Lucy Kuptana

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, of our many partnerships, I rise today to applaud the work of Habitat for Humanity Northwest Territories. In the last 11 years, Habitat has built ten homes in the North. Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers work hard to provide affordable homes for the Northwest Territories residents, and I am pleased with the continued partnership between Habitat and Housing NWT. Housing NWT has contributed over $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity NWT. By working in partnership with organizations like Habitat for Humanity, it allows us to find ways to increase housing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We recently signed the collaborative agreement with the Gwich'in Tribal Council, with Housing NWT. So this might be an opportunity to work with them and work with the elders in the communities for homeownership repair. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT has many programs in place to help homeowners with any type of repairs they require in their homes provided they fit the core need income threshold and the policy around these repair and maintenance programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a number of programs with Housing NWT to encourage elders to age in place, including our preventative maintenance program, our repairs program, our mobility program, our seniors’ program specific to seniors, and we also have an emergency repairs program. We can provide this information to the MLA and all the MLAs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing NWT can book a trip into Tsiigehtchic, and other communities in the near future, to meet with homeowners interested in applying for the program or requiring program assistance. We will advertise well ahead of time and also communicate with the MLA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And from what I've learned with Housing NWT, there is a term lease in place with the NWT Disabilities Council, and they have four years on that lease left. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing NWT is working with the NWT Disabilities Council on a project. They are working on a federal funding arrangement. NWT Disabilities Council is waiting on the proposal and the approval of the project. So we have to give it some time, but we're working in partnership with the NWT Disabilities Council. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd be happy to have that conversation with the Member, but I would not be able to revisit the issue until I talk to the NWT Disabilities Council and also to the president of the Housing NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. Housing NWT does have plans for the property. They're working with a local NGO, and they've leased the property for the next few years with the local NGO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

So with the information I've been provided, Housing NWT does not receive funding from CIRNAC every year. In the 2022fiscal year, the federal government announced a twoyear funding allocation for Housing NWT to invest in public housing. This budget announcement was separate from the funding announced as distinctionbased funding for Indigenous governments for housing. Housing NWT was very pleased to see that the funding going to Indigenous governments to support the housing needs in the Northwest Territories. Moving forward, though, Housing NWT intends to work in partnership with Indigenous...