This is page numbers 2199 - 2242 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.

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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. Are there any further questions on the information items? Seeing none, Members, we will now return to the Department summary found on page 169. Health and Social Services, operations expenditure summary, total department, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $596,784,000. Does committee agree?

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

Page 2215

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

Page 2215

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Mr. Norn.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services at this time. Mahsi cho, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Consideration of the Department of Health and Social Services, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, operating expenditures, total department is deferred. Thank you, Minister, and thank you to the witnesses for appearing before us. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Committee, we're going to take a short recess and resume with the next department.

---SHORT RECESS

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022. Does the Minister of Infrastructure have any opening remarks?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I do. I am here to present the 2021-2022 Main Estimates for the Department of Infrastructure. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $7.4 million, or 2.7 percent, over the Main Estimates, 2020-2021. These estimates support the mandate objectives for the Department of Infrastructure while continuing to meet the GNWT's fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.

Highlights of these proposed estimates include:

  • forced growth increases of $3.1 million, which includes $1.8 million for increases in electricity rates and $1.2 million for increased costs to maintain Highway No. 8, the Dempster Highway, and $83,000 for increased maintenance and utility costs for ferry utilities;
  • initiatives funding of $1.3 million, including $1.1 million for new lease costs for the Child and Family Services program, as well as $151,000 for a new occupational health and safety position in Inuvik;
  • establishment for utility funding of $2.8 million related to the Stanton Territorial Hospital;
  • a transfer of $3.6 million and related positions to the Department of Finance for costs associated with procurement shared services; and
  • sunsets of $3.6 million, which consists primarily of time-limited funding including: $659,000 for Highway No. 8 maintenance and $390,000 for a permafrost data management and analytical system. Additionally, there was a sunset of $789,000 to adjust cashflow requirements for the low carbon economy leadership fund as well as an increase of $469,000 reflecting the sunset of term funding to ECE related to temporary accommodations for families attending Aurora College's Inuvik campus.

These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly by promoting energy efficiency and sustainability and investing in the infrastructure that connects communities.

To continue working towards our goals outlined in the 2030 Energy Strategy, we will again provide $2.74 million in core funding to the Arctic Energy Alliance, as well as an additional $797,000 for community energy grants and $2.27 million for Northwest Territories-wide energy programs supplemented through the low carbon economy leadership fund.

The department will continue to invest in the Deferred Maintenance Program by upgrading and preserving our assets. When integrated with other GNWT programs, such as the Capital Asset Retrofit Fund, it has allowed the Department of Infrastructure to make efficient use of $11.8 million dollars of annual funding to significantly improve the overall performance of our assets.

For example, energy conservation and efficiency activities, including biomass boiler installations, LED lighting replacements, and other retrofit activities, have resulted in significant savings that allow additional resources to be redirected to advance other government initiatives.

The Department of Infrastructure also invests $1.5 million annually to continue to deliver the Community Access Program to improve local transportation infrastructure, including access roads, winter roads, ice roads, marine facilities, and trails. These help to increase food security through locally produced, harvested, and affordable food, and can also help towards economic diversification by supporting growth in non-extractive sectors, such as tourism. That concludes my opening remarks. Quyanainni, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Does the Minister of Infrastructure wish to bring in witnesses?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Yes, I do, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Thank you. The Minister has requested that we move through the main estimates in such a way that will limit the need for new witnesses to move in and out of the Chamber. The order in which we will consider the department activity has slightly changed, so we will not be going in order as the book. I will call the pages and make sure you guys are clear to the department or the section that we are going through. With that, Minister, will you please introduce your witnesses for the record?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have with me today Deputy Minister Steve Loutitt, as well as assistant deputy minister for regional operations, Gary Brennan.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, and welcome. Thank you. Committee has agreed to forego general comments. Does the committee agree to proceed to the detail in the tabled document?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Committee, we will defer the departmental summary and review the estimates by activity summary beginning with asset management, starting on page 235, with information items on page 238. Under asset management, are there questions from committee? Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I always have questions. The Department of Infrastructure under this section administers the Leasing of Improved Real Property, essentially the policy that controls how we lease all our property. This policy is from 1998, and I think it's a little outdated in regard to the work we are doing on procurement review. Is there any intention and a timeline to update the Leasing of Improved Real Property Policy? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to turn this over to Deputy Minister Loutitt.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Deputy Minister Loutitt.

Loutitt

Thank you, Madam Chair. At this time, we are looking at bringing forward some ideas as far as what we are looking at for amendments to the policy, but at this time, we do not have a time frame. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Housing Corporation previously conducted some analysis of whether it was cheaper to build public housing or to lease it, and they determined, ultimately, in the long run, it was cheaper for them to build and own their infrastructure. I note that our lease policy requires us to undertake a lease-versus-own analysis of all of the GNWT properties to see whether it's cheaper. In general, does the department have a sense of whether it's cheaper for us to own or lease our buildings? I note we built some very large office towers, such as the new government building, before, so was that the determination there, that it was cheaper for us to own it than it was to lease it? Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. It would depend on what type of asset we are looking at. If we are looking at big asset structures that require, sometimes, a P3, that would depend on the type of building we are looking at. Sometimes, there are opportunities in cost savings to be able to have a look at how we lease out buildings, whether it be more affordable for us to just lease versus purchase. It would all depend on what it is that is slated in our capital assets. Thank you, Madam Chair.