Thank you, Mr. Chair. Sorry, one second, I am just also getting myself together. There's a lot of things to scroll.
Under asset management, and more specifically the project management line item, there is between the 2025-2026 Mains and the 2025-2026 Revised Estimates, there was an exceedance in the budget by nearly $2 million. Can the Minister speak to the increase in the spending and what specific projects required additional funds. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just going to ask the deputy minister to answer that question. Thank you.
I will go to the deputy minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We consolidated project management in the centralized unit. So it's moving those positions from the regional positions to a more centralized body to provide a consistent project management oversight. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Member from Great Slave.
Okay, thank you. So I am not sure I understand that answer considering that the projection for these main estimates then goes back down $2 million. Can the Minister or his staff explain what's going on. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Hay River harbour restoration sunsetted, and that's why we have that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Great Slave.
Yeah, thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Sorry, I am jumping between business plan and mains; I apologize.
I believe this is the section that deals with building standards considering design and technical services, is that correct?
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Sure. I am just bouncing back and forth with you; sorry.
Did you want to repeat your question again?
I can. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to ask if asset management would be the appropriate activity to ask questions about building standards. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you from the Member from Great Slave. I will go to the Minister.
Sorry, I should have said yes, not sure.
Oh sorry, I am going to go to the deputy -- sorry, director.
Oh okay. I will go back to the Member from Great Slave, then.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate it. Sorry to make the confusion.
Can the Minister please tell me whether the work that's being anticipated around the Building Standards Act if there are going to be additional cost pressures on smaller communities or if there would be -- if there's contemplation of exemption requests for increases to building standards in the legislative initiative. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. That's part of the planning that's going to be happening, is to make sure that there isn't added costs or pressures to communities and working with community governments and builders and stuff just to make sure that this is not going to add more costs out there. Thank you.
Okay. I will go back to the Member from Great Slave.
Thanks. Yeah, no. And I am just very interested in that because I see in Standing Committee on Government Operations an ongoing pressure and tension around making sure that we are making building standards better, making buildings more accessible, but also considering the financial needs of smaller communities. So it's good to hear that particular answer. If the Minister wants to extrapolate any more, that's great. If not, I have another question. I will just go on to that question. It's more of a comment, Mr. Chair.
Under asset management under the facilities and properties line, there is quite a decrease of almost a million dollar reduction. Can the Minister explain what's behind the savings. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you. I believe that's the decrease for amortization on GNWT assets.
Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Member from Great Slave.
Nothing more. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Is there any further questions from Members? Member from Monfwi.
Okay. We are on page 266? Okay, project management. I want to know -- okay, what project are we talking about? So what does this represent? Because I know the project management for previous was revised so there was more money spent, and now we're back to the original budget. So what does this 2025 revised estimate represent? Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
So the whole scale of project management, I guess, is the responsibility for projects identified in the GNWT capital plan on behalf of client departments, coordinates the deferred maintenance and capital asset, a retrofit fund in coordination with the asset management activity. Thank you.
I will go back to the Member from Monfwi.
Okay, so thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that information. So what -- so I just want to ask the Minister how are these -- like, I represent Tlicho region so how much of this was allocated in Tlicho region. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
That, I don't have handy right now and would have to get you back that detail.
Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Member from Monfwi.
Okay, thank you. Thank you for that information. I would like to get that info because, you know, I've said it many times that, you know, Tlicho region is growing and I see here with the compensation and benefits, there's a bit of slight increase. So if the Minister can tell me why there is a slight increase and which region is it benefiting from this, the compensation and benefits. Because it -- there is an increase from -- it's not loss but I mean, that's still, you know, from 2025-2026 to 2026-2027 fiscal year. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Minister.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. So this is due to the increase in the positions for fleet management, the compensation and benefits that relate to positions. And because of the three positions, that's what this increase entails. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go back to the Member from Monfwi.
Okay, thank you. Thank you for the information. Yes, well that's good to know because, you know, I've been asking too and I am not going to stop with that DMV. Like I said, you know, Tlicho region is growing and I know I did talk and ask the Minister regarding transferring, well, you know, some of the positions. Transferring and/or you create because you -- you know, like, I am sure the Minister, they have the authority to create employment. And with the mine closure, with the Diavik and with the Gahcho Kue, we do need more -- we're going to need more jobs to sustain our region. And I did ask that DMV before, you know, like at least transfer. Well, I did say two before, but I think I need more than two positions because we will need -- you know, the Tlicho region is growing. We do need a safety officer -- or what do you call -- highway patrol. We do need examiner. And we do need somebody to maintain to do administrative work. I know the Minister did not commit, but I would like to -- for the Minister to -- if the Minister can commit to creating -- to create -- you said we can create. That's what -- you know, as per my conversations with you before. So if the Minister can create -- we do have the facility to accommodate DMV. It's on the main highway. People can access the service. The surrounding communities can access service from the DMV positions or transferring those positions to Tlicho region.
Creating three positions for Tlicho region, can the Minister commit -- can I ask for his commitment to work on it. But I know what he's going to say, you know, that they can't. But at this time we are, you know -- I am sure Tlicho is not going to stop, too, of -- we do -- eventually we will get our Tlicho region, administrative region. So can the Minister commit and/or work with the Tlicho government about these three positions. Thank you.
Okay, I will go back to the Minister. And we're just a little bit further ahead of us on this page. But if the Minister could go ahead and respond. Thank you.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. Even though it's the wrong section, I will -- you know, the Member has been advocating for positions in the region and I appreciate that; however, these are skilled positions. They're not positions that are easily filled. So I know there's an interest of having those positions there, and like I said earlier to the Member, I am willing to work with the Member on, you know, trying to find a way to put positions in the community that can work there. And if this is one that can, then we can -- that's something we can look at but, you know, I can't commit to moving positions there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go back to the Member for Monfwi.
Okay. Well, it's not a wrong position -- it's not -- I am not on the wrong section because here, program detail and expenditure category, compensations and benefits, there's transportation, and I am -- and this -- the position that I am asking about, it's part of the transportation. So I don't think I am in the wrong category or -- yeah, so. But, yeah, it would be nice. It would be -- you know, like, we do need more jobs in small communities, especially now with mine closing. I do feel for a lot of our community members with the mine closure because there's a lot of people that have mortgages. People have to live and eat. That's what I am trying to say. That's why I am telling the government that we need more jobs in small communities. We need a lot of jobs to be -- well, it would be nice to decentralize. I know my colleague agree with me over there. So, you know, we need more jobs going out to small communities, to the regions outside of capital. And especially there's going to be a lot of people that's going to be impacted by the mine closure. And somehow we have to sustain our regions, and a lot of these jobs will benefit our regions. And as I've said, the Tlicho region is growing. We know there's going to be people moving back, especially with the mine closure. People are going to leave Yellowknife because they cannot afford to live in Yellowknife with the rent increase. Rent is increasing this year too. You know, for a two-bedroom apartment, it's going to be $2,700. And there's no way anybody can survive on that, you know, with the high cost of living. And so that's why I am asking that we do need, you know -- I know we can benefit from the DMV's jobs situated in Tlicho region, so -- because compensation and benefits, that's -- what does that represents? That represents people year or human resources and program detail, transportation. And that's where majority of our people are employed. And there's nine positions in Tlicho region already and if we can add more to it, that'd be great, so -- and I am looking forward to working with the Minister on having -- create some of those positions, transferred to Tlicho region. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess just more of a comment and, you know, I will take that as a comment. So the section that she's referring to is page 274 under programs and services, licensing and compliance, where it has the driver's motor vehicle section under and the positions for driver -- sorry, driver examiners. So that was what I was referring to, so. But comment's noted. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. Is there any further questions? Okay, seeing none, I am going to continue.
Please turn to page 266, Infrastructure, asset management, $21,839,000. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Moving on to corporate management, beginning on page 269, with information items on page 271 to 272. Are there any questions?
Okay, I see the Member from Yellowknife North.
