Debates of October 27, 2022 (day 127)
Member’s Statement 1234-19(2): Local Housing Organizations Preventative Maintenance Program
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently I had a tenant of a local housing organization contact me with concerns related to the furnace. The furnace started with a bang and when they went to investigate, there was soot spewing all over the furnace room. Mr. Speaker, it would make the hair on the back of your head stand out. I was even provided photos of the situation, and it didn't look good. The couple were very concerned as they didn't know if they were breathing carbon monoxide along with the soot, and this was on a weekend. Fortunately, an LHO maintenance personnel attended to their concerns.
Mr. Speaker, in our old dilapidated public housing units, typically you would find a domestic water tank and associated equipment and no carbon monoxide detectors. If one has ever looked in on a unit that has constant soot being blown out of the furnace, this can be quite messy. Mr. Speaker, this is typical of a lack of a preventative maintenance program at the LHO level. This is typical where there is no training for maintenance staff to understand the operation of heating equipment and to perform basic repairs. Perhaps Housing NWT can tell us how much money they save by not enforcing their preventative maintenance program. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.