Online first at NNSL.com Downtown buildings Bromleys' no more Volume 49 Issue 102 FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2021 75 CENTS ($1.00 outside city) Snowbuddy curbs garden attendance Organizers asked for lenience from public health for last week of festival, but in the meantime will cut maximum tickets sales from 10 to five Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo Sarah Kalnay-Watson, left, celebrates her team's completed sculpture with zeal as teammates Ryan McCord and Byron Fitzky look on. The trio, named the Team McKalFitzMcCords, recreated the eye- catching 'Deathly Hallows' from the Harry Potter series and included elements from the stories. Yk Galaxy Book: Sky Dump: Pepsi pops runners and inside the to top of rec heel kickers iron ring soccer league $1.00 outside Yellowknife Publication mail Contract #40012157 "This was about finding those projects that make sense to work together on." 7 71605 00100 5 – Mayor Rebecca Alty is optimistic about working with the YKDFN on economic development, page 5. 2 YELLOWKNIFER, Friday, March 19, 2021 news YELLOWKNIFER, Friday, March 19, 2021 3 Did we get it wrong? Yellowknifer is committed to getting facts and fact FILE names right. With that goes a commitment to acknow- ledge mistakes and run corrections. If you spot an nwt COVID-19 SITUATION AS OF MARCH 18 error in Yellowknifer, call 873-4031 and ask to speak to an editor, or email [email protected]. We'll get a correction or clarification in as soon as we can. Active cases: 1 Days since first confirmed case: 364 Confirmed cases: 74 Days since last confirmed case: 25 Recovered cases: 73 Vaccines NEWS Completed tests: 15,469 First doses administered: 19,685 Negative tests: 15,390 Scan for the Second doses administered: 12,389 Briefs latest GNWT 35 Total doses administered: 32,074 Feedback sought on MLA pay Pending tests: Covid-19 statistics The Independent Commission to review Source: Office of the Chief Public Health Officer MLA compensation is calling on NWT resi- dents to reach out with views and opinions on MLA salaries and benefits. Anyone with something to say about MLA compensation is invited to contact the Com- mission at [email protected] or submit a web YK developer buys form at the Commission's website by May 1, 2021. The Commission has been appointed by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly to review the current salaries, allowances, expenses and benefits provided to MLAs. The Commission, a team of three members including the Chair, Bromley properties is set to provide its recommendations to the Speaker by Aug. 20, 2021. Information on expenses, allowances and other benefits owed to MLAs on top of their $107,940 annual salary, can be found on the NT Assembly website. – Natalie Pressman One of the possible locations for the Saturday night AuroraSide Chat planned 60-unit Astronomy North is hosting a virtual apartment com- AuroraSide chat to discuss solar cycle 25 and plex is the lot of the timing of the next solar maximum – the the Gondola Build- period of high solar activities that drives dur- ing and former ation and level of the Northern lights. Day Shelter on 51 Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Zoom partici- pants can tune in to learn more about the sun's Street, said Range 11 year cycle with Astronomy North president Lake Develop- James Pugsley and the University of Calgary's ments president Dr. David Knudsen. Biswanath Chak- Aurora tourism with be a key econom- rabarty, who pur- ic driver of Yellowknife's financial recovery. chased the two That's why, Pugsley said, residents might be buildings and three interested to know about the higher levels of solar activity set for the next three to five years. others on Feb. 26. With Aurora forecasts looking particularly Blair McBride/NNSL photo promising on Friday and Saturday nights, he said it could be an opportunity to talk science while observing the lights themselves. – Natalie Pressman 60-unit affordable housing complex planned Kilt and Castle supports by Blair McBride create employment and tax revenue. We can nity development. live music petition Northern News Services do that if the government helps us." "Thousands of our housing units and mil- Kilt and Castle Pub owner Bob Stewart said A Yellowknife property developer has Part of his development plan is building lions of dollars worth of commercial office he supports a recent petition in Yellowknife to acquired iconic downtown buildings and an apartment complex of about 60 units in space are owned by southern REITs or vari- bring back live music. plans to construct an apartment building downtown Yellowknife. ous southern multibillion dollar investment Earlier this month, musician Patrick Jacob- consisting of 60 affordable and environmen- He hopes to access a Canada Mortgage funds. These landlords have long treated son and Trevor Sinclair, president of Music tally-friendly units. and Housing Commission real estate as an investment NWT pushed for the Department of Health and Range Lake Developments Ltd has pur- grant to build the structure, rather than the offices and Social Services to try to better find a way to chased the 50-50 Mini Mall, Dawn Build- which he said will be afford- homes we work and live in," help the live music scene in Yellowknife which ing, Graham Bromley Building, Gondola able for professionals, bach- Johnson said. has been mostly inactive since the beginning of Building and Day Shelter Building for an elors and couples who earn The MLA said those dol- the pandemic. undisclosed amount, said company president less than $100,000 per year. lars could be going to local Stewart, who is currently in Nova Scotia Biswanath Chakrabarty, on Wednesday. "In Yellowknife it's dif- landlords, Indigenous devel- said that there are stricter public health meas- The five properties were purchased from ficult to grow. To keep staff opment corporations and ures in that province, but live music is still Bromley & Sons Ltd, said Chakrabarty. The here is challenging," he said. to "anyone willing to make allowed in bars. sale closed on Feb. 26. "Rent can be hard to afford sure that our government's "It is ludicrous that it hasn't been allowed in Chakrabarty said his company is in the for many people. We need rent money stays in this ter- the NWT and I have been plenty vocal in the process of acquiring a sixth property, but he affordable housing here. ritory." past that they need to allow bands to perform," declined to identify its location. We can have self-contained Chakrabarty said he he stated in an email. Four of the properties and three parking units in the rooms and it can strongly supports Johnson's Stewart said that he feels health officials lots in downtown Yellowknife were put on be 20 per cent cheaper than comments in the assembly. BISWANATH CHAKRABARTY are "unfairly targeting musicians" with little sale in July 2020 for a combined total of market rent." "We have to go back to evidence that they are providing benefit. $7.6 million. Bromley & Sons had owned For environmental the basics," he said. "In Yel- " It also significantly affects the profitability the 50-50 mall and Graham Bromley Build- aspects of the building, the aim will be to lowknife there are businesses with head of certain bars and not others, making it a com- ing since 1997, and the Gondola Building keep heating costs low by possibly incorpo- offices in big cities in the south. But where petitively unfair rule," he added. since 2003. rating technologies such as solar energy or are they paying their corporate taxes? We – Simon Whitehouse A representative of Bromley & Sons pellet boilers. need businesses in Yellowknife where prof- wasn't immediately available for comment. Chakrabarty is considering two locations its stay here and corporate profits stay here." NWT population gained 17 for the apartment: the lot where the Gondola Commenting on the sale of the five Keeping jobs, profits inside NWT Building and former Day Shelter sits on 51 properties in Yellowknife, Johnson said that people in 2020, stats show The acquisitions help keep all facets Street and a spot in the "heart of downtown" when the portfolio initially went up for sale The NWT's population grew by 17 people of business development inside the NWT, that he won't yet disclose. he assumed it would end up in the hands of in 2020 compared to previous year, the NWT Chakrabarty explained. Construction could start in summer 2022, a southern REIT. Bureau of Statistics said in a news release "It brings jobs because we'll create jobs he said. But he was pleasantly surprised to learn a Thursday. for people who take care of and maintain the The property plans of Range Lake Devel- local owner took it on. The increase brings the population of the buildings, like carpenters and janitors. And opments, initially announced on Facebook "I wish them all the luck in developing territory to 45,136 people as of Jan. 1, 2021, we'll pay corporate taxes here. Everything on March 12, came three days after Yel- these," he said. "(It's) getting harder and according to Statistics Canada data. stays here," he said. "It's a no-brainer that lowknife North MLA Rylund Johnson raised harder to find locals willing to put that much – Blair McBride encouraging local landlords will increase concern about leasing from southern property capital into Yellowknife and this seems to business opportunities for local business and owners who have little interest in commu- align well with GNWT and city priorities." 4 YELLOWKNIFER, Friday, March 19, 2021 news Non-resident rotational workers can now receive Covid-19 vaccinations Workers at mines, oil and gas sites began receiving shots on March 12 by Blair McBride Northern News Services The NWT has begun offering the Covid-19 vaccine to non-resident rota- tional workers at mines and oil and gas sites.