Debates of October 27, 2006 (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement I talked about the Novel housing project. Mr. Speaker, the written questions to the previous Minister talked about five key points in terms of the comparative analysis of the Novel housing project. Number one, the Mackenzie gas project is a go or no go. Number two, it’s under a full-scale review by the proponents. Number three, the Novel concept must be accepted by the proponents on a workforce housing initiative and competitive bidding process. I’d like to ask the Minister of the Housing Corporation in terms of time frame, in terms of we’re going to look seriously at the third point in the points that the previous Minister outlined to a question that was posed to him. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 209-15(5): Affordable Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my understanding that the proponent is ready to accept the Novel housing concept, but we are waiting for the federal government to give us word on whether or not they are partnering in this program. Without the federal government, this project just doesn’t work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 209-15(5): Affordable Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the response. That was my fourth point in this written question. The federal government must agree financially to contribute to this and proponents must agree that to hand over these units upon completion of the Mackenzie gas project at no cost to the federal government. So my question to the Minister of the Housing Corporation, when will he know from this current government, when will he know that this deal must get done otherwise it’s no go for this Novel concept? We’re too late to get into the business of this Novel housing. So when will he expect to tell the people of the Northwest Territories the federal government’s on board and we’re ready to go with the Novel concept? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 209-15(5): Affordable Housing Initiative

Mr. Speaker, I haven’t given the federal government a deadline of when I need them to reply because that’s tied to when the pipeline project moves ahead and, as Members know, Imperial and their partners are just doing a costing of it right now and there could be some changes in their plans. But, Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister and I’ve told the Minister, tell us yes or no, are they on side with this one or are they not? Because if they’re not going to partner on it then let us know and we’ll stop spending our time and energy on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 209-15(5): Affordable Housing Initiative

Thank you. I certainly support the Premier’s strong voice and opinions to the Prime Minister in terms of this Novel. Quit wasting the time; similar to the resource revenue sharing and devolution agreements. It’s a no go or it’s a go. So, Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister of the Housing Corporation in terms of this whole Novel concept, I understand from the previous discussions in the House with the Fort Providence bridge project that the Novel was going to be considered as a test in exposure of units of these types of Novel housing units. Are they still being considered elsewhere in the Northwest Territories in terms of testing out these ATCO homes in terms of the availability or strength of them? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 209-15(5): Affordable Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Member’s right. The Mackenzie Valley pipeline isn’t the only show in the Territories. There’s mining opportunities and so on. The bridge, as the Member has mentioned, is one other. Mr. Speaker, those are all possibilities and they’re still being considered with the manufacturer of these convertible houses. The requirement, though, will be that we have an affordable package, and there are still some design issues. We have some requirements for double walls and double floors and so on that the manufacturer has to take into consideration. In the end this has to be a good quality house; it has to be affordable; it has to be a good deal before we’ll consider it. But if there are new mining operations where there are camps, required workforce camps, then, yes, I’m still interested as long as we get a good, affordable, economical housing package out of it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 209-15(5): Affordable Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of months I was in Tulita and I want to say that to the Premier in support of his government in terms of thanking him in terms of cleaning the uranium contaminated site. People are sure happy in terms of that move, Mr. Speaker. But I also found that the community of Deline is going to be doing some work in the uranium site up at Great Bear Lake and that they’re going to put together a proposal I understand from Dolphus Tutcho, I’m sorry, from the community members in Deline that there may be a process where they could look at this ATCO Novel housing concept as a possible area that they would certainly look at as an opportunity to use. I want to ask the Minister, would he consider giving some discussions with his team in the Housing Corporation to talk to the people, especially the land corporations in Deline, in terms of this type of an opportunity? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 209-15(5): Affordable Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I certainly will. I will be meeting with the Housing Corporation this afternoon in fact and I will raise this one with them. I understand this is a 40-person camp that we’re looking at. It might be one that would work very well, so, Mr. Speaker, yes, the Housing Corporation will go ahead and start talking with the land corporations and others on this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.