Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first question is the funding to transitional housing and shelter services in Yellowknife, does this represent a one-time grant to organizations to continue these services, or -- yeah, that's my first question. And if the Minister could outline what exactly is being supported.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, so a quick response, first, is that this is one-time funding that's going to two organizations. 1.5 -- just over $1.5 million to the Yellowknife Women's Shelter for the Spruce Bough transitional housing services they provide, and $300,000 to the Salvation Army shelter operations. This was money that was otherwise going to be lapsing because of just delays in terms of getting some of the work around transitional housing -- the transitional housing project that had been previously proposed for a site in Yellowknife that apparently there's some zoning challenges in that regard. And so rather than lose funding that as an Assembly had been proposed at one time to support specific services in this area, the suggestion here is to take that funding and to move it over to the two organizations who do continue to provide these services. This is hoped that will help last and carry over some of the time until there's, you know, a bit more capacity in other projects, not the least of which is looking at a more permanent opportunity on the old Rockhill site in Yellowknife. So, again, for the time being, those -- these two organizations that are serving this population are getting these -- this funding, again, really, as to hopefully tide them over until a later time. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The next question is just the capacity building in NGOs. I know this is something the Premier has spoken about previously, and this is work that was planned. So for that reason, the fact that it was planned, I'm just curious why this came in as a supp; it wasn't simply budgeted for.
Thank you, Member Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This one item here is just with respect or revises as a respect -- excuse me, arises from the budget deliberations that we concluded in the last session. So this was a $100,000 commitment that was made on the floor as part of our discussions around what would be required for the operations budget to pass. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member of Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's it for me.
Thank you, to the Member. Moving on to the Member of Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, can the Member -- or pardon me, the Minister outline specifically for the $1.8 million how many beds that addresses, that funding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member of Great Slave. And Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I don't know that I have a bed count necessarily here. I can say that initially the project that this was funding was on an estimate that there might be a 50 bed needed; however, it was determined that 25 to 30 person modular would be reasonable and so the numbers came down and the project was being asked to changed. There are 45 beds currently at Spruce Bough; 25 in it transitional housing. And so this does continue to support those efforts in that regard. With respect to the Salvation Army, again, I don't have the numbers in front of me, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member from Great Slave.
Yeah, no, thank you, Mr. Chair. And that's fair if the Minister doesn't have that amount of detail with us right now. I'm just curious if it's a one-time cost but there's going to be a consistent need, is there any sort of planning going on to address that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I didn't see -- hear any questions there. Unless the Minister wants to comment.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there is quite a bit happening in this space right now in terms of timing. So there is the Rockhill site that is empty right now but that there's been some work that's underway with Housing NWT and the NGO community to see that it gets turned into a more permanent facility. So there is that. And I do want to make sure that that is clear. And that is not necessarily related here to what this money is for. That certainly is other work that's happening. There is also the general -- not general, but broader work happening over at EIA with respect to consolidated NGO funding, particularly in essential services areas. So certainly could commit to provide Members another update on to where that is at. I'm happy to do so. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Any further questions? Pardon me? You got one more question? Thank you to the Member of Great Slave. Go ahead.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I apologize if I wasn't forming my questions as a question earlier. I'll try and be a little more explicit.
Can the Minister, please, explain whether or not the GNWT is seeing positive outcomes from these investments as they -- as this one is a one-time and therefore would -- if they are, would there be consideration for longer term arrangements? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the Minister of Great Slave. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I mean, a broad analysis as to whether or not the funding is successful is probably beyond what I can speak to meaningfully here. I can say that with respect to the funding that's going to these organizations alongside work that's happening at Housing NWT is changing the available spaces that for folks who may require housing in different -- on different parts of the housing spectrum. So, you know, in addition to the Rockhill site that I had mentioned, there's also the Folk on the Rocks site that is looking to be transitional housing. I think that was only discussed, if I'm not mistaken, last week here in the House, so that we can be, you know, providing transitional -- a transitional housing opportunity for people who don't want to be downtown. So that's underway. Rockhill site obviously is longer term, but there -- you know, ultimately that will bring in it 30 different beds. And when we consider the fact that the numbers that had been anticipated initially last year are actually appearing to be much lower, this would then hopefully cover those numbers. Obviously, as is, you know, certainly apparent right now with some of the circumstances here in Yellowknife, there are some folks who may choose not to avail themselves of more formal shelter services but then the shift goes over to the work that's happening in integrated service delivery to ensure that we are able to provide, you know, whatever wraparound services might be required that might be providing -- that might be creating barriers for people to go and find themselves more stable housing. So all of this is happening, you know, really in live time and, again, so I'm going to reserve making comments on whether or not it's successful. I appreciate that question because that is an evaluation that does need to happen, and so maybe the last comment I'll say, Mr. Chair, is I can certainly commit to getting a timeline by which we might be able to put in place an evaluation of these projects. I know there certainly is a -- I know I've been a proponent for a push around ensuring we have evaluation of our projects and work, and I know the Member too is well aware of that through her interest in GRI. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Any further questions, Member of Great Slave?
No, thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Minister has predicted my questions.
Thank you to the Member. Any further questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, operations expenditures, governance service integration, not previously authorized, $1,903,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, operations expenditures, Office of the Secretary to Cabinet, not previously authorized, negative $1,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, operations expenditures, office of the secretary to Cabinet, not previously authorized, negative $1,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, total department not previously authorized, $2,587,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, total department not previously authorized, $2,587,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now turn to page number 6 for the Department of Finance.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Finance, operations expenditures, directorate, not previously authorized, negative $50,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Finance, operations expenditures, directorate, not previously authorized, negative $50,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Finance, operations expenditures, human resources, not previously authorized, negative $30,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Finance, operations expenditures, human resources, not previously authorized, negative $30,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Finance, total department, not previously authorized, negative $80,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Finance, total department not previously authorized, negative $80,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now turn to page number 7 for the Department of Health and Social Services. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, administrative and support services, not previously authorized, $604,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, administrative and support services, not previously authorized, $604,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, health and social services programs, not previously authorized, $9,824,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, health and social services programs, not previously authorized, $9,824,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, long-term and continuing care services, not previously authorized, $10,196,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, long-term and continuing care services, not previously authorized, $10,196,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $20,624,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, thank you. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026, Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $20,624,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Now, please turn to page number 8 for the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, corporate management, not previously authorized, $45,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, corporate management, not previously authorized, $45,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, minerals and petroleum resources, not previously authorized, $102,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, minerals and petroleum resources, not previously authorized, $102,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $147,000. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, operations expenditures, total department not previously authorized, $147,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Please turn to page number 9 for the Department of Infrastructure.
Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Infrastructure, operations expenditures, asset management, not previously authorized, $1,800,000. Are there any questions? To the Member of Great Slave.
