This is page numbers 3603 - 3664 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

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

I am concerned, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation staff in this particular case, as I stated in my Member's statement, continue to communicate with my constituents in a way that is not recognized, understood, or acknowledged, when it is the responsibility put back on staff to confirm clients understand the message.

Does the Housing Corporation have guidelines or standards to provide customer service expectation to staff? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for raising such an important question, and it's something that the Housing Corporation has included with our review of our policies and programming as well too. And coming from a small community as well, this is quite important for me because I do understand the language barriers that are real situations at the ground level and also the interpretation of our contracts and our documents as well too, that they need to be simplified and they need to be properly communicated. This is something I will take back to the Housing Corporation to improve our client service. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

What expectation are put on regional housing authorities to ensure that clients with English as a second language are given fair and equitable support? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And it's very important for me to making sure that our programs and services are fairly communicated. I just want to inform the Member as well too that we do have the local housing authorities which are -- the percentage of that representation is -- the majority is Indigenous. And looking at how we could better improve those services, communicating and language, I will bring that back to the corporation and I will -- making sure that we do have an emphasis on those communication and those interpretation of those legal documents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Housing Corporation use interpreters to communicate with clients whose first language is not English? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is something that I will improve with the corporation. And just, you know, I need to recognize as well too that we do have elders in the smaller communities. We do have just single languages that are spoken that are first before English and I will make sure that we do have those services available as well too, and not only at the local housing authority level but also at the district level as well too. It's very important to be having those options at the local community level. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Question 960-19(2): Three-year Energy Plan
Oral Questions

March 1st, 2022

Page 3610

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question from March 29th, 2021, in which the Minister stated that they're currently developing their own three-year energy action plan to be released in the spring. The plan would include, you know, cost-effective residential biomass system investments in other NWT communities.

Mr. Speaker, I've grown cobwebs waiting for the report. This is really -- I'm just wondering from the Minister, because they were working on it and currently developing, it said at that time, why nothing was progressed on this file at all? Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the Member's comments as well too that, you know, the Housing Corporation building and energy efficiency is quite important and we look at those new builds going forward and making sure that the areas where we could see improvement. The energy -- the energy plan is to be -- just a second, I have a -- our energy plan is to be presented to the standing committee in the spring of this year, 2022. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at that time we were specifically talking about wood pellet boiler systems for Housing Corporation units in the outlying communities as a possible way for savings through the fuel bills and the bottom line for the budget of the GNWT. And I really hope this energy plan, as I stated before housing is always referencing repairs for efficiencies, like sealing doors and fixing broken windows, but this one here I wanted it to be a wood pellet boiler energy action plan. I'm wondering if the Minister would commit to that. Mahsi.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the Member as well too because he's putting a lot of emphasis on the wood pellet boiler system as well. But like I had said before is that I'm not too sure for the supply, that I need to bring this back to the department. The question was asked earlier this week, and looking at where we would be able to provide this service and also looking at education and training, maintenance of that system as well too.

One of the things that the corporation has looked at was the biomass projects as well too, and to date we have 53 units that we had advanced here in Yellowknife and looking forward to be working in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure on completing those projects. Correction, they were actually -- they were actually completed this year. It's eight units at Sissons Court here in Yellowknife, and that was a project that was completed with the Department of Infrastructure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As I stated too last week that I was very impressed with the values and vision of the corporation and where they got innovation, and I was kind of excited about that, because they continue to -- you know, they strive to improve. They're creative, adaptable, and flexible. Some of that stuff is leading well to the energy -- the wood pellet boiler energy plan. And I also stated about the contract services, Mr. Speaker. We can -- to encourage these contract services to the LHOs, you know, the department could consider contracting out these services so the contractor would purchase, install, and maintain those wood pellet boiler systems, which relieves the NWT Housing Corporation of any maintenance issues there except to tie in their house. And also it stimulates the local economy and --

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Ask the question, please.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Will the Minister consider this contract services for the future? Mahsi.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to bring this back to my department to look at further analysis as well too. And I'm not too much of a huge fan for contract services, that, you know, we could look at local training and emphasizing and investing into the local community level, but I'm not familiar with the wood pellet system.

And the other thing I just wanted to emphasize on is the biomass investment, that the Housing Corporation does have currently a federal application to support these projects going forward. But I can follow up with the Member for further information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final short supplementary, Member for Deh Cho.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I note the time was 18 minutes and we only got -- we're done with all the other speakers.

But I noted the Minister mentioned there was a project here in Yellowknife that they were completing, and she also mentioned previously that Aklavik has a system that the corporation is utilizing from a local contractor or a local organization that's heating one of their buildings. I'm just wondering if the Minister could share information in terms of savings through the corporation since that incorporation of that arrangement. Mahsi.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have those energy savings numbers at my fingertips right now, and looking at those comparisons I can provide those numbers to the Member as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to deviate a little bit from my Member's statement and ask the Minister of Infrastructure some questions.

I'm wondering if the Minister could please provide us an update on the Prohibition Creek access road. It's my understanding that the bid came in too high and has not been accepted so I'm just curious to know where we're at. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Prohibition Creek access road is one of our priorities of this Assembly and therefore it's something that we need to advance.

We did receive some funding from the federal government, ICIP funding that brings us -- you know, the ICIP program goes until 2028. We're still in process of phase 1. The project's broken up into two phases. The first phase includes the seven kilometre portion from Canyon Creek to the Christina Creek. The second phase is to include the remaining six kilometres of Christina Creek to Prohibition Creek. So right now, we're still in the procurement for the construction of the first phase. So we're still in that process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me whether the department plans to re-tender the first phase, or will there be a sole source contract going out? What is the plan now that the first tender didn't result in a successful bid? Thank you.