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The standing committee encourages the minister to provide regular updates to the Legislative Assembly concerning the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s implementation of its Long-Term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed capital estimates for 2017-18 include $15.0 million in funding for new public housing units.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current five-year capital plan indicates that this amount is projected to increase on an annual basis in coming years, reaching a total of $25.0 million in the 2021-22 fiscal year. The March 2016 federal budget announced that $76.7 million will be provided over two years to Nunavut through the Investment in Affordable Housing Initiative.
On March 23 of 2016 representatives from the Nunavut Housing Corporation appeared before the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples as part of the committee’s examination of housing issues in the north.
A copy of the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s presentation to the Senate committee was subsequently tabled in the Legislative Assembly on June 7 of 2016.
The presentation indicated that the average annual operations and maintenance cost of one public housing unit is $26,000.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed capital estimates for 2017-18 include $5.0 million in funding for the construction of new staff housing units.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current business plan indicates that one of its ongoing priorities has been to “complete [a] comprehensive review of the GN staff housing policy and develop a long-term strategy for the staff housing program as part of the development of the Blueprint for Action.”
It also indicates that its final blueprint for action document will be “developed in the spring of 2016 and tabl[ed] in the fall of 2016.”
I would like to note that the minister did table that document a couple of days ago and I thank him very much.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation has previously indicated that “factors such as student-to-educator ratios, and addressing the ongoing issue of forced shared units, as well as a review of longstanding vacant positions, will impact each community’s staff housing needs assessment.”
It has also indicated that it will “continue to explore other options, such as construction of larger multiplexes in communities with greater need, and purchasing existing buildings to be added to the staff housing inventory.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current five-year capital plan indicates that it will spend $4.9 million in the 2017-18 fiscal year on a new warehousing facility in the community of Baker Lake.
The total cost for this project is now projected to be $9.6 million.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation previously indicated that it plans to “replace one warehouse each year, beginning in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, on a prioritized basis.”
It now indicates that it will “replace or renovate warehouse/office/workshop complexes on a prioritized basis going forward.”
The standing committee encourages the Nunavut Housing Corporation to clarify the methodology by which it determines the order in which these projects will occur.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2017-18 capital estimates include $1,020,000 for the purpose of providing an annual contribution to local housing organizations for the creation of a vehicle reserve fund.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2017-18 Capital Estimates of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
I would like to remind members that the contents of the minister’s opening comments are covered in the different branches of the department. If you have detailed questions, please ask them under the appropriate branches.
I have no members on my list for general comments. We will now proceed to the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates starting on page L-3.
As I noted in my opening comments, an issue that MLAs have been raising for quite some time is the importance of reinstating the residency requirement of at least one year for the Nunavut Downpayment Assistance Program.
I have a simple question; it just requires a yes or no answer.
Has the minister reinstated the residency requirement for the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s down-payment assistance program, yes or no?
To the question, that is in discussion with me and the department at this time.
Mr. Rumbolt: Mr. Chairman, thank you.
If the minister could clarify: was that answer no?
Like I said, we are in discussions. The department is looking at this whole issue. At this point I cannot say if it’s a yes or no, but I will have a clearer answer at a later date, hopefully before the end of the year.
Committee Motion 010 – 4(3): Deferral of the Consideration of the Proposed 2017-2018 Capital Estimates of the Nunavut Housing Corporation (Rumbolt)
I’m going to give the minister and his staff some time to consider my question.
As of right now, I would like to move a motion.
I move that the consideration of the proposed 2017-18 Capital Estimates of the Nunavut Housing Corporation be deferred and that the committee proceed with its consideration of the proposed 2017-18 Capital Estimates of the Department of Education.
As the motion is not translated English to Inuktitut, we will take a short 10-minute break to have it translated.
>>Committee recessed at 17:01 and resumed at 17:16
As I noted in my opening comments, the issue of reinstating a residency requirement for the Nunavut Downpayment Assistance Program is something that we have been raising for a number of years.
Although the most recent letter that was received from the minister indicates some willingness on the part of cabinet to reconsider this issue, it appears clear that the government has not yet changed the program’s guidelines to reintroduce a residency requirement.
I am prepared to move a motion to reduce the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed overall budget for the homeownership program by the exact amount that the Nunavut Housing Corporation actually spent in the 2014-15 fiscal year on the Nunavut Downpayment Assistance Program.
However, before I do so, I want to give the government one more chance during our current sitting to make a very straightforward change to the program and to come back to the House.
This is why I’m moving that we defer consideration for the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed capital estimates for the time being and return to the Nunavut Housing Corporation after we have completed other departments.
Chairman: The debate is now closed. We will now vote on the motion.
The motion is carried and the consideration of the proposed 2017-18 Capital Estimates of the Nunavut Housing Corporation is deferred.
Next on our list is the consideration of the proposed 2017-18 Capital Estimates of the Department of Education.
Is the minister ready to proceed to the witness table?
Please proceed, Minister Quassa.
Bill 24 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2017-2018 – Education – Consideration in Committee
Chairman: Does the committee to let the minister’s staff go to the witness table?
With me this evening is someone who is well known to my left, Kathy Okpik, (interpretation ends) Deputy Minister, (interpretation) and to my right is Barry Cornthwaite, Manager of Capital Projects.
You can now proceed with your opening comments. Minister Quassa.
I am pleased to be here today to present the proposed Department of Education capital projects budget for 2017-18.
Our 43 schools spread throughout Nunavut represent a significant capital investment and a commitment to education.
Our schools house a total of 8,695 students from kindergarten to grade 12: 1,651 in the Kitikmeot region; 2,717 in the Kivalliq region; and 4,327 in the Qikiqtani region.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Education’s proposed capital budget for 2017-18 is $34,990,000. Most of the $34,990,000 for this upcoming fiscal year will be allocated to a number of ongoing projects.
Capital projects across Nunavut that will continue during the 2017-18 fiscal year include:
The design and build of a new high school in Cape Dorset is in its second year with a budget of $14,500,000.
The renovation of Qiqirtaq High School in Gjoa Haven is in its warranty year with a budget of $100,000.
Work is continuing on the construction of the new high school in Igloolik with a budget of $13,335,000.
The new high school project in Naujaat is in its warranty year with a budget of $50,000.
The IT Infrastructure Project will continue with a budget of $800,000. This project involves replacement of Internet-capable devices that require regular upgrading to ensure they are capable of working with updated software, such as computers, modems, routers, SMART boards, and printers.
Mr. Chairman, after careful consideration, the school projects in Baker Lake and Arviat have been removed from my department’s capital plan.
This is due to the drop in school enrolments to below 85 percent utilization in both communities.
In Baker Lake enrolments at Jonah Amitnaaq High School from the 2012-13 school year have dropped to 286 by the 2015-16 school year.
What this means is that in 2015-16, the school capacity became 75 percent utilization. This has continued to drop. Enrolment at Rachel Arngnammaktiq School is now 233 students and a utilization rate of 74 for 2015-16.
In Arviat the school enrolments for Levi Angmak have also dropped from the 2012-13 school year to 2015-16 to 270.
It also means that in 2015-16, the school was at 70 percent utilization.
There was a similar drop at the Qitiqliq School in Arviat with a student enrolment at 273, a utilization rate of 80 percent in 2015-16. We have also noted a drop in enrolment at the John Arnalukjuaq School to 248 students in 2015-16 or 59 percent utilization rate.
My department initiates planning for a new school or addition when a consistent 85 percent utilization rate is reached. For some time all the schools in both communities have been below this 85 percent threshold.
We have budgeted $5 million for school capital projects with my department’s ongoing lifecycle repairs initiative.
Lifecycle items are the major components of a building, such as foundations, boilers, generators, roofs, siding, flooring, wall finishes, windows, or air-handling units.
These are things that require periodic repairs or replacement based on whether they have met or exceeded their intended lifespan.
With the assistance of the Department of Community and Government Services, this initiative allows us to prioritize capital projects within our schools and prepare a repair or replacement program in a proactive manner that minimizes impacts to the delivery of the education program.
This budget covers projects that are primarily health and safety related, as well as small projects not identified in the capital planning process.
We have budgeted $925,000 to cover the repairs, renovations, and upgrades to be approved under the minor capital budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year.
Each year you may have noticed that we review requests for school buses and departmental vehicles.
In 2017-18 we have budgeted $280,000 for approved vehicle requests or the replacement of a school bus that is past its intended lifecycle.
I look forward to your questions, comments, and discussion as we review the Department of Education’s capital budget for 2017-18.
I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Government Estimates and Operations as the Committee of the Whole begins its consideration of the proposed 2017-18 Capital Estimates of the Department of Education.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Education’s capital estimates for 2017-18 include four community-specific projects which are ongoing from previous fiscal years and four projects for which funding will be allocated to meet various Nunavut-wide capital needs during the 2017-18 fiscal year in the areas of information technology, ongoing maintenance and repair, and for such items as school buses.
Mr. Chairman, while the committee recognizes the need for budgets to be allocated towards the ongoing maintenance of buildings and other such infrastructure, and also for the upgrading of equipment which is old or out of date, members have again noted a lack of detail regarding what specific repairs or purchases are being planned for the upcoming fiscal year.
In addition, members have expressed some frustration with the lack of precision regarding the anticipated costs of various projects.
The committee urges the minister and his staff to be more forthcoming with information regarding proposed purchases, especially under the small capital and ongoing lifecycle line items.
Mr. Chairman, the 2017-18 fiscal year will see the final warranty year and completion of two school projects in Gjoa Haven and Naujaat while the new school in Igloolik will enter its second year of construction.
Mr. Chairman, a number of proposed school projects which appeared in previous capital plans are no longer included in the Department of Education’s 2018-2022 five-year capital plans.
In some cases funding for projects which was approved in the House and carried over from year to year was ultimately transferred to other projects altogether.
Members have expressed some frustration that funding allocated to school projects, with the past support of Members of the Legislative Assembly in this House, raising expectations at the community level and committing financial investment on behalf of the government, does not result in the proposed outcome.
In addition, it was felt that the government needs to be more transparent in providing regular updates to community representatives, such as district education authorities, regarding the status of proposed future projects which may be realigned, deferred, or deleted.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee recognizes that the department’s current practice for prioritizing school projects takes into account such factors as current student enrolments, attendance rates, and existing school capacity.
Committee members have noted that enrolment and attendance numbers can fluctuate from year to year and even from month to month and would appreciate receiving up-to-date information on enrolment and attendance rates for schools across Nunavut.
The committee urges the department to put greater emphasis on long-term community population trends and anticipated future needs as part of its capital planning process.
Mr. Chairman, as we are all aware, the Peter Pitseolak School in Cape Dorset burned down just over a year ago, at the very beginning of the 2015-16 school year.
The standing committee notes with appreciation the department’s ongoing work in Cape Dorset, in conjunction with the Department of Community and Government Services, to ensure that students are able continue with their educational program.
Members note that the installation of five portable classrooms and the use of two Nunavut Arctic College classrooms will enable students to attend classes this current school year without resorting to the split shift schedule which proved somewhat problematic for the community last year.
The department’s 2017-18 capital plan includes a request for funding for the construction of the replacement school in Cape Dorset.
Members encourage the minister to provide ongoing updates on the progress of this project.
Mr. Chairman, there have been a number of incidents where schools have been badly damaged or destroyed due to the actions of individuals who have accessed areas underneath the buildings.
Members encourage the department to consider installing skirting or other types of barriers which would prevent unauthorized access to vulnerable areas.
The standing committee further encourages the department in its efforts to consider different security measures and options to address the ongoing threat of vandalism and property damage to school facilities.
Mr. Chairman, during the minister’s appearance before the committee to discuss his department’s draft capital estimates for 2017-18, the issue of housing for education staff was again addressed in some detail.
While it is recognized that the government as a whole faces many pressures with respect to housing needs all across Nunavut, the standing committee continues to encourage the minister to work closely with the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation to establish a long-term housing strategy for education staff, especially in those communities where the availability of housing for school staff has been identified as critical.
The quality and continuity of educational programming that should be delivered to Nunavut’s students is directly affected by the ability to hire and retain staff. The lack of adequate housing has a considerable impact on staff recruitment and retention.
Mr. Chairman, computer technology is now a standard tool in the delivery of education programs across Canada.
Members are in full support of the minister’s plans to update equipment across Nunavut’s schools as technology evolves.
The standing committee recognizes that the success of using modern technologies relies on access to adequate bandwidth and such components as dedicated servers in individual communities. Members support the department’s efforts to work with the Department of Community and Government Services in this area.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2017-18 Capital Estimates of the Department of Education.
I am confident that individual members will also have comments and questions as we proceed.
I have no list of names.
We will now proceed to the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates starting on page G-3.
Education. Corporate Services. Total Capital Expenditures. $34,990,000.
I would just like to get clarification as usual.
In your opening comments in English on page 3, it refers to the (interpretation ends) IT infrastructure (interpretation) project.
I haven’t looked at the term in Inuktitut, perhaps for informatics and computer infrastructure. The project will “continue with a budget of $800,000.”
When the Minister of Community and Government Services appeared before the committee, he proposed $2 million to improve the IT infrastructure.
If I understood the minister correctly, he stated that the reason why there’s a huge fund is because they’re providing IT services to the other departments.
Is the $800,000 separate from this CGS funding?
Yes, it’s separate, for your information.
Can we ask questions on G-3 and G-4 at the same time?
Yes, Mr. Enook.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): I believe you said yes, so I’ll continue.
On page G-4 in English, Nunavut –Various, there is a request for $925,000 in small capital. Is there a substantiation sheet?
Perhaps I just didn’t see it. Do you now have the details on what the small capital of $925,000 is going to be used for? If so, can we get a copy of it?
I can elaborate further. We have already sent the letter regarding the $925,000. We sent you a letter of correspondence.
My colleagues and I believe that we have never received the letter.
I was asking my colleagues and I believe none of them have seen that correspondence. In spite of that, perhaps they can send that information to us again so that we will see it.
I just want to elaborate further. The letter was sent out on October 20.
Perhaps you have not seen it. It details and responds to the questions that were posed and what this will be used for.
I want to just ask a couple of questions on G-4 regarding ongoing lifecycle.
I would just like to ask what the plan is for the middle school here in Iqaluit. I have brought up the fact before with you, minister, that the siding is all starting to peel. I walk past it every day and it’s only getting worse.
I’m wondering how long you’re going to wait before something is done.
The other question I will ask right away while I have your ear is about Joamie School.
I have brought up the fact that I was quite concerned with the safety issue in regard to Joamie School with the parking, with buses and everyone dropping off their children all at the same time.
If you experience that, you will see what I mean. There is a lot of traffic there.
So if you could just update us.
Ongoing lifecycle, according to your opening comments, is for “major components of a building, such as foundations, boilers, generators, roofs, siding...” I’m bringing it up at this time and I decided I’ll ask about Joamie while I’m asking you about the Iqaluit middle school.
In the 2017-18 fiscal year the Aqsarniit Middle School siding project will be done, which I believe you’re asking about.
We have identified $150,000 for this project in Iqaluit.
I believe the other part of your question is in regard to safety of the students at the bus parking lot.
There’s a portable building. I believe you have seen it when you pass by there.
We are working with the Department of Community and Government Services on how to address the safety issue with respect to that question.
This building is located near Joamie School. We’re working with the Department of CGS in regard to the safety of the school. In addition, the Iqaluit DEA passed a resolution for the old portable school that I mentioned to be removed.
At this time this is what we’re working on.
First of all I would like to ask a question on your opening comments, Mr. Quassa, Minister of Education, in which you identified some communities.
My first question is in regard to the new schools that Baker Lake and Arviat were slated to get in the previous years.
The capital budget for those schools was approved for planning, design, and other things.
These projects are no longer included in the five-year capital plan. What is the status of all the work that has already been funded and undertaken?
In regard to your question, this is the standard practice of the government. When I talk about government, I’m talking about all governments when it comes to capital planning.
We have a duty to practice due diligence to ensure funding is utilized for maximum benefit.
We carefully look at which community has the most need.
We did our analysis, for example, on new schools or school improvements or whether we need to make additions to a school.
I know that the schools in Arviat and Baker Lake are not that old and they are in good condition to date.
As I stated before, we look at the school capacity of 85 percent. I’m sure you’re going to get tired of hearing 85 percent. However, if the utilization rate is over 85 percent, then we will consider it.
If the capacity is under 85 percent, we may have to make changes. That’s how the system is.
The member is absolutely correct that the schools in Baker Lake, Arviat, and Coral Harbour were reviewed.
However, after careful analysis and looking at the utilization rate, it was well below 85 percent.
We have to look at other community schools very carefully too.
We make our decision based on that. I’ll leave it at that.
Let me remind you that we’re on page G-3 in English and it includes the contents of G-4.
We’re dealing with them at the same time, so you can ask questions relating to both of these pages.
I’ll go back to Mr. Mikkungwak.
When I ask questions, I am representing Baker Lake. When you were making plans and the design of the middle school and others that need to be constructed, how much funding did you expend for all of these items?
To date the Nunavut government has expended $1.33 million on the design of the Arviat middle school. The education department has also expended $40,000 for Baker Lake. It was for the study and travel by the DEA members or our inspectors.
That’s what the funding was used for. As I stated, $40,000 was for Baker Lake and $1.33 million was for Arviat.
That’s what was expended for those planned schools.
Regarding the money that was expended, at the time when you and your officials went to our community, we had already located the land, but the project was deferred.
How many times has it been deferred since approval by the House?
We have looked the project twice.
If you can recall, I think it was last year or two years ago that we deferred the school projects for Baker Lake and Arviat. We made adjustments to those two projects.
This year it is the second time that we have postponed the projects because of the school capacity percentage.
Those were the two primary reasons.