Inuvik Twin Lakes

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The agreement we signed was for money we get from Canada. We roll that money into many of the programs that we deliver, so through the CARE, PATH and mostly focused on the homeownership side. We utilize some of the money they give us along with the money we contribute and that goes towards many of the programs we offer. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 56)

Mr. Chair, we work closely with the NWT Teachers’ Association. They provided some of the information as to some of the communities that are most challenged as far as housing goes. We relied a lot on some of the information, some advice we got from them. I will have Mr. Stewart add on to that, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 56)

Mr. Chair, we have, through the PATH program – providing assistance to homeowners – and the HELP program. The HELP program is one where we try to transition people out of public housing. They’ll stay in a HELP unit for a couple of years and then if they feel that they would like to be homeowners, they can transition into the PATH program, which is providing assistance to homeowners. They have the option, I think, of purchasing the HELP unit that they’re in and I think they’re given a $10,000 incentive to move into homeownership.

We have $7 million that we have invested into CARE and PATH for...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. New units, we’re doing 40 replacement units in ’15-16 and we’re doing the 36 market rental units in ’15-16. We will be glad to provide a list to the Members. I believe we have all the locations and everything. We have all the locations, so we’ll provide that list to committee.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, the contract in McPherson has been awarded and my understanding is they are going to start the work this summer. The one in Aklavik, they are doing a great job on it. It should be opened in late spring. It should be completed in late spring. So we are looking forward to seeing how that rolls out.

Some of the Member’s comments, he was talking about the units in the communities. We recognize that we need places to stay in communities. It’s one of the reasons this government has committed $21 million over three years to put an additional 100 market rental units...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 56)

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 56)

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Lands has made significant progress since taking over the management of public land in the Northwest Territories as part of devolution last April.

Much of the department’s progress to date has been due to the hard work of its employees. While about 75 percent of our positions were filled by existing federal and GNWT staff when devolution came into effect, the remainder of the department’s positions had to be staffed.

Mr. Speaker, April 1st was just the beginning. Since its creation, the Department of Lands is setting priorities, planning and managing new issues as...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to get the update on that and provide it to the Member. I don’t have it with me right now, so I’ll take the Member’s question as notice. Thank you.

---Question taken as notice

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have 804 people on the waiting list in the Northwest Territories. In the Member’s riding alone, I think there are about 39 on the waiting list. In many cases, people have to be on the waiting list to access some of the support programs. So they may be housed, but they have to be on the waiting list to access some of those programs. That’s the reason some of the numbers are so high.

At far as the length of time, I’d have to find out about the length of time. We try to get as many people into units as quickly as possible.

As to what we’re doing to address the issue...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 53)

The $1.6 million is money that we’ve received from ECE through their Income Support program. They supported many people in public housing or income support clients into housing units. We’ve taken over the administration of that program, so we’re actually looking at 75 units possibly leasing and, in turn, give those units to former clients who were formerly on income support to try to transition back into public housing. So it’s not the construction of 75 new units. I believe in many communities there are families supported through this particular program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.