Glen Abernethy

Thank you. The Health and Social Services has obviously been participating in the working group that’s moving forward with this Stanton renewal, and our objective is to make sure that that building meets our clinical and functional needs and we continue to make sure that all the proponents, including Public Works and Services and Finance, are aware of our technical needs because we need to make sure that that building meets our functional needs today, tomorrow and into the future.

I just want to go back to Avens for a second because when I mentioned that the first time anybody ever approached...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a number of people in the gallery today. First I’d like to recognize some second-year contemporary social welfare policy class from Aurora College and they are Phuong Bui, Alyssa Carpenter, Kyla Cherwaty, Noel Hernandez, Gerri Hunter, Alanna Menard, Lauren Moir, Stephanie Rabesca, Kassandra Spoelder, Jordon Moffitt and Rhea Kaye, and I apologize if I got any of those names wrong.

I’d also like to recognize a number of fourth-year nursing students. Allison Andrews, Alyssa Bird, Michael Bishop, Caro Cheiner, Jessica Harrison, Samantha Hicks, Simone...

Thank you. I’m not saying that it’s all done, because we know that we need to continue to move forward to ensure that the beds meet our future and long-term needs.

I can say that over the last eight years we have invested around $86 million in developing and expanding long-term care facilities in the Northwest Territories, so we continue to plug at this, we continue to address this. Like I said, I, as much as anybody, want to see that new facility and the upgrades of the existing Avens facility done. I would like to see those 55 beds available in Yellowknife.

The next topic that the Member...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m absolutely happy to share that report on the pilings. Yes, we know that there are some other challenges with the facility for it to continue as a health centre, which is why the health centre is still in the planning process. We are, I believe, currently doing the planning study and it will take several more months to complete, but I believe that’s happening in this fiscal year. So we’ll be able to come forward with more information on that as that planning study moves towards completion.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Fort Simpson Health Centre is on the books for something that we still need to do. We’ve done the functional review; we’re still in the middle of doing the planning assessment. I’ve had a number of conversations with the Member as well as the community about this building and I’m committed to having some of our staff come into the community to meet and talk about their concerns, location being one of their concerns, but also the building itself.

We have some prototypical designs that were prepared in the 16th Assembly and shared with Members at the time, talking about...

It’s my understanding that we actually have a health station in Tsiigehtchic as opposed to a health centre, which by definition is a slightly different thing, but I understand the Member’s point. It’s where people go to meet with the health professionals. The Tsiigehtchic health station is not currently in the five-year plan. There are a number of facilities throughout the Northwest Territories, health stations throughout the Northwest Territories where, actually, the buildings are in rough shape and it’s impacting the ability to provide services at this point. I understand that the facility...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Member’s comments. In this capital plan you will find a number of things we’re doing. There are some upgrades to some flooring in Fort Good Hope; we are finishing the construction of Fort Providence; we are beginning the construction of a health centre in Fort Resolution; we are continuing and hopefully, well, we’re intending to complete the construction of the Hay River hospital. There are also some upgrades in some facilities like the Inuvik Hospital, the continued construction of the Norman Wells Health Centre, which includes a new long-term care...

I do, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The funding to actually run the Avens for their O and M comes primarily from the Government of the Northwest Territories. We provide about $3.6 million per year for O and M to run the Avens facility as well as about $3.4 million for the Dementia Facility. If we move forward with the expansion together with Avens, we are also going to likely be on the hook for the additional $3.6 million to run that facility. If this facility gets built, it’s fair to assume that northern residents will be utilizing that facility.

Nobody approached me as an MLA, Bob.

---Interjection