Budget Talk Ideas

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OpenNWT's Budget Talk Ideas is designed to allow NWT residents to discuss priorities, ideas and suggestions for the upcoming GNWT budget. Although this website is not an official GNWT consultation, it does allow for public discussion and input to help the GNWT decide how and where to invest our money.

What happens next? The Ideas portal and Budget Survey will be open until midnight on May 18th. Your ideas, survey results, votes and discussions will be submitted to the Department of Finance as part of their budget dialogue. OpenNWT will also send a summary report to all MLAs. Information on individual submitters/commenters will not be sent to the GNWT. We’ll also send along some statistical information (number of submissions, categories of ideas, etc).

The Ideas site will remain online after the submission closes to be used as a reference tool. The information sent to the GNWT will be available on this website.

Take a look at ideas submitted by others, add your own or vote on others. You can make a new account to use the website, or sign in using your existing Facebook, Gmail or Twitter account.

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Total Votes: 3

Up Votes: +3

Down Votes: 0

Improve efficiencies of NTPC

Suggested by LMLittle on Apr 25, 2016 - 1 Comment |

The public corporation is well-known for poor O&M decisions that cost northerners millions.In the face of climate change,the need for smart energy management and options,and cost of living issues,a smart audit is needed with enforceable recommendations. It is past time to reign in a poorly run public corporation.

Total Votes: 1

Up Votes: +1

Down Votes: 0

Medical Travel Scheduling

Suggested by JTuko on May 26, 2016 - 0 Comments |

Schedule medical travel so that patients do not have to stay extra nights/weekends due to flight schedules. If flights to communities do not run on weekends, then do not schedule appointments on Monday's or Friday's.

Total Votes: 1

Up Votes: +1

Down Votes: 0

Rewrite the Class 7 Drivers Test into Common Language

Suggested by JTuko on May 26, 2016 - 0 Comments |

Rewrite the Class 7 drivers test in common language. The current test does not assess an individual's understanding of knowledge, skills and proper attitudes for driving, it tests reading comprehension. Not being able to pass the Class 7 drivers test limits many employment opportunities for people, particularly in communities.

Total Votes: 1

Up Votes: +1

Down Votes: 0

Hire more people to be Teacher Assistants and Librarians in our schools, particularly in Yellowknife and the larger communities.

Suggested by Garth on May 8, 2016 - 0 Comments |

The cost to the government for positions such as this is less than anticipated increased transfers from the Federal Government. The cost is about $90,000 per position while the government receives $30,000 per person. In addition, there will be increased profits by local businesses because of more customers. The average family is 3.7 people which means hiring more teacher assistants will increase government revenues by more than the cost of hiring them. Schools in Yellowknife and the lar... Read more

Total Votes: 2

Up Votes: +2

Down Votes: 0

Dramatically decrease travel of Senior Managers by making video conferencing technology/electronic signatures preferred rather than face to face.

Suggested by jbizzle on May 25, 2016 - 0 Comments |

Travel in Northern Canada is extremely expensive and carbon intensive. A lot of wasted tax dollars could be diverted if individuals conducted meetings via video conferences and signed documents electronically. Some remote communities have internet issues but the majority of our population lives in areas where this technology is easily available. There is a culture among senior management in all areas of our government to prefer face to face meetings. If direction came from the upper levels of... Read more

Total Votes: 8

Up Votes: +8

Down Votes: 0

Hand out 3 to 6 month prescriptions and reduce the # of health care appts. for recurring chronic drug issues like diabetes

Suggested by PreviouslySubmitted on Apr 12, 2016 - 0 Comments |

This idea was previously submitted to OpenNWT as an idea for reducing public spending. OpenNWT moved the post here.

Total Votes: 1

Up Votes: +1

Down Votes: 0

Use more home arrest systems instead of incarceration for offenders reducing jail for community offenders

Suggested by PreviouslySubmitted on Apr 12, 2016 - 0 Comments |

This idea was previously submitted to OpenNWT as an idea for reducing public spending. OpenNWT moved the post here.

Total Votes: 5

Up Votes: +5

Down Votes: 0

Have 1 GNWT main website instead of many individual Departmental ones

Suggested by PreviouslySubmitted on Apr 12, 2016 - 0 Comments |

This idea was previously submitted to OpenNWT as an idea for reducing public spending. OpenNWT moved the post here.

Total Votes: 1

Up Votes: +1

Down Votes: 0

Institute a correspondence school at all Aurora Campus for basic training programs to expand revenues so people don't have to leave home

Suggested by PreviouslySubmitted on Apr 12, 2016 - 0 Comments |

This idea was previously submitted to OpenNWT as an idea for reducing public spending. OpenNWT moved the post here.

Total Votes: 3

Up Votes: +3

Down Votes: 0

Grants for companies bringing people to live in the north

Suggested by Account on May 17, 2016 - 0 Comments |

The GNWT could see a return of $6 to $12 for every $1 invested in a “relocation bonus” for companies which move new staff to the NWT in the first year, with recurring revenue of $30,000 (conservative estimate based on territorial financing formula) per year requiring no additional program investment. The GNWT could offer a subsidy of $5,000 for individuals, or $10,000 for families, to companies that bring their workers to live in the north instead of fly-in (such as the mines), and for com... Read more