Debates of March 11, 2020 (day 17)

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Martin.

Speaker: MR. MARTIN

Thank you, Madam Chair. Under the co-investment fund, there would certainly be opportunities working with our partners, Indigenous governments, and other partners to hopefully see some further investment in supporting homelessness, in all communities. So we certainly look forward to those opportunities, and we will continue to work with our partners in that regard. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Martin. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I think I got a swing and a miss there. Okay. I am trying to ask this in another way, then. Those three items I mentioned earlier, they are decreasing. Does the Minister feel this will be enough to help some of the homelessness issues we are having in the small communities because I really feel like we are not addressing that?

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.

We would have to continue looking for federal opportunities to increase these dollar amounts here. I just wanted to comment to the Member when he was asking about the co-investment fund. The co-investment fund is 75/25, so just as an example, it is offered out to the interested groups that are out there, not only just the Indigenous groups. We would work in partnership with them if we have the opportunity and if we were invited to be a part of the process and a part of their project. That is how that part would work. The co-investment fund doesn't go directly to the Housing Corporation. Thank you, Madam Chair. [Microphone turned off] ...I will have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on the answer. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Carpenter.

Speaker: MR. CARPENTER

Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe I understand where the Member is going. I think we are getting mixed up a bit in actuals versus what our budget it is. As you'll notice, our actuals overall were $2.4 million whereas we budget nearly $3 million. Our intent is to leave that $3 million. You'll see, in some cases, we actually overspend when we have some unforeseen issues going forward. The goal is to keep those budgets in place and address extra spending requirements as they arise. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Carpenter. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I think I went down the rabbit hole. I am going to ask a little easier question here. Some of my constituents, in dealing with that, use Hope's Haven here in town. I just want to see here: does that fall under the emergency shelters? Does emergency shelters fund that? That is a question to the Minister.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I get the Member to repeat his question? We fund what organization? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Can you repeat your question, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh?

Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. I will repeat that. Under the line item emergency shelters, does the Hope's Haven program here in Yellowknife access that program?

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Madam Chair. According to what we have, I don't see that we fund the Hope program for Yellowknife. I will follow up with the Member in case I might be incorrect. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a single question in regard to the Transitional Rent Supplement Program. Firstly, I recognize that this wasn't subscribed before, but previous Minister said that it was largely due to lack of advertising. I think when we have to constantly ask the Housing Corporation to put their policies on a website, let alone make an application available online, it's understandable that programs aren't subscribed to. My issue with this line item is that it is actually not correct because this program is sunsetting this fiscal and then we are going to have the Canada Housing Benefit come in. Obviously, if it is a different program, we will have some different qualifiers. I understand all people in this program will automatically be applied to the new one but not necessarily meet the qualifications of the new program. My concern is that I have a number of constituents on this. If they don't meet those new qualifiers, I don't like passing a line item and saying that this program is going to go ahead when it is not.

What I am looking for: is the Minister willing to commit that -- there is going to be that small portion of people who are on this program presently, maybe have a year of the two years left, don't meet the new program. Are we willing to continue to fund them until they have gone on to finish their two years? I really just don't want people who are expecting this program to continue to have their applications denied under the new one and then all of a sudden they have no rent supplement program. Are we willing to have those people who fall through the cracks finish their Transitional Rent Supplement Program?

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With this program sun-setting, I would like to work with the clients to make sure that they don't feel the significant changes of the transition into the new program. I will work with the Member as we identify these clients in making sure that they don't end up in a situation, but we will try our best to find the support to help them. I will have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on the comment. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Carpenter.

Speaker: MR. CARPENTER

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. That is our hope is that current clients of the Transitional Rent Supplement Program move over to the Canada Housing Benefit. However, we have to set up the budget for the 2020-2021 year. I think I will probably go out on a limb a bit with the Minister that we are going to support them for at least that fiscal year if there are issues going onto the Canada Housing Benefit.

Thank you, Mr. Carpenter. Any further questions? Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Yellowknife North

I am happy to hear that. Yes. My understanding is that there will be a lot of program overlap, but there are going to be a few people who fall through the cracks. It just doesn't make sense to me to not fund them for the year and make the transition between programs smooth. I don't want to be asking questions on behalf of my constituents. For the few that didn't make it, let's fund them for the year and make this a smooth transition. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. I will take that as a comment. Are there any further questions on the finance and infrastructure services? Seeing no further questions, please turn to page 369. NWT Housing Corporation, finance and infrastructure services, operations expenditure summary, 2020-2021 Main Estimates, $14,399,000. Does committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

All right. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Madam Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress. Marsi cho.

There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress. Sergeant-at-Arms, will you please escort the witnesses out of the Chamber?

Report of the Committee of the Whole