Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the victims of family violence component has one year left. We are expecting that the federal government will renew that after the term, though. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, at this point in time, the only communities within the Northwest Territories that have actual homeless shelters are Inuvik, Yellowknife, and Fort Smith. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The additional money for the property tax and land leases, there is a $92,000 increase and it is for the additional property tax that will be for the lots for the planned RCMP units. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The reason that we are retaining it is that we will be phasing it out over a threeyear period because some people are still using that. Until we have moved into and have a defined program that will assist people in being able to afford market rents, then I am not willing to take it off the table. So it will be in place until we have something, a rent supplement program, which is better suited to the needs of the residents that can take its place. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I can commit to working with my colleagues to actually look at how we can address red tape within housing standards, but I also should make the Speaker aware that some of the red tape will be on behalf of municipalities because the municipalities will have to make sure that their bylaws accommodate for tiny houses as well, and that I have no say over.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The MLA said that he would hold off until later on, and so thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is federal money, and that was the shelter enhancement fund for the victims of family violence federal funding. It decreased from $316,000 to $156,000, so that meant a decrease of $160,000. Again, with the family violence, even though the federal government has decreased, we are still providing support.

One of the communities in Tuktoyaktuk didn't have a suitable unit. Their victims of family violence unit was at such a point that it was nonrepairable, so even though the federal government money did not cover it, we have given them accommodations through the Northwest...

I cannot actually give you a date on when the legislative proposal will be submitted. We are in the process of looking cross-jurisdictional to see what other provinces and territories do. After that, we are also engaging with the six municipal governments that changes to this act will impact. So we are looking to meet with them all coming up here in the spring, and once that is done we will be looking at their feedback and then developing a legislative proposal and taking it to the Legislative Initiative Committee for their review. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is actually one of the areas that we are looking with our program renewal. Like I had said earlier, currently we are spending for homeowners you can access $100,000 every 10 years for renovations; for public housing it is costing us over $200,000 for 10 years. It does make sense that people who have shown, not for everyone but people who have shown that they have the ability to pay and they have been reliable that they would move into homeownership versus public housing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do take my role as Minister very seriously and I recognize that as Minister I don't need to make aspirational statements to the department; that I can actually say this is the direction that we are taking. So we are looking at more comprehensive supports all across the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation with the goal, the single goal, that people can obtain, maintain, and retain housing supports. Rent supplements is one piece of that puzzle. So, yes, it will be something that we are seriously looking at implementing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.