The GNWT is adamant that Avens does not meet the criteria to receive reimbursement on outstanding money it says it's owed following the 2023 wildfire evacuations.
Avens CEO Daryl Dolynny told SA国际影视传媒 late last month he's had to take out a second mortgage on Aven Manor to get into a cash flow position and maintain operations.
Dolynny said he did this because the care centre is still short $400,000 from 2023's wildfire evacuation. In August 2023, Avens evacuated 57 residents from the NWT and stated it had to secure care sites and added support to maintain full services during its four-week relocation to the Edmonton and Leduc, Alta., area.
The non-profit organization and partner of the NWT Health and Social Services Authority also stated it had no government assistance when seeking aid after the evacuation.
Dolynny said they needed to come up with an incentive plan to inspire people to work.
"That's how dire we were," he said, adding the GNWT knew what Avens was doing and its incentive was enough to get about a quarter of his staff to come back.
During the evacuation, Avens stated that it incurred more than $1.3 million in costs related to transportation, housing and caring of its residents. Of that amount, the Government of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Disaster Financial Assistance fund has reimbursed a little more than $900,000, leaving about $400,000 in essential staffing costs unpaid, according to Avens.
Dolynny said he's asked to meet with Health and Social Services Minister Lesa Semmler and her office multiple times and not only for the reimbursement question.
"We've offered many times and, of course, I'm assuming she's busy, or her office is busy, but it's frustrating that an organization like Avens has to go through these hoops to get a bill paid," he said.
Dolynny also made it clear that Avens is far from closing and has other financial strategies in place to keep operating.
When Semmler addressed the Avens situation in the legislative assembly on May 27, she said the seniors care centre was not eligible for reimbursement through disaster funding since it didn't meet the needed criteria.
Dolynny said her response is not sufficient.
"That doesn't make any sense to me," he said.
The NWT Health and Social Services Authority said on May 30 it had nothing to add to what has already been stated.
"Avens has been provided two reimbursement payments for disaster-related expenses. The part of the claim from Avens that did not qualify for reimbursement was for an incentive paid to employees to work their regular shifts during the evacuation," the authority stated. "While incremental staffing costs such as overtime or hiring additional staff may qualify as disaster-related expenses, incentive payments are ineligible as a disaster-related expense."
Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins put forward a motion on May 29 that the legislative assembly recommend the GNWT to reimburse Avens and provide guidelines for addressing remuneration of essential staff during evacuations, with a focus on non-governmental organizations the GNWT contracted.
The GNWT has 120 days to respond.
