Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Homeowners in my riding need preventative maintenance assistance to replace wooden pilings and aging fuel tanks. The Housing Corporation’s Contributing Assistance for Repairs and Enhancement, the CARE program, is available for some homeowners but needs to increase to fit the needs of people in my riding.
Wooden pilings underneath the homes in communities are rotting. They are deteriorating in the sunlight. They’re directly affected by melting permafrost and soil erosion. Some of the pilings are decayed so much that you could punch a screwdriver through the wood. A house in Inuvik just last year, Mr. Speaker, collapsed. Replacing a house, especially in my riding, is more expensive than replacing old pilings.
As we know, leaking fuel tanks are a big problem. It is every homeowner’s responsibility to make sure that their oil tanks are in good condition. However, if they live in Nunakput they probably pay $1,700 for a tank of heating fuel every six weeks, Mr. Speaker. Your power bill is about $900. That’s the cost of a fuel tank every six weeks. Age, sand rub and corrosion are affecting fuel tanks in my riding. Again, cleanup is more expensive, other than prevention. Offering a subsidy or replacing a fuel tank will go a long way in preventing spills and reducing costs overall.
Mr. Speaker, we need to invest more preventative maintenance to keep homes from failing and disappearing, or even collapsing. This will reduce the number of households in core need. We need to educate our people on their responsibilities to give them support that they need to take care of their homes. Mr. Speaker, we need to enhance programming to remote communities where there aren’t many options. When people need to make repairs in our houses, we will make suitable, adequate and affordable homes an achievable goal. Mr. Speaker, we have to help our private homeowners in the small communities.
Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
