Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we did commit within the business planning process that we would consider that. At this point, no one is paying their utilities, so once people… Once we give our limited payment of utilities… Once people have more ownership of their own, then we will look at initiatives to actually support that so that we can promote conservation, because that is the most efficient way to conserve energy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will take that as a comment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this point, we are just going to start with Fort Liard because we do have the other two communities that we also want to focus on. Then we will look at other communities that don’t have those provisions within the next fiscal budget to determine where we go next with that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, so what we will be doing is providing them kind of a background that says based on the 2014 needs assessment within your community, this is what we identify as the needs, and then we will be asking the communities based on those and saying can you prioritize what your needs are within that, and are there other needs that we haven’t addressed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I do apologize if I didn’t answer the complete question that the Member asked me. Currently, there are programs within the Northwest Territories that do have a user co-pay component with that. The corporation would love to be able to provide programs that have no cost; however, in all honesty, we have a small population within the Northwest Territories and currently we’re spending seven times the national average rate. Most provinces are spending one per cent of their revenues on housing; we’re spending seven per cent of our revenues currently on housing. We really need to be cautious about...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Actually, I can’t actually give you a figure at this point. It is millions of dollars. All of our new units are actually looking at being more energy efficient, so our whole construction going forward is looking at energy efficiency. I can’t really nail down a figure on that, but it is in the millions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have no idea if the other territories have done at all. We haven’t actually talked about what it would cost for all of us. The whole point is that we’re trying to get the government to realize to change their funding structure is the advocacy that we’re working on. Currently, the federal government funds per capita and we need to change that. The biggest advocacy that we’re doing is about cost plus and so talking about for all of us it costs more. To be able to provide a house in Tuktoyaktuk is a lot more expensive than it is to provide a house in British Columbia...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do strive to get housing maintainers for those positions. These are community positions and we try to work with the capacities within each community. It depends on what the abilities and the skills within the communities and who applies for the positions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the needs assessment that’s done, for example the 2014 needs assessment that was done last, is done every five years. That is used throughout, nationally, actually, and that defines the core need that people advocate within that, 30 per cent of your income going to housing, et cetera. That’s a national tool that we utilize to kind of determine where we are on par with the other regions. The survey that we’re seeking to send out is really about individual choices and individual needs. The biggest thing that stuck out for me is Aboriginal governments asking me for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members may be aware that the Housing Corporation is actually already on that. We are putting out a survey that will develop a community-based plan and we’re more than willing to work with the health and social services department in providing services. When those surveys are received back we will know exactly what each community wishes and we would base our actions for the coming future based on the community needs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.