Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today I feel I must continue to share my frustration and disappointment with the overall state of Housing NWT and its service delivery to all people in the NWT.
Madam Speaker, throughout this entire term, all Regular MLAs have shared stories about their constituents' negative experiences with Housing NWT, and I don't blame them. The overall state of the housing units across the NWT are several decades old and are in severe disrepair. Most of the required repairs in public housing go unaddressed for many weeks, months, or even years by housing staff. So in cases where significant repairs to a public housing unit are required but housing staff fail to examine or repair said damages, is the onus on the tenant to cover all the damages? At what point does Housing NWT take responsibility for negligence towards the maintenance of housing units? Where is the line drawn?
Moreover, Madam Speaker, several of my colleagues have recently highlighted the issue of housing arrears, particularly for low income people and the difficulty for many in paying off their housing arrears. I agree with my colleagues that there is a real need for this government to examine all policies around housing arrears. Everyone's situation is different, but often it is low income or vulnerable people who owe housing arrears in public housing and it takes them considerable time to pay that off. There has got to be a mechanism of relief or additional support provided to these types of people in situations who are indebted with mounting housing arrears.
In addition, Madam Speaker, I support the idea of having a competent and dedicated board of local housing authorities because they provide a local perspective and a voice on all housing matters within our communities. At least, they're supposed to. However, it's been brought to my attention that the local housing authority in Fort Smith does not have a full slate of members right now, which is concerning. The reasons for vacancies are varied. But it is my understanding that once a board member is chosen by the local housing authority, it takes three months to get approval out of Yellowknife from Housing NWT to confirm any new board members. That is not acceptable. It is a bureaucracy like which disempowers local housing
Member for Thebacha, your Member's statement has expired.
Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
That is not acceptable. It is bureaucracy like that which disempowers local housing boards and gives greater power to Housing NWT to dictate local housing decisions.
In closing, Madam Speaker, I really don't like ending a session like this, but I hope the housing Minister will take note of all the concerns we have on this side of the House and will enact some positive concrete changes within Housing NWT as soon as possible. And I hope to see more houses built and more retrofits done in Fort Smith because there hasn't been anything new on this for this year. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.
