Debates of June 1, 2006 (day 3)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I highlighted earlier in my Member’s statement, the seriousness of an issue we are faced with in Behchoko on the discrepancies on public unit rent scale. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. David Krutko. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of the Housing Corporation advise this Assembly the amount of outstanding rent payments that have been accumulated over the years in Behchoko? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 20-15(5): Outstanding Rent Payments In Behchoko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t have that information in front of me, so I will have to get back to the Member with that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 20-15(5): Outstanding Rent Payments In Behchoko

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my next question leads to what has the corporation done to remedy the situation that we were faced with in the past and also currently? What is the department doing now to deal with the long-outstanding arrears in the community of Behchoko? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 20-15(5): Outstanding Rent Payments In Behchoko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the collection of rent, we all know it is a problem in most of our communities, but especially in Behchoko we had a problem over the last number of years where we had a contract that was out where very little collections were done. There was a mandate given to our housing authorities which they have to collect 90 percent of their income by way of collections. We are moving in that way. Some two years ago, the collection rate was somewhere in the range of nine percent. We are now in the process of being up to 75 percent. We have instructed our housing authorities to do a better job under collections. Because of that, we have been getting a lot of bad press in that area. Again, in order to operate our units in the communities, we have to generate revenues with the change of our mandate and the $30 million that was given to Education in regards to the rent supps that are out there that now they have to go to basically the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to recoup that income. We are doing a better job on collections. I know that people have concerns on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 20-15(5): Outstanding Rent Payments In Behchoko

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the corporation’s been mandated to look into collection of the arrears in Behchoko. At the same time, I am just wondering if the corporation was looking to investigate the discrepancies on the rent scales that have occurred and what they have come up with to address this situation where the client has been charged the wrong amount for rent. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 20-15(5): Outstanding Rent Payments In Behchoko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do allow the members to sit down with the people within the communities in regards to our housing authorities. If they have a discretion in regards to the amount that they are being paid, there is a process that they can go through in regards to working out a payment plan and also bringing in the verification on what their incomes were when that income was assessed. I think the problem that we are running into is because people work in the diamond industry and are moving in and out of the community where people are being hindered, especially our seniors, with seeing a major increase in their rent. Again, we are telling our authorities to sit down with each of the clients, go through exactly where the discretions are, come to an arrangement on what the amount is and work out a payment plan so that they are able to pay off the arrears over the period of time. As long as they agree to pay their rent along with a little more towards their arrears, we can work out those payment plans for these individuals. There is a process that they can go through to resolve this issue without being evicted. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 20-15(5): Outstanding Rent Payments In Behchoko

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in light of the 1,300 plus units and houses going through the North, the Tlicho community will certainly benefit from some of them. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit today in this Assembly to expedite, to initiate a joint task force with a representative from Behchoko general public, one from Rae Band board member and one from YK district office to investigate and re-evaluate the rental scales and reasons for outstanding rental arrears on the 80 plus public units in Behchoko? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 20-15(5): Outstanding Rent Payments In Behchoko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, we do have a different arrangement now by way of how we do our collections because of the subsidy going to Education. I think we also have included them. So I am open to sitting down with my colleague, Mr. Dent, and yourself to see if there is a process that we can use here and try to find an arrangement that we all can move forward with. I do believe that it is a process that is being phased in. I think people are having some problems understanding exactly the differences between what we are doing now in housing and what is under the responsibility of income support by way of the subsidy that has been transferred to them. Also, in regards to the arrears in the communities, we have to find ways there again. So I am open to working with the Member and my colleague, Mr. Dent, in trying to find a solution to this problem. Thank you.