Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I listened with interest to the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation’s opening remarks on the 2011-12 budget, as well as the questions and answers during Committee of the Whole. Housing programs have been a hot topic throughout the life of the 16th Assembly. Significant changes have resulted, including the transfer of responsibility for the public housing from Education, Culture and Employment back to the NWT Housing Corp where they used to be located. This was a positive step, Mr. Speaker.
However, it’s not the only area of concern. Although progress is moving in a positive direction, which is ultimately good for our residents, a lot of work is still required. Regardless, I am happy with a number of the Minister’s comments and answers. Specifically, I was very happy to see that the Housing Corp is finding solutions which will help individuals move into homeownership, where their income is only slightly over a set limit but they meet all the other criteria; that the Housing Corp is allowing secondary intakes at housing choices where housing units are available after a first intake; that the Housing Corp is converting some of its existing vacant housing into public housing units, especially in communities where no current public housing units existed previously; and that the Housing Corp is increasing flexibility in some of the programs.
These are all good steps that the Housing Corp is taking, but there are some areas that I remain concerned about. Specifically public housing arrears. In October I asked the Minister to find some solutions to the perceived false arrears that exist within some of the individual LHOs. These arrears resulted from assessments conducted during the transition period, both during and after the program transferred to ECE. Many people feel that they do not owe as much as they are being requested to pay, that their arrears are not real.
Mr. Speaker, later this afternoon I’ll be seeking some clarity from the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation on their and the LHOs’ progress in assessing public housing arrears to help those individuals with perceived false arrears and address their concerns. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
