With Mackenzie River waterlines receding and evacuated residents returning home, Fort Simpson and Jean Marie River are now in the recovery phase of their flooding emergency.

How exactly the recovery works, however, is causing some confusion.

At a Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight May 25, Paulie Chinna, minister of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) presented the disaster assistance policy to establish how residents can access funds for devastated homes, clean up fuel spills and ensure proper shelter ahead of the winter months.

As MACA officials who joined Chinna for the meeting explained, claims will be reimbursed 80 per cent by the federal government and 20 per cent by the territorial government for cases of up to $100,000. But MLAs were left mystified by the plan.

SA国际影视传媒淚 just donSA国际影视传媒檛 understand what the people on the ground should be doing in order to get money,SA国际影视传媒� Rylund Johnson said, member for Yellowknife North.

SA国际影视传媒淚f ISA国际影视传媒檓 a person in Fort Simpson and want to start re-building my house, perhaps there was a bunch of damage to my property and I have $100,000 worth of remediation to my house, what should I do right now? Should I start spending that money and send an invoice to someone at MACA, do I send that to someone in my community government, do I go to the federal government, am I waiting for someone to write me a cheque?SA国际影视传媒�

In response, Chinna said the department was SA国际影视传媒渢rying to find ways where we can eliminate where (residents) would have to pay for renovations up front.SA国际影视传媒�

She said they were working SA国际影视传媒渢o be strategic about how to get houses up to standard,SA国际影视传媒� adding that communities have already SA国际影视传媒渟uffered significantly with the traumatic flood to begin with.SA国际影视传媒�

MACA confirmed in their presentation that an assessor has been contracted to enter communities and examine damages by the end of the week or early next week at the latest.

This step is key in reporting damages to SA国际影视传媒渉ave hard numbers on what needs to be repaired and replaced,SA国际影视传媒� Ivan Russell, GNWT manager of emergency measures told the committee.

Rocky Simpson, Member for Hay River South, asked how the territorial government would support residents with temporary housing and finances throughout the recovery plan, that would go on for SA国际影视传媒減robably several months,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Simpson suggested SA国际影视传媒渁 navigatorSA国际影视传媒� to guide community members through the bureaucracy of the disaster assistance process, explain next steps and guide residents towards appropriate channels to accessing supports.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have to provide that assistance, we have to make it known whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to happen,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

While they wait for direction on recovery, a process that Chinna calls SA国际影视传媒渓engthySA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渃omplicated,SA国际影视传媒� evacuees are returning home.

Sean Whelly, mayor of Fort Simpson, has called on the GNWT to SA国际影视传媒渟tep upSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渟tand by their commitment to do the work.SA国际影视传媒�

He expressed confusion over what the government will fund as his constituents turn to him with questions of rebuilding.

SA国际影视传媒淎t some point the territorial government needs to say what they will fund and what they wonSA国际影视传媒檛,SA国际影视传媒� he told News/North on May 21. SA国际影视传媒淲e knew the flooding was coming and they still didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have an assessor around.SA国际影视传媒�

MACA spokesperson Jay Boast said that damage could not be assessed until it was safe to do, despite schools in Fort Simpson and Jean Marie River resuming Tuesday.

SA国际影视传媒淲e understand that the mayor is advocating for his community and his residents as is to be expected,SA国际影视传媒� Boast said. SA国际影视传媒淎s previously stated the GNWT is in regular communication with the Mayor and community officials, we are listening, and that communication will continue.SA国际影视传媒�

We understand that in these situations nothing seems fast enough but the GNWT is working as quickly as possible to address the assessment and recovery needs of the community.SA国际影视传媒�