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Yukon Legislative Assembly
Whitehorse, Yukon
Tuesday, May 3, 2016 — 1:00 p.m.
Speaker: I w= ill now call the House to order. We will proceed at this time with prayers. =
Prayers
Daily
Routine
Speaker: We = will proceed at this time with the Order Paper.
Tribut= es.
TRIBUTES
In remembrance of Evelyn = Mae “Babe” Richards
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: It is indeed an honour for me today to rise to pay tribute to a special Yukoner, Evelyn Mae “Babe” Richards, a true Yukon pione= er.
Babe R= ichards was born in Whitehorse on May 25, 1924, daughter of the late legendary T.C.= and Bernadine Richards, known as the “TCs.” Babe’s father, Th= omas Cecil, was born in 1898 in Leicester, England and moved to Whitehorse in 19= 15 from the BC interior where he had been a butcher. He met and married Bernadine P= iper in 1918. Babe’s mother, Bernadine, was born in the west plains of Missouri in 1898 and arrived in Yukon with her parents in 1902.
Bernad= ine’s grandfather, Frank Bigger, operated a trading post at = Dyea, Alaska, during the gold rush and moved to Whitehorse after the Skagway-to-Whitehorse White Pass & Yukon Route railway was built. The Biggers built a store in Whitehorse on 1st Avenue that was later known as the Sewell House. T.C. and Bernadine Richards were Yukon pioneers = in their own right. T.C., as manager of the Whitehorse branch of the P. Burns = and Company Ltd., a meat company that came to the Yukon with the gold rush, ove= rsaw the first cattle drive into the Mayo area in 1921. In the same year, T.C. inaugurated a winter tractor-train freight and passenger service to Dawson = and, in 1935, he and his business partner, W.L. “Deacon” Phelps had = the Whitehorse-Dawson-Mayo contract.
T.C. R= ichards was inducted posthumously into the Yukon Transportation Hall of Fame in 199= 8. While T.C. was recognized for his contribution to the evolution of transportation in the territory, he is best known as the owner of the Whitehorse Inn. In 1937, T.C. was sitting in a high‑stakes poker game= in the famous “snake room” and won $20,000 from the hotel’s owners, Ken and Mack Yoshida, which he used as a down payment on the hotel. Bernadine Richards, for her part, was content to play a supporting role in = the lives of her husband and her children while managing the cleaning staff at = the Whitehorse Inn. The family’s log home on Third and Steele Street is a tribute to her good taste where she acted as a gracious host to many, many friends.
Babe i=
nherited
her family’s adventurous can-do spirit. Babe started driving at 13 ye=
ars
of age before drivers’ licences were required and, in the summer of 1=
937,
she drove a taxi for tourists who wanted to see the sights of Miles Canyon =
and
the Whitehorse Rapids. T.C. was Babe’s first boss, and she earned her=
first
paycheque from washing dishes at the Whitehorse Inn café.
Her fi= rst paycheque was 50 cents — big money in those days. At age 16, Babe bec= ame a cashier at the hotel, but her parents wanted her to further her education. They sent her to an exclusive girls’ boarding school in Vancouver, wh= ere she graduated in 1942 and planned to attend nursing school at St. Paul= ’s Hospital later that year. Babe flew back to Whitehorse for the summer and, = on July 26, 1942, tragedy struck. Babe’s oldest brother, Cecil — w= ho was then 23 years old — drowned in Ear Lake. After Cecil’s deat= h, Babe didn’t have the heart to return to her studies, so she went to w= ork as a desk clerk at the Whitehorse Inn.
On Sep= tember 17, 1943, Babe escorted the Governor General of Canada and Princess Alice around Whitehorse. Babe had survived so many ups and downs throughout her life tha= t in later years her grown children dubbed her the “Unsinkable Molly Brown”.
Babe= 8217;s first child, a baby girl — named Cecil-Gayle, after her late brother — was born in 1946. In 1953, with baby number six on the way, she mov= ed her growing family to Upper Liard. With the exception of Cecil-Gayle, each = of the subsequent nine children was given a nickname beginning with the letter “B”.
In 195= 6, Babe married John Brown and moved the family from Upper Liard to the Brown brothers’ Yukon enterprise sawmill, which was then located at the confluence of the Rancheria and the Liard rivers. Babe’s mother, Bernadine, died that year in Whitehorse at the age of 58. Her father, T.C.,= was a frequent guest at the sawmill, enjoying the company of his grandchildren. However, he didn’t live long enough to meet Babe’s youngest chi= ld, born in Watson Lake in 1963. T.C. passed away in Whitehorse in 1961 at the = age of 72.
As the= children grew older, they left the sawmill to attend the Catholic boarding school in Whitehorse. Babe missed her children, so in 1960, she and John moved the fa= mily to Watson Lake and took up residence at mile 1.3 on the Campbell Highway. However when the supply of timber in one area ran out they set up residence= 17 miles from Watson Lake. When the family moved the sawmill to Watson Lake, t= he planing mill moved with them. Babe cooked for 21 empl= oyees, her 10 children and four other boarders, one of whom was the former Premier Dennis Fentie.
After = the birth of their 10th child, Babe told a sawmill employee named Petersen that the only time her name ever appeared in the paper was when she was hav= ing another baby. Babe and Petersen hatched a plot to get their names in the pa= per. Petersen would push Babe in a wheelbarrow from the Brown house along the airport road into town. When the big day arrived, John Brown followed the wheelbarrow entourage in the family station wagon with all 10 children and Babe’s life-long friend Phyllis Fraser.
Peters= en was no longer a fit young man and Babe was no longer a petite young lady, so soon = the wheelbarrow was holding up traffic coming from the airport. A policeman then arrived and told Babe she needed a permit to ride along the road and handed Petersen a ticket. Petersen was not amused and, according to Babe, was swea= ring so hard the air turned blue. When the wheelbarrow transporting Babe arrived= at the main drag in Watson Lake everyone was out to greet them, taking picture= s. John and the children joined Babe and Petersen for a celebration at the cof= fee chop at the Belvedere Hotel. Petersen earned $50 for his troubles. BabeR= 17;s stunt was the talk of the town and she succeeded in her quest. Babe’s photo and story describing the event appeared in the Fort Nelson newspaper. Babe later found out that it was her husband who brought the police in on t= he stunt. This is just one of Babe’s stories of her adventurous spirit a= nd I know that there are many more.
By 196= 6, the sawmill was no longer profitable and in December of that year, the family m= oved to Dawson Creek, BC, where John went to work for a trucking company. Three months after that move — on March 17, 1967 — Babe’s broth= er, Bob, died at age 47, leaving Babe as the only surviving member of her birth family. In 1969, John’s company transferred him to Fort St. John, BC,= and the family moved with him. Babe and her family moved back to the Yukon in 1= 972; this time to Whitehorse.
In her= almost 92 years of life, Babe spent only five years outside the Yukon. Babe raised her own 10 children, as well as a number of foster children who she took in over the years. As her own children grew up and started families of their own, B= abe took on the role of the beloved grandmother to 23 grandchildren, eventually becoming great-grandmother to 15 and great-great-grandmother to three.
Babe e= xperienced much of the Yukon’s history first-hand: she travelled the waterways onboard the great sternwheelers; she witnessed the first aircraft landing at the Whitehorse airport; and she watched as American soldiers disembarked fr= om the White Pass & Yukon Route to begin work on the construction of the Alaska Highway.
Babe s= hared many of these experiences with her lifelong friend, Gudrun Sparling. In 2008, she and Goody shared a Yukon heritage award as they together received lifetime honours.
I ment= ioned earlier that she had an adventurous, can-do spirit. The Heritage Yukon webs= ite stated that when she was honoured, her spirit was exemplified through the s= tory of the time she borrowed a bulldozer from the highway maintenance crew and briefly took a few lessons before building a road to the lake where her fam= ily eventually built a cabin.
Many o= f her almost 92 years were spent volunteering her time to an endless list of charitable organizations, boards and committees aimed at making Whitehorse a better community. Babe, like her mother, Bernadine, was a very style-consci= ous woman, always impeccably dressed. In the 1970s,= she owned and operated the dress shop, Broies Tienda, and she ran a busy daycare for many years whe= re all the children called her “Grandma Babe”.
Babe m= oved to Macaulay Lodge in March 2013 and soon became the unofficial greeter. Regula= rly sitting in the common areas of Macaulay Lodge, Babe would relay stories of = the past to anyone who would listen. She remembered the many birthdays and anniversaries and never failed to call and congratulate them every year on their special day. Babe will be forever remembered for her fun-loving, jolly spirit.
Babe w= as predeceased by her parents; two brothers, Cecil and Bob Richards; two grandchildren, Kimberley Rowe and Troy Latimer. She leaves behind to mourn = her 10 children, and I’ll start to mention names and perhaps we can just = ask you to rise when I mention your name. I’ll mention the children and t= heir partners: Cecil-Gayle Terris and Dave; Bobbie <= span class=3DSpellE>Cebuliak and Jim; Richard Brown and Cookie; Douglas B= rown and Sue; Bernelle Latimer, Charlie Brown and Ga= y; Mike Brown, John Brown Jr. and Geri; Nona Loveless and John; and Anita= Pellizon and Mario; and all their grandchildren and great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren whom I mentioned earlier,= as well as countless friends.
God bl= ess Babe Richards. May she rest in peace. As Babe would say, “Bye for now. Unt= il we meet again.”
Applause
In
recognition of North American Occupational Safety and Health Week
Hon. Mr.&nb=
sp;Nixon: I rise today on behalf of=
all
members to recognize May 1 to May 7 as North American Occupational Safety a=
nd
Health Week or NAOSH as it is commonly called.
Mr. Speaker, workplace safety is a
Canadian tradition and, like hockey, Tim Hortons coffee and Justin Bieber,
it’s something that we love to share with people in other parts of the
world.
In 1986, the Canadian Society of Safety
Engineering founded NAOSH’s predecessor, the Canadian Occupational He=
alth
and Safety Week. Events were held across the country that promoted the
importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home and in
the community. During the NAFTA negotiations in the 19=
90s,
groups in the United States and Mexico saw what was happening in Canada and
recognized the value of having a week filled with safety-related events. In
June 1997, Canada exported its tradition of workplace safety under the NAFTA
agreement and NAOSH was born. While NAOSH is distinctly Canadian and it is
recognized and participated in across the country, events and activities now
also occur throughout the United States and Mexico.
NAOSH is rooted in the community, so it
should come as no surprise that, here at home in Yukon, a number of
safety-conscious partners are working together to foster a new tradition =
span>under NAOSH — the second annual partners in safety barbe=
cue. It is
happening this Thursday down at Shipyards Park from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. It i=
s a
free event and everyone is welcome to attend. The event is being hosted by a
number of local organizations that value and want to promote a message of
safety: Air North, Yukon’s airline, the Northern Safety Network Yukon,
the Yukon chapter of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, the Yukon
Contractors Association, ATCO Electric Yukon, the City of Whitehorse, and t=
he
Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board. An annual week of
events that foster a community of safety is an admirable thing. I commend t=
he
businesses and organizations that participate in it.
Let= 217;s not forget, though, that the culture of safety is something that extends beyond NAOSH and involves everyone, everywhere, 365 days a year.
In
recognition of Yukon School of Visual Arts graduates
Mr. Silver:= 8195;I rise on behalf of the Yukon Liberal Party and also the Official Opposition = to tribute the grads of the Yukon School of Visual Arts <= /span>in Dawson City. SOVA, as it is known, is an incredibly importa= nt institution to the residents of Dawson, and I hope that the students gradua= ting look back at their time in the Klondike with great fondness.
The co= ntributions made through direct programming of the school and the involvement of the students in community activities have an immense effect on the social fabri= c of the community. It is yet another great representation of the spirit of Daws= on and its residents. I’m a huge believer in SOVA and also in DawsonR= 17;s artistic community as a whole. It has a positive effect on our image, on bo= th the national and international stage, and continues to gain recognition, whether it’s in its galleries or in theatres or in film festivals. It= is interesting to note that the majority of the full-time students this year w= ho came to SOVA came from outside of the territory, which just showcases how strong the reputation has become.
This y= ear, the students’ art was quite diverse and widespread. Last month, a collect= ion of art from the students called “All the Way” was on display at= the Yukon Arts Centre for a number of weeks, receiving a lot of attention from locals and media. I had a chance to tour that gallery and there is some fantastic work.
To nam= e a few more, there were performance art pieces on the dike in Dawson City and also= a couple of students were involved in the Dawson City International Short Film Festival, where Jun Chen was awarded the made-in-Yukon Emerging Artist Awar= d.
SOVA i= s the perfect stepping stone for any adventurous student looking to be creative a= nd to have an experience of a lifetime. Dawson has a strong arts community and I’m very happy to see it grow year by year.
Congra= tulations to all the students this year and thank you for making the winter in Dawson just a little bit more exciting. I would also like to take the time to thank the many instructors and staff at SOVA for their dedication and hard work o= ver the past year.
Hon. Mr. Graham: I would like to also rise today to pay tribute to the Yukon Sc= hool of Visual Arts, or SOVA, as it is popularly known. This is the ninth year of this joint venture between Yukon College, the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and the Dawson City Arts Society. I think that the part= nership demonstrates the value of collaboration between partners in the community of Dawson to offer a real dynamic learning opportunity.
I had = the good fortune, Mr. Speaker, of being involved there, working with the college when SOVA was first brought into being in Dawson, and I have to tell you th= at the excitement of the people there in Dawson and of young Yukon artists aro= und the territory was really something to see. As we know, students in the prog= ram really grow and develop as individual artists in such a collaborative learn= ing environment.
Studen= ts learn both traditional and contemporary visual art practices and media, with state-of-the-art facilities and inspirational surroundings in the Klondike region. The Yukon government provides almost $500,000 annually to fund SOVA, making it possible for the students to have access to the studio, gallery, storage spaces, exhibition and performing venues, audio-visual lab, printin= g, photography, woodworking and video equipment.
Studen= ts from both the territory and — as the member opposite said — from all across Canada, complete a foundation year of fine arts training in wonderful Dawson City. Afterward, they can go on to universities and complete a bache= lor of fine arts in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax, at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, at the Ontario Col= lege of Art and Design, at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and at the Alberta College of Art and Design as well. These artists contribute, as aga= in the member opposite said, to the community of Dawson because art, as we kno= w, truly brings people together.
As the= painter, Edgar Degas once said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make ot= hers see.” These aspiring artists take what they have seen here in the territory — the dramatic landscapes of the Klondike, the hospitality = of the Dawson City community, and the rich heritage of our lands and histories= and share it with others in and beyond Yukon.
Mr.&nb= sp;Speaker, at a recent performance in Dawson, the Premier, the member from Old Crow, a= nd the northern premiers all had the pleasure of taking in a SOVA event and remarked at how wonderful it was. So congratulations to the SOVA students a= nd many thanks to both the staff and our partners in Dawson City from the Yukon School of Visual Arts.
Speaker: Are= there any visitors to be introduced?
Introduction
of Visitors
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: I invite all members of the Assembly to join me in welcoming B= ev Buckway here today, former Mayor of Whitehorse. She i= s the executive director of the Association of Yukon Communities — an incredible volunteer in this community and a huge supporter of increasing t= he great quality of life that we all enjoy here and also a constituent of mine= . I invite everybody to help welcome her.
Applause
Hon. Mr. Kent: I would like to introduce three people who are here in the gallery today: the chair of the Yukon Procurement Advisory Panel, Ms. Leslie Anderson, has joined us; Kevin McDonnell, the ADM of Corporate Services at Highways and Public Works; and the director of the Procurement Support Centre, Ms. = Catherine Harwood is also here.
Mr.&nb= sp;Speaker, I would also like to just quickly thank the members of the Procurement Advi= sory Panel, who aren’t able to attend today for the tabling of their repor= t: Mr. Paul Emanuelli, a procurement consultant, author and procurement lawyer from Ontario; Steven Bartsch= , a local engineer and consultant; Marian Macdonald, a procurement specialist w= ith the Government of Ontario; Mark Wallace, a Yukon-based lawyer specializing = in contract law and procurement; and last, but certainly not least, Larry Turn= er, a local contractor with Grey Wolf Contracting as well as the chair of the Y= ukon Contractors Association, so if members could please join me in welcoming th= em.
Applause
Mr. Silver: I would like to ask everybody to help me in welcoming no stranger to the gall= ery, Dr. Friedhelm Fink.
Applause
Speaker: I a= m going to introduce Conrad Tiedeman, who is a constitu= ent and friend of mine as well.
Applause
Speaker: Are= there any returns or documents for tabling?
Tabling
Returns and Documents
Hon. Mr. Kent: Mr. Speaker, I have two documents for tabling today. The first is the Yukon Procurement Advisory Panel Report, and the second is a publication put together by the Property Management Division of Highways and Public Works, entitled 2015-16 Year= in Review and 2016-17 Outlook.
Speaker: Are= there any other returns or documents for tabling?
Are th= ere any reports of committees?
Are th= ere any petitions to be presented?
PETITIONS
Petition No. 27
Mr. Tredger: I have for presentation a petition regarding the Hot Springs Road local area = plan and the implication of lot development on that plan:
THEREF= ORE, the undersigned residents of the Hotsprings Road development area ask the Yukon Legislative Assembly to request that the Mem= ber for Lake Laberge sponsor and support an amendment to Schedule A of the Regulations respecting the lands t= herein designated as “CMT — Commercial-Mixed Use/Tourist Accommodation” to remove the aforementioned “Special Provision”.
Speaker: Are= there any other petitions to be presented?
Are th= ere any bills to be introduced?
Are th= ere any notices of motions?
Notices
of Motions
Ms. McLeod: I rise to give notice of the following motion:
THAT t= his House urges the Yukon government to use the 2016-17 budget to continue to invest = in expanding 4G cellular service to all Yukon comm= unities.
I also= give notice of the following motion:
THAT t= his House urges the Yukon government to use the 2016-17 budget to invest an additional $1.4 million to promote and enhance mineral prospecting and exploration in = the Yukon through the Yukon mineral exploration program.
Ms. Stick: I rise to give notice of the following motion:
THAT t= his House urges the Government of Yukon to provide publicly funded speech-language pathology services to adults not in continuing care or hospital care.
Mr. Barr: I rise to give notice of the following motion:
THAT t= his House urges the Government of Yukon to:
(1) ac= knowledge that the request for a government-run liquor store in Teslin did not come f= rom the Teslin Tlingit Council; and
(2) ho= ld a public meeting in Teslin to consult the community on this proposal.<= /p>
Speaker: Is = there a statement by a minister?
This t= hen brings us to Question Period.
QUESTION PERIOD
Question re: Midwif= ery regulations
Ms. Hanson: On April 24, the Community Midwives Association of Yukon held a midwifery symp= osium to discuss options for regulation of midwifery in Yukon.
Yukon = remains one of only two jurisdictions in Canada without legislated, publicly funded midwifery. Yukoners have been waiting for the Yukon Party to respond ever s= ince the Yukon health care review confirmed a community-level demand for midwife= ry in 2009.
The Ap= ril symposium was a combination of years of study and work by midwifery advocacy groups in Yukon. The Community Midwives Association of Yukon has been worki= ng with the government in good faith hoping last month’s symposium would result in legislation and regulation of midwifery in Yukon.
What t= imeline has the government established for delivering legislation to regulate midwi= fery in Yukon?
Hon. Mr. Nixon: Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for this question. It certainly provides me ano= ther opportunity to highlight some of the good work that is being done here in t= he territory. Along with a number of other ministers, I did attend the midwife= ry symposium in the morning. We heard from a wide variety of speakers, includi= ng past presidents of the Canadian Association of Midwives. My colleagues and I found this to be an extremely educational opportunity for us.
We kno= w that midwifery has long played an important role in Yukon’s history. In fa= ct, midwifery practice has existed throughout the world for millennia. This symposium was intended as a full and frank discussion of how and when to regulate midwives in the territory. I would certainly extend my thanks to t= hose organizers and those who came forward with the proposal to put this symposi= um on. I think it is safe to say that all who participated found it to be very worthy and with great information that was shared.
Ms. Hanson:= 8195;Mr. Speaker, for the record: no answer. This government built two acute care hospitals in Watson Lake and Dawson City. Despite being called acute care hospitals, wom= en cannot deliver their babies in those locations. Women still must travel to Whitehorse to deliver their babies in Whitehorse General Hospital. Midwives= are highly skilled, professionally trained birthing experts. The regulation of midwifery offers an opportunity to allow women to deliver in their communit= ies safely with the help of a skilled professional. Regulating midwifery will a= llow all women this option, not only those who can afford the service privately.=
When w= ill Yukoners be able to deliver their babies in their own community aided by a midwife as part of a public health care system?
Hon. Mr. Nixon: Mr. Speaker, again, my appreciation for the member opposite in bringing this question forward to the House of the Legislature. Currently, midwifery practices ope= rate outside of the formal Yukon health care system. We recognize the important = role that the group, the committee, played in providing this symposium in the territory — bringing up those key speakers.
We kno= w that across the country there are approximately 1,200 practising midwives, inclu= ding three here in the territory. As a result of the symposium, there is a report that the group is working on — that is my understanding — and we are waiting for that report and are very eager to find out what information will be contained in that report. Right now, we will wait for the report. We will continue building a relationship with those who are working in this fi= eld and those who are interested in it, including YMA and a number of the physicians. Again, I thank the member opposite for her question.
Ms. Hanson:= 8195;Mr. Speaker, the minister’s empty words of appreciation ring hollow. Yukoners have waited long enough for regulated, publicly funded midwifery. A collaborative approach to childbirth that integrates midwifery into the public health care system will benefit the Yukon. Studies consistently show that integrating midwifery into public health care systems delivers health care benefits to = both mother and child. Incorporating midwifery into public health care systems a= lso offers a cost-effective birthing option.
This g= overnment has had since 2009 to develop legislation and to regulate the industry. Has= this government produced a cost-benefit analysis of midwifery for the Yukon and,= if so, could the Minister of Health and Social Services table it?
Hon. Mr. Nixon: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member opposite for h= er question. This is an area that we are paying very close attention to. We are very much looking forward to the report that will be coming forward from the working group that coordinated the symposium last week.
This g= overnment established the midwifery working group and supported the symposium, which, among other things, looked at how regulated and funded midwifery systems ha= ve been integrated into maternity care systems in other parts of Canada. The experts gathered and shared their experiences in a number of key areas R= 12; such as models of care, scope of practice, regulations, collaboration, hosp= ital integration and more — that the Yukon needs to consider as we move forward together.
As ind= icated in my other responses, I am thankful for the work that the working group has d= one. I am thankful for the symposium that they put forward, and I am looking for= ward to the report that will be available for us likely in the coming months.
Question
re: Local procurement
Ms. Moorcroft: Mr. Speaker, on April 7, 2016, the minister responsible for Highways and Public Works stated: “Mr. Speaker, of course the government recognizes that l= ocal businesses — small businesses — contribute immensely to our Yuk= on economy.”
Yet, t= ime and time again, we hear from Yukon businesses — small and large — t= hat on many occasions, contracts are awarded to Outside firms. Mr. Speaker, this government has held two industry conferences, established the Procurem= ent Advisory Panel and talks about building more local benefits into the bid te= nder process.
When w= ill the Minister of Highways and Public Works actually change the procurement proce= ss to benefit local business?
Hon. Mr. Kent: As I’ve said on a number of occasions in this House, we are seeing some tremendous local benefit to projects that we’re procuring here in the territory. Of the $294 million spent on service and construction contracts = in 2014-15, $218 million or 74 percent of those dollars went to local companie= s. In that same year, of the almost 11,000 contracts in total, approximately 4= ,400 of those were services in construction contracts. Of those, approximately 3= ,600 or 82 percent of those contracts went to local companies. In addition,= 19 of the 20 largest contracts awarded in 2014-15 went to local contractors — that’s 95 percent of those contracts. The one that didn’= ;t — the F.H. Collins project — had close to 75 percent local labo= ur components and a number of local subcontractors who worked on there.
WeR= 17;re seeing good numbers — I would suggest even great numbers — as f= ar as local content on our contracting side of things. That said, we’re = not going to rest on our laurels. We have just commissioned — and I have = just tabled here today — the report of the Procurement Advisory Panel. We = will be actioning opportunities that have been ident= ified for us from the panel experts and we’re going to continue to try to enhance local opportunities in the contracting sector.
Ms. Moorcroft: Mr. Speaker, a local company is more than just an Outside firm that applied for and rece= ived a Yukon business licence. “Local” is a business owner who lives= in Yukon, whose workers live in Yukon — business operations that benefit other local businesses.
Mr.&nb= sp;Speaker, a local business pays Yukon taxes, hires people who live here and also pay taxes here, who buy groceries in their community, whose children attend loc= al schools and who spend their income in Yukon. Local businesses understand the terrain, the logistics and have local knowledge — valuable assets that are important for success.
Mr.&nb= sp;Speaker, when will the Minister of Highways and Public Works look at what is best for Yukon when it comes to procurement and recognize the local economic benefits when awarding contracts?
Hon. Mr. Kent: Those local businesses are also able to compete on contracts outside of our borde= r. We see Air North flying from Yellowknife to Ottawa, taking passengers from = the Northwest Territories to the national capital region. We see Yukon Brewing putting their product in other jurisdictions. A very significant contract awarded to a local surveyor on the Site C BC Hydro project went out recentl= y. I believe the value of that was close to $10 million.
These = same local companies that the member opposite talks about are competing for and winning projects outside of our borders, and we should be proud of that fact and we should celebrate that.
As I m= entioned in my previous response, we have tremendous numbers when it comes to the contracts that are awarded — the Yukon government contracts that are awarded locally — and the one outlier of the 95 percent of the largest contracts was the F.H. Collins project, and we saw 75-percent local labour = on that as well as a number of local contractors.
We cer= tainly recognize what the local contracting community brings to our community. They are not only providing economic benefits; they are coaching our soccer teams and our minor hockey teams, they are involved in the communities and they a= re volunteering in our communities, so we want to make sure that they have all= the opportunity possible to bid on and win our projects.
Ms. Moorcroft: Mr. Speaker, there are several examples of contracts that would have benefitted local companies and went to Outside firms based on a lowest bid that did not fact= or in local economic benefits — from the local company that used to run = the employee assistance program, to the First Nation corporation partnership th= at bid for continuing work on the massive Faro mine rehabilitation contract — a contract that was awarded to a California-based multinational. Th= ese are lost opportunities to diversify, grow and strengthen our Yukon economy.=
When w= ill this government’s procurement policies accurately reflect the value of loc= al economic benefits in its tendering process so that it works for Yukon businesses?
Hon. Mr. Kent: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I won’t repeat the same percentages = and values that I’ve talked about recently when it comes to the numbers. They’re quite impressive. Local companies are bidding on our projects= and they’re winning our projects at a fairly significant rate.
So aga= in, when it comes to what we’re doing with the taxpayers’ dollars, of course, fiscal responsibility is something that the government is also task= ed with. We need value for our money. That’s why we have competitive bid= ding processes wherever possible. Sometimes Outside companies win those bids. The Faro care and maintenance project that the member opposite talks about R= 12; of course, all members in this House recognize that the funds from that come from the Government of Canada, so they play a very important role in the procurement of that contract as well — something that members opposite conveniently don’t mention when they’re talking about that contract.
Again, we’re proud of the Yukon businesses. We’re proud of the contributions that those businesses make to the families of the Yukon ̵= 2; not only on an economic basis but, as I mentioned before, on getting engaged and involved in our community. We’ll continue to do work. We’ll continue to hold procurement industry conferences. We’ll continue to support the work of the Procurement Support Centre. We look forward to implementing the recommendations of the Procurement Advisory Panel report t= hat I just tabled here in the Legislature today.
Question
re: Faro RCMP facility
Mr. Silver: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On April 20, 2015, the Government of Yukon put = out a press release with the title, “Plans for a new Faro RCMP building m= ove forward”. It said — and I quote: “The Government of Yukon= is committing more than $3.5 million this year to construct a new RCMP facilit= y in Faro… The project is now in the design phase, with construction expec= ted to begin this summer.”
Constr= uction did not start last summer as planned. This year, as we discuss this budget, the= re is only one dollar in the line item. Can the minister please explain the cu= rrent status of this project?
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I should note, in fact, is t= hat the Yukon government had the foresight to allow for the possibility that the project could come in over its target cost but within the estimate. In fact= , it was due to the federal government refusing to allow us to issue the tender = last fall — that is the only reason that project did not proceed. <= /p>
I̵= 7;m also pleased to table a copy of the letter that I wrote to the federal minister, asking him to assist us in this and pointing out that the additional federal share was only $120,000 more than they were expecting to pay — but du= e to the federal government either being unwilling or unable to approve that, th= ey prevented us from issuing the tender last December.
Mr. Silver:= 8195;Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate that answer from the minister. What we are hearing is ̵= 2; just for the members’ sake and for the Legislative Assembly, it was supposed to come in under $4 million, and the low bid was $5.5 million. We = are hearing from the minister that it’s now Ottawa that is saying not to build this.
I gues= s the tender is cancelled, but the question is: Is the government still committed= to moving ahead on this project regardless of what Ottawa tells them?= p>
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I would have noted if I had had more time in my first response is that, in fact, that project is now proceeding. The RCMP is doing that, and that relates to the RCMP having a higher budget authority t= hat did not require them to go back to Treasury Board for this project. I will again table my letter to Minister Goodale notin= g that the lowest bid came in slightly over the approved envelope with the federal share being an extra $120,000: “We are being told by officials that we need to wait 4-6 months while RCMP seek Treasury Board approval for the additional $120,000 before moving forward with this project. I am writing y= ou now to seek your agreement to proceed with the current Government of Yukon procurement process, and allow us to move forward with the award of the contract to the lowest bidder.”
Again,= I will happily table a copy of that letter. I would also like to acknowledge and t= hank our Member of Parliament, who I did call and who did approach Minister Goodale about this topic. Unfortunately, again, Minis= ter Goodale was either unable or unwilling to assist us in having this project awarded last December.
Mr. Silver:= 8195;Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now I am confused as to whether it is last December = or last fall that this government found out they could not proceed with the te= nder as the bids came in over cost. A new tender has not been released by the Government of Yukon — as far as I know — to date, and the build= ing season is underway. I am assuming from the minister’s response here t= oday in the Legislature that we will not see this project moving forward in this building season.
Can th= e minister please let us know what the new timeline for completion of this project is? What will be the new total costs for this project? What steps is this government taking — not the Ottawa government — to resolve this issue?
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To clarify for the member, the te=
nder
for construction of this project closed on October 22; however, it was in l=
ate
November, early December that we were informed by the RCMP at the national
level that they were not in a position to allow this project to proceed and
would not — because of the constraints placed on them by Treasury Boa=
rd
guidelines — be able to allow us to award the project in December. As
soon as I was made aware of that, I wrote a letter to Minister Goodale, noting and acknowledging the fact that becau=
se of
the date on which we had been informed of that by the RCMP nationally, it w=
as a
rather short turn-around time. The tender was due to be awarded December 11.
Again, as I noted in my letter to Minister Goodale,
which I will table for the member and for anyone else who would like to see=
it,
I wrote to Mr. Goodale seeking agreement to
proceed with the current Government of Yukon procurement process, but the
minister was either unwilling or unable to assist in that regard. =
p>
I woul=
d note
that this project itself — right now we are waiting for the finalizat=
ion
of this from the RCMP out of their national resources from E Division, which
are assisting with the project and moving forward with it. We expect to be =
in a
position to announce timelines very soon. Question
re: Speech-language pathology services Ms. Stick:=
195;Thank
you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I asked the Minister of Health and Social
Services about publicly funded speech-language pathology for adults not in
continuing care and not in hospital. I did not receive an answer so I will =
try
again. If a y=
oung adult
is in a motor vehicle accident and suffers a serious brain injury, they are
often sent Outside for rehabilitation. When they return home to the Yukon,
there is no publicly funded speech-language therapy follow-up available to =
help
them regain and retain their ability to communicate. Yukon residents without
private health insurance or the means to pay for therapy out-of-pocket will=
not
receive speech-language therapy. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
what is this government doing to address the gap in speech-language patholo=
gy
services provided to adults in this territory? Hon. Mr. Nixon: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In addressing the member opposite
— and I appreciate the question — currently in the Yukon, the
member opposite is right, there are no publicly funded outpatient
speech-language pathology services for adults. Private speech-language path=
ologists
provide services to Yukoners. Whiteh=
orse
General Hospital provides a speech-language pathologist for inpatient care =
as
needed for all patients. Health and Social Services has two speech-language
pathologists on staff in Continuing Care who provide service to all program=
s.
Their role includes specialized work in a number of areas including swallow=
ing
disorders, which are prevalent in care facilities. I exte=
nd my
appreciation to those who are working in this field, as I did yesterday when
the member opposite asked the question, and I recognize the significant
investments that this government has made over the last 14 years in the are=
a of
persons with disabilities. Ms. Stick: Mr. Speaker,
the minister just repeated everything I have said, describing what services=
are
available and those that are not. Yukoners with degenerative disabilities or
diseases — such as Parkinson’s or ALS — often lose their
ability to communicate or swallow as a result of these conditions. This imp=
acts
not only their ability to communicate, but their ability to live at home
safely. Speech-language pathologists can help Yukoners with degenerative
diseases affecting the throat to remain in their homes longer, avoiding cos=
tly
hospital and continuing care stays. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
when will this government provide
publicly funded speech-language pathology to Yukoners with degenerative
diseases who have not entered continuing care or hospitals and who want to =
stay
safely in their homes? Hon. Mr. Nixon: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the question from the
member opposite. As I indicated in my first response, Whitehorse General
Hospital provides a speech-language pathologist for inpatient care as needed
for all patients. The Yukon Hospital Corporation is working to identify the
actual inpatient and outpatient needs for adult speech-language pathology
services. Speech-language pathology services for children are provided by t=
he
Child Development Centre and, as I noted previously, we are pleased to expa=
nd
childhood prevention services by adding a speech-language pathologist in th=
is
year’s budget. I appr=
eciate the
question from the member opposite. I recognize the good work that is being =
done
in the territory, and as indicated in my first response, I also recognize t=
he
significant investments that this Yukon Party government has made over the =
last
14 years in the area of persons with disabilities. Question
re: Tourism industry promotion Mr. Barr: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the
Tourism Industry Association spring conference. At the
conference, we heard the incredible success story of Iceland’s tourism
industry. In the face of serious economic hardship during the global recess=
ion,
Iceland increased its tourism industry from 374,000 visitors in 2005 to
1,300,000 visitors in 2015. Since 2010, jobs in Iceland’s tourism
industry have increased 63 percent. The tourism industry has surpassed mari=
ne
products and aluminum, traditionally two of Iceland’s largest export
industries. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
when will this government recognize the Yukon’s potential as a tourism
destination and make expanding the industry a priority? Hon. Ms. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the member
opposite for his question regarding the importance of tourism. In fact, I
welcome any and all questions regarding tourism on the floor of this Assemb=
ly. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
as the member opposite has just articulated, tourism is very much an integr=
al
component of the Yukon economy and certainly very much sustains our economi=
c future
and remains the territory’s very large industry. It contributes over =
$250
million annually in our economy, generates jobs for approximately 25 percen=
t of
our employed residents and certainly is a very exciting industry. All of th=
ese
reasons are, in fact, why this government has invested and continues to inv=
est
in strategic infrastructure in support of tourism — in particular,
product development, visitor services, research, tourism marketing, the Yuk=
on
Now — one of which includes the single-largest marketing investment in
Yukon’s history of just under $3 million over three years, in the com=
ing
years, in support of tourism marketing initiatives — in support of
domestic marketing and all of our markets, for that matter. We con=
tinue to
invest in highway improvements — Speaker: Ord=
er,
please. Mr. Barr: In
2016, Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland will spend $13 million on tourism
marketing. This year, the Yukon Now funding commitment is $900,000. In
Newfoundland, the government introduced a tourism strategy in 2009, with the
goal of reaching annual tourism revenue of $1.6 billion by 2020. We might a=
sk:
How is Newfoundland doing? They surpassed $1 billion in annual tourism reve=
nue
in 2011. While other areas in the economy in Newfoundland have faltered in
response to global commodity prices, tourism has continued to grow.<=
/p>
Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
will this government commit to developing a tourism strategy that includes
consistent, long-term funding for tourism marketing? Hon. Ms. Taylor: Unbeknownst to the member opposite, this government continues =
to
work in collaboration with industry. I know that members opposite shake the=
ir
heads, but actually, in fact, we have all along been working in collaborati=
on
through the Tourism Marketing Committee and through the Tourism Industry As=
sociation
of Yukon. Everything that we do is to generate long-term economic growth,
maximizing socio-cultural benefits for our residents here on the ground. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
our mandate is to work in partnership with the private and the public secto=
rs,
First Nations, and non-government organizations, again to develop and to
implement strategic tourism marketing, product development, research strate=
gies
and programs that grow tourism revenues. That is, in fact, what this govern=
ment
has been doing and continues to do. We’re very much committed to doing
that — research‑based, market-driven partnerships with industry=
. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
I just encourage the member opposite to pick up a copy of the tourism plan =
and
to take a look at all of the progress that we have been making in all of th=
ese
various aspects to grow tourism revenues. Mr. Barr: We
could be doing so much more; the numbers speak for themselves. A concentrat=
ed
effort to increase tourism in Yukon can be a success if we make the tourism
industry a priority. The tourism industry is a strong option for diversifyi=
ng
our economy sustainably. A whole-of-government approach was the key to succ=
ess
for Newfoundland and Iceland. Newfoundland’s strategy includes
transportation information and communications technology, workforce
development, environmental sustainability in addition to marketing, branding
and product development. Iceland has established a taskforce on tourism that
includes the minister of finance, the environment, industry and commerce as
well as industry and municipal government representatives. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
will this government commit to a whole-of-government approach to tourism in
Yukon? Hon. Ms. Taylor: Well, again, Mr. Speaker, this government recognizes the =
very
fundamental importance of the tourism industry to Yukon’s economy and=
to
the quality of life that we as Yukoners have come to know over the years.
That’s, in fact, why this government continues to increase the
investments to reflect just that in every single department. In fact, this
year’s tourism budget will see another increase to its budget, unlike
other budgets across this country. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
this includes the Yukon Now investment — the single-largest investmen=
t in
Yukon’s tourism marketing history. It also includes investments in
product development and the extension of our visitor information centres. It
also includes research and marketing initiatives. It includes highway
improvements and airport upgrades. It also includes investments in Yukon
museums and cultural centres, of which we have seen a 300-percent increase
since 2002. Mr.&nb=
sp;Speaker,
it also includes the development and the opening of a brand new campground
— the first in about 40 years that we’ve seen in Yukon. This
government is very much supportive of the tourism industry and we’ll
continue to work in collaboration with industry every step of the way. Speaker: The=
time
for Question Period has now elapsed. Notice
of opposition private members’ business Ms. Stick: Pursuant
to Standing Order 14.2(3), I would like to identify the item standing in the
name of the Official Opposition to be called on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. It =
is
Bill No. 107, standing in the name of the Member for Whitehorse Centre. Mr. Silver: Pursuant
to Standing Order 14.2(3), I would like to identify the item standing in the
name of the Third Party to be called on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. It is Motion
No. 1033, standing in the name of the Member for Klondike. Speaker: We =
will now
proceed to Orders of the Day. Orders of
the Day Government
Bills Bill
No. 21: Third Appropriation Act, 20=
15-16
— Third Reading Clerk: Third
reading, Bill No. 21, standing in the name of the Hon. Mr. Pasloski. <=
/span> Hon. Mr. Pasloski: I move that Bill No. 21, entitled Third Appropriation Act, 2015-16, be now read a third time and =
do
pass. Speaker: It =
has been
moved by the Hon. Premier that Bill No. 21, entitled Third Appropriation Act, 2015-16, be now read a third time and =
do
pass. Hon. Mr. Pasloski: I rise to introduce Bill No. 21, entitled Third Appropriation Act, 2015-16, for a third time. Member=
s of this
Legislature will have noted that a special warrant was issued on February 5=
in
the amount of $15,640,000. There may be critics who suggest that a warrant =
is
not necessary, that a warrant does not represent open and accountable
government, but as I have stated in previous comments before this Legislatu=
re,
my colleagues and I do take very seriously and respect the importance of
effective processes and procedures in support of our decision-making
responsibilities. We prepare and table budgets based on the best and most
current information that is available at the time. Notwit=
hstanding,
the best laid plans are subject to change. Changes to the budget plan throu=
gh
supplementary estimates allow us to be responsive to emerging pressures and
priorities of importance to Yukoners. Changes to the budget plan through
supplementary estimates maintain accountability to the Legislative Assembly=
and
to Yukoners. As ide=
ntified in
the Third Appropriation Act, 2015-1=
6, Supplementary Estimates No. 2, pr=
ovides
for the sums required of $15,640,000. The sums required are offset by sums =
not
required of $34,448,000 and in accordance with the Financial Administration Act, the amounts authorized by the spe=
cial
warrant are identified in the Third=
Appropriation
Act, 2015-16 and summarized in schedule C. While =
the
Legislature conducts its business, the amounts authorized by the special
warrant ensure that the government officials have the requisite legal autho=
rity
to make the expenditures delegated and entrusted to them to provide for the
uninterrupted government operations while Bill No. 21 is debated in this Ho=
use.
I also=
want to
acknowledge the work that has been done by the Department of Finance and I =
move
that Bill No. 21, Third Appropriati=
on
Act, 2015-16, be now read a third time. Ms. Hanson: I
am not going to speak at any length to this bill. I made my comments clear =
and
known yesterday with respect to the tradition that has been established by =
this
Yukon Party government to demonstrate an inability to both project and mana=
ge
within the sums appropriated and so we now see this yet again played out in
2016. The Of=
ficial
Opposition will stand on record as saying we just don’t believe
that’s good enough for the citizens of Yukon. Speaker: Are=
you
prepared for the question? Some Hon. Members:=
Division. Division Speaker: Div=
ision
has been called. Bells Speaker: Mr.=
Clerk,
please poll the House. Hon. Mr. Pasloski: Agree. Mr. Elias: Agree. Hon. Ms. Taylor: Agree. Hon. Mr. Graham: Agree. Hon. Mr. Kent: Agree. Hon. Mr. Istchenko: Agree. Hon. Mr. Dixon: Agree. Hon. Mr. Hassard: Agree. Hon. Mr. Cathers: Agree. Hon. Mr. Nixon: Agree. Ms. McLeod: Agree. Ms. Hanson: Disagree. Ms. Stick: Disagree. Ms. Moorcroft: Disagree. Ms. White: Disagree. Mr. Tredger: Disagree. Mr. Barr: Disagree. Mr. Silver: Disagree. Clerk: Mr.&n=
bsp;Speaker,
the results are 11 yea, seven nay. Speaker: The=
yeas
have it. I declare the motion carried. Motion for third reading of Bill No. 21 agreed t=
o Speaker: I d=
eclare
that Bill No. 21 has passed this House. Bill No.
99: Second Income Tax Amendments Ac=
t,
2016 — Third Reading Clerk: Third
reading, Bill No. 99, standing in the name of the Hon. Mr. Pasloski.=
span> Hon. Mr. Pasloski: I move that Bill No. 99, entitled Second Income Tax Amendments Act, 2016, be now read a third time
and do pass. Speaker: It =
has been
moved by the Hon. Premier that Bill No. 99, entitled Second Income Tax Amendments Act, 2016, be now read a third time
and do pass. Hon. Mr. Pasloski: It is my pleasure to speak to Bill No. 99, entitled Second Income Tax Amendments Act, 2016=
,
for a third time. This bill before the House is a short and simple piece of=
tax
legislation designed to ensure that the Yukon children’s fitness tax
credit and the Yukon children’s arts tax credit are maintained at the
current levels while the federal government reduces their credits by 50 per=
cent
this year and eliminates them entirely next year. Sectio=
n 2 of the
bill deals with the Yukon children’s arts tax credit, and section 3 of
Bill No. 99 deals with the Yukon children’s fitness tax credit. Bill N=
o. 99
includes a few minor consequential amendments designed to preserve the fede=
ral
Minister of National Revenue’s obligations to assess returns containi=
ng
refundable children’s fitness tax credits. Mr. Speaker, we belie=
ve
these important activities should be supported through the tax system;
therefore, we are ensuring the continuation of the Yukon credits with this
legislation. There are approximately 1,700 families claiming the fitness tax
credit and 650 claiming the arts credit. These credits save taxpayers
approximately $96,000 and $25,000 annually. Ms. Hanson: I
thank the Minister of Finance for his comments yesterday. I would also like=
to
thank the officials who provided him with the information I requested of him
during debate to explain the intended benefits of this taxation instrument.=
As
I mentioned yesterday, the New Democratic Party believes fundamentally that
taxation is an important part to the fiscal toolbox of a progressive
government. It can and should be used in a judicious manner to ensure that
there is underlying fairness and equity to tax measures that are implemente=
d. I aske=
d the
Finance minister yesterday for information to corroborate the numbers that =
we
were given; that is, the total value of tax credits to eligible Yukon citiz=
ens
in the last tax year available. The numbers we were given were the 1,700
families claiming the fitness credit and the 650 families claiming the arts
credit, or the credits respectively representing $96,000 and $25,000. Furth=
er
questioning indicated that in 2014, 2,839 children in those 1,700 families
benefited from the fitness tax credit. The Minister of Finance indicated th=
at
the 2,839 children represented 46 percent of children in the age range of 16
and under, the bracket that he says is covered by this fitness tax credit.
Lastly, the Finance minister reiterated that this tax credit is in fact a
refundable tax credit. The Finance minister said — and I quote: ̶=
0;It
will benefit those people whose incomes are low and those who don’t p=
ay
taxes will also see a return as a result of this being a refundable tax
credit.” Again,=
Mr. Speaker,
this is one possible tool in the taxation toolbox. Clearly, those most able
financially to make the sports equipment purchases or pay for music and arts
lessons benefit most. It is not the most equitable way of addressing the
underlying desire of legislators to provide for all children, including the=
54
percent of Yukon children who will not be able to benefit from these measur=
es. It
is not the most equitable way of addressing that need for children — =
to
provide children with the means to participate actively in fitness activiti=
es
or any one of the cultural and artistic opportunities that one would hope a=
ll
children would have access to. It is,=
however,
a small step Mr. Speaker, and the Yukon NDP recognizes it as such and =
will
support Bill No. 99. Speaker: Are=
you
prepared for the question? Some Hon. Members:=
Division. Division Speaker: Division has been =
called. Bells Speaker: Mr.=
Clerk,
please poll the House. Hon. Mr. Pasloski: Agree. Mr. Elias: Agree. Hon. Ms. Taylor: Agree. Hon. Mr. Graham: Agree. Hon. Mr. Kent: Agree. Hon. Mr. Istchenko: Agree. Hon. Mr. Dixon: Agree. Hon. Mr. Hassard: Agree. Hon. Mr. Cathers: Agree. Hon. Mr. Nixon: Agree. Ms. McLeod: Agree. Ms. Hanson: Agree. Ms. Stick: Agree. Ms. Moorcroft: Agree. Ms. White: Agree. Mr. Tredger: Agree. Mr. Barr: Agree. Mr. Silver: Agree. Clerk: Mr.&n=
bsp;Speaker,
the results are 18 yea, nil nay. Speaker: The=
yeas
have it. I declare the motion carried. Motion for third reading of Bill No. 99 agreed t=
o Speaker: I d=
eclare
that Bill No. 99 has passed this House. Mr. Elias: Mr. Speaker,
I move that the Speaker do now leave the Chair and that the House resolve i=
nto
Committee of the Whole. Speaker: It =
has been
moved by the Government House Leader that the Speaker do now leave the Chair
and that the House resolve into Committee of the Whole. Motion agreed to Speaker leaves the Chair Committee
of the Whole Chair (Ms. McLeod): Order.
Committee of the While will now come to order. The matter before the Commit=
tee
is general debate on Vote 51, Department of Community Services in Bill No. =
23,
entitled First Appropriation Act, 2=
016-17.
Do mem=
bers wish
a brief recess? All Hon. Members:&=
#8195;Agreed. Chair: Commi=
ttee of
the Whole will recess for 15 minutes. Recess Chair: Commi=
ttee of
the Whole will now come to order. Bill No.
23: First Appropriation Act, 2016-1=
7
— continued Chair:̳=
5;The matter before the Com=
mittee
is general debate on Vote 51, Department of Community Services in Bill No. =
23,
entitled First Appropriation Act, 2=
016-17.
Department of Community Services Hon. Mr. Dixon: It is a pleasure to rise today to speak to the 2016-17 main
estimates for the Department of Community Services. I am joined today by our
Deputy Minister of Community Services, Paul Moore. Our acting director of F=
inance,
Sarah Lewis, is also joining us today. I will=
start by
giving a bit of an overview as to this year’s budget and then we can =
get
into some of the particulars on the various branches as well as some notable
issues that are at the fore of late. Before=
I begin,
Madam Chair, I did want to note that there was a press release that went out
today from Special Olympics Yukon that noted that they were very pleased to
announce that three Yukon athletes have been selected to Team Canada for the
Special Olympics World Winter Games in 2017 taking place in Austria from Ma=
rch
14 to 25. Those =
three
Yukon athletes are Ernest Chua for cross-country skiing, Tijana
McCarthy for figure skating, and Mike Sumner for figure skating. Those
three athletes will join Team Canada, which will ultimately consist of 110
athletes, 35 mission staff and coaches, two team managers and one chef de
mission, and will be competing in six different sports while in Austria. =
span> Team C=
anada
athletes were selected based on their performance at the recent Special
Olympics Canada 2016 Winter Games in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrado=
r.
Over 650 Special Olympics athletes from across Canada competed at those gam=
es,
vying for a spot on Special Olympics Team Canada. Of cou=
rse,
we’re very proud and pleased to see those three Yukoners selected for
Team Canada and we wish them all the best next year in Austria. The re=
ason I
note that is because the press release just went out this morning from the
Special Olympics, and I thought it would be appropriate to congratulate tho=
se
three Yukon athletes. I had previously noted that two of them had been
selected, and I jumped the gun a little bit. The formal announcement
didn’t go out until today, so I apologize for pre-empting Special
Olympics when I mentioned that in my second reading speech on the budget.=
span> Moving=
on, we
can talk about sport and recreation, Special Olympics and a number of other
sport organizations in a few moments, but I will start with providing some
opening remarks about our 2016-17 budget. The
department’s main estimates include more than $51.6 million in capital
expenditures and more than $87.6 million in operation and maintenance
expenditures. The Department of Community Services makes important investme=
nts
in programs, services and activities that support healthy and sustainable Y=
ukon
communities. Our 2016-17 budget prioritizes investments for Yukoners and Yu=
kon
communities that will bring long-term benefits for the territory. Ultimatel=
y,
the investments that I will highlight today support our government’s
approach to making Yukon the best place to live, work, play and raise a fam=
ily.
The br=
eadth of
the programs, services and support offered by Community Services is vast. I
would like to begin by speaking to members about our investments in our
Protective Services division. Our Protective Services division supports our
communities and our quality of life, ultimately helping to make Yukon one of
the best places to live. The division includes: Wildland Fire Management,
Emergency Measures Organization, the Fire Marshal’s Office, Emergency
Medical Services and the Building Safety and standards section. Every =
year,
Yukon is at risk of experiencing emergencies, including wildfires, floods,
avalanches, extreme weather, human-induced and technological failures and o=
ther
related events. By investing in personnel, equipment, training and
infrastructure, the government has strengthened inter‑operability and
coordination among the territory’s emergency response agencies to bol=
ster
their preventive and response capacities. More than $29.6 million of the
department’s total O&M budget for 2016-17 will go toward supporti=
ng
Protective Services operations division-wide. This includes honoraria for o=
ur
dedicated volunteers who help provide all the emergency services we manage =
in
Yukon communities. To sim=
plify
public access to emergency help, Protective Services is leading the Yukon
government’s effort to expand basic 911 emergency call service. In
February, 2016, the 911 call centre and police dispatch service moved from =
the
RCMP headquarters to the emergency response centre communications suite in
Whitehorse on Two Mile Hill. This state-of-the-art centre is specifically
designed for the Yukon-wide expansion of service. To date, we are on schedu=
le
to complete the expansion of basic 911 to rural Yukon by the summer of 2016,
ensuring all Yukoners and visitors will be able to dial the same
easy-to-remember emergency number used across North America. I thin=
k our
investment and work on this file, Madam Chair, came to light recently when =
an
emergency situation happened in the Northwest Territories — our neigh=
bour
— and highlighted the fact that the NWT does not have territory-wide =
911.
That was cited as a reason for the extent of the damage of a fire that occu=
rred
there very recently. I think this expansion of 911 to all of the Yukon is a
wise decision. I’m pleased to report to the House that it’s on
track. With r=
egard to
Wildland Fire Management, the 2016 forest fire season has just begun. I wou=
ld
like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our Wildland Fire Management t=
eam,
which is starting to prepare for the season ahead and is ready to help prot=
ect
all of us and our communities through their important work. Our Wildland Fi=
re
Management capital budget for 2016-17 includes a number of important
investments, such as $245,000 for upgrades to our fleet’s aviation fu=
el
systems and $100,000 for equipment replacements across our entire branch. We
also have allocated $66,000 in 2016-17 O&M funding for our annual incre=
ase
to the air tanker contract, which provides aerial support; also increases in
First Nation firefighter crew contracts in the Yukon communities. =
p>
The Pr=
emier and
I had a chance to join the Ta’an Kwäch’än development
corporation president and crew of the Ta’an Kwäch’än-=
led
wildland firefighters, who had recently passed a boot camp a few weeks ago =
to
prepare for this year’s wildland fire season. We had a chance to
experience — at least verbally, not physically — the extensive
training they went through in the course of their training. That p=
articular
boot camp is an example of collaboration between our department and Yukon F=
irst
Nations and First Nation development corporations to provide training and
opportunities for their citizens to participate in our Wildland Fire
activities. I know that there are a number of First Nations that do have th=
ese
contracts in place, but I did want to highlight Ta’an
Kwäch’än simply for the fact that they recently trained up a
number of young firefighters who will participate this coming summer. It wa=
s an
excellent experience for the Premier and I to attend their graduation. Managi=
ng fires
in Yukon’s boreal forest is always challenging, but I know that we ha=
ve
the right people, partnerships, equipment and protections in place to safeg=
uard
our communities. Moving=
on to EMO
— Yukon’s Emergency Measures Organization leads all emergency
preparedness planning for the Yukon government. It focuses on the four pill=
ars
of emergency management: prevention or mitigation; preparedness; response; =
and
recovery. In an emergency event, EMO is responsible for drawing together the
resources and expertise required to support a response in a timely and
effective manner, whether from a local source, across Canada or across North
America. In 2016-17, we will see capital investments for EMO that include a
$10,000 fixed-satellite unit to ensure emergency data and Internet connecti=
on
to Outside locations in the event of a communication loss; a $235,000
expenditure of O&M funding provided by Indigenous and Northern Affairs =
will
support a trainer to work with non-settled First Nations to help develop
capacity in emergency planning. This is in addition to similar work the bra=
nch
does with self-governing First Nations, municipal offices and other communi=
ty
partners. Madam =
Chair, the
Fire Marshal’s Office is responsible for reducing the loss of life and
property to fire and other related emergencies throughout Yukon. It does th=
is
through leadership, education, enforcement, program development and first
response. The FMO operates 16 volunteer fire departments, inclusive of 225
volunteer firefighters in unincorporated communities. In addition to the pe=
ace
of mind a properly equipped and trained fire department provides to a
community, this operation is also of enormous value because a local fire
service has a direct economic impact on residents who are able to pay lower
homeowner rates levied by insurance providers. The capital budget for the F=
ire
Marshal’s Office this year is more than $3.6 million. It includes
$596,000 for fire protection, including fleet fire truck placements, turnout
gear replacement, communications equipment and more. Madam =
Chair,
building on past investments we have made in fire hall replacements, we are
investing more than $3 million in 2016-17 capital dollars for the construct=
ion
of a new fire hall in Carcross. This new fire hall will reduce operating co=
sts
and better meet the needs of the local fire department and other emergency
services within the community. We anticipate construction on this important
community facility will be completed within this calendar year. Moving=
to the
Emergency Medical Services branch — in addition to wildland fire,
structural fire and emergency measures, the department continues to enhance
Yukon’s emergency medical services. Yukon’s Emergency Medical
Services provides safe, effective and timely emergency pre-hospital care to
Yukon residents and visitors. In doing so, it is responsible for air and gr=
ound
transportation of patients to and from health care facilities throughout Yu=
kon
and southern Canada. Yukon EMS is an essential partner in Yukon’s hea=
lth
care system and works with Health and Social Services, the Yukon Hospital
Corporation and other partners to respond to emergencies whenever the need
arises. In this way, Yukon EMS helps provide consistent, competent health c=
are
across the territory. In 201=
5, Yukon
EMS responded to 6,631 ground calls — 5,328 of those in the Whitehorse
catchment area and 1,303 of those in the communities. Yukon EMS medevac, the
air ambulance service, responded to 809 calls. Our Yukon EMS team members a=
re
there for us in our time of need. These skilled men and women in the servic=
e,
both staff and volunteer, do a tremendous job protecting our communities and
making Yukon a great place to live. The 20=
16-17
budget identified $299,000 in EMS capital expenditures. This includes $155,=
000
for ambulance replacement and $114,000 to support phase 2 of the communicat=
ions
system upgrade. This second phase includes the purchase and installation of
automatic vehicle location devices. These devices integrate within the upda=
ted
system and help to monitor the location of our first responders. This helps
ensure both patient and volunteer safety. These =
devices
assist with call taking and dispatching ambulances and can also help with
response time by ensuring that the closest available unit is sent out. They
help to make sure our fleet is back in a safe time frame or ensure that ano=
ther
team is sent out to confirm safety. Commun=
ity
Services is providing emergency responders, both staff and volunteer, with =
the
equipment, infrastructure and training they need to do their jobs to the be=
st
of their ability and provide care for Yukoners. Their service, on behalf of=
all
Yukoners, helps to make Yukon a great place to live. In rec=
ent years,
our investment — specifically in training — has allowed Yukon E=
MS
to provide unprecedented support to staff members and volunteer responders.=
We
now have a dedicated training centre where we can provide consistent,
professional training to EMS personnel, allied emergency responders and hea=
lth
practitioners from other departments. We have also developed an online lear=
ning
management system that allows us to deliver training in the communities at a
level that has never been available before. That’s something we are v=
ery
proud of, and I know that our rural volunteers have certainly appreciated b=
eing
able to access that learning management system for certain training.=
Feedba=
ck already
shows that these exceptional training opportunities, especially the access =
to
online training available locally within communities, are linked to higher
levels of recruitment and engagement. This strategy has strengthened our
ability to train and retain life-saving first responders across Yukon. I̵=
7;ll move
now to the Building Safety and Standards branch. The Building Safety and
Standards branch is responsible for helping to keep Yukoners safe in their
homes and in the buildings they use for work, recreation and daily business.
The branch accomplishes this by developing, interpreting, administering and
enforcing building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical standards.=
p>
Buildi=
ng Safety
and Standards issues permits for and conducts inspections of building
construction, plumbing, electrical, gas- and boiler-related work on buildin=
gs
and facilities in rural municipalities, unincorporated communities and rural
areas. Moving=
to our
Community Development division — whether it’s providing essenti=
al
services like drinking water, solid-waste and waste-water management, ensur=
ing
that sport, recreation and active living opportunities are available, build=
ing
important infrastructure, bringing properties to market or supporting local
libraries, the Community Development division makes Yukon communities great
places to live, work, play and raise families. In 2016-17, more than $45.4
million of the department’s total O&M budget will support the
division’s operations territory-wide. Alongs=
ide that
is Community Affairs. The Community Affairs branch supports and helps build=
the
capacity, establishment and operations of affected local governments. It le=
ads
the division’s work to foster effective working relationships between
communities and the Yukon government. Communities rely on Community Affairs
staff for their integrity and professionalism, which is evident in the
successful partnership with the Association of Yukon Communities and work t=
hat
has been accomplished with municipal governments and local advisory council=
s. This g=
overnment
recognizes that municipalities make a major contribution to improving
Yukoners’ quality of life, and we are providing more than $18.21 mill=
ion
in direct transfers to municipalities as well as $7.297 million in grants in
lieu of taxes and $72,000 for funding LACs. In 201=
6-17, the
branch will focus much of its work with local governments across Yukon in
continuing the great efforts that began in 2015-16 for asset management. As=
set
management is an important part of capital planning. It identifies and
prioritizes infrastructure development to ensure sustainable service delive=
ry
now and in the future. At an =
asset
management conference in Whitehorse in November of last year, the Yukon
government announced its plan to support a strong culture of asset manageme=
nt
with Yukon’s First Nations and municipal governments. This plan inclu=
des
funding through the northern strategy trust to assist communities with
asset-management-related projects. In 2016-17, that support will total more
than $1 million. Funding is flexible enough to benefit the individual needs=
of
each community, and the Community Affairs branch will maintain an active ro=
le
in facilitating communication among the asset management community of pract=
ice
members. The br=
anch will
also oversee the development of a Yukon asset management framework, a best
practices document that will be an ongoing legacy of the community of pract=
ice.
Finally, there is also $10,000 identified in the capital budget of 2016-17 =
for
the important civic addressing work that the branch is conducting with local
advisory councils. Return=
ing to
asset management briefly, I would note that asset management was included in
one of the aspects of some federal funding that was announced as a result of
the March 21 budget, and we have had it indicated to us that it would be
funneled through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Going forward, =
we
anticipate still maintaining a role in working with municipalities on local
asset management but we will hope to work with them to tap into that federal
money that is available for asset management through the FCM. That m=
ay require
municipalities to apply directly to the FCM, but we would be happy to help =
them
with that. The Chair is indicating that my time has elapsed, but I will
conclude those remarks and return to the other branches of the department at
the next opportunity. Mr. Barr:Q=
95;I
would like to thank the minister for his opening remarks. I realize that he
does have more to come, so I won’t get into all of my questions at th=
is
point. However, I would like to welcome the officials from the department a=
nd
thank them for their hard work as well as those who are not with us here in=
the
House in Community Services. As we all know, it is a large and diverse
department, and it touches everyone in the Yukon when we speak of Community
Services. I would just like to start with that. I woul=
d like to
give a heads-up for further on in our discussions with this one issue that =
was
brought forward to me today — before I make any of my further remarks.
Maybe the department will be able to give some answers throughout the
afternoon. It is an issue brought forward to me today by one of my constitu=
ents
regarding civic addressing in rural neighbourhoods. The pr=
ogram was
designed to ensure that the fire department, ambulance and RCMP can quickly=
and
easily find someone’s home. There was a letter sent out to residents =
with
new civic addresses in May 2015 stating — and I quote: “Please =
note
that this address will only be used for emergency services and will also ap=
pear
on your property tax notices. Your lot and plan number will continue to be =
the
legal reference to your property and your mailing address will not
change.” As you know, enumeration for the upcoming territorial electi=
on
is ongoing, and one of my constituents was enumerated using the civic
addressing system that was rolled out last year. His concern is that the
provided civic address will become confused for the purposes of electoral
records as his actual address and that the civic address will not be suffic=
ient
at the polling station as he has no receipt or document in his possession
indicating his civic address as his actual address. My constituent has rais=
ed
this concern with Elections Yukon; however, he is concerned this could beco=
me a
more widespread issue with the entire Mount Lorne enumeration process.
Therefore, I thought I should provide the minister with this information in=
the
House. I can further pass on by e-mail more information later. I will just
leave it at that for now, and I would welcome the minister’s other
opening remarks. I have some of my own, and I will just continue that way if
that’s okay. Hon. Mr. Dixon: We
can return to the issue of civic addressing in a few moments and talk about=
the
issue that the member just raised with regard to a constituent of his and
getting enumerated for the upcoming election. I know a little bit about this
from work on Members’ Services Board through the changes to the Elections Act and from the report
provided by the Chief Electoral Officer. We can talk about that in a few
moments, but I will conclude my initial remarks and then we can turn to this
specific issue and other issues as they arise throughout the day. Madam =
Chair,
next for me is the Sport and Recreation branch of the Department of Communi=
ty
Services. The department, as we know, contributes to a better quality of li=
fe
for Yukoners through its investments in sport, recreation and active living
initiatives. We offer a wide range of opportunities to be active and engage=
d in
healthy living. From community recreation to funding that helps support the
development of athletes, coaches and officials in their pursuit of sport
excellence, Community Services helps make Yukon a great place to live, work=
and
raise a family. We have
committed $110,000 in this budget to support community organizations to rep=
air
and upgrade their recreation facilities territory-wide; as well as $20,000 =
for
maintenance at our community pools. This budget also includes more than $1
million for the Dawson City recreation centre this year. Facilities like th=
is
provide sport development, social development and economic benefits for the
community as a whole. We continue to support Team Yukon’s participati=
on
in all major games, including the Arctic Winter Games, Canada Games, Western
Canada Summer Games, Special Olympics, North American Indigenous Games, and=
the
Canada 55+ Games. Our su=
pport for
Team Yukon provides substantial value, tremendous benefits and inspiration =
to
the participants and organizations involved in these life-changing opportun=
ities.
Like the Olympic experience, these events bring our territory and nation
together to celebrate sport excellence. Our support for major games and Team
Yukon’s participation in high-level competition contributes to the
development of Yukon’s athletes, coaches and officials and healthy
communities. In March 2016, five members of Team Yukon travelled to the 2016
Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Newfoundland and 320 members of Team
Yukon travelled to Nuuk, Greenland and Iqaluit, Nunavut to compete in the 2=
016
Arctic Winter Games. Our Special Olympics team made a new record with each
member bringing home a medal and a total eight medals overall. Our Arctic
Winter Games team brought home 100 ulus and several personal bests. The Arc=
tic
Winter Games are an essential part of the sport development system in the
north, giving youth the opportunity to compete on the international stage
against their northern peers. To date, four Yukoners who have competed at t=
he
Arctic Winter Games have continued on to the Olympics. We are=
pleased
to announce that a new hosting rotation for the Arctic Winter Games was
approved in Greenland and, together with the City of Whitehorse, Yukon is
scheduled to host the 2020 games. This is a tremendous opportunity for Yukon
and Yukon athletes. Hosting major multi-sport games is vital for sport
development, local sport organization and our economy. I recently wrote a
letter to the Mayor and Council of Whitehorse indicating that we would like=
to
formally request them to move ahead with approvals to host the games and we
hope to hear back from them soon. In that letter, we have committed to work=
ing
with their officials to facilitate discussions between the international
committee and the city to enter into a contract for hosting in 2020, so tho=
se
discussions are underway and ongoing. Our 20=
16-17
budget also includes an additional $75,000 to support the North American
Indigenous Games and $50,000 for the Canada Summer Games, which will take p=
lace
in Manitoba in August 2017. I am c=
onfident
that at both of these major events, our Yukon athletes will be ambassadors =
for
our territory and their sports. I am also pleased to note that $60,000 has =
been
budgeted to help host the 2017 Men’s World Softball Championships. An
additional $300,000 of O&M funding is identified in this budget to prov=
ide
core funding to five different sport and recreation organizations. This will
ensure stability for these groups that have had to apply annually for fundi=
ng,
while also freeing up $300,000 for other organizations and projects support=
ed
by the Yukon Recreation Advisory Council funding. Madam Chair, I should cor=
rect
myself; I said five groups and it’s actually four groups that would
receive that money. I made a small error there, so I apologize. As I=
8217;m
sure all the members can appreciate, our investments in sport and recreation
are appreciated by sports organizations, but this particular announcement t=
his
year of the additional $300,000 for those four organizations, I think, is w=
orth
explaining a little bit more. Of course, the four organizations that will
benefit from this directly are: Special Olympics Yukon, Recreation and Parks
Association of the Yukon, Sport Yukon, and the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circl=
e.
Those four groups were selected because of their broad nature and the fact =
that
they are umbrella organizations that support, in most cases, multiple sport=
s.
Those four organizations, for the most part, won’t see a substantial
increase to the amount of money that they receive on an annual basis, but w=
ill
very much appreciate the consistency, clarity and predictability of funding=
in
the coming years. They will know exactly how much they are receiving and th=
ey
will know exactly when they will be receiving it, so some of the uncertainty
that used to exist will be eliminated. Also, =
there is a
significant amount of work, effort, and resource that goes into applying to
YRAC for that funding, so they will be saving hours and human resources in =
not
having to apply for that funding any more. As well, the indirect implicatio=
n of
that funding decision is that there is an additional $300,000 left —
roughly — in the YRAC fund for all other sports organizations to apply
for. This is a substantial increase to the YRAC pot. The YRAC fund, of cour=
se,
is administered by the independent board, which is appointed on the
recommendations of the all-party select committee and this year, they will =
have
the first opportunity to allocate significantly more money than has been
allocated in years past. I know
anecdotally that a number of sports organizations typically receive about h=
alf
of what they actually request, so this won’t fully address the needs =
of
all sport organizations, but it will certainly go a long way to improving t=
he
amount of funding available to sport governing bodies for them to conduct t=
he
business of their individual sports. So it’s something that we’=
re
very proud to announce and a feature of this budget that we’re very p=
roud
of. We can talk a little bit more about that, perhaps, in the hours to come=
. I̵=
7;ll move
on to our Public Libraries branch. There are 15 community libraries located
throughout Yukon. These facilities provide important access points for
information and so much more. The circulation of physical materials remains=
at
the heart of libraries. This use continues to expand. In Whitehorse, we
estimate more than 185,000 items were borrowed in 2015-16. Patrons in the
communities borrowed approximately 35,000 items. Loans =
of
electronic resources, like the e-library, continue to rise in popularity. An
estimated 9,000-plus publications were borrowed electronically in the past
year. The e-library is very successful, with some 2,400 e-books and audio b=
ooks
available for downloading. New titles in both English and French are added =
to
the collection each year. Since its launch in 2011, nearly 1,500 individual
users have borrowed items from the collection over 28,000 times. This b=
udget
includes $25,000 in capital funding for community library equipment. Librar=
ies
play an important social role in our communities and foster connections bet=
ween
people. Programs for all ages, public meeting rooms and Internet access are
just some of the services offered by our libraries. Our libraries provide a
safe, welcoming and comfortable environment to relax, study, read or play, =
and
are a key pillar in making Yukon a great place to live. I̵=
7;ll turn
now to our Community Operations branch. It is through this branch that the
Department of Community Services continues to invest in modern and
environmentally responsible drinking water, solid-waste and waste-water
management. This work will continue to provide essential services that bene=
fit
unincorporated Yukon communities and adapt to the changing needs of future
generations. For so=
lid-waste
management specifically, we have seen a significant transformation in the p=
ast
decade in how the territory manages solid waste. This includes ending garba=
ge
burning practices and establishing modern systems of solid-waste management
built upon principles of environmental stewardship and waste diversion.
Establishing regional waste systems with our municipal partners has allowed=
us
to reduce the number of landfills in our vast territory in exchange for
transfer stations, which in some cases has led to the complete decommission=
ing
of some sites. We hav=
e been
able to implement greater controls at our facilities through gates, hours a=
nd
site attendant contracts that help prevent costly cleanups and lead to bett=
er
awareness and understanding of responsible waste management at the facility
itself and in the home. More robust permitting assessments and monitoring
regimes for solid-waste facilities throughout the territory ensure
environmental accountability in our solid-waste management systems. This
encompasses important groundwater monitoring at all our sites, including ev=
en
those we have closed. The 20=
16-17
O&M budget sees more than $1.8 million renewed for our continued
implementation of the Yukon Solid W=
aste
Action Plan across the territory. Capital expenses include $200,000 for
solid-waste facility remediation and closure management and $430,000 for
various solid-waste facility improvements, including $250,000 for specific
improvements at Champagne, Pelly Crossing and Marsh Lake. Fundin=
g through
the federal gas tax fund also includes $600,000 for a new solid-waste facil=
ity
in Ross River, as well as $190,000 for household solid-waste bins for our
incorporated communities. I̵=
7;m happy
to note our progress in solid-waste management includes significant support=
for
waste diversion, including recycling. In recent years we have partnered with
the City of Whitehorse to establish greater short-term certainty for recycl=
ing
processors. This included interim funding to support processors in a fair a=
nd
equitable manner while commodity prices were very low. In 201=
3, Yukon
government began paying diversion credits to processors. In early 2015, we
responded when recycling processors requested even greater support. Last ye=
ar
we budgeted for more than double the previous year’s diversion credit
payments, and in this budget year we are allocating even more. As we work to
negotiate a diversion credit agreement with processors for this year, we are
pleased to commit an additional $918,000 to support recycling. As we =
work with
the Department of Environment to finalize our review of recycling regulatio=
ns,
I anticipate that the important changes being proposed will modernize both =
the
beverage container regulation and designated materials regulation and
facilitate higher diversion of potentially harmful materials from landfills=
. I
look forward to working with all Yukoners as we continue to evolve our
solid-waste systems to provide more waste diversion and become more
environmentally sustainable. We hav=
e also
seen a number of investments for drinking water and waste-water management =
in
this budget. Our 2016‑17 O&M budget includes more than $2.2 milli=
on
for operations of the new waste-water treatment plant in Dawson City.
We’ve also budgeted $100,000 in capital funding for water and sewer
improvements in Deep Creek, Ross River, Carcross and Army Beach. Through the
federal gas tax fund, more than $2.2 million is budgeted for a brand new wa=
ste‑water
treatment facility in Ross River. Our gas tax projects are 100-percent
recoverable from Canada. I will=
turn now
to infrastructure. While I will provide some opening comments, I know that =
we
will get into infrastructure specifically in a little bit — but
recognizing how much time I have left in this particular segment, I will be=
gin
to talk about infrastructure and perhaps we can continue it at a future tim=
e. Replac=
ing aging
infrastructure and ensuring modern, reliable facilities for future generati=
ons
of Yukoners continues to be a priority of this department. Working together
with our Community Affairs and Community Operations branches, our
Infrastructure Development branch leads the work on many significant projec=
ts.
You will find highlights of more than $24 million in capital projects
through this branch. This includes projects that will mark the beginning of=
the
New Building Canada fund in Yukon. Since =
2007, federal,
territorial and municipal governments have committed over $265 million to c=
ore
infrastructure needs in Yukon under the original Building Canada fund. The =
New
Building Canada fund, or NBCF, will provide approximately $342 million to
support Yukon infrastructure over the next 10 years in a 75-percent Canada,
25-percent Yukon split. There will be an investment of more than $21.7 mill=
ion
in New Building Canada projects in 2016‑17. Of that, up to $15.7 mill=
ion
is recoverable from Canada. These projects help our continued efforts to
address ongoing infrastructure needs, create jobs and improve the quality of
life of all Yukoners. These =
funding
priorities are guided by the new Yukon infrastructure plan, which identifies
projects within target areas for the funds. The plan was developed when
Community Services met in early 2015 with municipalities, First Nations and
local advisory councils to identify their local infrastructure priorities. =
Specif=
ic New
Building Canada fund highlights for this year’s budget include: a new
water treatment plant in Burwash Landing — construction will begin in=
the
summer of 2016, with anticipated completion in early 2017; upgrades to
solid-waste facilities in Haines Junction, Faro and Watson Lake —
projects in this group will commence this summer and will be completed by t=
he
fall; upgrades to the Mayo reservoir will bring it up to regulatory standar=
ds
— the project will commence this summer and is expected to be complet=
ed
by the end of the year; a new waste-water lift station and building in Hain=
es
Junction is planned — this project will commence in the summer and is
expected to be completed by year-end as well; a new Faro lagoon and sludge
drying beds are planned — work will start this summer and is expected=
to
be completed by the end of the year; design and construction of an eduction-receiving station for C=
armacks’
sewage system is also planned — design is underway and construction is
slated for 2017; reconstruction of 6th Avenue between Jarvis and
Ogilvie streets in Whitehorse, which consists of engineering and constructi=
on
services and includes underground and surface work, is also planned; road
upgrades, resurfacing with BST and improvements to drainage in Teslin are p=
art
of this package as well — this project will commence this summer and =
it
is expected to be completed by year-end as well. Madam =
Chair,
you’re indicating that my time for this segment is up, so I will conc=
lude
there and, when I return to my feet, will continue to describe some of the
plans for infrastructure development in this budget year. Mr. Barr: At
this time, I just wish that the minister would continue with his overview a=
nd
his opening remarks and then I’ll move forward myself. Hon. Mr. Dixon: I’ll just continue right on. Outside of the New Building
Canada fund, the Infrastructure Development branch also has more than $1.5
million in capital funding for flood mitigation work in Mayo and Carcross, =
and
roadwork here in Whitehorse on Hamilton Boulevard. I̵=
7;ll turn
now to our Land Development branch, Madam Chair. The department continues to
work with the City of Whitehorse to ensure that a healthy inventory of
residential, commercial, industrial and institutional lots are available in=
the
Whitehorse market, and we strive to keep our costs as low as possible. From 2=
009 to
2015, the Yukon government has invested a total of $101.4 million to make m=
ore
than 600 lots available in Whitehorse, specifically in Whistle Bend, Whiteh=
orse
Copper, Mount Sima, Burns Road and Ingram
subdivisions. Sustained efforts will help to overcome our collective challe=
nges
with respect to making land available in the future. Increasing supply will
result in more housing options down the road, as contractors and individuals
build and develop growing subdivisions. We are committed to working closely
with the City of Whitehorse, other Yukon departments and stakeholders to en=
sure
that we are responding to the local demands and the market. Investments in =
land
development under this budget, together with recent efforts, will help to
address the wider issues of supply and affordability of housing. More t=
han $16
million in capital funding is budgeted for our Land Development branch in t=
his
year. This includes $15 million for the design and construction of pha=
se 3
and the overall planning of phases 4 to 7 of Whistle Bend. The Whistle Bend
subdivision in Whitehorse is growing. Homes, landscaping and parks are help=
ing
to make this neighbourhood become a home for many Yukoners. The Eagle Bay
Lookout will be a beautiful addition to the recreation space in Whistle Ben=
d.
The viewpoint is located close to the entrance of the subdivision and will
provide residents with a view of the valley in which McIntyre Creek joins t=
he
Yukon River. In recent years, a number of eagles have returned to make this
area home, which is, of course, the source of the name. Our wo=
rk, which
began last fall, will continue this construction season to prepare
infrastructure to service the new continuing care facility in Whistle Bend.
This includes water and sewer underground utilities and surface works, such=
as
electrical, sidewalks and roads. This project is expected to be completed in
June of this year. We are also in the design phase for a secondary water ma=
in
to service the facility and greater subdivision. We anticipate this install=
ation
will be completed in time for the continuing care facility’s construc=
tion
by spring of 2017. When complete, Whistle Bend is envisioned as a neighbour=
hood
for approximately 8,000 residents complete with: transit service; a town sq=
uare
featuring public park land and retail shops; space for a school; plentiful
greenspace; and many kilometres of paved and unpaved trails. I thin=
k anybody
who has been down to Whistle Bend recently would agree that it is becoming a
very beautiful neighbourhood and one that many Yukoners are beginning to ca=
ll
home. We can return to some of the details about what we have planned for
Whistle Bend this year when we get into some of the details, but I would be
happy to provide a greater overview of how that $16 million breaks down and
provide some of the discussion about some of the larger ticket items within
that envelope. I will=
turn now
to our Corporate Policy and Consumer Affairs division. The Corporate Policy=
and
Consumer Affairs division provides a range of regulatory and professional
services for all of Yukon. The division’s operations are as diverse as
they are important, from professional licensing and regulating the business
industry to assessing our properties; providing dispute resolution for
landlords and tenants and raising minimum wage, when appropriate. In 2016-1=
7,
more than $8.6 million of the department’s operation and maintenance
budget will support the division’s work. The Professional Licensing a=
nd
Regulatory Affairs branch is also associated with that. In the=
area of
Professional Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — formerly known as
Consumer Affairs — our department continues to protect the public by
regulating professionals and businesses, enforcing legislation and providing
education and dispute resolution. This branch licenses well over 4,000
professionals including health professionals, medical practitioners and real
estate agents. In 2014-15, the branch issued 138 bingo, raffle and casino
licences that raised more than $2.7 million for community projects and
services. The branch has worked very hard to improve Yukon’s regulato=
ry
regime. This includes the Pharmacy =
and
Drug Act, which passed in the 2015 Spring Sitting, and consulting on dr=
aft
legislation for chartered professional accountants, which, of course, is be=
fore
us in this Legislative Assembly Sitting as well. Moving=
on to
Corporate Affairs, Madam Chair — more than 50,000 transactions were
managed and more than $3.4 million in revenues were generated by the Corpor=
ate
Affairs branch in 2014-15. A major reform of Yukon’s business and
not-for-profit statutes and regulations was completed and came into effect =
in
2015. This accomplishment was the result of years of hard work and will help
make Yukon a more attractive place to register a business and contribute to=
ward
economic growth. The branch is also leading Yukon’s participation in a
national initiative to improve and enhance securities regulations in Canada=
. As wel=
l,
Corporate Affairs is transitioning online. The branch is working hard to ch=
ange
the existing personal property security registry to a modern online system =
and
soon the public will be able to search Yukon’s corporate registries on
their computers and access documents as PDFs. Now, I know there will be
questions about each of these individual initiatives, Madam Chair, and I lo=
ok
forward to answering questions about each of them. I will=
move on
to the Employment Standards and Residential Tenancies office. The new RLTA,=
the
Residential Landlord and Tenant Act=
,
and regulations are now law. The Residential Tenancies Office is now open a=
nd
dispute resolution hearings are being scheduled in a timely manner. Minimum
rental standards will come into effect on January 1, 2017. The new Resident=
ial
Tenancies website was launched in late 2015. It provides access to
comprehensive information regarding the new legislation and a helpful secur=
ity
deposit interest calculator. There was an increase in forced collections,
voluntary compliance and resolved complaints under the Employment Standards Act in 2015-16 due to proactive disclosure=
by
employers, negotiated settlements and enforcement procedures carried out by=
the
branch. Moving=
to the
Property Assessment and Taxation branch — more than 23,000 properties
were assessed by the Property Assessment and Taxation branch in 2015 —
this represents a total value of $4.74 billion — and 14,500 municipal
properties were reassessed in 2015 as part of Property Assessment and
Taxation’s biannual reassessment program. Approximately 8,600 rural Y=
ukon
properties are being reassessed for the 2016 year. Twenty=
-three
projects were completed under the rural electrification and telecommunicati=
ons
program to provide electricity and telecommunications services to Yukoners =
in
2014-15. In 2015-16, 50 projects are underway and $600,000 in capital fundi=
ng
is allocated in this budget for that program. Since =
2004, the
domestic water well program has provided long-term, low-interest loans to h=
elp
Yukon residents in unincorporated communities to dig potable water wells. In
2014, amendments to the Municipal A=
ct
and Assessment and Taxation Act=
were
passed to extend the rural water well program to property owners in
participating municipalities. All Yu=
kon
municipalities signed on to agreements last year at the AYC AGM in Haines
Junction. After regulations to support the new program were passed, the
legislative changes proved their value. Currently, 50 projects are underway,
including 30 within municipalities. A total of $1.2 million in capital
funding is allocated under the 2016-17 budget to support this program. Last b=
ut
certainly not least is our Corporate Services division, which helps us to
ensure our qualified and innovative personnel have the equipment and tools =
they
need to provide essential services to all Yukoners. The total O&M budge=
t of
$3.9 million is in our 2016-17 budget for that; $344,000 in capital funding
will be housed under Corporate Services in 2016-17. This includes $195,000 =
for
building and facility maintenance, equipment, furniture and workspace
renovation. Some of these projects are performed in partnership with the
Department of Highways and Public Works. A total of $149,000 will be provid=
ed
department-wide to explore, plan and implement better technology support for
electronic services, from online licensing to Yukoners to upgraded water
treatment plant watering systems. Madam =
Chair,
that is a brief overview of each branch of the Department of Community Serv=
ices
budget for this year. I know there will be a number of questions on each of
them, so I will leave it up to the members opposite to determine what order=
we
will walk through these, but with that I’ll conclude my opening remar=
ks
and then turn it over to the member to either provide some opening remarks
himself or begin with questions. Mr. Barr: I
would like to thank the minister for his overview and his opening remarks. I
have some opening remarks and I am happy for us to be discussing Community
Services in this budget debate. It’s something I look forward to each
Sitting. I woul=
d like to
start out by saying that I’m very grateful and honoured to serve the
people of Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes and be able to not only bring their
concerns forward to this House, but also for all those around the territory=
who
I meet or who send me e-mails or who I see out and about when either doing
community visits or travelling just to visit friends or partake in special
events, festivals and so on and so forth throughout the territory. It is a
great thing to be able to do and I’m very honoured that I’ll be
seeking the nomination the next time around in this upcoming election to
continue the work to build on what we have done. I have=
some
notes here. You may say I’m a dreamer, Madam Chair, but I’m not=
the
only one. There are a number of individuals and community groups within my
riding who have undertaken innovative new projects that show that,
collectively, we can make the Yukon a better place. Along with these folks,
there are all the LACs and volunteers who make the Yukon a safe place when
we’re sleeping and they’re out training — we can’t
forget to acknowledge all those folks, whether it’s the EMS, volunteer
fire departments, the EMO or just moms and dads, and so on and so forth. When w=
e did our
Volunteer Week tribute recently in the House — it’s really the
heart of the people that is the real gold here. I just have to acknowledge =
that
and that it’s us — the whole Yukon is really a community.
It’s not really a territory, when I think of the Yukon. Some o=
f the
individuals who have demonstrated their passion are in the Mount Lorne haml=
et.
I think of Al Foster, who was very instrumental in moving forward with solar
panels at the community centre. I would like to let the House know that
they’re up and running. The second phase of this solar project is get=
ting
underway and it will be at the Mount Lorne solid-waste transfer station.
They’ll have their own solar panels to provide electricity for their
operations. I’ll be heading out to an LAC meeting tonight in Mount Lo=
rne.
The one I was at last month — Yukon Electrical had come out to read t=
he
meter and hadn’t looked up on the gazebo, but he went directly into t=
he
centre there — the club — and spoke with one of the persons wor=
king
there, and stated, “Excuse me, but I have to bring this to your
attention.” He said: “We’ll have to get somebody out to l=
ook
at the meter; I was just here to read it and it’s running
backwards.” He hadn’t looked up to see the solar panels on the
gazebo. Now I believe the meter has been replaced and shows how much the
community is selling back to Yukon Energy. ItR=
17;s a
great new thing. I would hope and think this would be a great model for all
community clubs or government infrastructure throughout the territory to mo=
ve
in that direction to help with reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, and to
move toward renewable energies. I do k=
now that
Carcross is also happy to see the long-awaited learning centre that will be
completed — the first phase — this year, and they will also be
having solar panels on this building. I believe it will generate in the
neighbourhood of 14 kilowatts, which is a substantial amount of energy.
It’s just exciting to see what we can do in the territory and it̵=
7;s
really individuals who are just moving ahead because they realize that redu=
cing
our fossil fuels is the way of the future. A meet=
ing was
hosted in Tagish by YESAB and it was to discuss a hard rock mine on Jubilee
Mountain. There was significant concern by the residents there in Tagish ab=
out
this proposed project. Everyone in attendance who spoke — and the
messenger here was opposed to the project because of the long-standing effo=
rts
with the Southern Lakes caribou herd that we spoke of in the House. This
particular project on Jubilee Mountain would have the whole area of this mi=
ne
in the calving and wintering grounds of the Southern Lakes caribou herd. Th=
ere
is quite a concern that the herd — which is actually a miracle; it is=
the
only inland caribou — I’m trying to remember the proper terms
— woodland caribou herd that has actually come back, and so I’l=
l be
keeping track of that as we move forward and hopefully steps are taken to m=
ake
sure this important caribou herd is not significantly impacted by this proj=
ect. I spen=
t a lot of
time in the communities in my riding and these communities are often relyin=
g on
government spending and support and therefore intimately are tied to these
budgets that we’re discussing today. I was =
encouraged
to see the money in the budget to fix the Ross River suspension bridge and =
that
the Dawson City recreation centre will be receiving funding. However, I did
bring up and will future ask questions about that Ross River suspension bri=
dge
later on in the budget debate. There =
were also
many concerns brought forward earlier from the Whitehorse City Council moti=
on
to the AYC that there are concerns that the infrastructure needs of the
community are not being met and that the government and the lists that are =
put
forward by municipalities — the spending does not reflect their
priorities, but government priorities. As infrastructure proceeds — a=
nd I
know that the minister gave an overview of the things that are going forward
— this issue is facing Yukon and disproportionately impacts Yukon
communities. This government has set strong goals but since, in the area of
waste diversion, has missed its 50-percent waste-diversion targets and it is
unclear where we are going from here on. Marsh =
Lake,
Whitehorse and Dawson are all straining to keep up with the large amounts of
waste that they are receiving and they are not alone. One of the things tha=
t we
hear continually is that solid-waste facilities are filling up. Marsh Lake,=
for
example, has a 10-year plan and they are approaching some of their threshol=
ds
in just five years. I know I have spoken with the Minister of Community
Services before and, while I am no solid-waste expert, I know that, for
example, Mike Bailey, who operates the Mount Lorne transfer station, has
exceeded 50-percent waste diversion — the goal set — and that w=
as
almost a couple of years ago. He is now pushing a 75-percent waste-diversion
target. When you go there, you see the clarity for people who are moving
through that facility — as with Marsh Lake — and how things can=
be
done. I know that there was a proposal put forward for Mike to be able to s=
hare
some of his expertise throughout rural Yukon, which, I understand, was not
approved. I am h=
oping
that, as we move forward as a community and the Yukon as a whole, we
don’t neglect the people who are really leading the way and that we
empower them to be able to share the expertise that they do have, especially
when I know places like Tagish and Burwash — when I see them — =
are
requesting more help in understanding the things that they can do —
working with school children, working on educating parents. This is part of=
the
proposal Mike had put forward. I do w=
ant to
start with the first question that I have here. As I stated, we have heard a
number of concerns raised throughout Yukon that solid-waste facilities and
landfills are filling up faster than anticipated. Specifically, we have hea=
rd
that Marsh Lake transfer station is filling up faster than anticipated and,=
as
I stated, its 10-year lifespan — and the operators have said they are
nearing their 10-year window as we speak. This is the most obvious example,=
but
we have heard concerns raised from Dawson, Whitehorse and other communities=
. Can th=
e minister
provide an update on where all of the other landfills and transfer stations=
are
at in their lifespan? Are any others close to their limits? Can he confirm =
that
Marsh Lake is close to its limit? Also, with the added pressure of having m=
ajor
demolition projects in Yukon — and some of those that come to mind are
WCC, the old F.H. Collins Secondary School, the old McDonald Lodge and a nu=
mber
of buildings in Faro that will need to find a home. When these large buildi=
ngs
are brought down, are there any special considerations made for them, or are
they processed by landfills like any other waste? Hon. Mr. Dixon: I
guess I will start off by noting that we were very happy to support the Mou=
nt
Lorne community by providing the solar panel project that the member was
talking about. That was a project that we were able to support with some old
Building Canada funds that became available later in the life of that fund.=
When we
originally began consultation on the infrastructure priorities for Yukon
communities, First Nations, LACs and all other groups, we proceeded with th=
ree
general criteria: the first being we needed to address regulatory issues; t=
he
next being we needed to address core infrastructure needs — water, wa=
ste water,
solid waste, those types of projects; and the third criteria was that we wa=
nted
to see projects that would improve the life-cycle costs of operations ̵=
2;
whether they belong to the Yukon  =
;
government or whether they belong to a municipality or a First Nation. That=
type
of project fits within that third criteria where we can install, in this
particular case, solar panels, but other types of infrastructure are eligib=
le
as well, which will reduce the life-cycle costs of a piece of infrastructur=
e. In this
particular case, it’s the community centre and, as the member noted, =
it
has obviously been a success if their electricity bills are going down. That
particular group would have benefited as well from the increase to the CRAG
that was done by my predecessor, but when we can make improvements to
infrastructure that is run by those communities to reduce their costs,
it’s something we are happy to consider and move forward on.=
p>
WeR=
17;ve done
a number of other projects throughout the territory. Burwash comes to mind =
as
being one where we’ve been able to add some solar panels to reduce the
ongoing costs of operating a piece of infrastructure. That type of
infrastructure is something that we consider in our criteria for infrastruc=
ture
planning. The me=
mber made
some comments about infrastructure planning and the City of Whitehorse̵=
7;s
motion that was debated, passed and will go forward for debate and discussi=
on
at the AGM in a few weeks — I won’t comment on that now because=
we
can get back to infrastructure and the question at hand directly is: solid
waste. I’ll provide a bit of an overview of where we are on that and =
try
to address the general questions that the member asked. I̵=
7;ll start
by saying that the Mount Lorne solid-waste facility is a marquee one for us
— it’s one of those sites that is owned by the Yukon government=
and
we fund the operations. The local community organization has the contract to
run that facility for us and we appreciate the work that they have done.
It’s often pointed to as an example of best practices for that type of
transfer station. The me=
mber
mentioned — and he mentioned this, I think, previously as well —
some sort of application that the individual from Mount Lorne has put forwa=
rd.
I have never seen an application of any sort of the nature he’s talki=
ng about,
so I can’t comment on what it is or what he proposed. If it indeed was
put forward and not supported by someone, I don’t know anything about=
it.
If the individual would like to forward something to me personally, I would=
be
happy to review something, or if there’s more information that can be
provided to us, then we might be able to understand better what exactly is
being asked for. Without actually having seen an application, I have a
difficult time commenting on it or commenting as to why it did or did not go
forward. With r=
egard to
the overall issues of solid waste, we could talk a little about Marsh Lake =
as
well specifically; but maybe I’ll start by providing a little bit of =
an
overview of a number of the solid-waste facilities in the Yukon. There are a
number that are run by Yukon government and there are a number that are run=
by
municipalities. I know the member is talking about both. He mentioned Dawso=
n,
as well as some of the ones that are run by us — Marsh Lake, Mount Lo=
rne
and others. I’ll provide as general of an overview as I can.=
p>
We =
212;
“we” being the Community Operations branch of Community Services
— manage 16 solid-waste facilities around the Yukon. Of those, we have
converted eight into modified transfer stations and five into transfer stat=
ions.
We have the one gasifier facility in Old Crow. We’ve worked with the
communities to expand our services to include gates, hours and attendants at
Destruction Bay, Champagne and Ross River. Each of those I can talk about
individually. We can talk about some of the individual features, and we wil=
l,
I’m sure, but I’ll provide just a general overview to begin. Togeth=
er with
the Department of Environment, we are finalizing our review of the beverage
container regulation and designated material regulation. We believe the
proposed changes will modernize both programs and help divert harmful mater=
ials
from landfills. Once we have those in place, we’ll have to discuss ho=
w to
collect those materials, but we’ll return to that as well. As we =
work to
negotiate a diversion credit arrangement with the recycling processors for =
this
year, members will note that $918,000 in our budget has been allocated for
this. That considers the reports of the recycling experts, the processors
themselves, as well as the broader recycling and diversion initiatives acro=
ss
the territory, through the recycling fund. In 201=
5, we
allocated $333,000 over three years to assist with groundwater monitoring in
municipal facilities, matching similar monitoring programs at YG-operated
facilities. If we ask any municipal government, they will be quick to point=
out
that any time government comes out with new regulations for these types of
facilities, it comes with a cost, and that cost is typically borne by the
municipality. In this particular case, the need for additional scrutiny of =
the
impacts on water of these solid-waste facilities came at some cost to
municipalities, so we’ve stepped up to help out by providing these new
water-monitoring wells at these municipal sites as well as our own sites. A=
s I
said, that is accounted for in this budget as well. We als=
o continue
to invest in modern, environmentally responsible solid-waste management that
will adapt to the changing needs of future generations. In the past year al=
one,
we have continued to take steps to implement the Solid Waste Action Plan. We’ve worked with the Department=
of
Environment to review regulations. We’ve increased our commitment and
support toward establishing more sustainable systems of waste diversion,
including recycling. WeR=
17;ve worked
with municipalities and First Nations to regionalize solid-waste systems and
increase waste diversion and environmental protection in Yukon communities.=
In
2015, we established an agreement for regional solid-waste management with =
the
Town of Watson Lake. This allowed us to decommission the facility at Upper
Liard. As wel=
l, we
continue to make significant investments in solid-waste infrastructure. To =
that
end, in recent years, we have developed partnerships to pursue community-ba=
sed
approaches to solid-waste management. For example, agreements have been
established to regionalize municipal solid-waste facilities in Dawson City =
and
Watson Lake. We have worked with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in Old Cr=
ow
to establish a model of co-management for solid waste in their community.
Government continues to provide funding to Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation so =
they
can offer local employment for the operation of a solid-waste facility and
gasifier. The Old Crow gasifier is a very modern piece of infrastructure th=
at
is being closely studied by other northern communities in Canada. The gasif=
ier
allows us to minimize the amount of materials put in the ground while ensur=
ing
that air emissions follow strict standards. Training has been provided to a
number of local residents to ensure capacity for the operation of this
sophisticated equipment. In oth=
er
communities, such as Destruction Bay and Champagne, we have engaged with the
First Nation governments, as well as residents, to implement greater manage=
ment
controls at local solid-waste facilities. In recent months, gates have been
installed and site-attendant contracts have been established at these
facilities. Positive results are already being seen in terms of proper
separation of various waste streams. For example, site attendants in
Destruction Bay are providing home, blue-bin recycling bins, supplied by Yu=
kon
government, to any interested residents. The site attendants then help sort
materials when residents bring in their recycling to the transfer station a=
nd
ensure all materials get placed in the appropriate bins. Greate=
r controls
at rural transfer stations promote proper use of these facilities and mitig=
ate
the potential for inappropriate dumping of materials without proper separat=
ion.
Patrons are much more likely to place various types of waste in designated
areas within a facility, with the guidance of a site attendant. The site
attendants are also there to help educate the public about proper use of the
facility and about waste diversion generally. These measures are an importa=
nt
step toward increasing public awareness of the need for responsible househo=
ld
practices for waste diversion. The Yu=
kon
government is also engaged with Ross River Dena Council, the RRDC, and
residents of the community of Ross River to promote and improve solid-waste
practices and greater waste diversion. The Ross River facility has been gat=
ed,
with attendant services recently established. The Ross River Dena Council h=
as
expressed willingness to promote higher levels of waste diversion as well.<=
/span> The Yu=
kon
government is working with RRDC to establish a community recycling depot. T=
he
goal is to increase diversion and reduce the amount of waste being disposed=
of
at the local solid-waste facility. This work has included discussions with =
the
Town of Faro on the idea of potentially transferring household waste from R=
oss
River to the Faro solid-waste facility, similar to regional systems with Da=
wson
City and Watson Lake. The Yu=
kon
government is committed to community-based engagement to enable local
involvement in developing and implementing improved systems for solid-waste=
management
and waste diversion. Community meetings in Destruction Bay, Champagne and R=
oss
River have allowed residents’ input in establishing operating schedul=
es
for each solid-waste facility. Attendant services at these facilities also
bring local input into public education efforts around waste diversion. The Yu=
kon
government continues to modernize solid-waste services and improve waste
diversion in other unincorporated communities as well. Working with local
champions and NGO groups such as solid-waste societies in Mount Lorne and M=
arsh
Lake, we are seeing increasing levels of waste diversion, as was noted by t=
he
member. The Mount Lorne Solid Waste Society reports that it has already
eclipsed the three-percent diversion mark, which is something the member al=
so
noted. By wor=
king with
the Marsh Lake Solid Waste Society, Yukon government has also assisted in t=
he
establishment of a composting pilot at the Marsh Lake facility. The pilot s=
aw a
growing number of residents utilizing the compost collection area. The first
step in promoting separation of the various waste streams in rural homes is=
to
provide opportunities for sorted collection. This is exactly the sort of
service being provided by Yukon government in unincorporated areas. =
In spr=
ing 2015,
Yukon government ran a workshop that provided a forum for solid-waste facil=
ity
operators throughout the territory to network and turn their minds toward
common issues. In addition to these measures, Yukon government also continu=
es
to work with the City of Whitehorse and the Association of Yukon Communitie=
s to
pursue further progress and consistency with solid-waste services throughout
the territory. In add=
ition,
Yukon government has provided municipalities with capital funding support.
Ultimately, the level of success with waste diversion and responsible waste
management in the territory will be determined by the public. We must all do
our part to keep harmful as well as recyclable materials out of our shared
environment. I thin=
k I have
provided a little bit of an overview of some of our unincorporated sites. W=
hen
we look at the west end of the Alaska Highway, Haines Junction has an excel=
lent
facility and we are making further improvements to it through investments m=
ade
in this budget. We’re working with the First Nation in Destruction Ba=
y to
improve their facility, and we have an example there of a pilot project whe=
re
we’re providing recycling bins to the community that are then collect=
ed
at the transfer station. We’re doing something similar in Champagne; =
we
have a gate in place and attendant services there. The hours of operation a=
re
derived by input from the community. Oftent=
imes we
find that we get very strong input from the communities about when they want
the facilities to be open. I think some of it is because they like to set t=
hose
hours to be unattractive to Whitehorse people and very attractive to locals,
and that’s fine. That is a tool that we have to control some of these
sites — the hours of operation. We con=
tinue to
explore the opportunity of entering into discussions with the municipality =
of
Haines Junction about making that facility a regional site. Obviously there=
is
a giant sign at the entrance of that site that says “regional solid-w=
aste
facility”. It is not a regional solid-waste facility. It was original=
ly
contemplated to be, and that’s why they put up the sign, but the prev=
ious
mayor and council had very little interest in that so we haven’t gone
down that road. I think that we will have to reengage with that community to
discuss the opportunities for that site, especially now that the surrounding
sites that we would transfer waste from are much more controlled now and mu=
ch
better managed. It makes a stronger case to Haines Junction that they know
exactly what they’re getting with regard to the waste. In the=
southeast
part of the territory — with Watson Lake we have a regional agreement=
. We
have closed Upper Liard. That site is now being decommissioned. There is mo=
ney
in this budget for Watson Lake to improve their solid-waste facility as wel=
l,
so we’ll make upgrades to that site to help them not only promote
diversion but improve the quality of their facility there. With r=
egard to
Dawson, we have had negotiations about renewing the regional agreement with
Dawson for Quigley. We’re optimistic that we will be able to sign an
agreement with the mayor and council and me very soon. We hope that will set
the groundwork for the coming years for that site. That is a regional landf=
ill
that takes in waste from the surrounding area. Quigle=
y —
it depends on who you ask as to how many years Quigley has left. I was
originally working with the understanding that it was roughly two to three
years, but my understanding is that they have recently done some drone work,
which has determined that the Quigley site may have more years than they
originally thought. I don’t know what the answer is; I don’t kn=
ow
exactly how many years Quigley has left — but I’m not sure anyb=
ody
does. We’ll continue to work with the Town of Dawson City to explore =
options
for their regional agreement. With M=
ayo, their
site is currently unmanned and ungated. They are okay on the capacity side,=
but
I think they would like to see some more controls, checks and balances put =
in
at that facility. We’re working with them, as well as Dawson, to look=
at some
regional opportunities for the whole north-central Yukon, which would
incorporate Keno and Stewart as well, but those discussions are at an early
stage and we’re exploring what that might look like. Coming=
south
along the Klondike Highway, the Village of Carmacks has a pretty well-run s=
ite.
It’s gated and has a pretty solid recycling depot there. We recently
provided them with a new baler. I think it had some challenges in
transportation to get there. It may have fallen off a truck or something li=
ke
that, but we’re providing infrastructure there and working with them.=
With r=
egard to
the Southern Lakes area, the member opposite and I have discussed this nume=
rous
times. Where I think we’ll end up going there — and this is not=
hing
new and the member has heard me say this before — I think what
we’ll need there is a regional plan that incorporates the needs and u=
ses
of Marsh Lake, Mount Lorne, Tagish, Carcross and everything in between in t=
hat
Southern Lakes loop. What t=
hat may
include has yet to be determined, but what I’ve discussed and mention=
ed
in the House previously is — I think what will have to happen is that=
not
every site will be able to take all materials. That’s something that
local residents don’t like to hear because they want to be able to co=
ntinue
to go to that one place where they’ve always taken their stuff, but
we’ll have to have that conversation. It’s one we’re not
going to force on anybody, but it’s something we’ll have to
consider, going forward. Madam =
Chair, I
know my time is up, so I’ll leave it there. It’s a bit of an
overview with regard to the solid waste action plan as a whole. Just to
conclude, this still stems from the 2009 Yukon
Solid Waste Action Plan. It is still sort of our guiding philosophy for=
how
we’re setting up our sites. We’re regionalizing where we can,
we’re closing down unneeded sites, and we’re moving to a transf=
er
station model for other sites that we run. We do =
still have
the oddball one — Old Crow being one, where we have a gasifier, which=
is
unique. Beaver Creek continues to be a landfill as well, just because
it’s not feasible to ship that material all the way down the highway.=
I reco=
gnize my
time has elapsed, so I will conclude with that on solid waste. Chair: Prior=
to
taking the next question, would members like to take a brief recess?=
All Hon. Members:&=
#8195;Agreed. Chair: Commi=
ttee of
the Whole will recess for 15 minutes. Recess Chair: Commi=
ttee of
the Whole will now come to order. We are continuing general debate on Vote =
51,
Department of Community Services, in Bill No. 23, entitled First Appropriation Act, 2016-17. Mr. Barr: I
would also like to thank the minister for being open to seeking further
clarification regarding that proposal application from Mount Lorne transfer
station — particularly, Mike Bailey. I will inform him, send more
information and possibly just connect both of you with the ability to furth=
er
discuss some of those recycling and waste-diversion tactics that they use t=
here
in the Southern Lakes. In lis=
tening to
the response from the minister, there was a lot of information, and I thank=
him
for that. Near the end, I got some more clarity as to some of the things th=
at I
asked about specifically. One thing that the constituents of Marsh Lake have
been wondering about — and it wasn’t answered clearly — i=
s if
Marsh Lake is ending its capacity for the landfill part of its site? I know
that the minister stated that particularly in Southern Lakes — lookin=
g at
maybe deciding that not all products will go to each specific site in Tagis=
h,
Marsh Lake, Mount Lorne or Carcross in the future. I heard that, but I want=
to
know specifically if Marsh Lake is at its capacity now. Hon. Mr. Dixon: Specifically with the Marsh Lake transfer station, I should no=
te
that it is indeed a transfer station, so the only materials that are being
landfilled there are construction and demolition <=
/span>waste — to my knowledge, at least. That’s the only=
input
that would contribute to the declining life of the site. I don’t know,
based on my current information, how many years left that facility has. What I=
was
getting at, with my discussion of the regional discussion, was that, if it =
did
run out and if tomorrow they told me that Marsh Lake doesn’t have room
for any more landfilling — that it was maxed out — then what we
would probably have to do would be stop letting people dump C&D waste
there. That’s the conversation I’m talking about having with the
community — that moving to a regional system where you consider the o=
ther
sites and consider the fact that certain things can’t go to certain
sites. I know that’s fairly general, but what I mean by that is saying
that, if Marsh Lake doesn’t have the capacity to take any more solid
waste for landfill purposes, then we would have to take it somewhere else.
That’s just the reality. If the site doesn’t have the capacity =
to
handle it, then that’s what we would have to do. That b=
eing said,
I don’t know exactly how much space or how much capacity is left at t=
hat
particular site. I do know that we are trucking the majority of household w=
aste
from that site to Whitehorse, where we pay a special government rate for ti=
pping
fees at the Whitehorse landfill. That’s where we take our solid waste
from that and other sites around the Whitehorse periphery. I̵=
7;ve tried
to answer the question as best I can. I don’t know the actual number =
of
years, but if there was a need to stop taking C&D landfill waste at the
Marsh Lake transfer station, that’s something we would have to look a=
t. Mr. Barr: I
thank the minister for his response. Speaking specifically now to the Mayo
solid-waste facility, the Village of Mayo has recently indicated that they
would be interested in becoming the regional receiver of waste. Can the
minister update me on the talks, or if they have begun or where they’=
re
at with those negotiations or discussions? Hon. Mr. Dixon: As
I mentioned in my overview earlier, we have a regional solid-waste agreement
with Dawson City for the Quigley site. Mayo continues to be a landfill, not=
a
transfer station. They may transfer some materials, but I believe it’s
just a straight landfill. Aside from general areas that are designated for
different materials, there is no other sort of diversion that occurs at that
site. There is a recycling centre and a free store in the community that we
have provided support for over the years where that type of recycling diver=
sion
occurs, but at the actual landfill itself, I believe it’s strictly a
landfill, not a transfer station. It was=
actually
making the rounds on social media recently, as a result of an individual
finding a video or taking a video of a lynx passed out after gorging himsel=
f on
some yummy garbage and falling asleep in the landfill, but I digress. I have=
n’t
heard from the mayor and council that they want to become a regional facili=
ty
and if they do, I would wonder — other than Keno and Elsa — what
other regions would feed into that. What we have had discussions about are
regional discussions for the northern central region as a whole. What I mea=
n by
that is discussions with Dawson and with Mayo around the possibility of loo=
king
at a regional agreement with both of them and those discussions are at a ve=
ry
early stage. We’re hoping to sign an agreement in the coming weeks th=
at
would provide some guidance as a structure of those conversations and would
outline some of what we’re talking about. I don’t want to get a=
head
of myself and start talking about some of those initiatives before we have
actually signed an agreement with those two municipalities, so I won’t
say too much more about that, but that’s the general status of the
discussions with Mayo and there is more to come — probably in the com=
ing
weeks — as we move to negotiate and possibly sign an agreement with
Dawson and Mayo for some sort of regional agreement for that area.=
p>
Mr. Barr: I
thank the minister for his response. I would like to speak a little bit abo=
ut
waste diversion. I know that the minister has given lots of information thr=
ough
the overview of my previous question and this is to seek some more clarity.
We’ve talked a lot about waste diversion in the House over the last f=
ive
years and we’ve talked about the need for education and a fundamental
shift in our approach to waste management in the territory. I know these go=
als
take time. In the meantime, we need to be taking immediate action to reduce=
our
waste diversion. I was wondering: Has the government updated their waste-di=
version
targets since failing to meet the 2015 50-percent diversion target?<=
/p>
Hon. Mr. Dixon: No, we haven’t. Mr. Barr: We’ve
heard a number of concerns raised throughout Yukon that solid-waste facilit=
ies
and landfills are filling up faster than anticipated. However, as I move ov=
er
to my other page, I’ll continue with my remarks. The As=
sociation
of Yukon Communities released a document that sets out their thoughts on a
territory solid-waste strategy. In addition to increased capacity, they
recommended — and I quote: “Shift from a tax-based model to a
user-pay model through a combination of tipping fees/user fees, DMR and
eventually EPR.” It is my understanding that currently the Yukon has =
only
tires on the EPR list. The AYC document also contains a list of BC items th=
at
are found on DMR and EPR lists. Has the minister reviewed the Association of
Yukon Communities’ solid-waste management strategy document and has t=
he
department considered adding any new items to the EPR list? Hon. Mr. Dixon: Before I turn to this specific question, I will just say that =
we did
provide input on the development of that framework document that was put
together by AYC. It doe=
s cover a
range of issues from fees, financing and the operations of facilities to ho=
w we
can deal with landfill liability and the relatively complex calculation of =
that
liability. In many of these cases, municipalities are operating landfills as
per usual, but in some cases these landfills have a complex history. I̵=
7;ll
use Teslin as an example — Teslin has a landfill and the Yukon govern=
ment
has acknowledged that we have a shared liability in that landfill. Well,
it’s actually a transfer station now; it was a historic landfill. We =
have
a shared liability for that site. That site has had a range of users and op=
erators
over the years: the federal government, the army, the territorial government
and now ultimately the town, so calculating the liability there is a complex
matter and one that we, to be perfectly honest, don’t have our heads
completely around yet. What we have done is acknowledge to the Village of
Teslin that we have a shared liability and that we need to work together to
deal with it. Every different landfill around the territory has a different
story on liability — we can get to that a little bit more. What t=
he AYC
document does a good job of, I think, Madam Chair, is highlighting some are=
as
where we need to have more conversations about how to deal with these issue=
s,
and that includes the financing and fee structure model. With r=
egard to
the list of products included on the designated materials regulation, the
member is correct, it is only tires — that is something I noted in de=
bate
in Question Period with the Member for Takhini-Kopper<=
/span>
King recently. We do have plans to add products to that list, which we will=
be
making known in the coming weeks. Beyond that, the AYC has expressed a desi=
re
to add additional products in the future. We are interested in doing so and
we’ll engage the AYC with regard to the type and timing of when those
additions will be made. Mr. Barr: I
thank the minister for his response. While attending some local advisory
council meetings, the release of the AYC’s document has created some
concerns for some of the local folks in the Southern Lakes. Many i=
ndividuals
are very stringent about their waste diversion and they go to great extreme=
s to
do a good job themselves personally — families, individuals and so fo=
rth
— and I know this is all hypothetical, but what was raised were thoug=
hts
on the possibility of tipping fees. They felt it would be unfair for some of
those local people to be paying tipping fees because of other people who use
rural transfer stations or landfills to bring stuff. It would not be fair to
them. They were considering some of the suggestions around maybe further ta=
lks.
Just a heads-up as to where we may be heading with tipping fees in general =
in
the territory — locals, for example, in Mount Lorne or in Marsh Lake =
or
wherever, would receive a sticker so that they wouldn’t be subject to
tipping fees themselves per se, but others wanting to bring their waste away
from where they are — maybe those people would pay tipping fees. I wo=
uld
like to hear maybe the minister’s thoughts on this but just also bring
forward this idea that it is out there at this time. Hon. Mr. Dixon: This is an issue that was raised in the AYC document. It’=
;s one
that deserves further conversation for sure. The conversation the member ju=
st
began is one that we’ve had over the past little while. What t=
he AYC
document contemplates is the idea that, where municipalities enact tipping
fees, there is often a peripheral impact as a result of people — to u=
se
the term — “dump shopping”. They will try to avoid the
tipping fees at a municipality by going to a regional site sometimes many
kilometres away, but nonetheless they will go there to avoid that tipping f=
ee. What A=
YC is
talking about is the possibility of everybody doing tipping fees all at onc=
e.
That way you get rid of that possibility. It would be a complex thing to
undertake. These discussions are just beginning with AYC and with other
municipalities and communities, so I am providing more of my own opinion th=
an
the state of our discussions, but it would be a difficult thing to administ=
er
tipping fees at some of our sites. They’re very remote in some cases.
They’re not set up to be handling money. In the=
cases
where we have site attendants, the site attendants’ contracts are not
inclusive of them collecting money from people. There would be difficulty in
putting in place the necessary controls around the collection of money at s=
ome
of those sites. If people are driving to a site and then they find they are
only able to pay cash for tipping fees, they may not like that. That means =
we
will have to consider how we can have credit cards or any other types of
payments set up. These are the types of challenges that we face and these a=
re
the discussions that we’re going to have with municipalities, with AYC
and with others. It’s not as simple as snapping our fingers and saying
there are tipping fees at all sites. There are a lot of things that need to=
be
considered — some of them I have just mentioned. Likewi=
se, the
idea that we would charge tipping fees at some of our peripheral sites but =
then
not apply them to certain Yukoners based on where they live is again a very
difficult thing to get into. At these sites — the ones that are owned=
and
the operations are paid for by Yukon government — there is a certain
fairness aspect where all Yukoners pay those taxes and all Yukoners deserve=
to
have access to those services. We have a certain obligation to be fair about
how we provide these services. To say to one group of people that, if you h=
ave
a certain sticker, you’re allowed to dump your waste here, but others=
who
live too many kilometres away don’t — that would be very diffic=
ult
to administer and would put some of our attendants in a difficult position.=
I̵=
7;m not
saying that this is impossible and I’m not saying that these are
insurmountable challenges, but they are complex and they are challenges
nonetheless, and these are the types of conversations we need to have with =
AYC,
with municipalities, with communities and with others. I don&=
#8217;t
know if there was a specific question there that I haven’t answered, =
but
I think I have provided a general commentary on topics so I hope that addre=
sses
the member’s comments and questions. Mr. Barr:Q=
95;Yes,
I do thank the minister for his comments. It wasn’t a specific, direct
question, but it was basically to acknowledge that what AYC is proposing
isn’t something that, as the minister stated, can happen overnight. It
does and will require — and I do acknowledge that the minister also f=
eels
the same way. Consultation will be necessary — if and how and what is
implemented — as we move forward, because it is varied. There is much
input that people have in making sure we get it right, but at least by allo=
wing
for the conversation to happen, we can make the best-informed decisions with
the input from people affected by possible tipping fees. We need to take the
time to listen and move forward. I am glad to hear that the minister
appreciates that and he knows, from listening to his response, that it is n=
ot a
simple task, but it is a necessary one as we do move forward. I thank the
minister for his comments. Moving=
on, it is
our understanding that dozens of barrels of unidentified liquid in sealed o=
il
barrels were dumped at the Haines Junction landfill over a lunch hour. The
liquid has to be disposed of. What support has the department offered to the
community to deal with the liquid at that landfill? Hon. Mr. Dixon: I
am not familiar with this specific case that the member is talking about bu=
t,
as a general comment, I am aware that from time to time we receive products
that are deposited at our facilities that are unidentifiable or we are not =
sure
what they are. Sometimes they are contaminated waste and sometimes they are
unidentified liquids like the member is talking about, and we are forced to
deal with them. There are resources in Whitehorse here that provide support=
for
the disposal of those types of wastes. If it is a simple matter of waste oi=
l,
then we have programs for that. But if it’s a mystery substance that =
we
are talking about — it could be anything from brake fluid to antifree=
ze,
and the list goes on — there are some resources in town that can deal
with that. KBL Environmental is one. It is a private company that deals with
those types of things, and they can dispose of whatever it is that we can f=
ind.
The on=
ly
challenge is the cost, and that is a cost that we, as the operator of the
sites, have to deal with. We find that deposited at our sites from time to =
time
and we have to deal with the costs of disposing of that material safely. Th=
at
is part of the reason why we have begun to gate and have site attendants at=
so
many of our sites. While it does cost money and it does take resources, it =
does
provide a greater degree of control over these sites. In a certain sense, we
may be saving money if we can limit the amount of mystery substances we hav=
e to
deal with. The sa=
me goes
for municipalities. Municipalities, from time to time, will be faced with
similar challenges, and the unfortunate reality is they have to deal with t=
hem
the same as any other solid-waste facility operator. We can work with them,
from time to time, if they have an exceptional circumstance and, if they do,
they can contact us and we can try to see if there’s a way for us to =
help
them, but typically that’s unfortunately part of the business and why=
so
many solid-waste operators are going to gated, manned operations — so=
we
can limit the amount of mystery dumping that occurs at some of our sites.=
span> Withou=
t knowing
the details — the quantity of barrels and material dumped at Haines
Junction — I can’t comment on exactly what they should do with =
it.
One resource is KBL Environmental here in Whitehorse; another resource is o=
ur
Community Operations branch. The operator at Haines Junction will be very
familiar with the Community Operations branch and will know that’s
available to them. ItR=
17;s an
unfortunate reality with solid waste that we have to deal with these things
sometimes. Mr. Barr: I
appreciate the minister being unable to specifically state an official resp=
onse
because he is unaware of the situation. I believe it was a couple of months
ago. The people who dropped off these — and I know it’s dozens =
of
barrels and it’s not clear as to what was in them. It’s good to
know they can contact and possibly work out some assistance with Community
Services. When this did happen — it is an incorporated community, so I
understand there could be the possibility that YG would work with them in m=
aybe
helping out, if it turns out to be a contamination that’s going to
require X amount of dollars to cover this. It did happen, as it was stated
— someone possibly cased the landfill and waited for the attendant to
leave and then, through their own surveillance, managed to get in and out a=
nd
left this number of barrels. That’s the situation, as I understand it=
. I will=
relay
this information to those folks and if they haven’t already done so,
there will be a willingness to see what can be done about this particular
situation. It is an unusual and unique one. I know that’s why we have
moved forward to having gated landfills with attendants there. It’s s=
aid
that, if a thief wants to get into your place, no matter how many locks you
have, they’ll find a way. It’s one of these situations where it
seems as though this is something that has happened, and it has possibly le=
ft
the taxpayers of Haines Junction on the hook. It’s just not a good th=
ing
to have happened — period. So anything we can do to work out these
extenuating circumstances is appreciated — the efforts of those at
Community Services. I’ll pass along this information. I do r=
ecall in
the last budget debate that we spoke of the Watson Lake hospital, and that =
the
demolition went to a private landfill. I forget the name of the landfill, b=
ut I
remember that’s how it was dealt with. Under =
what
legislation can a private dump be created or permitted, such as, I believe,=
the
situation in Watson Lake? Hon. Mr. Dixon: That legislation would be the Environment
Act. Mr. Barr: I
think I will leave waste at this point, for the time being — something
might come back to me. In Question Period, the Minister of Community Servic=
es
indicated that the money for the Ross River suspension bridge had not, in f=
act,
yet been approved through the Building Canada fund. My understanding is that
the minister has committed to phase 2 of the suspension bridge, pending the
Building Canada fund coming through. My que=
stion is:
Will this government commit to covering the cost of the Ross River bridge o=
ut
of the government’s budget if we cannot secure the money from the
Building Canada fund? Hon. Mr. Dixon: As
I noted, that is a project that we have applied to the New Building Canada =
fund
for. It’s a fairly substantial project, coming in at about $2.7 milli=
on.
We’ve already spent $1.5 million, approximately, to stabilize the
structure, so we are hopeful that Canada will be able to approve that proje=
ct
soon. Once that occurs, we’ll be able to move forward with the work. =
I am u=
nable to
make a commitment as to what we’ll do if Canada denies us that
application. It would be, to my knowledge, a bit odd because of the fact th=
at
it is an eligible project under the New Building Canada fund. But, if it we=
re
to be denied, then we would have to take stock of what we’re going to=
do
with that bridge, because $2.7 million is not unsubstantial; it’s a
substantial amount of money and not one I want to speculate on based on a
hypothetical situation. We’ll wait to see what Canada says. We’=
ll
wait to see whether or not they approve that project and then we’ll t=
ake
it from there. Mr. Barr: I
thank the minister for his response. Certainly, we on this side of the House
will be ready to advocate for the folks that the Ross River suspension brid=
ge
repairs will be done. As the minister stated, we don’t know that yet,=
but
certainly it will be our position to continue to encourage the government to
move forward regardless of Building Canada funding. First =
off, as we
began today’s debate and the minister was speaking in his opening rem=
arks
and the general overview, I had raised the question about civic addressing =
and
enumeration — about the recent situation with the enumerators using t=
he
civic address, which may create confusion come voting day and people turnin=
g up
and maybe not being able to vote — having the possibility of lot numb=
ers
and civic addressing confusing the situation. Is the=
minister
able to respond with clarity as to what possibly some folks may be encounte=
ring
out there — or to this person individually — to alleviate conce=
rns
about being able to cast their ballot? Hon. Mr. Dixon: With regard to being enumerated, the Chief Electoral Officer h=
as a
significant amount of flexibility in dealing with these sorts of things. I
would encourage somebody who has a concern about getting enumerated or gett=
ing
on to the voters list to contact the Chief Electoral Officer. My understand=
ing
is that she can resolve those types of issues through existing procedures a=
nd
policies. Without
committing her too far, I would suggest that an individual who is having a
challenge of that nature contact the Chief Electoral Officer to make sure t=
hey
get on the voters list. Once they’re on the voters list, I don’t
think there would be a problem voting regardless of civic addressing and lot
numbers and those types of things. If an =
individual
has a problem with the enumeration and with getting on the voters list, I w=
ould
encourage them to contact the Chief Electoral Officer. Mr. Barr: I thank
the minister. I will pass on those remarks and just keep tuned into any fur=
ther
difficulties that others may be having. Maybe it’s something that, wi=
th a
conversation with the Chief Electoral Officer, we can nip in the bud, as th=
ey
say, and just educate the enumerators out there — to be able to expla=
in
the situation when it comes up at the door with those whom they may be comi=
ng
into contact with. I woul=
d like to
turn some focus over to the Dawson water treatment facility at this time. T=
wo
months ago, the Government of Yukon announced that it would be taking
responsibility for the Dawson City waste-water treatment plant. The plant w=
as
built in response to a court order that stated the city needed to deal with=
the
waste it was dumping into the Yukon River by 2011. The fa=
cility was
opened in 2012. The operation and maintenance costs for the plant will be $=
2.4
million. In March 2014, the Yukon government official estimated the yearly
costs of $340,000. So my questions — and I will just have three here
— are: Why have the operation and maintenance costs increased so much
over the last year? The former Minister of Highways and Public Works stated
that Yukon government had — and I will quote: “… invested
significant additional capital in the development of the facility in order =
to
minimize the longer O&M costs.” What was this significant additio=
nal
capital that the former minister was referring to, and why was it not
successful in the reduction of O&M costs? In Que=
stion
Period two weeks ago, the minister said they would get back to me on the to=
tal
capital costs of the Dawson water treatment plant. Can the minister provide=
the
total capital costs of the project and how that reflects on the projected t=
otal
capital costs? Hon. Mr. Dixon: The total capital costs of the project were just about $30 mil=
lion.
The issue the member was talking about — citing something the Ministe=
r of
Highways and Public Works previously said — is something I don’t
know exactly. I would have to refer back to his comments and put them in co=
ntext
to understand what exactly he was talking about, but we have made a number =
of
capital changes to the plant over the years that have been aimed at improvi=
ng
the facility. I know
we’ve changed some valves. We’ve experimented with different
polymers to try to improve the operations of the plant. That’s that
particular question. With r=
egard to
the first one, the simple answer is that the plant isn’t operating the
way it was originally intended to operate, so the costs are exceedingly hig=
h.
We’re doing our best to bring those costs down to a more sustainable
level. Obviously, the current level — over $2 million — is not a
sustainable amount for a waste-water treatment facility so we will have to =
look
at ways to bring that down. We’re working with the current contractor=
to
do that and we’re looking at options for meeting our requirements und=
er
the water licence currently. As a result of the decision to take over the p=
lant
fully, we have had to enter negotiations to break up the water licence and =
have
the water licence come under Yukon government. The to=
tal
capital cost of the actual construction for the waste-water treatment plant=
was
$29.3 million. I’m sorry, just to provide a more specific — no,
that doesn’t include any of the legal fees. Speaki=
ng of
legal fees, Madam Chair, if at the end of the day we aren’t able to g=
et
the plant operating as it was originally intended to operate, then we’=
;ll
have to explore options within the contract to determine what to do. That m=
ay
include the dispute resolution aspect of the contract and beyond that we may
have to look outside of the contract for redress, if that’s the case.
I’m not able to get into the technical jargon of what is happening in=
the
plant or not happening in the plant. What I can say is that it’s not
working as it was originally intended; it’s not operating at the cost=
we
had hoped, and we’re doing our best to bring that cost down.=
p>
Mr. Barr: I
look forward to hearing how we’re going to bring this down — $2=
.4
million from $340,000 is quite a substantial amount of money. I didn’t
really hear how that happened in a year; however, it does beg the question,=
for
sure. I just think and reflect back to the fact that this was something that
the City of Dawson felt wouldn’t work in their community — this
type of transfer station. They had to move forward with the Yukon governmen=
t of
the day to this type of facility over their objections. Something that was
built in was that until it was able to operate without continual work, the =
City
of Dawson wouldn’t take it over. Now here we are and the costs are
escalating, and I guess it’s part of the things I think of when
communities have been voicing their opinions. It’s an example of the
government not hearing what folks are saying. WeR=
17;ll
continue to keep tabs on the situation and hopefully figure out how to bring
these O&M costs down in the future. Switch=
ing to the
Miles Canyon bridge, I understand there has been progress there. It’s
great that folks in Whitehorse and those visiting this tourist attraction
— and also a running trail that continues in a loop if we’re co=
ming
from Riverdale, or so on and so forth. It’s something that really is a
sight. I love going there myself and walking across. It’s close;
it’s accessible; and the fact that it will reopen for the summer is a
good-news thing and does show, as I stated in Question Period, that there i=
s a
will, and there was, and it has worked out. We’re happy for that, and=
for
the folks who will be able to use this bridge. Can th=
e minister
fill me in on some more of the details: the costs, the ongoing work that wi=
ll
need to be done after this interim work is finished? Hon. Mr. Dixon: The
story with the Miles Canyon bridge is that, as a result of some degradation=
to
some of the wooden beams on that bridge, we unfortunately had to close the
bridge down last year for safety reasons. We have addressed those now on a
temporary basis. That initial work, as indicated by the member opposite, ha=
s in
fact been completed and the bridge is now open. The cost of that initial wo=
rk
was about — I am not sure of the actual number, but it was below $50,=
000.
That was work done to get the bridge open for the summer months. After =
the summer
months — roughly the Labour Day weekend — we will begin work on=
the
longer term fix to that bridge, which will see it positioned to be opened o=
n a
go-forward basis. The contract was just — I believe it was just award=
ed.
I saw on the tender website that they had all been opened, so I don’t
know if it has actually been awarded yet, but I think the costs on the webs=
ite
suggest that it was in the neighbourhood of $300,000 that it was going to c=
ost
to do that work. Combined with roughly something less than $50,000 for the
initial work, all in all, it should cost somewhere in the neighbourhood of
$350,000 to get that bridge back to being accessed by Yukoners and visitors
alike. I don&=
#8217;t
know what other details the member is looking for. If he is looking for an
engineering breakdown of what they are doing, I am unable to provide it. I =
know
that they are replacing a number of the wooden members, and they will be do=
ing
that work after the Labour Day weekend in the fall, and it should be good t=
o go
for next year. Mr. Barr: I
thank the minister for his response. That is sufficient at this time. I saw=
in
the overview, and understood that there were some monies for rural recreati=
on. I go b=
ack to
Carmacks, as we spoke previously in this House several times, whether it wa=
s in
budget debate or Question Period — the roof on the rink in Carmacks is
still not completed. It is condemned. The youth are not able to utilize that
space. I would like to know if this is something that will be completed this
year and if this is part of the monies that are allocated in this area? It =
is a
long-standing issue, and I know the youth would appreciate being able to use
that space. Is the condemned roof going to be up and running for the folks =
in
Carmacks? Hon. Mr. Dixon: Where
that project is right now is that the Village of Carmacks has developed some
options for their council to consider. We provided some input at the
officials’ level to help with getting costs and finding support from =
some
engineering at the engineering level to get some options together. The Vill=
age
of Carmacks is currently considering what option they want to go with. They=
are
obviously considering the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of whatev=
er
they decide to go with. Once they have selected what they want to do —
once they have an idea of a project that they want to do — we’ve
indicated that we would be happy to talk to them about it. They haven’=
;t
done that yet — they haven’t selected a model or a design for w=
hat
they want to have in place — we are waiting for them to do that. Last y=
ear it
wasn’t perfect, but they had an outdoor rink behind the school.
It’s not the same — I know that — but it is a sheet of ic=
e. I
walked on it, and it was a decent sheet of ice and the kids were able to go
skating if they wanted to, but I recognize that it’s not the same as a
rink with a roof. The me=
mber was
asking about the roof. I stand to be corrected, but my understanding is that
all of the options they were looking at included the roof being removed
altogether. That roof won’t be used, to my knowledge, and they’=
re
looking at alternative structures that would work, but they haven’t c=
ome
to a conclusion about what that is. When they do, I look forward to hearing
from them about it. Mr. Barr: Switching
to some more localized questions in communities — because it’s =
an
opportunity to get some clarity on some of these things, and not in Question
Period. There’s a request that possibly the minister could entertain =
the
Tagish volunteer fire department — and I would like to state that
throughout the territory, all the volunteer fire departments and all the
firefighters work very hard to make sure that, in a time of need, they̵=
7;re
ready and they’re prepared. On one=
of the
recent long weekends, it was very warm and I went to Tagish, and there were
volunteer firefighters there and had been on the previous day. While many
people were watching swans and enjoying the first spring hot weather, they =
were
there training — so a huge shout-out to those folks. They had come fr=
om
various parts of the Yukon to do the training in Tagish that weekend, so th=
ere
was travel involved and people staying over. It was great to see them there=
and
observing the depth and the repetitive behaviours that they do to solidify =
in
their mind — because when the fire happens, it takes this ongoing tra=
ining
and the repetitive actions over and over again to be tuned in, in an emerge=
ncy,
and so that’s what they were doing. I had =
recalled
that part of what they do train for is doing burns of vehicles to practise
putting out fires of different degrees. There had been, as the minister
mentioned earlier, at the transfer stations or landfills that are owned by =
the
government — there is a request that has to go into Community Services
and then approved and there’s some time to hear a response that would
allow them to do the training and an oversight of that past weekend was that
the training plan to do burning at — I believe it was the Tagish tran=
sfer
station. They weren’t allowed to go forward, and this is not by any m=
eans
a diss to anyone; it was just an oversight. The re=
quest was
that, in order to facilitate more training and expedite the option of being
able to do some of this burn training — the fact that they do this in
Tagish from time to time is that there is part of a parcel of land thatR=
17;s
treed. FireSmart has happened, but it was a req=
uest
of the fire chief there — that possibly Community Services could look=
at
the clearing of those trees that would allow this on-site burning to happen.
They had attempted a clear space out by the road but realized this wasnR=
17;t
really conducive and that it would be best in the area that they had kind of
scoped out themselves. Would the minister or his officials look at a request
put forward by those folks doing some training in the Tagish area to open up
that area in the back of the fire hall — if that’s something th=
at
would be accommodated or looked into further? Hon. Mr. Dixon: That’s certainly not something I would ever engage in my=
self.
I would encourage the fire chief to talk to the Fire Marshal’s Office=
, if
that’s a request. It’s not typically the type of decision that
would come to my desk but I would encourage the fire chief, if he has a con=
cern
of that nature, to raise it with the Fire Marshal’s Office. =
p>
I shou=
ld also
note that they would have access to the mobile training unit that’s
available through the Fire Marshal’s Office if they want to do some
training of that type. I know that it has been used in other areas and
it’s an excellent resource for fire crews wanting to do some training.
There are a couple of options, but for that specific request, I would encou=
rage
the fire chief in that area to talk to the Fire Marshal’s Office. Mr. Barr: I
thank the minister for that and I will pass on that information. This
isn’t some of the burning — and I’m aware of the training=
module
that is at the Carcross Cut-off — it’s a different type of fire
extinguishing that they would practise. While =
I’m
speaking about Tagish, I know that there was a long wait time in receiving =
the
pumps for not only water for public consumption — the jug-type or peo=
ple
with 250 gallon tanks on the back of their pickups — there was a long
time in getting the pump here, as it comes from Germany. Then the second pu=
mp,
which also comes from Europe — I believe it was four or five months in
getting it there, so that people could not fill the water trucks — wh=
ich
was a safety issue — but also for local drinking water. Back then, I =
had
asked if the minister would consider water pump replacement parts that woul=
d be
able to be rebuilt and would on hand, because it certainly is a long way for
people to have to go elsewhere for water in a community the size of Tagish
— which is about 400 or 450 people, but swells to a population of 1,2=
00
in the summer months — and unable to access drinking water or, in a f=
ire
emergency, fill the pumper trucks in a manner that would expedite safety
— so has the minister followed through with the possibility of having
rebuilding parts? They’re available, I understand, for these pumps. H=
ave
they been ordered so that these wait times would be overlooked — not =
wait
for whole pumps to be brought in a time fashion of up to a four-month wait?=
Hon. Mr. Dixon: That is something that I would certainly take under advisement=
and
take into consideration. Mr. Barr: In
the Protective Services branch of Community Services, the capital budget for
fire management has been more than halved from $1.2 million to just over
$400,000. We had heard that there may have been a fire pumper that had the
delivery delayed or cancelled. Is that correct? If so, can the minister fil=
l us
in on what has happened? Hon. Mr. Dixon: My understanding is that there was a truck that was going to b=
e for
Carcross that had been delayed, but will in fact be here later this year. So
there is a new fire truck that was designated for Carcross that will come l=
ater
this year. Mr. Barr: I
thank the minister. I realize that some of these questions — while th=
ey
are important for those who are living day to day in the communities and
oftentimes we focus on these big questions, some of these questions may not
seem that relevant — but when we live out there, we want to not travel
back and forth to town as much as possible, as I do. I know that people who
live in rural Yukon have a different way of life and different schedules an=
d so
on and so forth to be — that these are sensitive to them. They are is=
sues
that they do appreciate hearing responses about and I’ll be able to
reflect these back, and I do thank the minister for his responses. <=
/p>
Someth=
ing else
that was brought up previously — and we know that it has been an ongo=
ing
situation throughout the territory — but recently the news made it qu=
ite
popular in Ross River when dogs attacked local folks. It’s something =
that
I know comes up in Carcross and it comes up in many of the unincorporated r=
ural
communities that the Dog Act do=
es not
really cover the same amount as incorporated municipalities that are able to
enact bylaws that would protect people more and also be able to have folks =
deal
with dogs even with noise — barking after 11:00 p.m. as in Whitehorse,
for example. I had =
some
information that I had brought forward in a motion in this House for the
government to look at the Dog Act=
i> as
it stands in the Yukon and work on modernizing the legislation that is in p=
lace
— the Dog Act in the over=
all
Yukon. I’m wondering if there has been any movement from the minister=
in
this area. I would also like to relate something. Whether or not he’s
aware of it, there was some talk with the AYC about if there could be a
resolution at the AGM of the AYC in Watson Lake this spring. I do have some
information here that there was a draft resolution that will be coming forw=
ard
on maybe updating the legislation for nuisance dogs in unincorporated Yukon=
. I
have this here. I don’t know if the minister has seen it, but is he a=
ware
of this or has there been any movement on updating the Dog Act? If so, I would like to hear that and just acknowledge =
that
there will be something coming forward in the upcoming AGM in Watson Lake l=
ater
this month. Hon. Mr. Dixon: As members may recall, early in my time as Minister of Communi=
ty
Services, we transferred the responsibility for the Dog Act and the animal protection officer to the Department of
Environment, so that program and those policies are now with the Department=
of
Environment under the Animal Health Unit and are now supervised by the chief
veterinary officer. That program and those responsibilities are now with the
Department of Environment. With r=
egard to a
resolution being put forward to AYC, typically AYC provides us with resolut=
ions
beforehand. That was not one of them, so if they were intending to surprise=
us
with a dog resolution, that is fine and that’s their prerogative, but=
I
don’t know anything about it. Ms. White: I
thank the minister and his officials for being here. I’m going to foc=
us
nearly entirely on the Residential Tenancies Office, which I’m sure is
not much of a surprise. Last f=
all, I had
the opportunity to go to both the information night for landlords and the
information night for tenants. I just wanted to thank the presenters for th=
at
because they did a good job of walking people through the various brochures=
and
the information. There was pretty good attendance for both nights, so I wan=
t to
make sure I thank the people from the office for that. Unders=
tanding that
the regulations came into effect for January 1, as did the legislation,
we’ve been seeing a lot of things in our office, and it has to do with
the information that people have been given, and some of the dispute resolu=
tion
processes. Prior to the Landlord and
Tenant Act, anyone could take anything before a judge, so it could be an
issue from the tenant’s side to the landlord, from the landlord to the
tenant’s side. Now we have this process that is binding arbitration
through the office and has no appeal process. So once the decision is made,=
the
decision is final. Some o=
f my
questions come from the fact that — once a decision is made, is it
setting a precedent, and will other decisions be viewed in the same way, or=
is
every case on a case-by-case basis? Hon. Mr. Dixon: I’ll
start by noting that, even after the Residential Tenancies Office makes a
decision, there is still the opportunity to go to court. There will always =
be
that opportunity. That is the case there. With r=
egard to
the decisions made by the RTO, yes, once they make a decision, there is some
precedence set. Then there will develop, over time, a body of decisions that
will inform others — landlords, tenants and anybody who is interested
— as to what might be expected in any given case. Now, t=
hat’s
not to say that every single case is the same and that even similar cases w=
ill
be guaranteed to have the same outcome. It is to say simply that those prev=
ious
decisions are considered by the RTO, but every case is looked at on its own
merits and its own facts. Ms. White: I
have some concerns about precedent-setting decisions, because some of the c=
ases
that have been brought to us after the arbitration period, or after the
decision was rendered — it seems to me that some of them are contrary=
to
the legislation. I have an example of a mobile homeowner who owns the mobile
home and who rented a pad within a park. They received an eviction notice. =
The
owner, within the right amount of time, took their concerns to the Resident=
ial
Tenancies Office. They asked for arbitration. Arbitration happened, and the
person was told that the decision would be within 10 to 14 days. They went
home. They then travelled to one of the communities, because there was an
incident with their family. The decision was rendered in four days. It was =
sent
by registered mail, and there was no contact with the owner. What happened =
is
that the Residential Tenancies Office gave the mobile homeowner until the e=
nd
of the month to vacate the premises. If you=
look at
the legislation, the legislation for mobile homes is that you have a 12-mon=
th
period once you have received an eviction notice. Now that there has been a
binding decision put forward by the Residential Tenancies Office that has
evicted this mobile homeowner — so it was three months from when they
first got the notification instead of giving them the full, 12-month period.
Will that be something that the Residential Tenancies Office uses as an
example? Will that form their future questions? Some Hon. Member:&=
#8195;(Inaudible) Point of order Chair: Mr.&n=
bsp;Elias,
on a point of order. Mr. Elias:=
195;I
believe the rules of debate are that — it seems the member opposite is
asking the minister for a legal interpretation, and that is not allowed in
debate in the Assembly. Also, it is not allowed for a member to seek an
opinion, legal or otherwise, in debate in the Assembly. Chair: Ms.&n=
bsp;White,
on the point of order. Ms. White:=
195;I am
trying to figure out how precedence — if a decision is made — w=
ill
affect future decisions. I am just asking, if a decision is made that is
contrary to the legislation, what a homeowner is supposed to do. Chair’s
ruling Chair: This =
is a
dispute among members for the time being. Carry on. Hon. Mr. Dixon: Madam Chair, again, I don’t want to get into an individu=
al
case and the facts, as presented by the member in that case. If she’s
alleging that the RTO made a decision that’s inconsistent with the la=
w,
that’s pretty serious, so I would encourage her to write to me and
perhaps we can deal with it more formally than simply asking questions in
Committee of the Whole. If her=
question
is whether or not the RTO’s decision can be reviewed, it absolutely c=
an.
An individual can seek redress from the courts, either through a judicial
review or otherwise, so there’s that to take into consideration as we=
ll. Ms. White: I
apologize. I should have gotten all the questions out before I flipped it o=
ver
to the minister. With e=
victions,
it says that the deadlines to appeal an eviction are tight, so you are give=
n a
14-day notice and you have to respond within five days to do that. But ther=
e is
no requirement within the legislation with evictions to let the tenant know
that there is a five-day window to appeal. There’s no requirement of
notice for landlords to notify the tenant. The fi=
ve-day
appeal time is very tight. There have been concerns that people who need to=
be
able to do the appeals aren’t aware of their rights. There are concer=
ns
that, if that’s the deadline that we’re going to go with, the
Residential Tenancies Office could advertise that there’s a five-day
appeal time so that people are able to go in to appeal the decision earlier=
. There =
are
examples where it says that, under extraordinary circumstances, if you miss
that five-day appeal time within those 14 days, that the office can hear yo=
ur concern.
We have had conversations with a stroke victim who went in and paid the $50=
fee
and started the process, and then was told by the office that they were wro=
ng
and that you couldn’t go past the five days. We hav=
e heard
examples of people who had concerns about a pest infestation, and then they
were told that wasn’t considered a serious enough issue for the landl=
ord
to have to act before the year was up because, as we know, the changes will
happen in 2017. There =
have been
concerns from the landlord side with some of the regulations — for
example, having to install locks on bathroom doors in bachelor apartments a=
nd
the onus of responsibility to store abandoned goods — those are things
within the regulation. There =
have been
examples of the notification of the decision being sent out by the office by
registered mail, but there wasn’t a phone call, so the letter sat the=
re
unclaimed and the tenant didn’t realize what the decision was and, by=
the
time they got the piece of mail, they had 24 hours to vacate the premises.<=
/span> I gues=
s as the
office is open longer and the processes are going through, there will be mo=
re
questions about process. I’m sure the office is also learning about h=
ow
to manage some of those situations better, but if the minister could talk a=
bout
any of those examples, that would be great. Hon. Mr. Dixon: There was a long list of specific issues that were raised ther=
e by
the member, so it would be difficult for me to comment on them all
individually. I guess what I would say is that it is a new piece of
legislation. It is a new office that has recently been established and it is
going through the process of learning how it’s going to operate. To dat=
e, I think
they’ve done a pretty good job of trying to interpret the law as it
stands and to reflect the law in their decisions. If there are individual
cases, I haven’t heard them. I know that they haven’t been rais=
ed
— any of those particular issues raised by the member haven’t b=
een
brought forward to me before. They haven’t been brought forward to a
deputy minister or the ADM, or anyone in our group. If there are strict leg=
al
matters that are of concern to either landlords or tenants, I would obvious=
ly
encourage people to bring them forward. With r=
egard to
the office as a whole, obviously — as I’ve said — it̵=
7;s
a relatively new office that has begun to operate with the new law. Since
opening, they’ve had 22 matters set down for formal dispute resolutio=
n,
with decisions being issued and sent to the parties. My understanding is th=
at they
also have had 17 matters resolved through early dispute resolution between =
the
parties before a formal application was filed. The RT=
O was set
up at the Yukon Trade Show in Whitehorse and was apparently very well-atten=
ded.
Over 300 RTO handbooks were taken by members of the public. Hearings are
currently being scheduled and decisions are being issued in a timely manner,
with most decisions being sent out within one to three days after the heari=
ng. In the=
months
that the office has been open from January to April, they have had 376 tena=
nt
phone calls. They have had 171 tenants at the counter — physically in
their office, that means. They have received contact from tenants by e-mail=
or
other letter form 18 times. On the landlord side, they have received 387
landlord phone calls, 129 visits by landlords at the counter and 39 inquiri=
es
by e-mail or letter from landlords. Obviou=
sly they
are certainly doing their best to engage with both tenants and landlords and
trying to sort out all of these enquiries as they come in. Some of them are
basic information and some of them result in actual formal processes. Of cou=
rse, they
also have to deal with housing agencies, such as the Yukon Housing Corporat=
ion,
Grey Mountain Housing Society and First Nation governments, which now fall
under the new law. Stays in motels, hotels and other tourist establishments=
of
six months or longer are also subject to the new legislation. As we =
have
discussed, the Residential Tenancies Office helps settle disputes by educat=
ing
landlords and tenants about their rights and responsibilities. It also prov=
ides
dispute resolution and issues final and binding decisions and orders. As
I’ve noted before, if individuals wish to, they can proceed with a
judicial review of those decision if they feel it’s necessary.=
In the=
last
fiscal year, the Residential Tenancies Office handled almost 3,000 telephon=
e,
e-mail and walk-in inquiries and has scheduled numerous applications for
dispute resolution. The Residential Tenancies Office is delivering a broad
public education campaign to inform landlords and tenants of the changes. I
appreciate the input that the member has provided around that education
campaign. If there are ways we can improve it and provide additional
information or different information, we’re certainly willing to expl=
ore
that and I’ll review the Blues and consider the input provided by the
member and pass it on to the RTO. The ca=
mpaign
they have done includes public information sessions in Whitehorse, in Watson
Lake and in Dawson, as well as a new website that provides the handbook,
information sheets, forms and an online interest-rate calculator. That publ=
ic
education will continue with additional information sessions, as required.
Perhaps we would consider making changes as suggested by the member.=
Madam =
Chair,
seeing the time, I move that you report progress. Chair: It ha=
s been
moved by Mr. Dixon that the Chair report progress. Motion agreed to Mr. Elias: I
move that the Speaker do now resume the Chair. Chair: It ha=
s been
moved by Mr. Elias that the Speaker do now resume the Chair. Motion agreed to Speaker resumes the Chair Speaker: I w=
ill now
call the House to order. May th=
e House
have a report from the Chair of Committee of the Whole? Chair’s
report Ms. McLeod: Mr. Speaker,
Committee of the Whole has considered Bill No. 23, entitled First Appropriation Act, 2016-17, =
and
directed me to report progress. Speaker: You=
have
heard the report from the Chair of Committee of the Whole. Are yo=
u agreed? Some Hon. Members:=
Agreed. Speaker: I d=
eclare
the report carried. Mr. Elias: Mr. Speaker,
I move that the House do now adjourn. Speaker: It =
has been
moved by the Government House Leader that the House do now adjourn.<=
/p>
Motion agreed to Speaker: Thi=
s House now
stands adjourned until 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. The House adjourned at 5:26 p.m. The following docu=
ments
were filed May 3, 2016: 33-1-1=
28 Yukon Procurement Advisory Panel Report=
i> (April 15, 2016) (Kent) 33-1-1=
29 2015-16 Year in Review and 2016-17 Outlook ̵=
2;
Property Management Division (Kent) 33-1-1=
30 Faro D=
etachment
Construction Project, letter re (dated December 7, 2015) from Hon. Brad
Cathers, Minister of Justice, to Hon. Ralph Goodale,
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Government of Canada
(Cathers)
<= !--[if supportFields]> PAGE 79547955