Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here to present the 2023-2024 Main Estimates for the Department of Environment and Climate Change. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $2.671 million or 2.2 percent over the 2022-2023 Main Estimates. These estimates support the mandate objectives for the Department of Environment and Climate Change while continuing to meet the GNWT's fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.
Highlights from the proposed estimates include:
- An increase of $1.7 million for barren-ground caribou research and monitoring offset by a sunset of $560,000 for previous increased funding for some Bathurst and Bluenose-East monitoring activities, for a total of $1.14 million in additional funding;
- Additional sunsets of $3.598 million which includes $960,000 related to the Section 11 Conservation Agreement for Boreal Caribou, $2.259 million for the Nature Fund Protected Areas Agreement, $219,000 for the Approach to Unauthorized and Rights-Based Occupancy, $110,000 for Sustainable Livelihoods, and $50,000 for Flood Impacts. The department has a commitment for a bridge-funding agreement with the federal government for Section 11 and Nature Fund activities to offset most of these sunset amounts;
- Forced growth funding of $1.091 million for forest management personnel, that includes fire crew extensions and two new fire crews given longer wildfire seasons;
- An increase of $3.535 million due to a change in accounting treatment to move funds from the work on behalf of third parties fund to the operations and maintenance fund for the Alberta/Northwest Territories Bilateral Water Management Agreement, the Mutual Aid Resources Sharing Agreement and the Barren-Ground Research, Monitoring and Management Agreement; and,
- A $219,000 reduction in funding for contract services.
These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly and vision of budget 2023 by:
- Continuing work on the 2019-2023 NWT Climate Change Action Plan, and ensuring climate change factors are integrated into government decision-making;
- Supporting initiatives that promote economic diversification and jobs in communities by supporting jobs related to protected areas, a sustainable forest industry, expanding waste diversion programs, and support for the traditional economy including the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program;
- Contributing to the GNWT-wide efforts to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and support regional based decision-making through participation in the NWT's long standing co-management systems for land, water, wildlife and forests, and ECC's support for sustainable livelihoods;
- Supporting the GNWT's work to improve food security through country food, land-based programming, effective management of harvested species, their habitat, and assisting with agricultural land uses;
- Modernizing land management, including how we serve our land administration clients, supporting sustainable economic development and taking leadership on climate action;
- Supporting efforts to reduce the municipal funding gap through the transfer of land to communities.
That concludes my opening remarks, Madam Chair.