Debates of Feb. 24th, 2026

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the answer is yes, we have increased the funding through our film program substantially, and so we require an additional staff member in order to process those applications and ensure that we are making solid investments with public dollars. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So just to confirm, the role of that new position is mainly to process, like, funding applications, or can the Minister clarify what is the primary role of that new officer position. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So certainly there's the increased demand on the funding mechanism but these positions do a lot more. They are managing multiple programs, including the producer incentive program, the film rebate program. There's also the SEED for film sector funding schedule. Currently, there is very minimal staff that work within this. But they're also supporting the film producers themselves. People often call to the territory and are looking for, okay, we want an old bridge, where is there an old bridge in the Northwest Territories? Or, hey, we want to film another season of Alive in the Northwest Territories, what do we have to go through in order to do that, or who should we call on in the community for this. And so these roles are providing pretty extensive customer service and making sure that when people choose to build a film in the Northwest Territories that they are able to essentially hire as much local as absolutely possible and that those connections are made. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So that seems positive.

I also wanted to ask, in terms of film, the producer's incentive program, my impression was that last year -- or maybe it was started a couple years ago, but that it was considered a pilot and that it was being paused to be able to evaluate the success of the pilot. However, I do see that we have $200,000 in this main estimates. Does this mean that a decision has been made to go forward with the program not as a pilot but as an ongoing program, or -- and is that evaluation complete yet? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the Member is absolutely right. Through conversations with film producers in the territory, I believe one of those conversations even was -- I was -- both the Member and I were present at, was just about the success of the program and how it really helped transition projects from an idea and from an idea potentially on paper to an idea that was all of a sudden on a screen in front of all of us. And so it was -- the picture was painted by multiple producers in the territory and people within the film industry, what kind of significant role that this funding played. And so we have brought it back and made it a permanent hold within the film funding. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Member from the Yellowknife North.

Okay. That is great news from the Minister.

I wanted to ask about a federal grant. It's related to the arts. It's -- I mean, it's located on page 229. So there's been an MOU between the Canada Council for the Arts and the GNWT around capacity building and sector development in the arts, and that is supposed to sunset or end this coming March. Can the Minister explain what was accomplished over that three-year pilot project to strengthen the arts sector? Like, what tangible do we have to show for it now. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, this funding also came with a staff member, first of all, so that staff member was able to support the sector and drive a lot of the review that happened within the arts programming. And the funding also pays for a lot of the funding that is flowing through to artists in the territory. So we're in the process of renegotiating this funding right now with the federal government as well -- with the Canada Council for the Arts, sorry.

Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, so that is good to know that there's an intention to try to continue that.

And I finally just wanted to ask about the Hay River fish plant operations. I certainly believe that we have so much potential in our fisheries, especially our Great Slave Lake fishery; however, this seems to have been a long prolonged process around trying to establish the fish plant and decide what to do with it.

Can the Minister first just clarify what funding for fish plant operations is being requested in this mains and how much of an increase that is over previous years of operations funding? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the ask for funding for the Hay River fish plant operations is $2.9 million in this budget. So it is for the FFMC contract that we have. And so we work with FFMC to manage the plant for us. We are currently in the process of, one, making sure that the plant has all of its required certifications, and we can do the exporting that we have been long working toward. So we have an RFP out to work on a plan to divest the plant as well. And part of that work that needs to be done is also showing the success of the plant, so making sure that we are working to build a successful business case because, ultimately, we want to show that not only is the plant cost neutral but it makes money at the end of the day. And I am happy that the Member reflected on the great potential that exists within the NWT's fisheries sector, and I think that there is a lot of opportunity in front of us to be able to market our good quality fish globally. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Member from the Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And so I also note that, you know, we've seen in some of the graphs and statistics from finance around our economic outlook that we do see positive signs that the number of commercial fishers has rebounded significantly, that we now have more than 70. I am not actually sure if that's for the territory as a whole or for the Great Slave Lake fishery. But, anyway, up from about 30 commercial fishers from 2012.

So I am wondering if the success and profitability of the Hay River fish plant, does it depend largely on the number of fishers, like the volume of fish that you can get in, or have the barriers been other kinds of challenges? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, traditionally we've had to ship all of our fish to Winnipeg through our agreement with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Act. By being able to have our own CFIA-approved fish plant, it means that we can do our exports on our own globally and that we're not locked into the FFMC fish prices by having to ship through their plant. So with these certifications, it means that literally the world opens up to the Hay River fish plant and the fishers that fish there. There are 93 commercial fishing licenses, I believe, and that's for the entire NWT. And as far as what the barriers are is a lot of the export contracts that you sign onto you have to be able to commit to a certain poundage of fish and a certain type of fish in order to secure your contracts. And so certainly making sure that we have a solid number of fishers and who are fishing consistently throughout the year is going to be key to us landing and maintaining those contracts. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Next on my list I got is the Member from Dehcho.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is how many -- oh, that was the second question. How many businesses have started up in the Dehcho in the last two years; can the Minister tell me that? Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.