Thank you. Minister for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would have to get back to the Member. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker. And I believe they were saying that the report would have been another year or something in the making, but. Can the Minister update this House or I take that one back, Madam Speaker.
There is a proposed hydro transmission line to Fort Providence which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the local power plant. Has the department considered this option as electric heat for the rental units in the community? Mahsi.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would have to get back to the Member on that response. But I do want to say that we have had some environmental savings approaches as well through the Northwest Territories. We do have solar projects that were completed in Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Fort Liard, and Whati. And also for the biomass, we just completed a biomass project here in Yellowknife, I want to say in June of this year, and it was for eight public housing units at Sissons Court. And we do have a biomass project that has been completed in Aklavik, Hay River or sorry, Aklavik, Fort Resolution, N'dilo, Dettah, and Behchoko. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker. When contractors or others that provide rental units to the corporation or lease to rent unit, whether it is a single dwelling or an apartment complex, I note that the corporation does not stipulate any direction as to cost savings to the corporation. A lot of new ones where the market housing and also the ones to the RCMP. You know, for the provision of using biomass heating systems to these new units. And I'm just wondering if the Minister will develop a plan to include in the contract documents this provision in all upcoming new units. Mahsi.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I don't have that level of detail right in front of me. But as we are looking at the 90unit delivery throughout the Northwest Territories, we did take into consideration energy efficiency and when constructing and delivering of those units. So I would have to follow up with the Member for those further details. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker. My wood pellet boiler system always gets blown off by energy efficiencies type of thing where you're sealing a door or fixing a broken window. But to stimulate local economies in the small communities, will the Minister look at contracting out wood pellet boiler systems to local contractors or development corporations for the supply of wood pellet boiler system heat to NWT Housing Corporation units? Mahsi.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I like where the Member is going with this as well, too, and I didn't want to yes, I'm going to reference your wood pellet boiler system. And also I need to understand the need and demand, the supply throughout the Northwest Territories. I'm not familiar with that. If we were to move into looking at wood pellet boilers, I don't know what the supply is like in the Northwest Territories. So I'd have to get back to the Member in looking at what units would possibly be able that would be eligible for that type of transfer and also the operation and maintenance of that as well. And I'd have to follow up with the Member. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Oral questions, Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I'm just going to say to the Minister, I've got a wood pellet boiler in the House. I'd be happy to show her. But my questions are, again, for the same Minister, Minister responsible for the Housing Corp, and they're about the federal coinvestment fund and the NWT carve out. Can the Minister confirm that the NWT carve out funding has now all been accessed and will result in 66 new housing units for small communities? Mahsi Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, the coinvestment $60 million has been spent throughout the Northwest Territories. $25.5 million of that funding was applied to by the Housing Corporation therefore we were able to deliver 60 units throughout the Northwest Territories. And additionally, the 34.5 million was applied to and by Indigenous governments.
And with the previous announcements by the federal government, I just want to let the Member know that the recipients of the $34.5 million throughout the territory, the Indigenous groups received were Deh Gah Got'ine Nation, Lutselk'e Dene Nation, Hamlet of Tulita, Yellowknife Dene Nation, and Fort Good Hope Dene, had accessed their $34.5 million. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. Of course it's good news, but I wonder about the cost of these units. The average cost of the units appears to be about $520,000. Can the Minister explain how this compares to previous new builds undertaken by the NWT Housing Corporation. Mahsi, Madam Speaker. And I gave a head's up to the Minister so she got these ahead of this afternoon's proceeding.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. What I had found with the delivery of these units, they are costing us significantly a lot more than expected and the Housing Corporation has to work very strategic in delivering these units as well and trying to meet the obligations and the intent of the federal government for distributing this federal funding.
The corporation tendering cost results depend on a range of factors such as building location, building designs, the method of construction, and whether these are going to either be stick built or modular. For the corporation's coinvestment delivery involves bachelor and onebedroom units configuring either into fourplexes or duplexes for added cost savings.
With the 60 construction unit delivery primarily modular construction, 520,000 per unit cost has referenced in the corporation's total project budget including the design, site development, and logistics.
As with other in the construction industry, the corporation is observing price escalations in its delivery due to the impacts related to the COVID19 pandemic and also the availability of materials to be delivered to the territories as well. Those prices have drastically increased. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. I was hoping to kind of get an understanding of how these new costs compared to previous new builds, but I want to move on.
As the Minister and this House knows housing is certainly one of my own top priorities and we need to close the gap in terms of core housing need. Can the Minister confirm that the 60 units under the NWT carve out for the Housing Corporation will become part of their inventory and how will this affect operation and maintenance requirement and costs? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, this will be adding new stock to our current public housing units on the ground level. The corporation is anticipating being able to deliver these units, new public housing units for the list of communities. I'm pleased to advise that the corporation has received an initial funding allocation in 20222023 for the GNWT for the incremental ongoing operation and maintenance funding required associated with this delivery, and this included this will be included in the 20222023 main estimates. This funding for the additional units will begin in the delivery year of 20222023. That fiscal year is when these units should be constructed and people should be living in them. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that and, of course, probably have a few more questions this afternoon about where it's found in the main estimates. But it's not clear what the longterm plan is for the financing of the Housing Corporation, whether its governance model needs adjusting. Can the Minister briefly discuss the lessons learned from the NWT CoInvestment Fund carve out? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The corporation is currently undergoing the renewal. This will help us inform the annual and longterm business planning of the corporation and the governance element for the renewal conversations. Improved engagement with Indigenous groups, effective partnership capacity of stakeholders to apply for the secure federal funding and continue to work with Canada in partnership to seek innovation and flexibility and financing arrangements will also inform the renewal outcomes.
But looking at the longterm plans for the corporation, I will have to follow up with the Member as well, that, you know, we're just trying to get through this construction season right now. We are wanting to deliver these units on time. But that doesn't stop the corporation from going forward and accessing and lobbying for further funding coming forward. One of the things that the corporation is wanting to do now is address seniors housing in smaller communities as well, too, so we're having those conversations with the federal government on what type of programming that we should be applying for because we haven't received any further direct funding but except for the I think it was $25 million that we had received in the spring and those units are now just rolling out this year of 2022. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I recently saw that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation purchased the 24unit Nordic Arms from Yellowknife School District 1. I was just hoping the Minister could update the House on what the plan for Nordic Arms is both in regards to its existing tenants and likely the transfer of it to public housing. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I just wanted to talk about the Nordic Arms, that that was a huge opportunity for the corporation and also to try to relieve the leases that we do hold with Northview and trying to address that. And I've heard the conversation and the statements coming from the MLAs. So looking at this opportunity was something that we had applied for. There was, yeah, I think ten other submissions besides the corporation. So I was happy that we were able to win that contract bid.
But looking at the programs and services that would be offered through that initiative, right now we're looking at the transfer, looking at the waitlist that we do have, looking at the waitlist, the transfer list, and also we do have tenants that are wanting to get out of their current leases right now and their current location. So we're just working with the tenants. We're coming up with a plan. But, you know, I could follow up with the Members on what that transition is going to be looking like because the other is that I want to address seniors housing as well too. I know I'm taking a little bit of time, but I just it's such important information that I would need time to put this together and being able to provide that information to the MLAs. But, and also addressing the programming and the seniors as well too in Yellowknife. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I believe the Minister has somewhat alluded to it there. You know, I know the housing waitlist in Yellowknife is hundreds of people long. But I'm just curious whether the plan is we since we brought 24 new units into the portfolio, is this in addition to the Yellowknife housing total amount of units or will we then correspondingly lower the number of units we lease by 24? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Like I had said, I have to bring this back to the department in looking at our plan going forward because we do have to work with the waitlist that's there as well, too, but also addressing the trying to get out of those 24 Northview leases as well. So like I had said, I have to come back to the Member as well but there's a lot of planning that the corporation is doing right now for the transfer going forward. But I would like to see the leases with Northview cancelled. If I'm able to look at the 24 leases, at least that is a start. And I think to date we have 164 leases, if I'm correct, with Northview, and I did ask the corporation if they can price out what would it cost this government to construct 164 apartment building complex, and I haven't received that number yet. But I would like to have the opportunity to provide that information to the Member. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate the Minister having that conversation because, as I've mentioned many times, there's about $20 million in office space leasing that the GNWT has. There's another 700 or so units that income assistance essentially pays the lease for people. And then there's the other $3 million that the Housing Corp then leases. And I'm wondering if the Housing Corp has ever looked into offering a longterm lease to either a nonprofit or a dev corp so that they could use that money to probably leverage some more federal funding or, you know, leverage a mortgage or go build something or use it as O and M. I really believe that there is a potential to be using this over $30 million in leasing money much more effectively with the help of our dev corps and nonprofits. Is that something the Housing Corp has ever done or is willing to do? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just want to inform the Member as well, too, that the Housing Corporation has been approached by private industry as well too and looking at possible leases, how does this work, what type of clients do we have, and also the operation and maintenance of what it is like to hold these contracts with us. So I am open to meeting with the development corporations if this is something that they would like that they are interested in. And if we are able to look at entering into a separate lease agreement with another with private industry and alleviate more leases out of Northview, I'm willing to take a look at that and I'm willing to understand and see what else is out there here in Yellowknife. But just too, for the Member, I have had conversations with those with private industry as well too but they haven't really gotten anywhere. It is quite a huge responsibility to be delivering public housing and with a lot of situations that come with it as well too. So I just open that conversation with the Member as well too, if you'd like to follow up. And if there is interested Members, that I would like to at least have that conversation with whoever he's referring to. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I guess, you know, I find the leasing conversation interesting but, really, at the end of the day I think the solution is we simply need to build more public housing. Every time we build public housing, we actually free up units that we are currently renting. And there's just no doubt the GNWT is the single biggest driver of rent in Yellowknife, both through the number of workers it locates in Yellowknife and the amount it actually pays these companies. So every time we build more public housing, we fix and increase the vacancy rate, which is getting more and more pressure these days in the rental market. So my question for the Minister of the NWT Housing Corp is, considering those hundreds of people on the waitlist, is there any plans in the Housing Corp's capital budget to build more public housing in Yellowknife? Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. With the significant levels of affordable housing projects occurring under the federal government programs, the coinvestment fund program for one, the Housing Corporation's current public housing delivery is focused on smaller communities. The corporation is currently updating its analysis in core need investment need for new existing stock and the intent to share the information with all of the Members as soon as it is available in late March.
And also I just want to express that, you know, we do we haven't scheduled to be building any new complexes here in Yellowknife but we do have the Canada housing benefit that is available to the larger areas as well that does subsidize the market rental that is out there. So there is a bit more programming that is available to Yellowknife to alleviate those high costs of living here. And that's just one area of how we're addressing that. But the corporation is continuing it is continuing to closely monitor the status of its own properties in the city, and we'll certainly be looking at replace aging assets when they reach the end of life of service. These future public housing replacements could take a form of new buildings as possible, of existing buildings where appropriate. But I also do want to recognize that I have been asked the question of the new builds in Hay River and also in and looking at what we do have in the smaller communities and in the larger communities that do need to be replaced, and I do understand where the Member's coming from, but we do have significant programming to address those needs. And as of right now, we don't have any scheduled new builds for Yellowknife. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my first question actually relates to what the Member for Yellowknife North was talking about, and that's the opportunity to enter into longterm leases with different organizations, different renters, and potentially opening up doors to innovative agreements with the NWT Housing Corporation. So I'm wondering if the Housing Corporation has a policy that leads the way for longterm leases to happen between the Housing Corporation and either Indigenous governments or NGOs in our communities. Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. You know, this really strikes a lot of work that is being done already with the renewal. And I'd have to get back to the Member as well, too, and just for that updated information and really looking at where we are as a corporation and looking at those leases as well. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, two years ago when I first asked about longterm lease agreements and the policies that went with them, I also asked about policies that lead the way for partnership agreements between the NWT Housing Corporation and Indigenous governments and NGOs. There's a lot of different ways that this can happen. It doesn't have to simply be between lease agreements. It can be where Indigenous governments or NGOs actually are able to easier get the government or sorry, money through the federal government, build a building, and then the NWT Housing Corporation can then take on the responsibility of operating the government. So there's different types of partnership agreements that can happen. And so I'm wonder if the policy work exists with the NWT Housing Corporation to lead those types of policy agreements so that they're accessible for organizations that want to get involved. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. We are currently working with the Council of Leaders specifically developed for addressing housing throughout the Northwest Territories. We also have a working table with the federal government as well too that has been established. But looking at these opportunities going forward, it's quite interesting where we are going. And just like I had said that I would like to have the opportunity to really look at the renewal and looking at that strategy going forward because we will be reviewing those policies. But I don't have a timeline for that in front of me right now, but I can provide that to the Members. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, when we first sat in this House through our very first budget cycle, at that time the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation identified that our way forward was through partnership. And so I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to how many partnership agreements have been signed with Indigenous governments or NGOs in the life of this Assembly. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Looking at those partnerships is something that I pride on within this portfolio, and when we had the housing delivery of the 90 units I made sure that we acknowledge what the was coming from the smaller communities, was they wanted an opportunity to be working and partnering with the Housing Corporation. I don't have that number in front of me, but I could tell you that it's quite significant, and it's growing and, you know, the purpose of that too as well is creating employment in smaller communities but also building the capacity. And, you know, we're always going to be needing housing. We're always going to be needing the repairs. And also looking at further investment, we've had our community housing initiative that we're looking at, whether the community is identifying replacing pilings for private homeowners, whether they're looking at furnaces as well too. And, like, I can't I don't have all of those list of projects at the top of my head but I can provide that to the Member, that it's quite significant through the territory. And also working with the nonprofit organizations as well too, to program deliver on behalf of us, so that avoids the applications coming forward. But this is all initiated by smaller communities and interested nonprofit organizations as well too. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this week we heard from the Member from Nunakput or in an exchange between the Member for Nunakput and the Health Minister that Tuktoyaktuk was unable to hire a community health counsellor because they didn't have available housing. And so I'm wondering what type of action this spurs from the NWT Housing Corporation or what type of agreements sorry, what type of partnership conversations happen at the level of the Housing Corporation in response to understanding how lack of housing has an impact on access to mental health counsellors in communities? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is a question that was brought up as well, too, like the Member had said, but we have such a significant need throughout the Northwest Territories, let it be homelessness to homeownership to home repair to government employees wanting to work in smaller communities and providing these services. I have been asked as well, too, by my Cabinet colleagues to provide an analysis of what is required in the smaller communities as well and looking at whatever programs that we do have. My riding is quite small as well, too. We need probation officers. We need social workers, healthcare professionals, teachers, and it is a struggle to house them when they're wanting to come up to the North. But not only that, during my first and I think it was in 2020, I met with the NWT Teachers' Association and they had brought this up as well too, is that they would like to see teachers stay longer in smaller communities and it has been brought up that nurses would like to stay longer in smaller communities and really commit to providing those services. But housing is an issue right across the board, and the corporation is trying to work very strategically to offer those housing solutions and to be working with all departments, with all NGOs, with the smaller communities to address the housing need. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Applause
Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Everyone has acknowledged that there is a municipal infrastructure gap, however, the most recent numbers on the size of that gap which provide a community breakdown versus the formula that are publicly available are from 2014. My question therefore is, can the Minister provide an updated analysis of the municipal infrastructure gap and the year it was completed based on:
What is the current municipal infrastructure gap by community;
What is the current municipal infrastructure gap by community as it relates to operations and maintenance funding;
What is the current municipal infrastructure gap by community as it applies to water and sewer funding, or as it is now called, environmental funding; and
What is the current municipal infrastructure gap by community as it applies to capital funding, or as it is now called, CPI and Gas Tax? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Written questions. Member for Monfwi.
