STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE ECONOMY Hansard Verbatim Report No. 3 – June 16, 2016 Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan Twenty-Eighth Legislature STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE ECONOMY Mr. Gene Makowsky, Chair Regina Gardiner Park Mr. Buckley Belanger, Deputy Chair Athabasca Mr. David Buckingham Saskatoon Westview Mr. Larry Doke Cut Knife-Turtleford Ms. Bronwyn Eyre Saskatoon Stonebridge-Dakota Mr. Delbert Kirsch Batoche Mr. Doug Steele Cypress Hills Published under the authority of The Hon. Corey Tochor, Speaker STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE ECONOMY 29 June 16, 2016 [The committee met at 13:29.] the water, wild plants and animals and their supporting habitats. It includes funding for the ministry to continue implementation The Chair: — Well good afternoon, committee members. We of results-based regulation and to continue its work in are back this afternoon considering the estimates for the environmental protection and resource management to ensure Environment ministry. It is 1:29 p.m. I’ll note for the record we that our environment is healthy, and our resources are protected are considering from the Ministry of the Environment, as I for future generations. mentioned, for three hours this afternoon and then switching over to Water Security for an hour and a half. Should be done The 2016-17 budget includes $14.598 million in additional around 6:00 p.m. this afternoon. We have a few substitutions capital funding to continue the purchase of a CL-215T that I will announce on the record. Ms. Sproule is substituting firefighting aircraft that will add to our aerial fleet, further for Mr. Belanger, and Mr. Kaeding is here for Mr. Buckingham. enhancing our ability to protect communities, properties, and forest resources in this province. The budget also includes an General Revenue Fund increase of $3.203 million in capital funding for the expansion Environment and safety upgrades to the La Ronge hanger and apron, which Vote 26 will ensure the ministry can continue to support its aerial fire suppression program in a more effective manner. Subvote (EN01) We are also continuing our commitment to climate change and The Chair: — As I mentioned before, the committee is will continue to develop the policy and regulatory framework considering the estimates, supplementary estimates for the for reducing greenhouse gasses and other initiatives. Ministry of the Environment. We’ll now begin our consideration of vote 26, Environment, central management and The 2016-17 budget includes 24.039 million in funding for services, subvote (EN01). Sarcan to support the operation of the beverage container collection and recycling program. Minister Cox, thank you for being here this afternoon. I imagine you have some introductions and some opening remarks that we The 2016-17 budget includes $820,000 to continue a will hear from you now. landscape-based approach to species planning and management. This includes $705,000 for woodland caribou work, which Hon. Mr. Cox: — Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good afternoon to represents an increase of $455,000 to facilitate development of you, and good afternoon to the committee and thank you for the woodland caribou range plans, based on work and being here. Yes, I would like to introduce the officials that are information-gathering measures that the ministry has with me here this afternoon. I have Kevin Murphy, my acting undertaken since 2013-14. deputy minister; Lori Uhersky, the assistant deputy minister, environmental support division. Erika Ritchie is the assistant The budget also includes an increase of $100,000 and one FTE deputy minister of the environmental protection division. [full-time equivalent] to help reduce the risk of environmental Kristen Fry is the director of budget and fiscal planning at impacts from aquatic invasive species. This funding will be corporate services; Steve Roberts, our executive director of focused on education and awareness, strategic communication, wildfire management branch. Scott Pittendrigh is the director of and decontamination efforts. climate change branch. Sharla Hordenchuk is the director of environmental assessment and stewardship branch, and Kevin Mr. Chair, these are a just a few of the initiatives in this year’s Callele, the executive director of compliance and field services. environmental budget. In closing I want to thank my officials And also Tyler Lynch, my chief of staff, is here with us this for all of their good work. This year’s budget of $175 million afternoon. And I thank them very much for all the work that for the Ministry of Environment will enable us to continue to they’ve done so far and look forward to this afternoon. manage the health of Saskatchewan’s environment in a respectful, responsible, and enforceable manner that balances I’ll just continue with a few comments if I may, Mr. Chair. The growth with sustainable development through objective, theme of Saskatchewan’s 2016-17 provincial budget is keeping transparent, and informed decision making. And that concludes Saskatchewan strong. While this budget saw some controlled my opening remarks, Mr. Chair. spending as a result of lower than expected resource revenues, our government is making important investments in The Chair: — Thank you very much, Minister Cox, for that infrastructure, people, and the environment. The Ministry of the information about what’s happening in your ministry and how it Environment’s 2016-17 budget continues to support the pertains to this year’s budget. Now it is time to examine the government’s plan for growth which includes protecting and witnesses, ask questions. Are there any questions from safeguarding our environment to support economic growth and committee members? I recognize Ms. Sproule. a better quality of life for all people in Saskatchewan. Ms. Sproule: — Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thank you, As the population grows and the economic activity increases, Mr. Minister, for those opening comments, and thanks to all the the ministry will continue to manage and protect the province’s officials for coming out today, although I don’t know if you had natural resources in a responsible, science-based, and much choice. But I’m glad you’re here anyways. And sustainable manner. The ministry’s 2016-17 budget represents congratulations certainly to Mr. Murphy for your appointment an investment of $175 million to promote protection and as the acting deputy minister. I’m looking forward to the stewardship of the province’s environment — the air, the land, conversations today. 30 Economy Committee June 16, 2016 I’ll start off with some questions around finances and fiscal And then the 49.918 million is made up of three major issues. So the most recent Public Accounts that we have the categories. The first one is other fees and charges for 41.2 ability to ask you questions about is, I believe Public Accounts million approximately. That’s fishing, hunting licences. It’s our ’14-15. So I’m going to start there, ’14-15 Public Accounts, just land sales. It’s property. It’s the Sarcan, the revenue for . some general questions and then move into this year’s [inaudible]. Then interest of 47,000. Transfers from the federal estimates. government . Sorry, I already did that one. And then miscellaneous for 8.7 million. And bottle deposits is the major So the first place I wanted to ask some questions about was on one in there, receipts from other provinces. page 9 of Public Accounts ’14-15. And here we have, this is when we switched from GRF [General Revenue Fund] Ms. Sproule: — Bottle deposits and what was the other one? accounting to summary accounting. On the line for Environment and Natural Resources, there’s some consolidation Ms. Fry: — Receipts from other provinces. The recoverable adjustments that were made both in 2014 and in 2015. And I’m fire revenue. That’s what’s makes up the big, the two major just wondering if you could explain what those, how that components of that. consolidation adjustment took place, and what kind of money we’re talking about there. I think it’s 22 million about, or Ms. Sproule: — All right, and the money that Indian Affairs or almost 23 million in 2015 and in 2014 it was 34.6 million. whatever it’s called now — Indigenous Affairs, sorry — is providing, is that an annual fee or was that just for ’14-15? Hon. Mr. Cox: — We’re starting off on a bad note here, Ms. Sproule. Can we get back to you on that question? Ms. Fry: — In the federal that’s the number I quoted for the 1.256 million? Ms. Sproule: — Absolutely. Thank you for that. I do have a few more on Public Accounts, so did you want to grab a copy Ms. Sproule: — Yes. of it from someone before we go on or should . Do you have it with you? Okay. Ms. Fry: — It’s annual, and it’s based on a long-standing agreement. Hon. Mr. Cox: — You’re referring to the item from . was 34, now you’re down to 22 million. Is that the line you were Ms. Sproule: — And what is that agreement for? looking at? Ms. Fry: — Steve, do you want to speak to that one, with the Ms. Sproule: — Well in 2014 the consolidation adjustment was AANDC agreement? 34 million, and in 2015 it was 22 million. Mr. Roberts: — So we have an annual agreement with the Hon. Mr. Cox: — Yes, so that’s the one. federal government, INAC [Indian and Northern Affairs Canada] now, that provides funding to the government to Ms. Sproule: — So what are those figures and what do they provide fire protection for certain reserves in Saskatchewan. represent? All right. We’ll keep going then. Just looking at the That agreement is reviewed annually, and new reserve areas are schedule of revenue now that the ministry is responsible for.