Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to read something out here from the information we got. It says here the department's responsible for the development and maintenance of community governments responsive and responsible to the residents with sufficient legal authority and resources to carry out community responsibilities to provide their public programs and services essential to good community life and to deal effectively with other governments and organizations. The department is also responsible for protecting interests of consumers.

Madam Chair, I guess what I'm looking for is that I...

Thank you, Madam Chair. You know, again, you know, I've got a real concern because I look at, you know, some of the projects that are getting pushed back and just as an example, you know, the extended care facility in Hay River backed to 20272028, you know, and then I see that well, they're going to reevaluate. Well, I'm not exactly sure what that means.

You know, we talk about you know, we've had flooding. We talk about dredging. And, you know, we're going to be looking for money for that. Are we going to get turned down because of our inability to you know, to complete what we're supposed...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess this cautious approach, I guess, in spending in capital spending is interesting. But I guess what is concerning, I guess, to me, is that, you know, is that, you know, departments appear, I guess we know that they're unable to spend money spend the funding received from federal government to actually complete projects and, you know, we're seeing important projects being pushed back. We're seeing possible, you know, maybe lapse of funding; I'm not sure. But does the Minister does this raise a concern, I guess, to the Minister because, you know, we look at less...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hope the Minister and the department isn't putting all this work on the shoulders of the community because they just don't have they just don't possess the resources required to undertake this assessment review, evaluation. So can the Minister confirm if there is a communication plan in place that is directed at disseminating and gathering information to and from residents on mitigation solutions for specific areas in Hay River. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm, other than raising buildings, has the department started to work towards identifying flood mitigation measures for Hay River that would include watershed management, flood mapping, establishing flood risk elevations, berms, dredging, drainage, embankments, stabilization, dewatering equipment, and an action plan? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the last several years we have seen major flooding severely impact not only the town of Hay River, but other communities along the Mackenzie and Liard Rivers. There is considerable speculation and discussion as to why flooding appears more pronounced.

Mr. Speaker, we were to have lessons learned after the devastating flood in Fort Simpson two years ago and now, after the Hay River flood, it is apparent we have not learned a great deal.

This government sat back and provided limited to no preemptive analysis, indicators, or supports for emergency...

Thank you, Madam Chair, and I appreciate that answer. I guess when it comes to mitigation, can you give me a sense, I guess, when you're talking about mitigation, exactly what it entails. Are we just talking about mitigation for the, you know, for the homeowner, like lifting their homes? Or are we talking something wider, like I say, berming and the maybe the buy back of land, those type of things? Thank you.

That was just a comment.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my concern is that, you know, this government goes to the federal government and seeks funding for initiatives that we want to undertake. And now we have to go back to the federal government and tell them that we can't complete the work that we promised we're going to complete in a timely manner. So I guess I would ask the Minister does she see that as an impediment now to securing, you know, federal funding for the new initiatives? Because if we're not spending the money on what we're supposed to and finish those projects, is the government or does she think...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following documents: One, Analysis of Regional Flood Risk Planning and Evacuation Procedures following the May 2022 Hay River Flood. Two, 2014 Northwest Territories Hazard Identification Risk Assessment, Government of the Northwest Territories. Number 3, Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Infrastructure in All NWT Communities, Government of the Northwest Territories. Four, Highway Drainage Design Standards Ontario Minister of Transport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.