Glen Abernethy

As we roll out the last year, it is going to include some tweaking and training of the individual staff so that they know how to use the system properly.

With respect to the Woodland, absolutely agree. Unfortunately, we can’t count this as new beds because this is replacing beds that we’re losing, so we don’t get to count this as more beds. It does not change our ultimate count, whereas Norman Wells and Behchoko clearly do.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member also talked a little bit about the isolation room in the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Health Centre. The program design is currently underway. We anticipate construction of that isolation room, or renovation of that isolation room to begin no later than March, with conclusion early in the new fiscal year. It will be part this fiscal year, part next fiscal year.

The Member also talked about our need to plan and have a plan for long-term care beds in the Northwest Territories. I can confirm for you today, and I believe we have mentioned it in...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member, in his comments, also questioned or had some questions around communication. We do have a communications plan in place; we do have a website that individuals can go to, to get additional information. As we move down the individual steps, the lead department will be making sure that that information is public and made aware, and we will continue to work with our partners like the UNW if indeed any positions are affected.

Just in closing on this project, we know this is a massive project, the largest individual build that we’ve ever participated or led in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left, Debbie DeLancey, deputy minister of Health and Social Services; and on my right, Perry Heath, director of infrastructure. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We maintain ownership of the property, the infrastructure and the resources that are in that building. If it is negotiated in a particular way, we may contract out the maintenance of the facility, but that has yet to be determined, and as I’ve said previously, it is still a giant ‘if’.

The facility in Providence is a community-based facility, where the one in Fort Simpson is a slightly larger B/C facility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The lead on this project on the construction is the Department of Finance. They were the ones who would have been doing the analysis on the P3, so I would like to go to the Minister of Finance.

We are using a template design for the majority of the building and the functions and services that are provided, but I have committed to having our director of infrastructure go to the community, and we were actually hoping that he could get in there in the fall. It hasn’t worked out. We’ve had trouble scheduling with the community and the individuals who want to participate in those meetings. But based on conversations I did have with him yesterday, he is continuing to call the community, still trying to get in there. We’re really hoping that he can get in there before Christmas, hopefully...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With respect to Fort Good Hope, I appreciate the Member’s support. What we’re doing there is removing all the carpet in the health centre and replacement with impervious non-contaminable infection control appropriate flooring. It’s about health and safety of the patients and the staff and meeting our infection control standards. That’s what is going on there.

As I have said several times, we recognize the challenges of the Tulita facility. We know that facility is quite degraded and ready for replacement. It’s at the top of our list. It’s the first one that we feel needs...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We continue to roll out EMR and we have it in Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Smith. Right now we’re working on Stanton. As I indicated yesterday, there have been a couple delays on our rollout at Stanton, but we continue to move forward and we intend to continue to move forward with the other communities – Deh Cho, Tlicho, Sahtu, Beaufort-Delta – over the next couple of fiscal years. For specifics on some of the delays we’re experiencing on Stanton, I’m going to go to the deputy minister to provide that detail.