Debates of October 27, 2004 (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question will be to the Minister of the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon in my Member’s statement I made a suggestion in regards to housing repairs for small communities. As we all know, Mr. Speaker, each community is limited for dollars to repair houses. I would like to ask the Minister if he would be willing to develop a multiyear program, but subject to our yearly budget approval. Would he be willing to look at that type of program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, the Honourable Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 322-15(3): Development Of Multiyear Program For Housing Repairs

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we are definitely willing to look at that, but just ensuring that the budget has to be passed through this House, so with that being something that we would look at because I believe we do have to look at housing by way of a long-term planning process. Hopefully, with the 10-year plan we develop that to ensure that we follow what we have in our need surveys and implement that into our 10-year business plan so that people can realize that we are confronting these problems over a 10-year period so people can see how we are fixing these problems and not having projects on the book one year and finding out that the money was spent somewhere else so it is consistent. So we are definitely willing to look at that by coming forward and ensuring that the dollars addressed in the 10-year plan are going to be in place for 10 years, with the approval of the House.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 322-15(3): Development Of Multiyear Program For Housing Repairs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister agree with me that if we go with this route of a multiyear home repair program, that, because of our limited funding at the community level for home repair, a larger number of people would be happy with the corporation with the initiative of at least trying to get help, rather than doing it the way we are doing it now where only a number of people are being helped. Would he not agree that this type of program would benefit the corporation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 322-15(3): Development Of Multiyear Program For Housing Repairs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that we are doing is working closer with the local housing authorities. We are working with the band corporations through universal partnership agreements to implement these programs closer to the communities so they don’t have to apply out of Yellowknife, out of Inuvik, or out of the regional centres. They can go directly to the local housing authority and let them make the final decision at the community level, and also ensure that the resources are there so that those dollars are expended for the programs we deliver. We are working with communities to give them a better opportunity in the decision-making process and work closer to the communities in the way it is set up right now. Hopefully by streamlining the process and making it more accessible, it will improve the clients in communities access to these programs. I believe that is one of the problems we are facing now, but we are working on improving it.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 322-15(3): Development Of Multiyear Program For Housing Repairs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am getting mixed messages. On one hand I am asking if we can develop this type of multiyear program particularly for the small communities, because they are very limited in their home repair programs for each community. Just from the last comment of the Minister, he implies that there are provisions currently within the existing program, but my understanding is that there aren't any right now. That is why I am asking the Minister if he can develop this type of multiyear program for clients that want to get the home repairs done. The reason being, Mr. Speaker, is that because of the limited number of funding that we have for each community, only a handful of people are getting their homes repaired. By having a multiyear program, we would increase the number of people to be helped. Those individual clients would commend the Minister if he does have this type of program, because a larger number will be helped rather than only a handful. Would the Minister commit to developing this type of program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 322-15(3): Development Of Multiyear Program For Housing Repairs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am sorry for confusing the Member, but what we are presently doing now, because we are looking at the mandate of the corporation, we are looking at our programs and services. One of the things we are doing is we are trying to ensure…Right now the programs we have are application-based. It is based on the number of applications that you’d get. Out of that, we determine allocation. So what we are trying to do is work with communities to determine how many clients they have in their homes that need these programs, and work with those people at the community level to implement those programs through the Universal Partnership Agreement. The Universal Partnership Agreement is something new, but the whole idea, at the end of the day, is to empower communities to let them take on more responsibility for housing, which doesn’t just include managing our units, it also includes delivering programs by way of our programs that we deliver right now at headquarters. That is where we are working at and where we are going to improve programs and services to communities, and the way the process works right now is application-based. It goes to the regional offices, then the regional office determines allocation. Then they go back to the communities. Then they go back to the regional office. So we are trying to cut down that long, drawn-out process and simplifying it to make it easier for communities. That is the direction we are going.

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

Supplementary To Question 322-15(3): Development Of Multiyear Program For Housing Repairs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the process that is currently in place, but that is not the point I am trying to make to the Minister. I don’t think the Minister is getting my point. This is specifically in regards to people that want to get their homes repaired. The point I am trying to make, Mr. Speaker, is we don’t have a program in place that is multiyear because of our limited number of funding at the community level. It is application-based, as the Minister indicates, but it is based on the assessment that has been undertaken at the individual client’s house. It could be, in some cases, in the hundreds of thousands dollars for repair needs. What I am suggesting to the Minister is, because of our limited number of funds, can his department look at developing this multiyear program so that we can assess a larger number of clients at the community level? For instance, this individual with a $100,000 repair that is required doesn’t have to take place in one year. It could be done over two years. That way, you are spreading the dollars to more clients. So that is my suggestion to the Minister. Would the Minister try to take a look at developing this type of program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 322-15(3): Development Of Multiyear Program For Housing Repairs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I would just like to reference my earlier comment. With our giving more authority to communities, that means if what they want is co-op funding arrangements with those local authorities to deliver programs by way of helping more of their clients, that is something that we are willing to look at. We are working towards empowering communities, especially the local housing authorities, to give them more responsibilities and give them more resources so they can do the jobs that they are there for. You don’t just set them up to manage something that they don’t have the resources to carry out. I would like to just assure the Member that I will bring forward your concern and see if that is a way that we can develop it. Right now, we are looking at empowering communities by way of giving them authority to deliver programs and services in the communities and have them delivered at the regional level. Thank you.