Caroline Cochrane

We had a couple of problems, actually, with the starting of it. We negotiated with the contractor in 2015 and this summer, he started working on it. He installed 11 piles in July, but we didn't have our geotechnical inspector on-site so we stopped work on that project. We need to have the proper regulators watching when they're doing the construction. As the MLA had stated earlier there were also some water issues and we are working with the contractor. Now we’re back on track and the building will be completed within this fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, increasing the availability of safe affordable housing and building stronger relationships with community governments and other stakeholders are two of the priorities agreed to by Members of the Legislative Assembly. I am pleased to report that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is working on both of these priorities by creating new local housing organizations in Fort Liard, Gameti, and Whati. Not only will this create jobs in the community and increase economic development, it'll also greatly improve service to community members. Residents who previously had questions...

 Part of the process that we will be looking for consultation from the communities on changes to the Housing Corporation will include a summary of all of the programs, a two-page summary, very basic, very plain. Within that, we are looking to help people understand what we have and what we need to change. After we get award from the federal government, at that point we will be looking at doing a communication strategy so that people understand what programs are available.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take a moment to recognize Buffalo Airways, a business within the Range Lake constituency. This long-standing business has been a staple within our community for over 40 years. With the premiere of Ice Pilots Northwest Territories in 2009, we received international attention from this highly popular television show, located here in the North.

I would like to congratulate Buffalo Airways on six successful seasons and for the various nominations and awards won with this television series. Throughout the duration of the show, Ice Pilots was nominated four...

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge Courteney Lizotte. Ms. Lizotte has been with the Range Lake North School for the past five years and has been the principal for the last two years. Earlier this year she was nominated by the PAC president of Range Lake North and has been recognized by The Learning Partnership as one of Canada's 40 Outstanding Principals this year. She's the only educator to be recognized for this acknowledgement from the NWT in 2016. She'll collect her award alongside other recipients in Toronto on February 23, 2016. We're grateful to have Ms. Lizotte...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to start with now, all market housing within the communities were put out to public tender. All of the market housing that the Housing Corporation are currently contracting with are northern contractors, and they were approved through the Business Incentive Policy. The modulars that you speak of are designed to meet the Housing Corporation design guidelines, as well as national building codes which are the same standards used for stick-built units constructed by the NWT Housing Corporation.

As the Minister of Finance spoke, we are still in the middle of looking at the budget allocations. We do know that the federal government is looking at social infrastructure as a priority. Until that federal budget is allocated, we're expecting at the end of the March, we won't know exactly what we'll be looking at putting on the table.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize David Wasylciw who has run for MLA a couple of times. He is an avid politician and an asset to have in our riding.

The NWT Housing Corporation is interested in looking at all different designs of homes, and we do traditionally put them out to tender. Thank you.

As stated earlier, there are the three communities that work in partnership already. As well, we're in preliminary discussions with, and my pronunciation is going to slaughter me here, Aimayunga Women and Emergency Foster Care Shelter in Tuktoyaktuk about the Shelter Enhancement Fund for 2016 and 2017.