Caroline Cochrane

Again, the Member is right. We need to communicate better and we need to communicate with the communities when we are going into their communities. I know that there are some communities that listen adamantly to the question period within the House. I'm hoping that those who hear will spread the word that we are coming on March 27. I'm hoping that the MLA, when he returns to the community, will spread the word that we are coming on March 27. I do state that we will make sure that we have adequate communications going into the community to make sure that as many community members as possible...

That was another lesson that was learned actually. We still need to have diversity in our options for housing. There is still a cost savings for residents to be able to access module units versus stick-built units. There's a substantial savings with that.

We had some difficulty actually getting those units, completed or half-completed ones, onto the barges. So we did learn, and the expense was more than we expected because of the barging and the cost with that. What we have learned through that is that module units are easily done within the southern communities where we don't have to barge...

At this moment, we are working on updating the Fire Protection Act. We have identified five acts within this time that we will be working on: the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, the 911 Act, the Western Canada Lottery Act, the Fire Emergency Act, the Emergency Protection Act. It is one that we are actually working on at this moment.

Again, I didn't know that this question was going to come up. I do not know right now where we stand exactly with that, but I do know that we are working on it at this moment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Some of the units are in process now. The majority are being conducted right away. Northern communities have a little bit more of a struggle because of the winter, because of the weather. A lot of them will be started with the warming of the weather. All units will be completed by the end of this annual year.

If I had notice that that question would come up today, I would have that figure on how many are done. However, I did not get notice that that question would come up. We have 33 communities. I have a lot of work that we are doing. Right off of the top of my head, I cannot tell you how many are actually done.

What I can tell you, though, is that we have gone into Norman Wells itself. We have worked with them. I want to clarify one thing, as well. The media has stated that we had shut down the fire department, that the community had shut down their fire department there or suspended them. That is...

All lands are taxed, except there are some exemptions. So for a complete listing of the properties that are exempt, you would have to go into the PATA, but things such as land claims agreements would impact that, as well. So, there are exemptions to taxable properties, usually by land agreements, Aboriginal government agreements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Office of the Fire Marshal is not doing a general report and saying, "This is what we need everywhere." He is working closely with the communities to actually bring it forward. When that is done, when he does his assessment, we, the regional staff for Municipal and Community Affairs, work with the community governments to bring that information forward on a community-by-community basis.

Safety is a priority over all other things, so we bring that forward to the community, and we work with the community to define what their needs are and how we can support them. Again, we provide training...

The assessment of the properties is done by the value of the land and any assets that are located on the land as the MLA has stated that he has seen taxes go up without any improvements done. There are two types of property assessments. There is one that is done on an annual basis. That captures changes to the existing property, such as if there are renovations, additions, et cetera. Then there is a general assessment that is completed at least once every 10 years. That updates the value of the land and improvements from the date of the last general assessment.

Like I said, there are two...

As stated, the responsibility for fire departments is the municipalities', and we work closely with the communities to define what they see as their capital assets. Some communities are still working on water treatment plants. Some communities want recreation centres. Some communities want arenas. Some communities already want the fire department. So it would be inappropriate for me to go to every community in the Northwest Territories and say, "You need to put all your capital asset planning on hold because I'm telling you as the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs that you're going...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to report on the Government of the Northwest Territories' progress on its housing-related mandate commitments and on the strategic renewal process currently underway at the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

First, among the mandate commitments laid out by the Government of the Northwest Territories is a promise to address the cost of living, in part by continuing to implement northern solutions for northern housing and working to address homelessness.

Mr. Speaker, similar to the project that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation delivered in...