Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, just to reiterate earlier comments, the Housing Corporation certainly does consider the survey when considering allocations. However, there are a number of other factors that do also need to be considered in the process. In this particular case, the allocations for Gameti were primarily based in terms of age and condition of our existing housing stock. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Martin. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the witness has said that the Housing Corporation considers core need but other factors, so could he confirm that age and condition are factors that are in addition and outside of core need, or does he mean something else? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Martin.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Martin. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So then I have some questions about page 71, which shows there is a major retrofit of 103 units, so that's about a third of the Yellowknife Housing Authority stock. How was that number arrived at visavis the core need for Yellowknife? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.
Mr. Chair, would it be appropriate to ask the Member to repeat her question? Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm now on page 71. I'm looking at the second line from the bottom, that says 103 units will be retrofitted this year. I'm wondering how the NWT housing survey was used to determine that 103 units need retrofitting. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In this particular case sorry.
I would just like to remind the witnesses that, if the Minister would like one of her witnesses to answer, to address it through the microphone while the light is on. Thank you. So, Mr. Martin, you can please continue.
Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In terms of the Yellowknife retrofits, in this particular case here, again age and condition of the units was considered for that investment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Martin. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So this variable of age and condition seems to be a very powerful indicator of investment. What I see my colleague has called up the survey is that core housing need in Yellowknife is 17 per cent but the number of retrofits being proposed are 33 per cent. Maybe I could get a better idea of how these different elements are weighted. Do they each have an equal weight, or do they have unequal weights, whatever the weights are? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll let Mr. Martin address that question.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Martin.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As I mentioned earlier, there are a number of factors that are taken into consideration in determining the funding allocations for year to year. In terms of specific weighting, there is no specific defined weighting that is followed amongst the various factors, although I would highlight that the NWT Housing Corporation does maintain very close monitoring and analysis of the age and conditions of our units.
We do have this data, and that does help us prioritize the limited dollars that we do have available to invest in our existing housing stock. It is an objective approach that we do follow in terms of prioritizing those dollars. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Martin. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that answer. What I was trying to get to was that there was some evidence base to the allocation of retrofit dollars among the various needs of the housing authority. It is good to know that there is an evidence base to that. I think it would be useful to include a little bit of an explanation of what that evidence is in this capital plan in years going forward. That is a comment. I don't have any other questions. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Would the Minister like to respond to the comment?
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I agree. I think it is a wise idea. In capital plans in the future, we will add an explanation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for that, Minister. Next I have Mr. Thompson, I believe.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to page 70, in there we are talking about affording housing, seven units. I do have a couple of questions in regards to these units. Can the Minister please advise if land has been secured for these projects? Thank you, Mr. Chair
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.
Mr. Martin will address that.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Martin.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As mentioned earlier, the Housing Corporation is very much involved in land acquisition to support our project delivery. In this particular case here, we have gone out, probably about a year ago now, for an expression of interest for land in Fort Simpson. We did receive a number of responses. We do continue to work with the proponents in that process. At this time, we haven't secured specific lots for this delivery as of yet, but we do intend to do this in the very near future. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Martin. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank Mr. Martin for the answer. I am very concerned that you haven't got this land settled because we lost a health centre to the process of securing lands, so I want to make sure this department does not have any issues in securing this land. I guess I just want to get the commitment from the Minister to keep me advised when this land is being purchased and we can start these projects. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Member is aware that we did actually purchase some land in Fort Simpson. We found out after the fact that there were burial sites on it, so that land was deemed not suitable for use for housing, although we are going to put some markers on the grave sites just out of respect. We have looked at other options within the community of Fort Simpson, but the price was quite high. We are just in the process now of negotiating those prices for land. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, and I thank the Minister for her answer. Yes, I am aware of that land because it is right behind my office. I can see it when I look out the window. Yes, I am very aware of it. My concern, though, is that we haven't concretely got the land set up. That, there, concerns me, that we are talking about seven units, which is, my understanding, seven units for the RCMP that are detached, that look after Fort Simpson and Wrigley. My question again goes back to the Minister. Will she please keep me informed, or the department keep me informed, of this land when it is being purchased, so that we know that these projects don't get delayed? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I can confirm that, at this point, we are in the process of negotiating seven parcels of land for these units. Once the negotiations are complete, I will update the Member. At any time the Member wants to know the status, he is more than welcome to send an e-mail as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for her answer. Now, back to the project, the seven units. It talks about materials and supplies. Is this going to be stick-built or modular homes being brought in to the community to house the RCMP? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The RFP are put out to accommodate all, so people can bid on the request for proposal either through stick-built, modular, or panel housing. We are open to all suggestions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank the Minister for her short kind of an answer. I understand what the process is. Has the department worked with the RCMP to make sure that we actually build what they are looking for and not what is the most cost-effective way of do it? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We work very closely. We participate in a working group with the RCMP to determine what their needs are. They are very specific in what they are looking for in units, so it is imperative that we work closely with them to make sure that we meet their needs. That you can, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for that answer. In regards to the affordable housing, the title, is the department looking at rephrasing it? Because affordable housing, to me, looks like it is something for somebody else. This is actually specifically for the RCMP, so people look that this plan -- that they understand that. If we can make sure it is identified so people in the community of Fort Simpson don't think we have seven more units coming in there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Would the Minister like to reaffirm her earlier commitment?
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As the commitment made to MLA Testart, we have committed that in future we will change the names from affordable housing for the RCMP units. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
