Debates of March 30, 2004 (day 11)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow up to the Member for Tu Nedhe’s questions about these units that the government is proposing to put into the communities, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Villeneuve was in the property assessment business for a long time, and I am sure he knows a little bit about this as well. But in terms of our investment as a government, could the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation tell me if he is aware of the life expectancy for mobile units? When buildings are appraised they have a normal lifespan. How would the life expectancy of a mobile unit compare to a stick built northern modular home? Thank you.

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Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 118-15(3): Mobile Homes Versus Stick Built Homes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would have to seek the information. We were expecting these trailer units to last for the term that we have amortized, and for years longer than that, and that is a 20-year period. I don’t have any estimations to refer to, I don’t have that information in front of me. So I don’t know, I can’t say in any certainty. Our amortization and full cost recovery is based on a 20-year period, I can offer that much. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 118-15(3): Mobile Homes Versus Stick Built Homes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister aware that mobile home units depreciate in value at a much faster rate than a stick built home? Thank you.

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Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 118-15(3): Mobile Homes Versus Stick Built Homes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to guess, but I would say yes. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 118-15(3): Mobile Homes Versus Stick Built Homes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister also concur that normally construction technique for mobile units would be different than that used in a normal stick built construction? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 118-15(3): Mobile Homes Versus Stick Built Homes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I couldn’t say to a great certainty that it is different. We are having a number of developers interested in coming forward. First of all, the facility has to be mobile so that we can move it, however, for the rest of it there are some interesting concepts and designs being put forward that would allow us to build these units fairly close to what a normal stick built house would be, smaller and 16 feet wide, but it would also be mobile. So I think the concept that they are totally different, the building construction methods are different, and I think we are moving away from that considerably and it is coming closer to being one and the same. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 118-15(3): Mobile Homes Versus Stick Built Homes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is an interesting amount of detail for a tender that went out with no specifications. Mr. Speaker, I think it would be safe for the Minister to assume that the construction technique is somewhat different for mobile home units. I am responding to this because of the response to Mr. Villeneuve. It kind of suggested that somehow mobile homes are substandard. They are not substandard, but they are different. Life expectancy on a mobile home could be half of that of a normal stick built home, and that is just an industry knowledge that is understood. For example, the ability to insure mobile homes is quite different than stick built homes. So it goes to that point, and I just hope that all of these, and I had asked the Minister, if all of these variables have been considered in terms of investing taxpayers' dollars in these quick-fix market units. We may say they are cheaper than going with the stick built technique, but I want to know if the Minister has considered all of those things, the shorter life expectancy, the higher maintenance, the higher insurance costs, all of these other things. Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 118-15(3): Mobile Homes Versus Stick Built Homes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes we have made a lot of estimations on these units. We recognize they are not the same as a house. That is something that I didn’t mean to indicate, that they are one and the same. There was a reference made that they are substandard for accommodations and that is the point that I was trying to make, that many people are residing in mobile homes across the North and they take pride in these units. We have looked at and realize that there are cost factors, and that is one of the reasons that we’ve gone to a mobile home. They may be a little bit more expensive to heat, and the lifespan is different. We recognize those things and we’ve taken those things into consideration. However, it is our goal to provide housing in the communities, as we have said many times, to respond to the public outcry in the Deh Cho, the Beaufort-Delta, the Sahtu, Nahendeh, and this is what we are putting forward. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just received a letter from the Inuvik alcohol committee with regard to Turning Point. I just want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if he can give this House an update as to the status of Turning Point as it relates to the alcohol and drug program, as well as the facility for the homeless. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I could ask the Member to repeat the last part of the question, I didn’t catch it as he was sitting down. Thank you. I’ll get my earpiece out here.