PROVINCE OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY First Session Forty-Ninth General Assembly Proceedings of the Standing Committee on Social Services June 25, 2019 - Issue 5 Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment Published under the authority of the Speaker of the House of Assembly Honourable Perry Trimper, MHA SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment Chair: Derek Bennett, MHA Members: David Brazil, MHA Jim Dinn, MHA Paul Dinn, MHA Elvis Loveless, MHA Pam Parsons, MHA Scott Reid, MHA Sarah Stoodley, MHA Clerk of the Committee: Sandra Barnes Appearing: Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment Hon. Lisa Dempster, MHA, Minister Jamie Chippett, Deputy Minister Dana English, Executive Assistant Robyn Hayes, Departmental Controller Jackie Janes, Assistant Deputy Minister, Climate Change Tara Kelly, Assistant Deputy Minister, Fire, Emergency and Corporate Services Dan Michielsen, Assistant Deputy Minister, Municipal Infrastructure and Support Erin Shea, Director, Communications Randy Simms, Executive Assistant Susan Squires, Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Also Present Derrick Bragg, MHA Jordan Brown, MHA Jim Lester, MHA Kevin Parsons, MHA Chris Tibbs, MHA Laurie Bonia, Research Analyst, Official Opposition Office Angelica Hill, Researcher, Government Members’ Office Ivan Morgan, Researcher, Third Party Office June 25, 2019 SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE Pursuant to Standing Order 68, Derrick Bragg, MR. TIBBS: Chris Tibbs, Grand Falls-Windsor MHA for Fogo Island - Cape Freels, substitutes - Buchans. for Pam Parsons, MHA for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave. MR. LOVELESS: Elvis Loveless, Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune. Pursuant to Standing Order 68, Jim Lester, MHA for Mount Pearl North, substitutes for MR. BRAGG: Derrick Bragg, Fogo Island - Paul Dinn, MHA for Topsail – Paradise, for a Cape Freels. portion of the meeting. MS. STOODLEY: Sara Stoodley, Mount Scio. Pursuant to Standing Order 68, Kevin Parsons, MHA for Cape St. Francis, substitutes for David MS. HILL: Angelica Hill, Researcher, Brazil, MHA for Conception Bay East - Bell Government Members Office. Island. CHAIR: Before we ask the minister to Pursuant to Standing Order 68, Chris Tibbs, introduce her staff, we’re going to ask for a MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans, motion, first of all, to adopt the minutes of the substitutes for Paul Dinn, MHA for Topsail – June 25 meeting of the Social Services Paradise, for a portion of the meeting. Committee for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. The Committee met at 6:09 p.m. in the Assembly Chamber. MR. BRAGG: So moved. CHAIR (Bennett): Okay, we’re in business. CHAIR: Moved by Mr. Bragg. We’ll call the meeting to order at 6:09 p.m. Don’t need a seconder. We’ll start off by the Committee Members and All those in favour? staff on my right to introduce themselves. We’ll start off with the newest Member, Jordan. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye. You may have to put your hand up. Okay, CHAIR: Opposed? perfect. Is the light on? Carried. MR. BROWN: No. On motion, minutes adopted as circulated. CHAIR: Okay. Here you are, buddy. CHAIR: Okay, now, Minister Dempster, if you MR. BROWN: Jordan Brown, MHA, Labrador wouldn’t mind introducing your staff. West. MS. DEMPSTER: Good evening, everyone. MR. MORGAN: Ivan Morgan, Researcher, NDP caucus. Lisa Dempster, the MHA for up in God’s country, in Cartwright - L’Anse au Clair, and the MR. J. DINN: Jim Dinn, St. John’s Centre. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment. MR. LESTER: Jim Lester, Mount Pearl North. MR. CHIPPETT: Jamie Chippett, Deputy Minister, Municipal Affairs and Environment. MR. K. PARSONS: Kevin Parsons, MHA, the beautiful District of Cape St. Francis. MS. SQUIRES: Susan Squires, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister of Environment. MS. BONIA: Laurie Bonia, Researcher, Official Opposition. 195 June 25, 2019 SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE MR. MICHIELSEN: Dan Michielsen, regions and the province through the delivery of Assistant Deputy Minister of Municipal effective programs, services and supports. Infrastructure and Support. I think most of you in the House know that I am MS. SHEA: Erin Shea, Communications newly appointed to the department. I just took a Director. look at the calendar. It’s been three weeks and a couple of days, I believe. I’m going to see how MS. KELLY: Tara Kelly, ADM, Fire, much I know in that short time frame. I have a Emergency and Corporate Services. very good team around me for anything that I fall short on I’m sure. MS. HAYES: Robyn Hayes, Departmental Controller. I want to say just out of the gate it’s been a wonderful learning opportunity to see how this MS. JANES: Jackie Janes, Assistant Deputy department engages with residents, governments Minister for Climate Change Branch. and stakeholder organizations to support safe and sustainable communities. My MHA MS. ENGLISH: Dana English, Executive colleagues would have heard me this afternoon Assistant to Minister Dempster for CSSD and in the House talk a little bit about my experience NLHC. and knowledge at the municipal level, locally and provincially before now, so I do bring some MR. SIMMS: Randy Simms, Executive experience to the portfolio. Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, Minister Dempster. Their work is resulting in better services and outcomes for residents. I’ve certainly over the CHAIR: All we ask now is – we’re in such a last – we’ve been working through briefings and big crowd here tonight – when you go to speak, every day having a little briefing before we make sure your light is on and identify your come in the House in the afternoon. It’s given name, please. me an opportunity to see first-hand how knowledgeable and dedicated the staff of the CLERK (Barnes): We’re going by subhead, department are in improving the lives of right? Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and their families. I was especially struck by whether they CHAIR: Yes. were environment or climate change or municipal, you could see the passion and the CLERK: 1.1.01 through 1.2.03. interest that they all had for their individual areas that they work in. I believe that bodes well CHAIR: We’ll give Minister Dempster 15 for all people in the province. minutes to have her opening remarks, then the first person responding and the Official I’m going to break it down in several headings. Opposition will also have 15 minutes. In our close work with communities we continue to provide funding and support to encourage MS. DEMPSTER: Thank you, Mr. Chair. strong local governance and high-quality services. Budget 2019 includes $123.9 million I don’t think I’ll need 15, maybe only four or for community funding programs such as Gas five, but I’ll give a little overview. I’ll start by Tax, the Community Employment Enhancement saying good evening and thanking everyone for Program – most MHAs would be familiar with – being here to participate in the Estimates of and the Municipal Operating Grants. Municipal Affairs and Environment. It is an absolutely gorgeous evening outside so I’m sure Municipal infrastructure; our department has that some of you would prefer to be elsewhere. continued to work on infrastructure projects that are important to communities right across the As a department, we focus on advancing the province. Through our municipal infrastructure economic, social and environment success and programs we are investing in stronger sustainability of municipalities, communities, infrastructure, providing better access to clean 196 June 25, 2019 SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE drinking water, protecting our environment by we are working to reduce greenhouse gas investing in waste water infrastructure and emissions from across the economy, stimulate working to advance regional collaboration. clean innovation and growth and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Over the past year we have improved cost-share ratios so that communities are better able to We are implementing programs that support our initiate projects that improve transportation five-year plan and encourage a transition to a networks and provide places for communities to low-carbon global economy. In January, we gather and to work together. We have laid out announced $89.4 million over four years in our long-term plans so that communities can federal-provincial funding for the Low Carbon best take advantage of funding, allowing them to Economy Leadership Fund. start projects that respond to their individual needs and update their plan accordingly. This winter, we launched five programs that will be supported by this fund, including: Home In September 2019 Premier Ball announced an Energy Savings Program, Energy Efficiency in agreement for $555.9 million in federal funding Oil Heated Homes Program, Climate Change for the next 10 years under the Investing in Challenge Fund, Freight Transportation Fuel Canada plan. Once leveraged, joint funding will Efficiency Program and Energy Efficiency and result in over $1.3 billion in investments in Fuel Switching in Public Buildings program. public transit, green infrastructure communities, culture and recreation, rural and northern We are also leveraging federal funds to support communities. This is anticipated to amount to initiatives that will help key economic sectors more than $1.3 billion in cost-shared projects adapt to climate change and be more resilient. and over 4,000 person-years of employment. Over $302 million in federal funds are also being leverage under the green stream of the Through Budget 2019, government allocated Investing in Canada Plan to support businesses more than $129 million for municipal and communities in the transition to a green infrastructure. Of this amount, $48.3 million will economy. be used to leverage an additional $30.7 million in federal funds from federal infrastructure Public safety: the health and safety of programs. New project applications under the Newfoundlanders and Labradorians is our Investing in Canada plan are in the final number one priority.