The territorial government dropped a $13.2 million relief package on Friday, earmarked for business relief amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Described as a first step, the package aims to secure northern supply chains, ease access to low-interest loans and temporarily stave-off GNWT collections. The package largely focuses on business to cover gaps in federal supports released earlier this week, Finance minister Caroline Wawzonek said on Friday.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat we saw coming out of the federal government, (was) particularly SA国际影视传媒� getting money into individual citizensSA国际影视传媒� pockets,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e looking at ways to fill in other areas of need. A lot of businesses are people who are trying to maintain their payrolls.SA国际影视传媒�

Under the raft of measures, the government has waived supply chain costs, including the Deh Cho Bridge tolls, truck permits and airport landing fees. The NWT Business Development and Investment corporation will be offering low-interest loans to off-set the economic hit. Loan payments can also be deferred for up to three months between April 1 and Sept. 30.

Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission fees for employer assessment payments are being pushed back from April 1 to May 1.

Indigenous governments, community governments and non-government organizations will also be able to keep the money they received in contributions in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Indigenous governments that signed onto devolution will also get early benefits from resource revenues according to the plan. 

Payroll taxes and other territorial collections will be put on pause. Student financial assistance payments are being deferred to Sept. 30.  

Northwest Territories Power Corporation has also pulled its limiters on electrical usage. 

After assembly approved an initial step to keep government programs running on Monday, the package aimed for early relief. This past week, Health and Social Services received an extra 25 per cent in that appropriation, and Hay River received $115,000 to expand its dialysis services. Income assistance also got $2 million to support increased demand.

Nothing off the table, finance minister says

Moving forward, Wawzonek said income assistance and new sources of funding would also be prioritized.

Infrastructure minister Katrina Nokleby, meanwhile, said supply chains would play a key role in future discussions with the federal government. She also noted that the economic hit of sidelined diamond production would be big, but was currently unknown. 

The effect of the virus on mining will have a SA国际影视传媒渟ignificant impactSA国际影视传媒� on the economy, she said, adding, though, a mine temporarily closing will limit the chance of the virus coming North via workers.

Overall, she said she was confident in the safety and public health of mining operations. 

SA国际影视传媒淲e are not going to tell private industry how to run their businesses,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Wawzonek, meanwhile, noted the crisis hit while the territory was budgeting a surplus, which offered it more resources to respond than other jurisdictions in Canada. That said, the territory will face the crisis with a somewhat limited toolbox. 

Asked if the government would support a basic universal income SA国际影视传媒� as politicians like Yellowknife North MLA Rylund Johnson voiced support for if it was federally-funded SA国际影视传媒� Wawzonek said SA国际影视传媒渘othing is off the tableSA国际影视传媒� but the situation still had to unfold.

She pointed to an economic advisory group the government established as a step that could inform future policy.

Responding to concerns raised over per capita funding that guided recent Ottawa health funding, Wawzonek pointed to federal money offered specifically to Indigenous communities.

She said the government was also responsive to the concerns raised for remote and northern communities more generally. In future talks, Wawzonek said the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 borrowing limit would be a key concern, in addition to transportation and health-care support. 

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a host of things. All of those things are being raised by different ministries when weSA国际影视传媒檙e on our different phone calls,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding the federal government has been responsive so far. 

The spending and measures announced Friday just will not be the last package in the near future, according to Wawzonek. This first package was simply based off what the territorial government could quickly mobilize.

SA国际影视传媒淲e didnSA国际影视传媒檛 actually pick a number and work backwards,SA国际影视传媒� she said.