Lucy Kuptana

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have dollars amounts this afternoon. I can provide the Member some information, but I don't have dollar amounts in terms of impacts. I have been pressing Housing NWT to provide me more updates, daily updates, on the impact of the strike in Fort Simpson. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will definitely look into it to see what -- the details for the question from the Member. I cannot commit to getting the completed -- the work completed. I have to look at the budget, see what we have allocated, especially for the riding. But I will follow up with the Member on the details. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. The information I have today on the status of repairs to Inuvik public housing units is that we have two units that are about 50 percent complete in the modernization and improvement of that public housing unit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I asked Housing NWT yesterday for an update on how this works locally and territorially. And from what I understand, we as Housing NWT sign a community services agreement with the Fort Simpson Housing Authority to manage the houses, the public housing units at Fort Simpson. So we provide them a budget allotment every year, ask for audited financial statements every year, and that is what we do as Housing NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the important work that the local housing authority employees do every day in all of our communities. We have 24 local housing authorities operating throughout the Northwest Territories in 32 communities, so this is important work that they do. I recognize the impact and recognize what's happening today in one of our local housing authorities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, under the 1997 social housing agreement with the federal government, Housing NWT assumed responsibility for the ongoing operations and maintenance of the territory's public housing units. Many of these units remain in service and need significant renovation or replacement. Housing NWT continues to invest in maintenance and renovation on an annual basis to keep assets in good working condition. I would like to speak today on how Housing NWT manages its assets and the ways we are finding efficiencies and partnerships to improve the state of our units.

Housing NWT plans to invest over...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is critical work that we have to do throughout the North. We have to gain capacity. We have to build capacity in our communities. And these need to be local people and local jobs. That's how we're going to do it. And this is how we're going to build, like, the North, and it's working locally and having that local capacity. So the work that Housing NWT does in partnership with Education, Culture and Employment is critical work that we have to do going forward. And over the last number of years, Housing NWT, with the local housing associations, has supported 64...

I think this opportunity that has been driven by the local housing society is a really great opportunity that all communities should consider. And Housing NWT came forward as a partner in assisting them with the application for the funding allocation that they recently received. So this is a possibility in all ridings and all communities. It's just that the work has to be done in partnership with Housing NWT but also locally, they have to be driven by the work. So the possibility is there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2024 high school graduates of the Nunakput riding. These young people graduating from high school are an inspiration. The work to completing a high school education in a small community is a community effort, a family's effort, the school's effort, and the student's determination. A shout out to the students in Paulatuk, Ulukhaktok, and Tuktoyaktuk as we all see you, and we're all so proud of you.

Angik School in Paulatuk is:

Julian Green,

Nikki Ruben,

Billy Ruben,

Joel Thrasher, and

Katelinne Ruben.

Helen Kalvak Elihhakvik in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing NWT, with our results, is approximately 95 percent of all contracting opportunities go to local or NWT businesses. We follow the GNWT procurement policy, and we also follow the business incentive policy. Housing NWT has local housing organizations in 23 communities which each have their own local staff leading maintenance and repair work on housing assets. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.