David Krutko

Madam Chair, like I stated…Sorry, Madam Speaker. Like I stated, there is a budget that we do operate out of. In last year’s budget, we allocated almost $2.2 million and out of that we approved 42 applications. The program is universal right across the Northwest Territories, not only in Yellowknife. We have allocated $1 million this year for the city of Yellowknife for this program. It’s based on the number of applications you get and the amount of money in the budget. So you approve the budget through this process and you can help only so many people with the resources you have. So on that...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to have two Pages here from my riding. It’s the first time I have had the opportunity to bring them down from my riding. It’s a real opportunity for them to learn how the consensus government works and see how we operate here in the House. I would like to recognize Kayla Arey from Moose Kerr School in Aklavik…

---Applause

…and Jennifer Greenland from Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson. Thank you.

Yes, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as we know, this program, the Expanded Downpayment Assistance Program, is to assist people wishing to get into their own homes through home ownership because they are paying well in excess of 25 or almost 30 percent of their income, which could be better served by getting into home ownership. This is not only for people in the high income bracket, this is also there to assist people and get them out of social housing and get them into home ownership, but only where their income shows that they able to pay to maintain a home, and also be able to ensure...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, we have, because there are certain responsibilities individuals have. Sure, you can put an application in, but it’s approved based on certain conditions. You have to be able to acquire a mortgage from a bank. You have to go to a financial institution. You have to identify exactly what your income threshold is and make sure you can afford to pay down the mortgage. Last, but not least, it’s conditional that you obtain financing through a bank before we go forward with the application. There is also a 90-day time period where you have to ensure that you go through...

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as I stated, this program has assisted 570 people in which we were able to leverage $42 million through bank financing to assist us with these 570 people. Yes, the goal of the program is to get people into home ownership and give people independence so that they are not stuck in social housing. In a lot of communities 90 percent of our houses are social housing facilities. We have to get them into a home ownership program. One of the programs we have is EDAP. The other program is the Independent Housing Program. We have programs designed to...

Mr. Speaker, the Member is getting down to a pretty detailed answer so I’ll take that as notice and get the information back to the Member if he wants to.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll try to be clear for the Member so he understands. There is a maximum subsidy that is given. I said 40 percent based on the value of the home. But again, it’s based on the client’s ability to pay. The affordability question comes in with regard to being able to pay the operational maintenance costs of the home and also ensure that their expenditure does not exceed the 40 percent that anyone should be able to pay for shelter. So because of those restrictions, those individuals who are in that area of more need, because of their income, receive more subsidy. So hopefully that...