EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
He is right that there are many factors that are put into there. There’s population. There are demographics and the growth rate.
We’re trying to predict not just what our needs and priorities are right now. We’re trying to come up with a plan. There’s probably about a 20-year plan.
If you know that X number of communities have a certain population and their growth rate is really high or it’s low, then you put that into the calculation.
We’re trying to make it so that we’re not always playing catch up, so that we can plan a bit ahead and try to get our needs in place before they get to the critical state.
Still along the same lines, I’ll use Iqaluit and Grise Fiord as an example in terms of population, statuses, statistics, and that is factored into capital planning process and growth rate, that sort of thing.
We know that they’re not going to put a $300 million airport in Kimmirut or Grise Fiord for that matter.
How does your department, through the capital planning process, make it equitable for the “have not” communities?
We know there are different needs and every community is different, but is there a mechanism or some type of measure in your capital planning process to allow equity in investment for our communities?
As I stated earlier, with the new capital planning process we have ten different criteria now that are looked at as opposed to there used to be three. I can’t say what those ten priorities right now, but I have been informed that there are ten.
The way the capital planning process works is each department puts in their capital plan, and then the committee looks at the plan because obviously there’s not going to be enough money for all of the departments’ needs.
That is prioritized. There are different criteria that have to be met in order for the ones that are going to go ahead. Once they’re put in place, they’re brought here to the House, and then everyone here asks questions and if they agree with that priority, then it’s approved.
Mr. Joanasie: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the minister’s response on that.
What I’m trying to bring out is that we often hear of the either larger communities or regional centres gaining more, whether it’s infrastructure or investments, but also we have to recognize the other communities that go without.
I’m just trying to put out that perhaps we should maybe, in our capital plans, start identifying how we can have more balance or equity in terms of some communities.
I’ll use Kimmirut as an example. They have been fighting for a new airport since over 30 years and they will continue pushing forward another 30 years until it’s built.
We know a new airport here in Iqaluit will be built for over $300 million and I appreciate that priorities are identified and then they’re brought into the House.
In more of a transparent way we want to see how those priorities are determined and maybe we can work towards how we can have a better system in place that recognizes the communities that go without.
Maybe in the future one day Kimmirut will have a new airport. I’ll just leave that as a comment.
Chairman: Thank you. I take that as just a comment.
Community and Government Services. Infrastructure. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $108,790,000.
The remaining branches are information items, but I believe members have questions on the Petroleum Products Division.
I do have a couple of questions in this department for petroleum products.
I know there has been talk in the past about tank farm compliances.
I think it was in 2012 that tank farm systems, petroleum products and allied petroleum product regulations came into force.
I wonder if the department can update us today on how many tank farms in Nunavut are still not in compliance with these federal regulations.
We don’t have that, but as I have stated on earlier occasions, CGS or the GN has talked with Environment Canada and they have agreed that they will let the incompliance to be fixed as we upgrade our fuel tanks, so it is not an added cost.
They have just given us a little more time to become compliant on the fuel tanks and eventually all tanks will be compliant.
The minister stated that Environment Canada has given them a little more time to become compliant.
Did Environment Canada give them any kind of deadline on when they want all the tank farms to be in compliance with the regulations?
I don’t have that information because it’s a part of the capital plan. It’s not O&M, so I don’t have that information here with me.
The ones that were being worked on are done and are compliant now, but not all of the fuel tanks are compliant yet. They all will be, but it’s a part of the capital planning process.
I realize it might be a capital item, but I wonder if the minister can give us any indication of when he expects that all of our tank farms will be compliant.
No, I don’t have that information here. I remember reading it, but it’s bouncing around in my head right now and I wouldn’t want to give him the wrong information. I’m not sure, but we can get back to the member.
Just to change the subject a little bit, it goes back to my opening comments from yesterday where I talked about CanNor providing funding to some Arctic Co-op businesses to help them expand their fuel truck garage facilities in eight communities across Nunavut.
Some members feel that this may give an unfair advantage to Arctic Co-operatives in the future when bidding on future contracts where any other private business may not have the same infrastructure now.
I’m just wondering if the department feels that this could give an unfair advantage to future contracts for petroleum products.
As the member is aware, this is a federal program and we have no say in it.
I found out about it probably the same way as everyone else when we read about it in the media.
The funding that they got to expand the garages was after the contracts were issued; it was not before.
In the RFP process there was no advantage for anyone else.
We have our contracts set up in a way now that they are ten-year contracts, so that whoever gets the contract can use the length of the contract to the bank as leverage to get funding. I can’t comment on programs that we have no control over.
I think about a year ago we had a discussion about the fuel distribution process and that Iqaluit was treated differently.
I think at that time you had said that the department was going to review that process. Can you give us an update today on what you found out?
We haven’t done the review. We’ve had staffing and capacity issues with PPD.
We’re not done the review.
Before the RFP goes out, the review will be completed as to which is the best system for the people of Nunavut and the GN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Can the minister tell us when he thinks that RFP will be coming out?
I believe the contract is for almost another year.
I don’t have the figures in front of me, but it’s not that far away.
One of the things that I have found out about how government sets fuel prices, one of the components has to do with cost to ship and the cost to distribute.
How varied is that cost across Nunavut?
What are the extremes?
I can’t say what extremes, but what I can say is that the costs are higher for transportation in the Kitikmeot.
That’s why they have higher prices there.
The farther it is from where the product is loaded onto the ship the higher it is and the number of times that the ship has to unload in communities because each time it stops to unload, it costs more.
For example, it comes here to Iqaluit and it dumps off its whole load and then it’s empty.
If it has to go to five different communities, then that cost is built into that.
I can’t give members the actual costs or the extreme costs.
The Kitikmeot has the highest cost because they’re the farthest from the source of the fuel.
I just want to go one other area and that’s the stabilization fund.
As I understand it, the limit is either plus or negative $10 million, after which a remittance is required. As of today, where do you stand on that fund?
We don’t have the figures right now, but we expect that at the end of this fiscal year we will be in a surplus, but below the $10 million threshold. I just want to explain a bit about why it takes so long to figure out where we are in terms of fuel prices and the stabilization fund.
We are fixing the system or making it better, easier, and simpler by having one regional price and one customer price per community.
Until this was done on January 30, before that each community had its own pricing system and there was up to 14 different customer prices per community depending on if you are a business, if you paid cash, if you were the government, if you are a private industry or private person. Now we have streamlined it so that there’s only one price per community and one price per region.
In the next year we will be able to tell what the stabilization funds are at a lot easier than we can now.
I think anything that’s simplified is always a good thing in my books.
I just have one more question. Your recent fuel products supply and transportation contract to Woodward’s, this time they agreed not to charge PPD for storage and handling whereas before the government was charged .02 per litre.
What kind of savings did you get from this?
I’ll use the Minister of Finance’s line, “Mr. Chairman, I don’t have that level of detail.”
Will the minister be able to provide this to the House and go and get that level of detail so that we can have a better idea?
Furthermore, this seems to be a new situation where Woodward’s is not charging us for storage.
Does the department know if this arrangement will continue further on into the years to come?
I would think it will. This is not new. It just didn’t happen this year; it has been going on for a few years.
I can’t tell the member exactly when it started, but it just didn’t start this year; it has been going on a while.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) Ms. Angnakak, are you done? (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Go to J-3. Department Summary. Community and Government Services.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $241,299,000. Agreed?
Chairman: Do members agree we have concluded the Department of Community and Government Services?
Closing comments, Hon. Minister of Community and Government Services, Mr. Savikataaq.
Hon. Joe Savikataaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First I would like to thank my two staff that are here and I would like to thank their staff that give us most of the information that we need at our fingertips.
There is some stuff that is just a little too detailed. We can only take so much here, unless we get a bigger table.
I thank all the members for their questions and concerns.
This is the process: we give you our budget and if you agree with our budget, then it’s passed.
It’s a process that works and I thank everyone for their time and interest.
I almost forgot like yesterday. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the minister’s officials out.
(interpretation ends) I ask members to remain in their seats as we prepare for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Bill 34 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2017-2018 – Nunavut Housing Corporation – Consideration in Committee
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Yes, I would like to have my officials here with me.
Good morning, Nunavummiut and my colleagues.
With me this morning to my left firstly is Curtis Allaby, acting CFO for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, and to my right this morning is the President and CEO of the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Terry Audla.
That’s who we are this morning.
Welcome to the House, Mr. Audla and Mr. Allaby.
You can now proceed with your opening comments, Mr. Kuksuk.
Hon. George Kuksuk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee members.
I am very pleased to meet with the members of the Committee of the Whole today to discuss the 2017-18 main estimates and business plan for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
The GN funding for the Nunavut Housing Corporation for fiscal year 2017-18 will increase by $3,473,000 from the 2016-17 main estimates. The increase includes:
$1,058,000 to cover the reduction in CMHC funding per the Social Housing Agreement.
$1,087,000 to cover increases in public housing utilities, property taxes, leases, and LHO administration and maintenance costs.
$1,328,000 to cover staff housing operations.
As the NHC’s pubic housing portfolio increases so do the costs of maintaining our units. One hundred and two new units are scheduled to be added to the public housing stock during 2017-18. The budget increase will cover increased costs of maintenance and administration, utilities, property taxes, and leases.
Similarly, new staff housing stock means increased operating costs.
In 2017-18, 93 new staff housing units are expected to be either constructed or leased.
Budget increases will cover increased cost of maintenance, utilities, LHO and agency fees, and furnishings.
In 2016 the GN, led by the Nunavut Housing Corporation, completed its Blueprint for Action on Housing for the implementation of the GN’s Long-term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
The blueprint outlines 60 concrete actions that the GN must undertake in order to properly address the territory’s housing crisis.
The NHC’s business plan reflects the first steps to implement these actions and the collaboration between departments that is required to achieve positive outcomes.
As the need for public and affordable housing in Nunavut continues to grow and the costs of maintaining units rise, federal funding will be increasingly critical to ensuring that the housing needs of Nunavummiut are met.
In 2017-18 the Nunavut Housing Corporation will continue to work closely with provincial and territorial colleagues to lobby the federal government for increased funding for both capital and operating costs of social housing in Nunavut.
This year will be particularly important for lobbying as Canada develops its National Housing Strategy.
As another important piece of addressing the housing crisis and improving corporate operations, the Nunavut Housing Corporation will be working hard through 2017-18 to increase its training and development for Inuit employees, including developing a strong local workforce at our local housing organizations.
This continues to be a significant priority for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, as outlined in our business plan.
I would be pleased to answer any questions you may have regarding the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2017-18 main estimates and business plan.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee members. (interpretation) Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Government Estimates and Operations on its review of the proposed 2017-18 main estimates and 2017-2020 business plan for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
The standing committee notes that the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2017-18 operations and maintenance budget of $199,843,000 has increased by approximately 1.9 percent since the introduction of its 2016-17 main estimates.
The number of positions in the Nunavut Housing Corporation is 116. This is an increase of two positions from the 2016-17 main estimates.
On October 20, 2016 the Blueprint for Action on Housing – Implementation Plan for the Government of Nunavut Long-Term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
This important document contains 60 specific action items to address a broad range of housing issues.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2017-2020 business plan indicates that one of its priorities is to “coordinate an interdepartmental workshop to assess outcomes of the Blueprint for the 2017/18 fiscal year, and identify activities for the following year.
The NHC will also develop an Annual Status of Housing Report to be tabled in the fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly.”
The standing committee welcomes this commitment and looks forward to reviewing progress towards the implementation of the blueprint for action.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2017-2020 business plan indicates that the corporation is “working on improvements to the Management Agreement with LHOs.
The updated Management Agreement will clarify the relationship between NHC and LHOs, and standardize program delivery and reporting requirements of LHOs.”
As members will recall, the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Master Management Agreement was referred to the Committee of the Whole for detailed consideration earlier in the present Assembly.
The standing committee looks forward to the tabling of an annual updated master management agreement.
In June of 2011 amendments to the Nunavut Housing Corporation Act were passed by the Legislative Assembly. These amendments provided for the establishment of a board of directors for the corporation.
The standing committee is pleased to note that the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s two most recent annual reports have included significantly more detail concerning board activities than in previous years’ annual reports.
In 2004 a Member of the Legislative Assembly posed a detailed written question concerning public housing rental arrears and tenant damages.
The government’s response indicated that as of November 2004, approximately $6.6 million was owed in public housing rental arrears to local housing organizations across the territory.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2014-15 annual report, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on November 5 of 2015, indicated that “…over $27 million in rental arrears currently owed to the NHC could pay for the construction of almost 60 new public housing units.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2016-19 business plan indicates that it had “established a working group, including LHO representatives, to review and develop an arrears reduction strategy.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2015-16 annual report, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on November 8 of 2016, indicates that there was a total of $30,644,893 in “rent receivables” owing as of March 31, 2016.
The “collection rate” has decreased from 89.6 percent in 2013-14 to 83.8 percent in 2015-16.
The 2015-16 annual report also indicates that “The NHC is exploring the feasibility of effecting payroll deductions for GN staff in public housing.
The NHC is finalizing a memorandum of understanding with the department of Family Services to allow Income Assistance clients’ rent payments to be paid directly to LHOs.
This will cover the majority of our clients as at least 75% of our public housing tenants are on social assistance.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2017-2020 business plan indicates that one of its priorities is to “Continue to monitor and review impact of collections policy and procedures to reduce LHO arrears,” as well, “develop and implement LHO deficit recovery plans.”
The standing committee looks forward to regular updates on the status of these initiatives.
On January 24 of 2013 the Government of Nunavut announced changes to the public housing rent scale. These came into effect on February 1 of 2014.
A key goal to reforming the public housing rent scale has been to remove disincentives to employment. However, the extent to which the new rent scale has achieved this goal remains unclear.
The standing committee notes that the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Blueprint for Action on Housing indicates that one of its specific action items is to “…review best practices related to various models of subsidized housing as alternatives to rent- geared to income.
The NHC will review possible development of a fixed-rent subsidized housing model targeting high-income public housing tenants; particularly those currently paying maximum rent in public housing.
The NHC will explore avenues to support the creation of more collective homeownership options, such as cooperative housing and community land trusts.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Long-Term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy states that “Staff housing should provide new employees who move into market communities with a home until they become settled.
The standing committee encourages the Nunavut Housing Corporation to carefully consider the full range of incentives and disincentives that could be applied to this area within the context of the government’s Staff Housing Policy, and notes that one of the corporation’s priorities for the 2017-18 fiscal year is to “issue an RFP to conduct an external review of the current GN Staff Housing Policy.
The review will consider other potential methods to meet the housing needs of GN employees.”
The 2016-17 Ministerial Letter of Expectation to the Chairperson of the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Board of Directors was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on June 7 of 2016.
The letter of expectation states in part that the corporation is expected to provide a “yearly comprehensive report on all procurement, contracting and leasing activities...” The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2014-15 annual report on contracting and procurement activities was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on March 16 of 2016.
The 2015-16 annual report has not yet been tabled.
The corporation’s 2017-18 capital estimates, which were approved by the Legislative Assembly during its fall 2016 sitting, included a total of $4,616,000 in funding for homeownership programs.
On November 2 of 2016 the minister announced that the Nunavut Downpayment Assistance Program will be modified so that “…only Nunavummiut [who] have lived in the territory for one year or more will be eligible to receive a forgivable loan to support the purchase of a new or existing home.”
These changes come into effect on April 1 of 2017. The standing committee applauds the minister for responding to members’ long-standing concerns regarding the need for a residency requirement to be introduced for this program.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2017-18 main estimates and 2017-2020 business plan of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) Are there any general comments?
(interpretation ends) I want to remind members that the contents of the minister’s opening comments are covered in the different branches of the department.
Nunavut Housing Corporation. Page L-3. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted.
I have the list of names. Mr. T. Sammurtok.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Welcome, minister and your staff.
On October 20, 2016 you tabled the Blueprint for Action Implementation Plan for the GN Long-Term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
What is the approximate cost of implementing the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Long-Term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy?
In regard to the member’s question, outside of the budget we don’t have any other funding other than the main estimates. It’s in there, so we’re dealing with it at this time.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The Blueprint for Action on Housing contains 60 specific action items.
How is the Nunavut Housing Corporation deciding which specific actions to prioritize in the 2017-18 fiscal year?
The Blueprint for Action on Housing outlines how the housing corporation is deciding specific actions to prioritize.
The housing corporation worked with stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, and various GN departments on prioritizing each of the action items. We also consulted with the regional Inuit associations in the Kivalliq, Kitikmeot, and Baffin, and even national entities such as the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
We worked with them and identified priorities. When we were working on the Blueprint for Action on Housing, we identified what items need to be prioritized.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2017-2020 business plan indicates that, and I quote, “To support the implementation of the Blueprint for Action, the NHC will coordinate an interdepartmental workshop to assess outcomes of the Blueprint for the 2017/18 fiscal year, and identify activities for the following year.
How will this report be different from the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current annual reports?