Debates of May 31, 2006 (day 2)

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Statements

Member’s Statement On Infrastructure Needs Of Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the riding of Nunakput is in dire need of granular material to address their infrastructure needs in my constituency. The access to gravel in most of my constituency can only be accessed during the winter. It may take at least six months to be able to access a quarry site because of different legislations. An example is Inuvialuit land administration.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Deputy Premier and the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation announced that a total of $100 million will be spent to construct 530 adequate and affordable housing units over the next three years. These units may be built as multi-plex or homeownership. Members on this side of the House appreciate the announcement, but because it will address some and not all of the housing shortage across the Northwest Territories. In order to prepare for these units there are a number of obstacles that need to be addressed immediately. By obstacles I am referring to lot availability, access road for dry waste, and construction of power lines for these units.

Mr. Speaker, communities without access to year-round ground material will be a challenge to actually receive these units as identified through the capital plan of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. If a community can address their infrastructure requirements to have these available lots and driveways to build these units, what will happen to these units? Will they be carried over to the next fiscal year or allocated somewhere else in the Northwest Territories?

Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the obstacles that NWT Housing Corporation and MACA need to address prior to the construction of the 530 units. These two departments need to immediately construct a plan to address the need for gravel materials for those communities without a year-round access to granular material.

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier, the Beaufort-Delta community needs ample time to plan for the infrastructure needs and require the necessary funds to address these needs. I encourage the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, MACA to immediately contact the appropriate municipal organizations in Nunakput to help them prepare for these infrastructure requirements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause