When the Legislative Assembly shut down in March due to the COVID Health State of Emergency, the Government of the Northwest Territories was well into its annual budgeting process. As we continue that discussion, we are also moving forward to other financial matters to be discussed during this sitting of the Legislative Assembly.
Today, Minister of Finance Caroline Wawzonek announced that the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will allocate up to $6.2 million to temporarily top up wages for workers making less than $18 per hour.
Under this program, businesses are asked to apply for temporary funding to increase the wages of their employees who make less than $18 per hour, for a maximum of 16 weeks between April 1 and July 31, 2020. The program is available to all workers in the NWT that are currently earning less than $18 per hour and are over 15 years old.
Today, Minister of Finance Caroline Wawzonek announced that the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will allocate $8.7 million in funding to support Northwest Territories’ (NWT) passenger-based airlines who offer scheduled service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Effective today, the Department of Finance has introduced amendments to the Northwest Territories’ Liquor Regulations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The amended regulations allow all Class A and Class B licensed establishments in the Northwest Territories (NWT) to sell beer, wine and spirits for take-out and delivery without the need for an off-premises extension to their license.
On April 30th 2020, Northwest Territories (NWT) residents will receive their second NWT Cost of Living Offset payment in the amount of $52.00 per adult and $60.00 per child under the age of 18. For example, a family of two adults and two children will receive $224.00. For a child in shared custody each parent will receive one-half of the benefit for the child.
The NWT Cost of Living Offset (COLO) is a benefit paid to individuals and families living in the NWT to help offset the cost of the NWT carbon tax. The benefit is tax-free to NWT residents and families.
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) recognizes that supporting access to early learning and child care is essential for healthcare providers, frontline staff and other essential workers to be able to respond to COVID-19 in the Northwest Territories. Today, Caroline Wawzonek, Minister of Finance, and R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), are announcing additional support for essential workers responding to COVID-19 that will ensure access to child care.
Introduction
Minister of Finance, Caroline Wawzonek, today announced changes to the Liquor Regulations to put limits on the amount of liquor that can be sold daily to individual customers in territorial liquor stores. The restrictions are in effect as of April 16, 2020.
These changes are being made in response to requests from Members of the Legislative Assembly, as well as community and Indigenous leaders across the territory, in an effort to deter bootlegging activity in the NWT’s communities.
Minister Caroline Wawzonek confirmed today that the GNWT has enacted the Residential Tenancies (COVID-19) Regulations, a new temporary regulation that offers tenants a mechanism to defer their rent if they have lost their job or have had a significant decline in their income during the COVID-19 health pandemic.
Minister of Finance, Caroline Wawzonek, today outlined the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT’s) position on the sale and availability of liquor during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
