EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
That’s a whole different issue that we have been struggling with.
That’s an issue I raised with the federal minister of transport when I met with him a few weeks ago, again, from a security issue, again, from the number of international flights that use the Iqaluit airport as an alternate.
All of that work is ongoing.
Discussions are ongoing with the federal department of transport to make them realize that this has become a major issue and one that we want to fast-track as much as possible.
On your specific question about whether we are liable or not, if I could turn that over to either Mr. Campbell or Mr. Kunuk.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Simailak.
Assistant Deputy Minister Kunuk.
Mr. Kunuk (interpretation): What they are asking is if we would be liable.
At this time, I don’t think I can give you a definite answer because we wouldn’t know until an actual situation; the airlines know who is responsible for what.
Maybe we would not be liable if we keep them informed about security and all of the group matters.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Kunuk.
I would just like to offer and let the minister and his officials know if there is anything I can do... . I think we need to do, as a capital city, as an international airport, what we can to make sure that we have a safe facility before something does happen.
If there is anything I can do to help, just let us know.
If it means doing some hollering with your counterparts down in Ottawa, then I am sure that there would be no problem for members of this House to do that.
I have a number of questions.
Some of the members have already asked those questions, but I am looking at the Qikiqtaaluk region, the Kitikmeot region, and the Kivalliq region.
There is over $1.88 million for airport services.
The department of transportation should be more worried about having money available for doing that.
I am not exactly sure how much money they provide in regards to economic development.
There has not been a dollar given to us, by looking at the estimates.
It’s mostly to do with access-road building and other stuff, but it has nothing to do with economic development.
I know that under grants and contributions, you can get at some money, but it is under the department.
Each region gets so much money allotted to them, but for economic development there is nothing in there under transportation.
It is embarrassing that there is no funding.
Looking at the capital estimates, there is nothing to do with economic development.
There are a lot of things for transportation, but there is nothing in the agreement for economic development.
There is no money for economic development, but under the infrastructure program money funding that we get from the federal government, there is nothing in there.
We have heard about Iqaluit that the airport terminal is not big enough.
Whenever there is a lot of traffic here Iqaluit there is not enough room at the terminal for all the people coming in and out.
In places such as Pangnirtung and Arviat and other communities of Nunavut, there are a lot of airplanes there.
Is there some danger, or is there a safety issue that we should be looking at?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): There is $2.8 million for transportation and things such as loaders and snow blowers and stuff like that.
There is some funding to purchase those items.
If the airports do not get those things, we have to close down the airport.
In Grise Fiord there was an emergency to do something at the airport.
At this time, the $2.8 million is the only funding that is available under Department of Transportation.
So, those are the only things that we have funding for.
For the smaller communities that have a lot of airplanes in July and August, and in Baker Lake, where they have lot of helicopters going in and out from the airstrips, and they were landing in between the houses, those are the types of safety concerns that we have.
We have to know that how many aircraft are coming in and out of our communities.
Those are the types of things that we have to be able to be aware of all the time.
As to how we can have better safety protection, we also have grants and contributions that the communities can apply for, and also the Nunavut Business Development Corporation is that one that people can ask for money from; those places as well as CIBC and banking institutions, and also from the community initiative programs.
They are not under “Capital” but they are under “Operations and Maintenance”.
That’s the only answer that I can provide the member at this time, but I really understand his concerns and I have the same concerns as well.
We do our best to try to get funding as much as we can from the federal government for the use of these items.
I wanted to read something from the government’s document called the Nunavut Transportation Strategy: 2001.
It says, “Strategic Airport Upgrade Program.”
I won’t read it all, only key parts.
It says, “Strategic Airport Improvement Program for Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, and Resolute Bay airports that needed to address six objectives for Nunavut and for Canada...” And they list the six objectives.
It is on page 419 of the strategy.
The extent of the Strategic Airport Upgrade Program would normally include selective expansion to the rehabilitation of runways, taxi-ways, aprons and terminal facilities and related infrastructure of the four airports.
So, this strategy identifies those four airports as key ones, and my question for the minister is: it is still a priority of the Government of Nunavut, this strategy to upgrade these four airports?
Hon. David Simailak: They are very definitely a part of an updated strategy that we are working on right now.
Those are a very, very high priority right now.
Probably, I think that it was three years ago when there was a plan in place to put to the Department of Community Government and Transportation’s Arctic Airports Division to undertake a 900-foot extension to the runway in Cambridge Bay, and I know when we were in discussions as the hamlet council with some of the officials from that department, it quietly died and never materialized.
I am wondering when and if your officials could update us on whether there had been any discussions lately, or in the last six months, with respect to continuing that 900-foot upgrade?
Mr. Kunuk (interpretation): Just to respond to the member.
Yes, there has been a request for an extension of the airport that the member is talking about.
The minister stated earlier that because of the lack of funding the ones that were supposed to be extended have been deferred because of no funding.
For that reason there has been a delay on those projects that we were supposed to do.
Chairman: Thank you, Assistant Deputy Minister Kunuk.
Yes, I think that the runway in Cambridge Bay is approximately 5,000 feet long, and that limits the size of the aircraft that could land there.
The amount of passengers and cargo configuration that the 737s have, over the years the airlines have talked about if they could bring in a more efficient aircraft to carry a lot more passengers and freight if they had a longer runway.
I think that they are talking about a 727.
You can’t land those kinds of planes in Cambridge Bay, or you could with great difficulty.
You can land 737s in Cambridge Bay, as well, with great difficulty, and as anyone who has ever traveled to Cambridge Bay knows, when you land, the pilot doesn’t have much room for error; he slams on those reverse thrusters real quick and everybody is suddenly thrust forward in the passenger cabins.
It is very difficult for pilots to land big aircraft.
I think that with the expansion that is going on in the Kitkmeot in the next five to ten years, that would support the industries over there: tourism, mining.
We are going to require a longer runway in Cambridge Bay.
Hon. David Simailak: I agree, totally.
Chairman: Thank you. K-10.
Headquarters, regions, $580,000.
Chairman: Thank you. K-11.
Total, Qikiqtaluk region, $1,194,000.
I’m really happy to see $100,000 in there for the deep port study that the minister and his staff committed to last year, to finding a way to come up with funding for the study.
I would just like to ask the minister: I know that the city is starting up and looking at that idea as well.
Will the department work in collaboration with the city on this project?
The city of Iqaluit is sort of taking the lead on that whole study right now, and we will be doing whatever we can to support that whole process to make sure that the study gets completed.
I’m just wondering if in that study... . I don’t know if in that study the idea of looking at some of the spin-off benefits of having a port here like as the turn-around time, like the potential for frozen processed fish that is caught outside of our quotas that someone else is catching... .
We can force them to unload it here and have a backhaul rate of stuff that could potentially be hauled out as well, the turn-around.
I think there’s a ship out there right now.
There’s too much snow.
I can’t see it.
I don’t think it went anywhere.
In times like that, when it would cost money for any vessel to be sitting out there due to weather, they could be hooked up to, tied up to a dock and unloading, regardless of the conditions that are out there.
That’s got to save money.
It’s quicker, cheaper, and everything like that that will be taken into account in a study like this.
Yes, I’m sure that any of our officials that are involved with that study will be pushing for that kind of information to be looked at.
They will be examining water depth, ice, logistics, and land tender issues, as an example of the kinds of stuff that we’re looking at having done through that study right now.
I’m sure the rest of the ideas that you’ve presented will be raised to the committee that’s struck.
I’m just wondering if the minister would commit to assisting... . He had indicated earlier that the city was taking the lead on this project, but to work with the city in any way possible to try and help them achieve... . I think it’s a very hefty goal and if the city, with very little help from the government, can try and do this, if they can find the money somewhere, then that frees up other money that they can spend on other things.
So, I think the more help we give them when they want to go look for the funding themselves... . Let’s help them out and let’s get it done and save our money, our Government of Nunavut money, to spend it in other places; that’s definitely needed as well.
Yes, I am sure that my department would be willing to provide any resources that we have to the city staff, or otherwise, to give any resources in terms of technical advice or technical assistance that the committee would need.
A very good suggestion you made is the committee looking elsewhere for money, and we will support that totally, of course.
We will do whatever we can to support the committee in any way that we can.
K-11, K-10.
Total, Qikiqtaaluk region, $1,194,000.
Chairman: Total, Kivalliq region, $700,000.
Chairman: K-12.
Total, Kitikmeot region, $200,000.
Chairman: Total tangible assets, $2,674,000.
Some Members: Agreed.  Chairman: K-4.
Economic Development and Transportation.
Total, capital expenditures, $2,874,000.
Chairman: Are members agreed that this department is concluded?
Do you have any closing remarks, Mr. Minister?
Hon. David Simailak: No.
I just want to thank my officials for the assistance they have given me and the committee as we went through this work and thank the committee for providing me with all these suggestions and recommendations and their questions.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Minister Simailak.
Do members agree that we proceed with the next department, Nunavut Housing Corporation?
Chairman: I would now like to ask the Minister responsible for Nunavut Housing Corporation, Mr. Kilabuk, to make his opening remarks.
During my appearance before the committee, I will be joined by Peter Scott; the president, and also Abraham Tagalik, Vice-President of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
I am pleased to be here this afternoon to discuss the capital estimates of the Nunavut Housing Corporation for the fiscal years 2005-06.
Mr. Chairman, including funding of $4,300,000 from the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation for the public housing modernization and improvement program, and $10,000,000 from Infrastructure Canada for public housing new construction, the corporation’s capital estimates for 2005-06 is $35,430,000.
The Government of Nunavut’s contribution will be $21,193,000.
This amount is divided between our normal capital project lines: the fire damage replacement fund, homeowner programs, modernization improvements, mobile equipment, and public housing new construction.
In addition, Mr. Chairman, this year we have included a new line: modernization and improvements for corporation-owned staff housing units.
The fire damage replacement fund is currently set at $1,000,000.
It is self-funded insurance for the single family dwellings owned by the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Multiplexes are insured through the Government of Nunavut’s risk management department.
Mr. Chairman, previously, this fund was set at $600,000 per year.
But due to rising costs and increasing numbers of fires, we have had to increase the value of the fund over the last couple of years.
For the fiscal year 2004-05 the fund is fully committed.
Although at present, we do not have any claims against the 2005 and 2006 fund.
I am pleased to inform the committee that the homeowners program has been increased from $2 million to $3 million for 2005.
The additional $1 million is specifically targeted to the home repair program.
Although we do not expect that we will be able to address all of the yearly demand, we are sure that we will be able to provide a good level of service to our home repair clients.
Home ownership programs also include emergency repair, senior citizens home repair, and the Nunavut down payment assistant program, all of which will remain available during 2005.
In addition Mr. Chairman, we have revised some components of these programs for 2005-06 to make them more responsive to the needs of Nunavummiut.
The income ceiling for program eligibility has been raised to $125,000 plus $6,500 for each additional family member for all programs.
We have increased the maximum contributions in the home repair programs from $33,750 to $50,000, and we have also removed the sliding scale for contributions.
Mr. Chairman, homeowners will now be able to complete the renovations they need to ensure a suitable and adequate home.
Mr. Chairman, at a total of $10.583 million, the public housing modernization and improvement for NNI programs will result in 147 projects.
These projects will in turn affect 1,331 units; 50 percent of our units are at least 25 years old today.
Over 90 percents of them will turn 25 over the next ten years.
And there is no question, Mr. Chairman, that an aggressive NNI plan is critical to the continuing success of the public housing program.
Severe overcrowding makes it necessary to keep every house that we can in the portfolio.
Mr. Chairman, we must also make sure that all of our units meet basic health and safety requirements.
The mobile improvement fund remains constant at $400,000.
These funds are used to assist local housing organizations in sustaining the keep-up that they need for the maintenance duties of our housing units.
2005-06 will be our second year, Mr. Chairman, of the delivery of a cost shared program with Infrastructure Canada to construct public housing units.
As we sit here this afternoon discussing construction for the next year, the first 80 houses under this program are currently being built all over Nunavut.
Next construction season, at least another 80 units will be delivered to Nunavut communities.
And once complete, $40 million will have been spent on this project; $20 million dollars from each of Nunavut and the federal government, and Nunavummiut will have at least 160 additional units in its public housing portfolio.
Mr. Chairman, much has been said regarding the community allocations for public housing, and over the past couple of years, new construction has been allocated based on a some-for-all approach.
But since I have become responsible for the housing corporation, I have heard from almost all stakeholders and most members in this House that this approach does not work.
Mr. Chairman, building one multiplex in every community realistically does very little to meet the housing needs in any community.
By concentrating our construction in the communities where the housing need is the greatest, we can make a real difference to people’s lives.
We will also create some savings by concentrating our construction activities.
I am pleased, therefore, to announce that in the fiscal 2005-06, the Nunavut Housing Corporation plans to construct 15 public housing units in each of Kugaaruk and Arviat, and also ten units in each of Hall Beach, Sanikiluaq, Clyde River, Repulse Bay and Igloolik.
In our staff housing portfolio, Mr. Chairman, we have 80 owned units left over from the sell-off of staff housing during the 1990s.
Mr. Chairman, if they were not marketable then, you can certainly imagine their condition now, about ten years later.
For 2005-06, we have allocated $500,000 to begin to address health and safety concerns in these units.
Six units in five communities will be renovated next year.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation appreciates the government’s recognition of importance of housing in the territory through this capital appropriation.
We also appreciate the confidence you have shown in the corporation to deliver these much needed housing capital services.
Lastly, Mr. Chairman, I look forward to continuing our process of discussions regarding the provision of housing services in Nunavut and to answering any questions you may have regarding the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2005-06 capital estimates.
Do you have any witnesses you would like to bring to the table?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: Yes I do, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Does the committee agree to bringing in the witnesses?
Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witness in.
On my left is Peter Scott, President of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
On my right, who just came in this afternoon, is the vice-president, Abraham Tagalik.
Chairman (interpretation): Welcome to the witness table, Mr. Scott, Mr. Tagalik.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome, Mr. Minister and your officials.
Thank you for making an appearance.
Mr. Chairman, members are aware of the challenges facing the corporation.
Our territory continues to endure a housing crisis.
Housing and the numerous social and health problems associated with inadequate housing may well be one of the most pressing issues that our government is facing.
Committee members noted that the corporation has allocated units only to those communities experiencing the highest level of overcrowding.
Members recognize that all communities require more public housing units and look forward to reviewing the impact of these allocations on waiting lists in these communities.
Members are concerned that public housing construction projects in some communities are not proceeding because bids from construction companies are coming in over budget.
The committee urges the minister to work with his colleague responsible for the NNI policy to identify and address the perceived challenges construction companies face as a result of the policy.
Mr. Chairman, committee members support the corporation’s efforts to provide training for Nunavut residents through their partnership with Nunavut Arctic College for the construction of housing units in Sanikiluaq.
The standing committee urges the minister to continue entering into partnerships such as this to increase the number of skilled workers in Nunavut and to ensure that the maximum possible number of units is being constructed within the corporation’s limited budget.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, members recognize that high land development costs are also an issue.
Not only do they increase the cost of providing public housing, they are a disincentive to homeownership.
Committee members recognize that the minister responsible for the corporation is also the Minister of Community and Government Services and urges him to continue investigating ways to reduce costs associated with land development.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, members remain concerned that the designs being used to construct public housing units do not always meet the needs of individual communities.
Members applaud the corporation’s cooperative approach on the Clyde River seniors’ four-plex project and urge the minister to continue working with hamlets, LHOs and local construction companies to complete locally-designed and locally-delivered projects across Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, members are concerned that the Housing Corporation continues to require $1 million each fiscal year for fire damage replacement.
Members encourage the corporation to continue developing educational materials regarding fire prevention for public housing tenants.
Mr. Chairman, members recognize the need to encourage home ownership in Nunavut.
However, Mr. Chairman, members are concerned that the corporation may be unnecessarily risking its investments in grants for home ownership.
The standing committee urges the minister to ensure that any investment in homeownership via funding programs such as the Nunavut Downpayment Assistance Program is secured so that the corporation is able to recover those funds if a homeowner is unable to maintain their home.
The standing committee strongly recommends that the Nunavut Housing Corporation consult with the Department of Finance’s Risk Management Division regarding available options for protecting this funding, such as forgivable loans.
Committee members encourage the minister to undertake a review of the Nunavut Downpayment Assistance Program with the goal of recovering investments in the event that a homeowner defaults on their mortgage.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, members urge the minister to undertake a complete review of homeownership programs.
The review should revisit past home ownership programs such as the HAP and Access programs; they were two programs available through the corporation, as well as evaluating current qualification requirements.
The standing committee looks forward to reviewing and commenting on any proposed changes to the corporation’s home ownership programs prior to final decisions being made.
(interpretation ends) Members also encourage the minister to review current qualification requirements for the home repair program.
Members understand that criteria must align with Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation guidelines to ensure that Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation funding can be used for the projects.
However, members are of the view that the criteria should not be based solely on the applicant’s gross annual income.
As all members are aware, it is costly to raise a family; therefore, members would like the income threshold for funding to be linked to the size of the family actually living in the home.
My opening comments... .
I believe the minister has comment on that, and I thank him for his opening statement. (interpretation) Committee members are concerned that there is inadequate staff housing available in the communities, especially for health and education workers.
Members recognize that the staff condominium program is too new to fully evaluate its effectiveness.
However, the committee urges the minister to consider a guaranteed buyback option for Government of Nunavut staff who own their own home.
(interpretation ends) Committee members are not convinced that Government of Nunavut-owned staff housing is the best option for staff housing.
Members recognize that the majority of staff housing units in the territory are currently leased.
Members noted that the Housing Corporation has begun constructing staff housing units.
Members urge the minister to continue to investigate leasing as an option for staff housing in all communities.
Finally, members were pleased to note the recent release of the Nunavut Ten-Year Inuit Housing Action Plan.