EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Like I said, our staff in Arviat is working very diligently to maintain the application process in an expeditious manner.
It’s good to hear that.
With that process in place, do they know now how many applicants there were and how many were approved before the funding ran out?
One of the challenges in the past with some of the applications taking such a long period of time, it was a little bit more difficult to have oversight on the budget.
With the process being streamlined since the changes that have been made, there’s a lot more oversight on the budget and we’re always aiming for better customer service with our clientele to maintain efficiencies and to make sure that we’re meeting the needs as we’re able to.
He didn’t respond to my question. What I wanted to know is how many applicants there were for renovations and how many applicants were denied because of lack of funding.
I would like that information if it is available so that we will know if we need to increase the funding for renovations.
I don’t have the level of detail of which ones were denied due to lack of funding. I do know that there are a number of different reasons that applications can be denied.
There were 134 applications in the 2015-16 fiscal year.
Again I don’t have that level of detail with me today, but to my understanding, it was a very minimal impact.
Up until today, because we are so close to the fiscal year-end and because our staff in Arviat has been so diligent in processing applications, we are currently not accepting applications under the 2015-16 fiscal year. We are awaiting the April 1 new fiscal year update given the intent of having this budget approved.
It is desirable to give assistance to homeowners. It benefits all of us.
We would need to improve it in order for the program to run better.
I would like to know in the future how many applicants there were and how many were approved but were not given assistance due to lack of funds. That’s the only way we can benefit homeowners in Nunavut.
I thank the member for bringing that into more focus.
It is our goal to provide as many homeownership opportunities as possible.
That being said, like I had mentioned a little bit earlier, we are waiting for this budget to be approved so that we can move forward with our goals of assisting our residents.
There are two programs that we have not stopped taking applications on at this moment. There is the Emergency Repair Program which, as the title intends, is emergency repair, so we don’t want to hold back any applications on that basis, as well as the down-payment assistance program. We do move forward with those applications.
Once this budget is approved, we will continue to look at utilizing the centralized process in a continued, efficient manner.
If we find going forward that the need is exceeding our fiscal limits, it’s definitely something that I would hope that I would get encouragement from this legislature to address any of those concerns.
Yes, it would be desirable to give assistance. I would like to know how we can provide more assistance if we are falling behind.
I would like to know how many applicants there were, why applicants were denied, and if there is lack of funding, how we can benefit more homeowners in the future.
Through different committee meetings throughout the year, I would be happy to share that information with committee members.
Following the list of names, the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Mr. Akoak.
Along the lines of homeownership, because a couple of my colleagues asked about this area of the Emergency Repair Program, who makes the decision when an applicant applies?
Is it the regional office or headquarters in Arviat that approves the application?
With the centralization of the applicant process at headquarters in Arviat, applications are approved through there.
The reason why I ask is, if I can use my community as an example, one of my constituents has been applying for the past four years and nothing has ever been done.
On the last application, he got tired of filling out the forms and getting CRA forms. The last time he applied, he was told that the application went to Arviat and everything is now coming through. That went okay.
However, the other one is there was another applicant who applied, but a private company has to work on it and is now waiting for funding to get it going.
He’s waiting for some money so that he can work on the homeowner’s place.
Is that approved now with the Arviat head office or with the regional office in Cambridge Bay?
I thank the member for bringing that to my attention.
I’m sure that if he has the desire, I would be open to having a discussion on this specific example. Generally, the applications are approved at headquarters in Arviat, although there is an appeals process through a corporate executive committee. If people are denied funding or there are challenges, they can appeal that to that committee.
So the next time they apply, do they go directly to the head office in Arviat or should they still go through the regional office in Cambridge Bay?
Those applications go directly to Arviat.
Chairman: Following the list of names, Mr. Qirngnuq.
I say “good afternoon” to my colleagues and to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
I wanted to pose this question yesterday about construction material for housing units allocated to the communities.
With regard to the process for the applications for (interpretation ends) tender bids (interpretation) in English, the paperwork is quite complicated for bidding on construction for the units allocated to the community.
When a contractor wants to bid on a project, they have to fill out the forms and information has to be provided.
I imagine the minister can provide an update on the allocated units to arrive this summer to the smaller communities.
When will the tendering bid process commence and how long will it be open?
I would like that clarified first as my first question to the minister.
Typically, when a tender is put out, the closing date is within four weeks. Three to four weeks is the norm.
Most contractors in the territory, to use a term, kind of got it down to a science. They look at the designs. Just through the building cycles that we’ve had over the past number of years, the contractors are very diligent with meeting the needs of the tender.
It’s a formal tendering process that is utilized by the government.
The reason I raised that question is that in the smaller communities, they state that they receive proposals for the tender process to fill out the tender bids.
To use an example, in our home community of Kugaaruk, when an RFP comes out for construction projects, the application forms are very complicated, requiring several days to complete, yet they are only provided the documents a week prior to the closing date or alternatively, they receive the forms with less than a week left in the process.
That is my question and I appreciate the response from our minister.
The other issue I want to ask about is when a unit is under construction during the winter when the tender has been provided. Sometimes the contractor will be provided a cold weather break, but not always.
My question to the minister is: does the housing corporation still have to pay the contractor if they are taking a cold weather break?
I would like the minister to clarify that for me.
Every time we go to tender, there is a negotiated amount as part of the contract to build that unit. There are occasions where, as in Kugaaruk, as he mentioned, there are breaks in construction typically during some of the colder months. It doesn’t cost us any more money as the housing corporation.
It’s a contracted amount with a completion date.
The units in Kugaaruk that he’s mentioning are still anticipated to be finished in August of this year.
I was thinking about that because people in the smaller communities lack housing.
Many are tired of waiting for housing. They have conveyed that to me.
We have to support the people in our communities in this regard. That’s the reason why I am bringing this up. I appreciate the responses from the minister.
I have another question. Quite recently, Member Okalik talked about homeownership.
When a person is trying to become a homeowner, do they have to pay a certain amount? Do they have to pay a percentage of the cost of the house they are trying to purchase in a community?
Through our down-payment assistance program, the client typically has to put in 2.5 percent towards the down payment and the Nunavut Housing Corporation will cover up to 7.5 percent, up to $30,000.
Chairman: Department Summary. Mr. Enook.
I should have asked this question yesterday as well.
It’s just for clarification. Good afternoon, Mr. Minister and your officials.
You brought this up last year that those of us in Nunavut who rent from the Nunavut Housing Corporation owe a substantial amount of money to the housing associations or authorities and that caused you problems.
Your department was trying to figure out how you can get the people who owe all that money to the housing corporation to start paying back.
Has your collection of arrears improved since that time you stated it in the House?
Very good question, Mr. Enook.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation has taken steps. We have built a collection team from within our organization that works on a daily basis to target collections and they have made some substantial progress. In addition to that, we have also piloted a program using an outside collection agency for some of our hardest-to-recover accounts with some success.
It’s still a work in progress and they are handed the most difficult files for collection.
That being said, the LHOs have done a very good job as well in increasing their collection rates. Initial responsibility lies within the LHO on collections. It did come to a point where we had to build a team from within our headquarters office here in Iqaluit that deals specifically with collections on a daily basis.
We are trending in the right way.
Are we where we want to be? No, but we’re working every day to improve the collection rates and assist our LHOs in their collection methods as well.
If you have the figures right now, how much money do the people of Nunavut owe to the local housing associations and how has that improved from last year’s figure?
I’m just looking at some of the numbers.
Right now, as of March 31 and last year, LHOs are collecting at an 89 percent average across the territory.
Still, like I mentioned, it’s not where we want to be, but we are trending and some have made dramatic increases and some have made smaller increases.
At the end of the day, we’re still looking at approximately $27 million in outstanding collections.
Again, if we are looking at bad debt as a percentage of revenue, it’s down to 12.6 percent from 16.4 percent in 2013-14 and 22.7 percent in 2012-13, so we are trending in the right way.
Some of the practices we have been using through this collection team and through other pilot collection programs, CRA as an example, we have made some dents in it, but we’re striving every day to improve the efficiency of that.
I only have a couple of quick questions here.
Both the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Long-term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy and its draft 2016-19 business plan discuss the issue of land tenure in the territory.
The strategy states, and I quote, “When mortgage insurance on leasehold land cannot be obtained, this impedes financing and discourages construction.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s business plan states, and I quote, “The cost to transport materials, obtain developed land, and construct and operate dwellings, makes building on speculation unpalatable for most.”
Does the Nunavut Housing Corporation have a position concerning the upcoming plebiscite on municipal lands, which will be held in March 2016?
I appreciate that question, as that land plebiscite is coming near and it was a question that I asked as well.
We’re still reviewing all potential ramifications, but in general, when we are leasing land, it’s still the same.
It will depend on a community-by-community basis on how they vote with the plebiscite.
As far as owning land, we are still limited to purchasing what we’re building upon.
Most communities have by-laws. If you take possession of a lot, you have to put buildings on it within a certain period of time. Unless the communities are looking at changing those by-laws, it would still be difficult for us to buy a parcel of land for future development.
It’s something that I would like to explore maybe down in the future depending on how the land plebiscite goes and communicate with Community and Government Services to see how to deal with some of our land availability issues that we are dealing with in some communities where it has been difficult to get land allocated.
That being said, I look forward to the plebiscite to see how it goes and that will dictate how our action is to proceed, working with Community and Government Services.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok: Well, obviously the minister anticipated my next question because he answered it before I asked it.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $196,177,000.
Do members agree that we have concluded the Nunavut Housing Corporation?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Closing comments, Hon. Minister of the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Mr. Hickes.
I would like to thank the committee members for taking the time today to come out in the weather conditions and continue with the budget review.
I appreciate very much the confidence that you have given to me and the Nunavut Housing Corporation by approving our budget.
I can assure you that we will continue to work as fiscally responsible as possible to build as many units as we can and to provide all the efficiencies that we can within our programs to maximize the impact of every dollar that we do get, whether it be from the GN or from outside sources.
I would like to thank Mr. Audla and Mr. Brown for joining me at the table today and assisting me with responses to the very good questions that I received over the last couple of days.
We will now take a short break before we deal with the Department of Family Services.
>>Committee recessed at 15:49 and resumed at 16:07
Bill 13 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2016-2017 – Family Services – Consideration in Committee
Chairman: I would now like to ask the Minister of Family Services if he has officials that he would like to appear before the committee.
My Deputy Minister, Rebekah Williams, and the assistant deputy minister… . I have a hard time saying her surname, my apologies.
Can you say it for us, please.
Ms. Modesto-Vardy: Modesto-Vardy.
Chairman (interpretation): Welcome to the House.
Minister, you can proceed with your opening comments.
I am pleased to appear before the Committee of the Whole today to present the proposed 2016-17 main estimates and business plan for the Department of Family Services.
Before I continue, I would like to wish our respected colleague, Minister Kuksuk, good health and a speedy recovery.
We wish him and his family well.
Mr. Chairman, for 2016-17, the Department of Family Service has allocated a budget of $140,906,000, which represents an increase of 10.64 percent, or $13,597,000, over last year’s main estimates.
The staff complement for the Department of Family Services has increased from the 2015-16 level of 205 PYs to 216 PYs in the 2016-17 main estimates.
Our budget includes:
$3,754,000 for residential care placements and for an additional 1.5 client liaison officers;
$837,000 for seven new family resource worker positions in Nunavut;
$769,000 for additional O&M funding for existing family violence shelters and a family violence program project coordinator position;
$277,000 for two additional community social service workers in the Iqaluit Area Office;
$6.8 million to allow the Government of Nunavut to exclude federal child benefit income from our social assistance calculations, meaning more financial support for low-income families;
$700,000 for a social assistance expected shortfall; and
$470,000 for O&M for a new homeless shelter planned for Cambridge Bay.
Mr. Chairman, as our department increases its resources, we continue to improve our budget and planning practices.
In our departmental business plan, you will note some changes in certain program budget lines, both increases and decreases.
The largest change is the reallocation of $3.5 million from (interpretation ends) Guardianship Services and Adult Support Services.
(interpretation) I apologize that I have no clue what the equivalent Inuktitut terms are as I am still learning the jargon.
Nonetheless, it is regarding services for children and families within the department.  It is a reallocation to other programs within the Children and Family Services Branch.
After thoroughly reviewing spending patterns, the department has realigned each budget line to better reflect expected expenditure need.
This will allow us to better monitor program spending and to determine and show the true cost of program delivery.
The Children and Family Services Division has been allocated 42 percent, or $59.2 million, of the department’s proposed 2016-17 budget.
Children and Family Services provides a range of support services for children and vulnerable adults who may require protection and/or other specialized support.
The division also provides emergency intervention as well as prevention programs to address domestic and family violence.
The department is advancing its efforts in implementing the Quality Protects Action Plan, which was developed as a response to the Auditor General’s 2011 and 2014 children and family services reviews.
To support these efforts, the Children and Family Services’ compensation and benefits and contract services budgets have been increased by $5.6 million to allow for much-needed frontline workers and program support staff, as well as to adequately provide for residential care placement services.
New positions have been created in this budget, including seven family resource workers in locations where there are single social workers (Arctic Bay, Whale Cove, Clyde River, Hall Beach, Kugluktuk, Sanikiluaq, and Taloyoak), two additional community social services worker positions for the Iqaluit Area Office, 1.5 residential care client liaison positions in Ottawa and Edmonton, where most of our contracted residential care facilities are based, and an additional family violence specialist position in Iqaluit.
These new positions will help our department move forward on delivering change, including more violence prevention programming, suicide prevention, parental engagement, and community outreach.
Income Assistance Branch
Mr. Chairman, I will now get into the Income Assistance Branch. This is where people get help in getting money to buy food and other things.
The Income Assistance Branch has been allocated 38 percent, or $54.1 million, of the department’s proposed budget for 2016-17.
The Income Assistance Program includes a variety of benefit programs that provide financial assistance to people 18 years old and over and their dependants.
The objective is to assist residents in achieving their goals for independence and self-reliance.
The department is seeking an additional $7.5 million for the Social Assistance Program in 2016-17.
Of this, $6.8 million will allow the department to provide additional support for low-income families.
The current practice is to deduct the income that families receive from the federal National Child Benefit Supplement from our social assistance calculations.
The plan is to exclude this income from our calculations, which will increase the financial assistance for families who need it the most.
I just want the members to realize that we used to deduct the income that families received from the federal National Child Benefit Supplement.
That will no longer be the case. I just want it to be clearly understood that we will no longer deduct that so families who need it the most can get assistance from the Nunavut government.
We expect the Government of Canada to launch a new child benefit system this July. While details are currently unknown, more information is expected in the coming weeks.
The Department of Family Services is also seeking $700,000 in 2016-17 to cover a potential shortfall in the Social Assistance Program.
Our Nunavut-wide community engagement with the Department of Economic Development and Transportation allowed Nunavummiut to provide feedback on how we can help improve our approaches to social assistance in order to promote self-reliance and provide help to those who need it the most.
A report is currently being drafted which speaks to lessons learned and recommendations stemming from the community engagement.
We are anticipating that this report will be tabled in the Legislative Assembly by the spring sitting.
Career Development Branch
Mr. Chairman, I will be moving on to the Career Development Branch.
The Career Development Branch has been… .
I’m sorry; I just recently took on the portfolio, so I’m quite new to the terminology.
The Career Development Branch has been allocated 15 percent, or $20.1 million, of the department’s proposed 2016-17 budget. (interpretation ends) This branch develops and funds employment training programs, including employment assistance. It’s called G.R.E.A.T., Getting Ready for Employment and Training, and Adult Learning and Training Supports (ALTS).
Career Development administers the delivery of Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students (FANS), which is funding for students to attend post-secondary education.
The branch is also responsible for the Nunavut Apprenticeship Certification Unit, which oversees the certification of apprentices and trade qualifiers.
The department will continue to enhance services and supports to increase the work readiness capacity of income assistance clients as part of our commitment to review and reform social assistance.
(interpretation) The Corporate Management Branch has been provided 5 percent, or $7.4 million, of the department’s 2016-17 budget.
This area is responsible for the overall management support to the department, setting direction and leadership in key areas of strategic planning, policy development, Inuit employment planning, human resources planning, system implementation, budgeting, and financial management.
This branch also provides administrative support to meet the requirements of the Collaboration for Poverty Reduction Act and is responsible for homelessness initiative programs.
In the upcoming fiscal year, we have proposed additional contribution funds of $470,000 for the operations and maintenance of a homeless shelter in Cambridge Bay.
Mr. Chairman, my deputy minister can explain that part further so that we have clarity.
Ms. Williams (interpretation): This $470,000 is for operations and maintenance. We are proposing a homeless shelter in Cambridge Bay. It is so that we can plan for that.
Please continue, Mr. Mike.
I have to go through this process because the terms are very difficult for me.
The department has worked closely with the Cambridge Bay Wellness Centre on their proposal for a shelter and is pleased that all the hard work and dedication will assist the community in meeting their needs.
Mr. Chairman, this budget will allow the department to continue to fulfill its commitments under Sivumut Abluqta.
This will improve financial support for income assistance clients, improve frontline delivery services and residential care placement, and deliver training programs that support the development of Nunavut’s labour force.
Mr. Chairman, our department is approaching its fourth year of operations.
We will continue to need the support of committee members as we work to improve the lives of Nunavummiut and fulfill the vision behind the creation of this department.
We have taken your advice, as evidenced by the linkages that we have made between income assistance and career development, and we are striving to be more creative in our efforts to promote self-reliance across Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, I look forward to continuing to work with members of this committee and I am pleased to answer your questions.