Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Mr. Speaker, today I’m going to talk a bit about housing, people that own their own houses and their rental units, the way they’ve been handling the way they work with the housing programs and I want to ask the Members, I will ask the Minister of Housing. (Translation ends)
I have had the opportunity to meet many constituents across Tu Nedhe over the last two years. Housing problems continue to be the number one issue as far as most constituents are concerned. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the NWT Housing Corporation staff need to develop an overall housing development plan in each of the communities of Tu Nedhe.
Mr. Speaker, this housing development plan must look at all aspects of housing in each community. Therefore, this plan must look at public housing, homeownership, market housing, housing for staff and land status.
Mr. Speaker, I’m not suggesting the NWT Housing Corporation complete a housing development plan in market communities, that would be too cumbersome. I am primarily speaking about smaller non-market communities where the majority of the housing units were put on the ground by the GNWT through the NWT Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT Housing Corporation will soon have a needs survey completed. This needs survey will be a key document in developing this plan. I feel that it is imperative that the housing development plan be completed, as it can serve as a blueprint as to what happens in housing over the next few years.
Mr. Speaker, this plan will also provide certainty to the LHO staff, the Housing Corporation staff, the MLA and the Minister and, most importantly, the constituents. I’ll have questions for the Minister of Housing at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member from Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
