Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, sort of a progress update. So progress since the start of the Assembly, there's been 162 parcels transferred, 89 are being prepared, 18 have been transferred to fee simple for housing since April 1st of 2025, and there are currently 420 applications that are in progress in our last reporting cycle. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Debates of Feb. 10th, 2026
This is page numbers of the Hansard for the 20th Assembly, 1st 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
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Julian Morse Frame Lake
Okay, thank you. Can the Minister just help us understand why the number has increased so drastically since the last time the business plan was updated? Because I thought this thing was just printed a week ago.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, these are a result of the increased amount of federal funding that's been available to Indigenous governments as well as the territorial government, which is increasing the demand for land on a pretty consistent basis. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Julian Morse Frame Lake
Okay, thank you. And I might have missed it in the Minister's answer, but I was wondering about the bulk transfer process that was in the previous iteration of the business plan and ended up not in it now. Has a bulk land transfer process been completed, or what happened with that process between the last plan and this one?
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Robert Jenkins
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. So, you know, in terms of bulk land transfers, we're open to working with communities on bulk land transfers. You know, we've been working closely with the City of Yellowknife, for example. They've been applying for parcels of land that are larger than one block, and so we've been sort of working through those applications, and we're continuing to process those. And so it is reflected. It might not be referenced as bulk land transfers, but we are open to working with communities. And there's a number that have expressed interest in potentially initiating a bulk land transfer. This includes Hay River, Inuvik, Fort Good Hope, and Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Julian Morse Frame Lake
Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. Just staying on Yellowknife, I know that, you know, there's already been a fair bit of chat back and forth on the floor of the House this sitting about land needed for military investment, land needed for housing. So I know there's one big parcel that the city's applied for in the kind of northern side of Frame Lake. I am curious to know how that process is proceeding and whether the new staff that the department has taken on is going to help processes like that move more quickly. And -- well, maybe I will start with that one, and I will ask the military one next. Thanks.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. To the best of my knowledge, the parcel that the Member is referring to is currently in consultation. And to the second part of the question, the resources that we've added are there to support land administration across the territory. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Julian Morse Frame Lake
Okay, thank you. And, yeah, if the Minister could help us better understand if they've been working with the city on identifying lands that are needed for the military investments that have been identified and how that's going. Thank you.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The City of Yellowknife has indicated that the Department of National Defence has an interest in land and, you know, this may result in a number of applications. And we have been having ongoing conversations with the city as part of our memorandum of collaboration that we signed last year. But I will pass to the deputy minister to provide some more detail. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Robert Jenkins
Yes, thanks, Mr. Chair. So as the Minister mentioned, we have a memorandum of collaboration with the City of Yellowknife. They've identified their interests in a number of areas. They've applied for a number of parcels of land. I think they have eight applications in that we're working through. And we've also had a conversation -- I had a conversation with the city manager late last week about DND interests and some of the city needs and some of the conversations that are happening there and possible applications that may come from the city for things like easements and other things to support city infrastructure. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Julian Morse Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And so is it fair to say, then, that with the addition of staff that -- or how do I put this. Clearly some more capacity was needed in the department to move things along as quickly as has been demanded. But what I am wondering is are there any timelines that staff have to work under? Is there a minimum or maximum timeline a land application will proceed through the department in and meet all the different requirements or how is -- does the department have any targets related to timelines in terms of trying to move things along in a more timely manner? I mean, I think that we've been speaking quite vaguely about the issue up until now. It's always been do it faster, but we've never really spoken about specifics. Like, can the Minister help us understand if there is a timeline that is expected or maybe even in the legislation that I am not aware of. And if not, how are they going to measure success of adding these staff in terms of things going faster than what? What is the baseline that they've established to help communicate what they're achieving. Thank you.
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Committee Motion 138-20(1): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 454-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th
Jay MacDonald Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I think, you know, as the demand for processing the land transfers increases, we're certainly recognizing that and adding the additional resources. The one part of setting a specific timeline in this regard is that we don't control the whole process. There are a number of steps along the way that are controlled by others, so we can emphasize the areas that we have control on but it may not necessarily allow us to meet a specific timeline that could be set in the future because there are pieces in between that we don't have control of. Thank you, Mr. Chair.