Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the K’atl’odeeche First Nation is one of several groups that have outstanding lands and governance matters that have yet to be resolved, so my questions are to the Premier again, because of the matter of housing on the Hay River Reserve. Fourteen years ago, there were a couple of housing units that were built, and unfortunately, nothing's been done to try to house them. We have housing concerns throughout the communities. My question is to the Premier. What has the GNWT done in the past and what is it doing now to address the issue of vacant housing on the Hay River Reserve? Masi.
Masi. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I am pleased to say that we have seen the light.
---Laughter
The Government of Canada, the Government of Northwest Territories and the K'atl'odeeche First Nation are working together to resolve this long and outstanding housing issue on the Hay River Reserve. The way forward, as explained yesterday, is that there is still work to be done. A phase one environmental assessment was completed on the ten lots on the Hay River Reserve. A consultant has recommended that a phase two assessment will need to be completed in the summertime. In addition, the K'atl'odeeche Band is required to conduct the environmental remediation, as per a previous agreement, and we understand the federal government will not issue the federal leases required until remediation has occurred. The NWT Housing Corporation is currently in discussions with the K'atl'odeeche First Nation to ensure their commitment to complete their remediation so that the units can be placed back into service. Once the federal leases are ratified, the NWT Housing Corporation will provide those 10 houses to residents under the public housing program. Once the processes have been completed for 10 units, the NWT Housing Corporation will seek federal leases for the other six lots so that the units can be utilized for NWT Housing Corporation home ownership programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'd like to thank the honourable Premier for his reply. It's very encouraging actually seeing progress being made, but in his reply, I got lost somewhere in terms of the land leases. Such is the system that we have, where sometimes, simple matters get lost in the bureaucracy. What we are seeing now is an effort by this government to try to decentralize some of the decision-making in these communities, and so in this particular case, negotiations could be fast-tracked, that these houses become available as soon as possible to make them available to constituents. We have done it. We have established a health cabin on the reserve, so there is precedent. My question to the Premier again is: does the GNWT support having the funding for the housing on the Hay River Reserve go directly to KFN, rather than being flowed through the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, if that is their desire?
That is something that we would negotiate with the K'atl'odeeche First Nation. There are two different aspects of it: one is who determines who goes into the houses; and secondly, who will do the maintenance. We would need a maintenance agreement and also, we would need an agreement with the K’atl’odeeche First Nation as to how the units would be allocated.
The simple question amounts to: When can the people of the K’atl’odeeche First Nation expect to see these houses become occupied by band members?
Being a very optimistic person, I expect that the environmental remediation will be completed this summer. As soon as it's completed, the federal government will issue the required leases and we can have people moving into the houses.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
