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
