Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Housing Corporation has really taken energy conservation really seriously, and so we have a number of measures. That goes back to the multi-units that we’re looking at doing, the four-plexes, in communities where they have one boiler system that serves all four units. We also support the Arctic Energy Alliance, who provides, for example, light bulbs to all community members. As well, we have solar on quite a few of our larger units that we have in the communities. Energy is a huge issue for all of us, and the Housing Corporation is trying make our units as energy...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As committed, we will provide a copy of the document that we’re working from and that actually provided the $35 million. What do we talk about? What are we working on together? We talk about the high cost of food within the Territories. We talk about the inappropriateness that our small numbers within the territory or all three territories, our population base and the vast territory that we cover. We talk about because of the small population and the vast territory we talk about the high cost of infrastructure to be able to build houses, for example. To be able to...

Thank you, the standard LHO setup within the community is one manager and two maintenance workers. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It’s a 20year needs assessment, so we would need $30 million every year for 20 years. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Actually, this is one example that I can say yes, that money does fix all issues because, if you do have enough money, you can actually make sure that your house is suitable and adequate Yes, but it does come down to having the right financial capital to be able to make those changes.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The rate increases are usually done by the Power Corporation, so we’re working with them on that. We will be communicating to all the residents, though, because we’re hoping to implement this by August. There will be communication sent out to everyone that is using our units before that, to give them enough notice. The whole goal is to get people to do more of, just, conservation. We know that the biggest driver or the biggest savings for utilities is conservation, so we need to get people more focused in that.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There are a number of variables to address the whole core need of the NWT and we can do that. It would take a bit of time and a bit of work but we can produce that. Of course, it wouldn’t be an exact science because there are differences. The bigger issue for me, though, is that we have an understanding amongst the three territories that we will not advocate individually; that we will advocate as tri-territorial which gives us more power, and unless I can get the other territories to do the same then it sounds like I’m going to be advocating for the Northwest Territories...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Actually, you will see that set up fairly soon. We are just trying to get office accommodation at this point, and then you will have three positions within the Fort Liard community. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

That assessment is made on if we were to renovate and to bring all of our stock up to a 50year life span. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I don’t think it’s a really easy answer to say that one program can actually eliminate core need, especially when you look at the core need does talk about adequacy and suitability as well as affordability. Income support does address some of the affordability issues, perhaps not all of them, especially in the market communities where our rents are so high. But adequacy and suitability are not areas that, in my opinion, income support would be addressing.