Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is in Yellowknife, so you're not wrong.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents have had very concerning power bills over the coldest months of the year with some of their -- some of their bills doubling, and it's very concerning. I've mentioned it before. We subsidize power rates. It's clear that the structural fixes are going to take far more time than we have to provide relief to Northerners who are struggling every day. Can the Minister of -- responsible for NTPC tell me how -- or what subsidies are available to shield Yellowknifers in my riding from the rising cost of power? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister responsible for NTPC.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a new cost of living subsidy that is being applied directly to all customer utility bills in the Northwest Territories meant to reflect the changes that came about following the general rate application last year. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the cost of -- I believe it was the cost of living subsidy. So will that directly impact the bills that my constituents are paying? Because that's what it -- because that's where the rubber meets the road. Are they going to see increasing costs, or are they going to see a stabilized cost going forward where they're not going to see these shocks month on month; that's what they want to know. And I am hoping the Minister can tell me. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, so at the conclusion of the general rate application process, there was increases that were instituted by the public utilities board to reflect a variety of increases in costs which they go through a public process of reviewing. At the conclusion of that process, they did determine that there would be increases to everyone's rates, and that is what people are seeing now, is the conclusion of that process. The GNWT doesn't completely cover all increases to all utilities costs but they have instituted the cost of living subsidy to mitigate those increases so they're not as great as they would otherwise have been. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister responsible for NTPC. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It seems like the majority of subsidies are going to diesel zones rather than hydro zones. So is the Minister willing to implement a new rate subsidy for customers in the capital? It's half the population. There's a lot of people paying higher bills. Will the Minister bring forward enhanced subsidies to lower the cost for my constituents? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's in fact the folks down in the Taltson zone who are seeing the largest rate impacts. They had been paying an amount that wasn't reflective of the impacts of having increased infrastructure in their region and as a result of that, Mr. Speaker, it's actually that area that's seeing the greatest increase, not folks who are in the northern zone on this particular occasion. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister responsible for NTPC. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.
