Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of ITI.
Can the Minister explain what steps the department is taking to improve access to ITI programs and services for Fort Providence residents given that the nearest regional support is currently located outside the community? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from the Dehcho. Minister of ITI.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So some of these things would be, for example, predictable office days. So thank you to the Member for raising that in her statement. Also doing things like hosting mentorship and training opportunities directly within the community. And then continuing to support local business, because we know that when one business receives support and talks about it to their neighbours that that drives momentum and also drives buzz about starting business and kind of creating that snowball effect of driving new opportunities within the region. Thank you.
Thank you, and thank you to the Minister for that. What plans does the department have to better support small and emerging businesses in Fort Providence so that local entrepreneurs are not required to travel long distance to receive guidance or program assistance? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It can be something as simple as making sure that clear and transparent program availability and kind of the flow chart of what that progression of different types of supports at different stages of operating a business looks like from the Government of the Northwest Territories right up to work that's being done right now with reviews of both the SEED program, the community transfer initiatives program, and the community futures program. So those reviews are currently underway.
Within the Fort Providence region, over the last couple of years there's been over $250,000 of grants that small businesses have received in the region. That's everything from SEED, arts and crafts production, tourism businesses, community garden, and some of those highlights have been, for example, the Mackenzie Cabin tourism business and also a service truck for a local mechanic business. And so there are some good examples of some really big success stories in the region. Thank you.
Final supplementary. Member from the Dehcho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for that. Will the Minister commit to staffing a position permanently or at the very least implementing scheduled monthly visits by ITI staff to Fort Providence to ensure residents have consistent and reliable access to business development programs and services? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can give the Member a yes right off the hop on that one with a specific schedule so that there are predictable visits in Fort Providence every single month. So the last visit was February 11th. The next one will be March 11th, then April 15th, May 13th, and then June 17th. And there is a schedule for the whole rest of the year so that community members will know exactly what days the office will be staffed. And this poster is also posted both at the office and at the cafe as well, and I am happy to ensure it gets posted in any other area that the Member recommends. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, ITI. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.
