Debates of October 26, 2004 (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are to the Minister of Housing. It is in regards to the market housing initiative. I have been thinking and reread the notes of Hansard yesterday. I must tell you, Mr. Speaker, it is a complete outrage that, in last March, the government told us that the sky will fall if we do not waive BIP and if we do not order 22 mobile homes from somewhere in southern Alberta, Las Vegas 1-800 number, because we had to house the teachers and nurses. The Minister tells us yesterday that only 14 have been taken and they have no idea what went wrong. How are we ever to accept when government comes and says the sky is falling, we have two weeks to do it and you have no control whatsoever to say yes and we are going to make it happen? Nothing has happened and nobody is responsible. I need to hear more from Minister Krutko. Exactly what is going on? Why are the 22 units not installed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, the Honourable Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 307-15(3): Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I tried to explain yesterday to Members, there have been problems in regards to logistics and in regards to damage to these units in transportation. The damage has been fixed, but that was one of the main delays of the project. It was because the trailers were damaged being unloaded off the barges in Lutselk'e and also in Fort Good Hope. Those are the two communities that have not been occupied today because they are behind on the schedule. The whole project has not been delayed in regards to the people that are applying. Right now, as of today, we have 16 applicants for 22 units. So, technically, we are short. If 16 people take up those units, we will have six units that are still out there. There are two communities that are still not going to be concluded until November. Hopefully, that helps the Member understand the program as it sits as of today. So we are still looking forward to a completion date and doing a review. Hopefully, that answers the Member’s question.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It appears that the Minister is picking out only one of the problems. He said yesterday in Hansard, page 2196, and I quote, “we did have some logistical problems by way of transportation, barging, looking at sites for these units, gravel was a problem…and power hookup.” Mr. Speaker, I say that they had problems at every corner and every aspect. I have to ask the question, this decision was made in the previous Assembly. This was not a surprise. The Housing Corporation had at least two years to prepare for this. If they can’t figure out how to hook up power, how to do the gravel, how to even have the lots available, how could we have any confidence that they could deliver anything in the Housing Corporation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I didn’t hear a question there. Did you want to reframe your question? Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 307-15(3): Market Housing Initiative

Mr. Speaker, my question is if the Housing Corporation can’t do any of these areas, power hook-up, gravel, lots, I think those are pretty essential items of building a house. If the Housing Corporation can’t do that, how can we have confidence that they can carry on with the other phases of this marketing initiative program?

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 307-15(3): Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the reality of the Northwest Territories, the whole problem of logistics is a day-to-day problem. You have to depend on other sectors of our economy to be able to carry out our responsibilities. The timelines that we are facing are almost on track to what was projected out there. The Housing Corporation depends on sub-contractors and other contractors to carry out our responsibility of fulfilling our programs. It was the people on the other side of the House that raised the concern that we waived the BIP because of this contract. We reinstated the BIP so that we can get a maximum benefit to local communities, local contractors or transportation companies to ensure that 50 percent of this capital expense would stay in the Northwest Territories. That was the other side that asked us to do that. Because we did that, we had to put this work out to contracts, but the contracts were not fulfilled until almost July. In order to meet this deadline, it caused the project to move ahead. So that, Mr. Speaker, is the reason for these logistical changes, but again, to satisfy the opposition, the people on the other side of the House, the BIP was reinstated to ensure that we get the maximum benefit for northerners in our communities and the money stays in our communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Your supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 307-15(3): Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It never fails to amaze me how we get these morsels of information in the midst of question and answer period, because it never ever was told to me that BIP was reinstated. How nice to find this out as a surprise at the end of October. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, I think there are ample reasons to suggest that the Minister should really look into other modes of providing this housing, because this mobile home idea is not working. If they can’t even make it off the barge, I really think it is about time the Minister revisit this. Will the Minister revisit this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 307-15(3): Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we have committed to do a report back to the House in regards to ensuring that we analyze the efforts to date and that we will put forward a report and carry on. We still have other communities that have the same problem. There is a market challenge in other communities in the Northwest Territories. These are some of the communities. There are still communities out there that have this problem of accommodating professionals in our communities. So it is a problem that won’t go away simply by removing this program, but we will assess the program. We will come forward with recommendations on where we go from here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Your final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 307-15(3): Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps the Minister was not privy to this, but, in the midst of this debate in March, there were at least two NWT business people who do this for a living, who build up trailers. They could do it with their eyes closed. They were not even allowed to bid because the department insisted on going with the Edmonton firm. Would the Minister now look at the local businesses that can do the job and deliver them on time? Would he do that, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 307-15(3): Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe we do have people out there that can do the job. Again, the bottom line is affordability. These houses have to be affordable at the end of the day so that people who rent them are able to afford to pay the rent. That is the other thing we are hearing in the House. They can’t afford to rent them. But, it has to be affordable so that these people are able to acquire them. So I am open to a bid process and go with the lowest bid that comes in. Again, it has to be affordable. Thank you.