Minister of MACA.

I thank the Member for the comments.

Okay. Any more questions under regional operations? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you. This is probably a quick question for me as well. When I take a look at the GNWT mandate when it was first put out in 2019 for the four year period of ending in 2023, one of the statements in here talks about the reduction of cost of power. And so this came out last year this time when the Minister came out and threw it out there that there's going to be a power increase and the power increase to the communities that I represent of Fort Resolution was 10 percent for the first year and second year. But the utility board made a ruling that what's going to happen now they're down 2.5 percent for increase in power. Even though that we heard a few weeks ago the Finance Minister made a -- in her budget address to the House here and saying that there'd be no new tax increase, I just want to ask this question to the Minister in regards to homeowners in the communities throughout the Northwest Territories. Are you going to be looking at raising any taxes this year on property taxes?

I don't think that this is -- property taxes are related to the communities, municipality governments, so. But I'll -- under taxation. But if you want to -- Minister of MACA.

So we do the assessment and if we don't have tax increase, then the -- then we don't have tax increase. If it's the municipality, the taxation is in the tax-based communities, they make their decision on their rates. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Any follow-up under regional operations?

Because we already know that the high cost of living already is happening in the Northwest Territories. The fuel prices are going up, and everything else that's happening in our communities. So these assessments are done by the local people and the local governments, but. So I just want to know that as long as that we're on record here to say that there will be no new increases in keeping in line with the Finance Minister. Thank you.

Minister of MACA.

That there I cannot speak for the Finance Minister. I can tell you we do an assessment. That's part of the process. And in regards to the taxation part, the Member should ask the finance minister. But I didn't hear it in the budget. So thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So if you conclude your assessment for this fiscal year and then once you go through this whole assessment process and if you feel -- or is there -- if there needs to be an increase based on that assessment after that, are you going to be increasing the taxes at the local level? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

Okay. So I'll ask the deputy minister to explain the assessment process. In regards to taxes, as I explained, that there should be asked to the finance minister. But for the assessment process, I'll ask deputy minister, with your permission, to elaborate. Thank you.

Thank you. Deputy minister Gareau.

Thank you. Any further questions? Seeing none, Members, please return to page 352, Municipal and Community Affairs, regional operation, operations expenditure summary, Main Estimates 2023-2024, $100,999,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you. $990,000, sorry. Does committee agree?

Thanks, Madam Chair. I actually do have a couple questions here if I can. So with COVID, you know, the actuals were down pretty significantly in 2021-2022. The revised estimates are pretty close for 2022-2023. Is this, like, back up to where we were in pre-pandemic times? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister of MACA.

It's pretty close. Thank you.