Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The corporation fully complies with the GNWT's policy by utilizing in an open, fair, and transparent public request for proposal process when procuring its leased housing units. These public requests for proposal are open to potential landlords including development corporations and nonprofit organizations. And I just also want to include that since I've had the portfolio that we've strategized on how we are going to be looking at the housing delivery in the territories and I just want the Member to just express to her that I understand that, you know, there's a huge need looking at the leases in the territories but also looking at the limited availability that we have here in Yellowknife as well. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate that, but I mean if we have an open RFP process but there's only run landlord, it's pretty much guaranteed where it's going, so kind just a comment.
An issue we hear time and again as MLAs is the lack of land that is available for development in the North. So what is the department and the Minister doing to work with GNWT colleagues on getting that land transferred to the cities or the communities for development? Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just to comment on the question asked previously that the Housing Corporation is interested in if there are additional landlords that out there besides Northview for the Yellowknife area, that I'm interested in having those conversations and really a description of what it is that they can offer the corporation and the territory as a whole. And also specifically to talk about the question in regards to land, I would have to get back to the Member because there is such levels of transfers that need to happen prior to a transaction such as that happening. So I have to get back to the Member. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yeah, that's fine; I do recognize that it's a complex situation. As I spoke to earlier in this session, constituents want to see social programming available on site in their building such was the model at YWCA's Rockhill House. So is the department working to identify spaces within existing leases and buildings to be used for integrated service delivery and social programming? Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just want to highlight to the Member as well that I will be tabling the strategy for renewal for the Housing Corporation, and we've taken all of the comments that I've heard from the other side and lobbying for housing and to improve the housing programs throughout the Northwest Territories and that we are looking at the reviewing of programs and policies as well, too, and how I can work with my colleagues in delivering those programs to meet the needs of low income housing clients. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Final supplementary, Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will also be tabling a document today which has some commitments about availability of social programming for youth so I hope that the Minister will take a look at that.
My last question is that in my riding I have two vacant lots where apartment buildings once stood Rockhill and Polaris. Both were lost to fire significantly reducing the available units within the city. Is there a plan to rebuild on the GNWTowned Rockhill lot or to purchase the lot of the former Polaris building for social housing? Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thanks.
Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you to the Member for the question because I have the similar question in Hay River South as well, too, in looking at replacing units throughout the territory but also looking at vacant land. We don't have that budget set aside. We honestly have to forecast for those replacements. With the significant level of affordable housing projects occurring under the federal government programs, such as the National CoInvestment Fund Program, the Housing Corporation's current public housing delivery, its focus on smaller communities for this government. The corporation is currently updating its analysis on core need investment, needs for new existing stock, and the intent to share this information with all Members as soon as it's available. The corporation has continued to closely monitor the status of its properties in the city and will certainly be looking at replacement aging assets when they reach the end of their service and their life. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, specifically, only one home was destroyed in my riding for the situation of my constituent. So that is why this case was handled differently. Does the Minister believe that any victim of a natural disaster whose home was destroyed should be treated the same regardless of the community they live in? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. First of all, I want to acknowledge that any situation causing the loss of someone's home and belongings is a tragic event. My heart goes out to those who have experienced their losses especially that I've seen during my term. During my term, I've seen a number of fires that have taken homes throughout the Northwest Territories and, you know, the corporation has tried to work with those clients in trying to help them to get them housed immediately.
In this case, where is a wild spread of a natural disaster, the assistance is offered through the disaster assistance policy through MACA. The incident that the Member refers to was deemed not to be widespread natural disaster and therefore that policy did not come into effect.
For the corporation, we are responsible for our units in these situations. So for an example, in Jean Marie, where four Housing Corporation ownedunits were impacted, the corporation took responsibility for repairing and replacing those assets. Personal losses from the tenants in those homes would be dealt with by the disaster assistance policy and not by the corporation. For private homes, the primary relief available repair by typically do not replace private homes that are lost in natural or manmade disasters. Examples, House fires. But like I had said, that the corporation when we hear of these emergencies, the local housing authorities do reach out to the clients and do try to allocate them units as soon as possible and where we would avoid putting them on the waitlist. We would treat this as an emergency. And for somebody who had been on the waitlist for the past three, four, five years, six months, whatever, we would make sure that we address those emergencies accordingly. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, can the Minister tell us if the NWT Housing Corp considers natural disasters that destroys people's homes on a casebycase basis, or is there an uniform approach from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation in dealing with people's homes destroyed by natural disasters? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. We don't have a policy that guides us into those type of emergencies in replacing private homes. We are responsible for our own assets where they're, you know, damaged by natural disasters. The corporation would try to replace those homes or else they would have to go on our next forecasted capital budget for those replacements. We have experienced where we have lost our own assets and we're not able to replace those units as soon as possible. But then I fully understand with the disaster assistance policy, it had to have been widespread and my apologies to the Member that we did the best that we can to address this issue and trying to find alternative solutions to work with the Member. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, can the Minister tell us if the NWT Housing Corp treats victims of natural disasters differently based on the type of disaster they were in or are all victims treated the same across the board? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Housing Corporation has been consistent with our approach to the homes lost through disasters. The corporation does not hold responsibility for the loss of private homes. It is only responsible for the loss of its own properties. But like I had mentioned before that we try to work with those clients and we try to find solutions for them. And to help them to get on to the waitlist, and we avoid that we make sure that there is a unit that possibly is vacant that possibly could be available to the individual but according to the policies we do have right now, we don't replace private homes. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Thebacha.
Madam Speaker, the Minister's previous answers to this situation always references the income threshold. My constituent would like to be treated fairly and receive a fair rental monthly fee for the unit he is now in. This type of policy is something I would like the Minister to investigate and think out of the box. Does the Minister believe that any NWT resident who is a victim to a natural disaster is deserving of compensation if their home is destroyed? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will follow up with the Member because this is a file that I've been working with and it's just really obviously who I'm speaking about so I would like to follow up with the Member separately. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Okay, Madam Speaker [Translation] Madam Speaker, this issue I am going to talk about is regarding the people of the Northwest Territories. It is them who wrote this statement. They don't have a lot of job and they don't make very much money. And beyond that, and the people from Housing Corporation, they still have these people's information, they have policies in place and it depends on your income whether you fall into the certain brackets. And they are not able to help them. They have policies like this in place and it's preventing people from being helped which is not right. In our eyes, we think that this is completely wrong. If they want to help the people in the community, they need to have a policy that helps people equally. And we know that there is a shortage of jobs in the community, and this policy needs to be reviewed. So if they want to help the people in the communities, they need to look at these old houses and some of these people still have old mortgages. We want them to write off these mortgages. So my first question is, Madam Speaker, is it right? Is it accurate? Is it right that some people are still living are still living in a rental with no running water? Is that right? That's my first question, if she thinks this is right for people to live like this. [Translation ends].
Thank you, Member. Minister for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. With the current policies that we do have, and I do hear the Member and I pulled the I've asked the corporation to provide me with a list of outstanding mortgages that we do have throughout the Northwest Territories. I have said to the corporation that I would like to deal with these files and try to close them up before the end of this government.
But what I have been able to discover was that we do have to follow the Financial Management Act when we are going to be writing off any of these bad debts coming forward, and it does go through a thorough process as well too. So I would have to follow up with the Member for those specific clients as well and I would like to get those further details. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mahsi. [Translation] I am happy I would say. My second questions would be [Translation ends] assets to ensure it is fair for both party.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Absolutely. Like I had said in my previous responses is that we are working with the 248 mortgage clients throughout the Northwest Territories and trying to strategize in how to work with those debts coming forward, and I would like to meet with the Member privately as well too so I can she can provide me a list of those constituents that would need to be addressed from the corporation. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mahsi. Would the government commit to an ombudsman for the Housing Corporation so people's concern can be reviewed and reported on an independent third party?
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm not going to commit to that today. Madam Chair, I would like to meet with the Member privately and we can discuss those files going forward and those concerns and what we could work through and accomplish within the lifetime of this government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.
Mahsi, thank you, I'm looking forward to the meeting. So when is the Housing Corporation policy review going to be completed? Will the MLA and communities have a chance to comment on them? Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. We will be tabling the strategy for renewal for the corporation today, and we do have set timelines and I will be sharing that with standing committee and all MLAs. So I could provide them with a timeline and measure our progress going forward. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today we'd like to just, you know, find a solution for housing in the community of Paulatuk. We're really in core dire need over there because we have been told today we have 29 on the waiting list. 29 applications. Madam Speaker, can the Minister commit to work with the community of Paulatuk for the housing solutions within the life of this Assembly, and that the 28 people that need a home in Paulatuk. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Minister for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I really want to highlight the renewal that I will be tabling today, and it really opens up that dialogue to be working with the Indigenous groups as well and looking at, you know, that we've lobbied the federal government so I know there's federal money coming to the Northwest Territories and in the responsibility for the corporation, I would like to work in partnership in addressing the housing needs at the community level. Today I can just confirm for the Member that he will be receiving four units in the community of Paulatuk, and I know that doesn't address the housing waitlist as he had mentioned of 29 but I will be working with the Member. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. So Madam Speaker, with the funding that the Indigenous governments got, $34 million into the NWT, how does it work in regards to getting them and holding them accountable for providing building units in our communities that need it, or do they just get to sit on the money and pop houses in regards to wherever they think they're needed and we're in dire need now. So how does this government hold the Indigenous governments accountable for housing monies from the federal government? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. And in respect, I would not as a housing Minister and part of the territorial government, I would not hold the Indigenous governments accountable in that way. I would like to approach engagement and partnership with the Indigenous groups and trying to find solutions at the ground level.
I'm not sure of the money that they have for the federal money that they would be receiving from the federal government. But as we go forward, I would like to work with the Indigenous groups and work on their priorities as well. But not only that, I would like to share the information that we have as a Housing Corporation and what we built in the smaller communities and how we can be working together strategically. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the coinvestment fund is $34.5 million. We have to hold our local Indigenous governments accountable. I'm Indigenous, and we need houses in our communities. We need them sooner than later. They already got the monies. They've been sitting on it for a bit. I've been trying to get in contact with my Inuvialuit Regional Development Corporation in regards to where they're at with units. Nothing. How do we hold them accountable, and how do we get houses and units on the ground for people that the money's intended for instead of sitting on it? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. With the federal funding that has been allocated to the Indigenous groups, the GNWT had lobbied for more money for the Northwest Territories but also included in the messaging, that it doesn't have to go directly to the Government of the Northwest Territories, that we would support going to the local Indigenous groups. With the distribution that throughout the territory. I don't have that amount of information. I'm not a part of those conversations going forward between the Indigenous groups and the federal government and the further details that are required for that funding. But what I can say is that for the territories that we had acquired the 25.5 million through the National CoInvestment Fund in trying to address the housing needs throughout the Northwest Territories and through that we were able to provide 60 units throughout the Northwest Territories. But I just want to be very clear that we don't have any involvement with the federal money that's being allocated to the Indigenous groups. But the corporation is willing to be working in partnership in trying to help them deliver those units as well, too. Whatever they may decide. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
What is your point of order.
For a Member to be asking a Minister from the GNWT to be accountable to federal money that is given to an Indigenous government or to an organization that the GNWT has no say over. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. There is no point of order. I think the Minister can take the question and answer it accordingly, and we'll move on. Final supplementary. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I just we just need to we're just short of houses in the communities, and money's been given. We got like, she said earlier, 34 million. 66 houses for the aboriginal governments and another 30 or 60 for our territorial government. A hundred twenty something units, Madam Speaker. We need units on the ground. We can't give lip service no more. We need a timeline to work forward to getting this done. And I'm just trying to hold people accountable. It's our job. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. I didn't hear any question in that so we'll move on. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I know in the mission statement that the Minister stated there, they used the word "innovation." And innovation is always trying something new and I hope it's just not putting new siding on a House, but. But I really am encouraged by that word and it speaks well to the wood pellet boiler systems that I bring up. And it's not just a word exercise to me but it's to help the Minister and the department in realizing savings and overall there's savings to our bottom line and the budget which we can use elsewhere, Madam Speaker.
I've got the March 29, 2021, letter from the Minister response to my oral question on biomass heating and energy. And it states that the corporation is currently developing its own threeenergy action plan. And it goes on to indicate the report will be out last spring. It would have been AprilMay 2021. Can the Minister update this House as to that report that should have been out in the spring of 2021? Mahsi.
