Thank you, Minister. Member.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for that. Again, the one time I was in the rental office with my constituent, they were very lovely and helpful. Maybe the Minister could speak to what is the percentage of clients that are public housing clients at the rental office?
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The most recent numbers I have, which are a few years old now, it was around 60 percent of the cases involved public housing, but that is going back early in the last Assembly. I am not sure if we have more recent stats. I don't think it would be a stretch to say it's probably the majority, but I will see if the deputy minister might have some information. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, the Housing Corporation is the highest user of the rental services. I'm just trying to see if I have that number with me. I believe it is in the 50 percentage, Madam Chair, but I don't have that exact number, what 50 percent, with me. They are the highest user, and it is in the 50 percentage area. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just further to that, then, with the way that COVID is impacting our rental community at the moment, there is a lot of fear I'm hearing from constituents about making their rents, and the rent reliefs were really needed and helpful. However, I'm just wondering if we anticipate that we're going to actually see an increase again in the demands and services of the rental office, and I'm wondering if it is perhaps going to be underfunded for the upcoming year, given the COVID implications that we're seeing? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you. I'd like to ask the deputy minister to respond.
Thank you. Deputy Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. At this time, we are carefully watching our numbers and taking our statistics. I'll just mention that, as of December 21, 2020, the average time between date of application filed within the NWT rental office and hearing date for the matter was five to seven weeks, and this is consistent with previous reporting. The average time between the date of the hearing and the date of an order of a decision has dropped to less than two weeks. We are watching that carefully, and we'll go forward through the business planning process if we do see an increased need. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's good to hear that the numbers are improving and wait times are improving. I just am really concerned, or I just want to maybe make a comment to emphasize, and perhaps this isn't quite the right spot for it, but the Minister and just looking at ways to help our constituents. I'm concerned that we're sort of a few months out from a little bit more of a pandemic or housing issue, with people being evicted, with our larger landlords being REITs that aren't necessarily invested in the North. I've been hearing that real estate trusts have almost a bragging thing in their shareholders' reports about how they turn over so many units every year, and then they can up the prices on those units. I'm really concerned that's creating an issue and an unaffordable market for the North. I don't know if the Minister wants to comment in response to that, but I do think there is a piece here in the rental office that has to accommodate for that. Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you. I don't think it's a secret to anyone that there's a rental crunch in places like Yellowknife and places like Hay River, and there's limited housing. Everyone is alive to the effects of the pandemic. The rental offices are definitely keenly aware of what's going on, and we watch the trends. If there is a need for additional support, it's something that I'm in favour of supporting because I've seen what happens when you really do have those backlogs and how it can negatively affect people. Thank you.
Thank you. No further questions? Any further questions under services to the public? Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I just have one quick question in regard to legal registries. I'm just wondering if the same kind of tracking of turnaround times that happened in the rental office happened within legal registries, as well, and if there is a backlog there? I'll start with that. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you. I'll ask the deputy minister.
Deputy Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, and we do track our metrics. I'm not aware of any backlog or that we're behind too far where we need to change the course we're tracking on right now. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Member.
No. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I appreciate that, and I'll stop there. Thank you.
Thank you. Are there any further questions to services to the public? Seeing no further questions to services to the public, please turn to page 298. Justice, services to the public, operations expenditure summary, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $4,564,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, Members. Please return now to the department summary found on page 271. Justice, operations expenditures, total department, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $133,753,000. Does committee agree? Mr. Norn.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Justice at this time. Marsi cho, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Consideration of the Department of Justice, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, operating expenditures, total department is deferred. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Thank you, Minister, and thank you to the witnesses for appearing before us. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. What is the wish of committee, Mr. Norn?
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that the Chair rise and report progress.
Thank you. The motion is in order. The motion is non-debatable. All those in favour? Opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
I will now rise and report progress.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022, and I would like to report progress, with one motion carried, and, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.
Thank you. Do we have a seconder? Member for Deh Cho. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Orders of the day for Thursday, March 4, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.:
Prayer
Ministers' Statements
Members' Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to Commissioner's Address
Petitions
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Motions
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Public Highways Act
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Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupational Certification Act
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Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Interpretation Act
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Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Securities Act
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Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act
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Committee Report 8-19(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Referral of Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020
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Committee Report 9-19(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the Administration of the 2019 Territorial General Election
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Committee Report 10-19(2), Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Bill 3: An Act to Amend the Public Highways Act
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Minister's Statement 77-19(2), National Housing Co‐Investment Fund
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Tabled Document 165-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 1-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT
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Tabled Document 166-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT
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Tabled Document 167-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT
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Tabled Document 286-19(20), Main Estimates 2021-2022
21.
Report of Committee of the Whole
22.
Third Reading of Bills
23.
Orders of the Day
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Thursday, March 4, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 5:46 p.m.
