Thank you. I will go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And changing topics slightly, still in the economic portion. I know that in the business plan it's previously stated that there is preliminary work on the economic vision to 2035. Has that work been continued, put forward as something that the department wants to press forward on, or if there's any additional information around the economic vision that the Minister could share at this point? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, our economic vision at this point is in draft form. We are currently putting dedicated resources to helping us finalize this work in short order. And the draft that we do have is an overarching GNWT 50-year vision. It aligns with our governance vision of the NWT -- or the GNWT, which also aligns with our 20th Legislative Assembly mandate, so making sure at the end of the day that we're tying all these pieces together. And from there, we really need to make sure that -- you know, to the previous conversation I was having with the Member from Frame Lake, we need to make sure that this work can be grounded in immediate action to capture the current opportunity that sits in front of Northerners. So there's some other pieces that need to be put together, given where we are and given the transition that we're in in the territory right now, certainly different than what we expected when we sat down and created a mandate together two years ago. But, you know, we're Northerners, we adapt, and we capture the opportunity that we have. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Well, I can appreciate that that's in draft, and the Minister and her department want to get it right. What is the timeline associated with the vision? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recognizing that we're certainly in a shifting geopolitical world that's really -- you know, it's reshaping everything from our diamond mines to our critical mineral opportunities and also the opportunities with Arctic security and sovereignty investments that sit in front of us, we need to make sure that we're working with the federal government in this as well. And so when the Member asks for, you know, specifics on timing, I want to ensure that, first and foremost, we're putting together something that is a quality document rather than working towards a specific timeline but recognizing that we're -- the clock is ticking because these opportunities are sitting in front of us. So I would say very soon, Mr. Speaker, but I don't want to put an exact month on it because I, you know, would like to over -- under promise and over deliver. I almost got that wrong but that's not where we're going with this. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Great Slave.
Sorry, I am also at the loopy hour of the day, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
I am just noticing here as I look through the grants, contributions, and transfers under economic diversification and business support that, really, you know, year over year there is not a significant amount of growth. And so could the Minister speak broadly to some of the grants and contributions and whether any of them are wildly oversubscribed? And I guess that's subjective but she can make an assessment, I suppose. I am just wondering if these monies are staying static year over year, if that means that they are successful, if they are -- if there's more money needed, if they're not meeting these targets year over year. I am just curious if the Minister can speak to that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, absolutely our program funding is fairly consistent year over year, and for the most part all of our programs are oversubscribed which means that we've got evaluation committees that have tough decisions to make. But whether it is tourism programming, SEED funding, community transfer initiatives, and film funding, there's a lot of competition for programs in the territory. We have seen an increase in, for example, film funding because we recognize the multipliers that exist within that industry so really trying to see a growth in that sector given the significant returns we're seeing throughout the North. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Member from Great Slave.
Yeah, same problem. We always have too many good things going on, not enough money for it. More of a comment than a question, Mr. Chair. I think I am done for now.
Thank you. Is there any further questions to Members on this section?
Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I first wanted to -- I think it's part of this section. I always get confused. The -- okay.
The film commission, my understanding is that we're establishing a new film officer position. I can't actually see where it's reflected here. But can the Minister confirm whether we are intending to add a new film officer position under the NWT Film Commission? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the answer is yes, we have increased the funding through our film program substantially, and so we require an additional staff member in order to process those applications and ensure that we are making solid investments with public dollars. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So just to confirm, the role of that new position is mainly to process, like, funding applications, or can the Minister clarify what is the primary role of that new officer position. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So certainly there's the increased demand on the funding mechanism but these positions do a lot more. They are managing multiple programs, including the producer incentive program, the film rebate program. There's also the SEED for film sector funding schedule. Currently, there is very minimal staff that work within this. But they're also supporting the film producers themselves. People often call to the territory and are looking for, okay, we want an old bridge, where is there an old bridge in the Northwest Territories? Or, hey, we want to film another season of Alive in the Northwest Territories, what do we have to go through in order to do that, or who should we call on in the community for this. And so these roles are providing pretty extensive customer service and making sure that when people choose to build a film in the Northwest Territories that they are able to essentially hire as much local as absolutely possible and that those connections are made. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So that seems positive.
I also wanted to ask, in terms of film, the producer's incentive program, my impression was that last year -- or maybe it was started a couple years ago, but that it was considered a pilot and that it was being paused to be able to evaluate the success of the pilot. However, I do see that we have $200,000 in this main estimates. Does this mean that a decision has been made to go forward with the program not as a pilot but as an ongoing program, or -- and is that evaluation complete yet? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the Member is absolutely right. Through conversations with film producers in the territory, I believe one of those conversations even was -- I was -- both the Member and I were present at, was just about the success of the program and how it really helped transition projects from an idea and from an idea potentially on paper to an idea that was all of a sudden on a screen in front of all of us. And so it was -- the picture was painted by multiple producers in the territory and people within the film industry, what kind of significant role that this funding played. And so we have brought it back and made it a permanent hold within the film funding. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Member from the Yellowknife North.
Okay. That is great news from the Minister.
I wanted to ask about a federal grant. It's related to the arts. It's -- I mean, it's located on page 229. So there's been an MOU between the Canada Council for the Arts and the GNWT around capacity building and sector development in the arts, and that is supposed to sunset or end this coming March. Can the Minister explain what was accomplished over that three-year pilot project to strengthen the arts sector? Like, what tangible do we have to show for it now. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, this funding also came with a staff member, first of all, so that staff member was able to support the sector and drive a lot of the review that happened within the arts programming. And the funding also pays for a lot of the funding that is flowing through to artists in the territory. So we're in the process of renegotiating this funding right now with the federal government as well -- with the Canada Council for the Arts, sorry.
Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, so that is good to know that there's an intention to try to continue that.
And I finally just wanted to ask about the Hay River fish plant operations. I certainly believe that we have so much potential in our fisheries, especially our Great Slave Lake fishery; however, this seems to have been a long prolonged process around trying to establish the fish plant and decide what to do with it.
Can the Minister first just clarify what funding for fish plant operations is being requested in this mains and how much of an increase that is over previous years of operations funding? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the ask for funding for the Hay River fish plant operations is $2.9 million in this budget. So it is for the FFMC contract that we have. And so we work with FFMC to manage the plant for us. We are currently in the process of, one, making sure that the plant has all of its required certifications, and we can do the exporting that we have been long working toward. So we have an RFP out to work on a plan to divest the plant as well. And part of that work that needs to be done is also showing the success of the plant, so making sure that we are working to build a successful business case because, ultimately, we want to show that not only is the plant cost neutral but it makes money at the end of the day. And I am happy that the Member reflected on the great potential that exists within the NWT's fisheries sector, and I think that there is a lot of opportunity in front of us to be able to market our good quality fish globally. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Member from the Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And so I also note that, you know, we've seen in some of the graphs and statistics from finance around our economic outlook that we do see positive signs that the number of commercial fishers has rebounded significantly, that we now have more than 70. I am not actually sure if that's for the territory as a whole or for the Great Slave Lake fishery. But, anyway, up from about 30 commercial fishers from 2012.
So I am wondering if the success and profitability of the Hay River fish plant, does it depend largely on the number of fishers, like the volume of fish that you can get in, or have the barriers been other kinds of challenges? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, traditionally we've had to ship all of our fish to Winnipeg through our agreement with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Act. By being able to have our own CFIA-approved fish plant, it means that we can do our exports on our own globally and that we're not locked into the FFMC fish prices by having to ship through their plant. So with these certifications, it means that literally the world opens up to the Hay River fish plant and the fishers that fish there. There are 93 commercial fishing licenses, I believe, and that's for the entire NWT. And as far as what the barriers are is a lot of the export contracts that you sign onto you have to be able to commit to a certain poundage of fish and a certain type of fish in order to secure your contracts. And so certainly making sure that we have a solid number of fishers and who are fishing consistently throughout the year is going to be key to us landing and maintaining those contracts. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. Next on my list I got is the Member from Dehcho.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is how many -- oh, that was the second question. How many businesses have started up in the Dehcho in the last two years; can the Minister tell me that? Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in the interest of time I'd be happy to provide that to the Member in writing. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go back to the Member from Dehcho.
I was going to ask about what are some barriers to business startup in Dehcho. That was the second question. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, our information has both the Dehcho and the Nahendeh included, and so in order to break out just the Member's communities I would need to follow up in writing, but would be happy to do so. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from the Dehcho.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think that one is, like, for either Nahendeh and Dehcho, what is a barrier? The information will be good for both -- well, I guess for everybody. So what is some barriers that prevent people from starting up businesses? Thank you.
Okay, thank you. I will go to the Minister.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the cost of doing business in the Northwest Territories certainly can be quite high, depending on what business somebody is starting up or opening. The cost of securing goods, we, you know, certainly are working on certain projects. For example, the Mackenzie Valley Highway in the Northwest Territories, acknowledging that air travel or traveling, you know, down through BC, up through the Yukon and up the Dempster to get back into the Northwest Territories, it certainly adds to the cost of doing business and the cost of living in the Northwest Territories. We certainly make sure that we are providing access to different funding programs that help kind of mitigate some of that startup of business shock in the territory, whether that's through our tourism operator funding that people can use for some infrastructure or whether that's SEED funding for example, that people can use for business plans to make sure that they're also charging rates that really allow them to stay in business and make sure that it respects their cash flow needs as well.
And then we also have Prosper NWT, and I know there have been multiple businesses over in the Dehcho that have worked with Prosper NWT to secure loans for increased business opportunities and to great success. Thank you.
