big things we want to do is make sure that the act is both fair and transparent but also equitable across the types of communities. We will be working with community governments, seniors organizations, et cetera, to finish this work so that we can strive to that kind of support for our seniors population. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Great Slave.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. Is there a move to be implementing income testing for seniors across all MACA programs or a variety of MACA programs in the upcoming year? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am not too sure if we are going to be looking at income testing, but I am looking at the mill rate. I have been concentrating on that, but I will have Mr. Gary Schauerte just elaborate on the response. Thank you.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Schauerte.

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Schauerte

Thank you, Madam Chair. As we continue our work on researching options for the seniors and disabled property tax relief act, it would be our objective to try to be as consistent as possible with how seniors programs are being looking at across the spectrum within the Government of the NWT. There is considerable interest in supporting elders to age in place within their own homes. We are live to the issue that we want seniors to stay in their homes for longer periods of time. Ultimately, at the end of the day, any discussion about means testing for the tax benefit on this would be done within a comprehensive review, consistent with other seniors programs within the government. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Schauerte. Member for Great Slave.

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. Would the department or the Minister characterize that the trend is going, across all those programs, towards income testing, or what is their feel about what is going to happen?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. If the Member could clarify "all programs," is that just for the property taxation for seniors? If she could just clarify? Thank you, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member, can you clarify?

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Yes. Let me rephrase. I'm sorry I don't have your position right, but the departmental staff indicated that it would be consistent with all of the other seniors programming across the Northwest Territories government. Is the trend across all of the Northwest Territories government towards income testing for seniors, and is that something that the Minister is looking at for her department specifically? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. Within the lifetime of this government, we are looking for consistency throughout the programming that we do offer. I also want to say that, looking at the other portfolio I carry for the Housing Corporation and looking at the priority to have seniors age in place, I am going to have Mr. Gary Schauerte elaborate on the response. For income testing, for all programs, that would contribute to our changes within our property taxation for seniors and people with disabilities. Thank you, Madam Chair.