MLAs contemplate territory's budget as N.W.T. Legislative Assembly goes back in session

The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly resumes Wednesday with big ticket items like the budget, housing, support for tour operators and the economic recovery from COVID-19.

After an unprecedented year, the government will kick off this session with the budget for all programs and services.

The CBC reached out to MLAs to see what's on their to-do lists. 

Economic recovery

Last week, the territorial government started its four-month review of how it procures contracts.

Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek told CBC's The Trailbreaker that the review will look at balancing project costs and economic benefits for northern and Indigenous businesses vying for the same contracts as southern competitors. 

The procurement strategy will play a role in the territory's economic recovery, she said.

"We have a huge public sector," said Wawzonek. "When you put those dollars into the North … those dollars are circulating in our economy."

Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh MLA Steve Norn says he'll be looking at the operation budget with an eye to equity and that the government should ensure jobs are fairly distributed in communities like Fort Resolution. 

"The budgets really overlook the small communities," Norn said. "I'm hoping with this budget we are going to see some changes for the small communities." 

Relief for tourism operators

While the federal government has offered assistance to tourism operators, the sector will struggle until border restrictions ease, said Wawzonek. 

Without a summer season, some Yellowknife MLAs like Kevin O'Reilly and Rylund Johnson say those businesses will need a relief package.

Monfwi MLA Jackson Lafferty also said, as Whati's all-season road nears completion this November, the region needs a plan to respond to a potential influx of visitors and tourists. 

Home ownership, local trades development

Lafferty said for the Tłı̨chǫ region, he wants innovative programs that meet housing demands, with flexible building design options like log cabins.

Housing Minister Paulie Chinna said she's eager to see home-ownership programs succeed and transition people from public housing to owning their own homes.

The territory has a high demand for tradespeople, but needs more support to ensure more jobs are occupied by residents, said MLA Caitlin Cleveland. 

Housing units need to be built and maintained, and there are billions of dollars available for housing in Canada, she said.

In February, there will be a public review of Bill 12, which amends the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupational Certification Act. 

This would give ministers the authority to issue certificates not currently available in the N.W.T., like the Blue Seal certificate that recognizes a journeyperson's business competency. 

Transitional housing and homelessness

The housing corporation is in the final stages of reviewing its homelessness strategy, which is set to come out this year.

During the pandemic, non-profit organizations like the YWCA, Salvation Army and Foster Family Coalition took on additional costs, said MLA Rylund Johnson, whose constituency includes the Arnica Inn, which has been used as emergency housing for people at high risk of contracting COVID-19.

Johnson says his goal is to increase support for non-profits, to create more transitional housing for people leaving correctional institutions or returning from treatment and to support rapid rehousing initiatives like Housing First. 

He says there is enough money in the existing budget to end homelessness, and MLAs like Cleveland and Johnson say the housing corporation should evaluate its mandate.

"The housing corp views itself as a landlord," said Johnson. "I think they're a little out of step with how we need to deliver social housing." 

Cleveland said she wants to see stronger support for people navigating the system through integrated case management, which provides people who are accessing government services with a single point of contact.

MLA Jackie Jacobson said housing is the top priority for Nunakput, and one of his first orders of business will be to end the use of power limiter devices, which intermittently suspend electrical service to customers that owe money to the territory's power corporation. 

Jacobson says in some cases, elders are using Coleman stoves indoors to boil water and prevent their pipes from freezing while their power cuts out at 15-minute intervals. 

Mining revenue and securities

The pandemic saw the pause of mining operations for large employers like the Ekati diamond mine, and MLA Kevin O'Reilly says the public should get some insight into how the pandemic affected revenues. 

O'Reilly says the territorial government should change the way it collects securities on resource development projects, and end the cycle of projects coming online, and entering receivership without adequate securities to complete a cleanup. 

He points to the Cameron Hills project, a failed oil and gas development on the N.W.T.-Alberta border, which he estimates will cost tens of millions to clean up, but only has $3 million in securities held.