Yes, I do. Thank you, Madam Chair.
I am pleased to present the 2022-2023 Main Estimates for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $1.972 million or 1.6 percent over the 2021-2022 Main Estimates. These estimates support the mandate objectives for the department while continuing to meet the GNWT's fiscal objectives to prioritize reasonable and strategic spending.
Highlights of these proposed estimates include:
- Initiative funding increases of $922,000 for community governments and $507,000 for ten relief workers and associated salary and benefits for NWT 9-1-1 service;
- A forced growth increase of $331,000 in the proposed budget is to provide for grants in lieu of property tax for tax-based communities; and,
- Finally, there is a total increase of $212,000 in other adjustments, which is the net impact of an increase of $123,000 to provide for MACA's administration of federal investment in Canada Infrastructure Plan; an increase of $445,000 for the collective agreement increases with the Union of Northern Workers; and a decrease of $356,000 in travel budgets.
These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly and support the vision of the Budget 2022 by supporting the GNWT's mandate objective to reduce the municipal funding gap by $5 million. If approved, this mandate objective will be 83 percent fulfilled for a total investment to date of $4.167 million.
Of the total proposed estimates for MACA in 2022-2023, 82.8 percent, or $101.9 million, is intended to support community governments.
That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Madam Chair.