Julie Green

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in my opening remarks, I spoke about the need for transformative change by the Housing Corporation to meet the needs of people in the Northwest Territories for social housing. What we know is that the core need rates are fairly steady over time. We also know that the waiting lists are fairly substantial and not going down. We also know that the number of seniors in the NWT is forecast to increase by 40 per cent over the next seven years. As I spoke about earlier today in my statement, there will be a big need for social housing for many of those people. How is...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of the Housing Corporation, also known as the Minister of Yes. What I described in my Member's statement is an immediate problem. This solution isn't tied to the housing survey or a new federal housing deal; it's a matter of assessing what the applicant's income would be on the day after they retire. That's all we need to do. So will the Minister direct her officials to adjust their own processes and initiate talks with the low-cost housing partners to take into account the differences between their pre- and post-retirement...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Regular MLAs have been asking for an additional $1.3 million to be added to the main estimates for the SAFE Program. The primary reason for asking for this addition is to enable renovations to happen to seniors' homes so that they are able to age in place. This subject has been canvassed many times, but just to briefly reiterate. We believe that it is the most effective use of the money and what seniors themselves want to allow them to have supports in place to age in place. So the kinds of renovations that we're looking for are ramps, easily accessible...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand that in year two it will go up by 6 cents again, and then it will be 27 cents a kilowatt hour, but what is the figure for year three, please? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, this shelter enhancement program, is it now in its last year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the answer. So there are no additional increases planned beyond April 1st. Is that correct?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On the line above, there is the shelter enhancement fund. It was $416,000 last year, and it is $256,000 for the coming fiscal year. Could the Minister tell us the source of this money, what it is used for, and why it went down? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, what kinds of energy efficiency and furnace maintenance and so on is being offered to ensure that the houses themselves are in the best possible condition, in addition asking people to lower their utility consumption? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, has work started on either of these projects? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not really sure what it means to fit within the capital plan. Could the Minister clarify, please?