Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of housing. Earlier the Minister responded to my oral question from last session and mentioned two projects here in Yellowknife that are being are supposedly work of the department in order to combat homelessness. Can the Minister tell me how much money that the GNWT contributed to those two projects, Lynn's Place and Spruce Bough that were mentioned in the return to oral questions. It's my understanding that money was from the federal government, not the GNWT and the two NGOs involved. Can the Minister please speak to the GNWT's contribution. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question as well too. I actually just had the information in front of me, but I was more calculating the units for Yellowknife. That's what I had concentrated on. We have 366 that are being delivered now by the national coinvestment fund, but then we did support these applications going forward. Housing did create a position to be the outreach to talk to NGOs, to talk to Indigenous groups, to gain their interest in addressing the housing crisis throughout the Northwest Territories with us. Working in partnership is a priority of mine as well too. Right now we have 214 of the 366 coinvestment fund applications that have been approved. They are now under construction. Right now you can see the expansion of Lynn's Place, Spruce Bough, Borealis CoOp, and Avens Senior Society also with a number of renovated units that are happening throughout the city. We also work with the City of Yellowknife as well too to address homelessness as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't think I asked about the number of units. I asked the Minister how much money, besides the one position that hasn't done anything, did the GNWT spend on Lynn's Place and Spruce Bough. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I addressed the answer to the question. I said I did not have those numbers, that I was more concentrating on the number of units that were being delivered. I did have that in front of me just recently. I will follow up with the Member as well. But like I had said, I wanted to describe our support for the coinvestment applications going forward for the Northwest Territories. We did create support and a position within Housing NWT to be the outreach to work closely with CMHC in addressing those housing needs and to support those applications going forward. We did get funding from this government to be addressing the national coinvestment fund applications as well too. Sometimes the proponent comes forward as well, and they're not looking for financial support; they're looking for support through the application as well too. Some of them actually do have the means to bring their applications forward. But I will follow up with the Member as well to justify the numbers and what we financially contributed to these 214 units being constructed now here in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to have given the Minister an opportunity for a Minister's statement there when she still did not answer my question or say that at the beginning of the first response. If she couldn't answer that, can she tell me how does she make decisions regarding the homelessness strategy and areas for funding, etcetera, when she doesn't collect any data about the people that are homeless or struggling in the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister tell me how she plans to address the fact that she has no data on who is homeless in the territory when she presents her homelessness strategy? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. I believe that's a different line of questions than what you started with. The next time we'll be a little more strict on that. Minister for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for that as well too. Right now we've recognized that the homelessness strategy is an allofgovernment approach. We are looking at the needs that are specifically identified as well too, addressing the poverty reduction, the food security, mental health, and addictions, and also looking at the affordable housing, and working more closely with our nonprofit organizations as well. This has been identified as a wholeofgovernment. And we're looking at this strategy hopefully being provided to Members by February 28th. And we did have the date that was identified as of April 1st, but I do understand the complexity of this strategy as well and the identified needs. For the data collection, this is something the government has not put together. We don't have those numbers. What I can do is work on the wait list that we do have throughout the Northwest Territories and the significant need for housing across the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank you for indulging my question. So as I sit and listen to the fact that we have not collected this data and hear the Minister explain that the housing wait list is what she's going off of, I think we're conflating two different issues here. Homelessness does not equate to the number of people that are on the housing wait list, especially whether you have NGOs like the YWCA taking and housing people in lieu of the government doing it themselves. Given that there is no data being collected and I've yet to see the Minister come to my riding or any in Yellowknife that I'm aware of, could the Minister please commit to doing a tour of Yellowknife apartment buildings in my riding and including Lanky Court. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to look at our looking at our wait list, that is a contribution to the housing strategy. I said this is a allofgovernment approach. We will have to we are working with Health and Justice as well too. And I'm looking forward to the completion of the strategy as well. And also for the Member to invite me to her riding and looking at Lanky Court, I'd also like to extend that to the MLA O’Reilly riding as well too because Lanky Court is in his riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Colleagues, before we continue, we've got to tighten up the questions and answers. We did two, and it's been 15 minutes here, so we need to shorten it up here. Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are related to my Member's statement, the Arctic Winter Games and how the department can increase participation with small community athletes in traditional sports and all the other sports there. Can the MACA Minister advise as to what steps were taken to increase participation of small communities in preparation for the Arctic Winter Games? Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister responsible for MACA.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was very exciting to be at the Arctic Winter Games this year. It was the first time in five years that we've had it because of COVID and the situations like that. So the department of Municipal and Community Affairs works with Sport North, the Aboriginal Sport Circle, Mackenzie Recreation Association, Beaufort Delta Recreation Association, and the Territorial Sports Organizations to develop and foster coaches and athletes in the communities. The department also supports Sport North by having the MACA regional recreation coordinators work with the communities in identifying that there. As well we get that information out to the schools. So we're able to do those things collaboratively with education and our partners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I note that the Minister had gone down on public dime, and he didn't invite the most important person, me. But, Mr. Speaker, I noted in my Member's statement there were no participants from Kakisa, Enterprise, nor Katl'odeeche, which is the Hay River Reserve. I note that there are regional recreation staff throughout the NWT. Can the Minister advise if the regional recreation staff advise and assist the small communities, particularly the communities I mentioned, in preparation for the Arctic Winter Games? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think MLA Semmler would probably say she was the most important person, and she was there, and she did a great job representing the Northwest Territories there. Municipal and Community Affairs regional recreation coordinators are actively involved in sharing information to all the communities. That's with the rec leaders; that's what the SAOs or the band managers. So we get that information out there. I can also confirm information on the selection process and deadlines were shared numerous times. As well we work with the schools to get that information out to the people there. Again, we place high how you say most important getting the information out there, it's very important for us to stress the information and getting it out there. And we work with the regional associations as well to get that information to all communities in the Northwest Territories, just not the ones in the Mackenzie region, but we also get it to the Beaufort Delta Recreation Association. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. What I hear there is that they share the regional recreation staff only shares information. I think in my previous statements regarding sports activities for all the communities and since the lagging time due to COVID and new recreation staff was pertinent and very important that that staff those staff go out into the communities, and it hasn't happened. We got a lot of staff involved in recreation who are not going into the communities to offer assistance within the communities. You're only sharing info. But that's just not going to work. Mr. Speaker, I understand there is controversy in this May junior regionals held in Yellowknife in the past and the lack of proper facilities for attending athletes and their chaperones. This was all during the trials and preparations. Can the Minister advise as to why other communities outside of Yellowknife were not considered to host regionals or trials? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to have to clarify something here. Our regional recreation coordinators do go away to the communities. They do work with the schools. They do work with the recreational staff. They come in when they're invited, when they're new so they get into that there. In regards to hosting territorial events, yes, there was some confusion out there. But, again, it got fixed. Territorial organizations work with the communities to see if they want to host it, if they're able to do it, if they've got the venues, they got the places, accommodations for the food. It's been the practice to host where communities want to host it and where they can be hosting it. In Fort Simpson, in my 30 years in that community, we've hosted territorial and regional trials. Fort Providence has hosted regional trials as well. So we do give that option to opportunity to various communities, and we will continue to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final short supplementary, Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish we could see a record of their staff going into the communities. I'm not aware of anything there. Anyways, I understand the Canada Winter Games are upcoming. I don't know the dates or a venue or which place it's being held. Can the Minister advise if, because it's a short period of time, if the same athletes that attended the Arctic Winter Games will be the same athletes going to the Canada Winter Games? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the 2023 Canada Winter Games are going to be held in Charlottetown, PEI, on March February 18th to March 5th. So we do have a team coming from the Northwest Territories. Some of the athletes that did attend the Arctic Winter Games are part of the Canada Games team. There is a selection process, but there is a number of new athletes as well that are able to participate at that level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister for Housing NWT. I outlined a myriad of problems brought to my office by constituents in public housing at Lanky Court. Can the Minister tell us why individuals being moved out of their public housing units to repair them are being charged moving expenses and utility account service charges, and will the Minister commit to reimbursing such unfair charges? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for asking the question as well. The information that I did receive is that the Yellowknife Housing Authority did pay for the moving expenses, and it didn't appear that there was any issues with the assessment of the additional deposits on their utility accounts, but if there is something if there is receipts, if there's something that I could look at that I could further look into this file as well too. I would not want to see the clients endure these additional expenses when moving from unit to unit as well. And right now that looking at anything that we need to do to improve our client service with housing, I appreciate the comments coming forward as well. And it's the time for us to start recognizing how we could improve services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le Président. I want to thank the Minister for that. And I'll work with my constituent to get the receipts over to the Minister's office pronto. But just trying to get a response in a reasonable time frame from the Minister on my constituent's concerns about public housing in Lanky Court has been a real challenge. I suggested several times that public housing tenants are being told to move or store belongings for insect control that cleaning products and storage containers should be provided. Can the Minister tell us why cleaning products or services and storage containers are not provided to public housing tenants to facilitate improvements in their housing conditions? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question as well too. And I just wanted to apologize also for the delay in the responses. I did have a new team established within the last year. So we are getting more coordinated, and hopefully we're able to respond a lot more quicker. We are also I don't want to take up too much time, but we are also working more closely with the local housing authority and improving our communication and our relationship with them as well. Right now we do have some storage facilities that are provided to some clients, but it's looked at as a casebycase basis. Just for an example that one of the storage facilities were provided to a client that was in a Fort Gary apartment complex, and it was a cold storage facility that was provided to deal with the movement and also to house the tenant's belongings while the house was being treated for a bug infestation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le Président. I want to thank the Minister for that. And I'll advise my constituents that if they have problems with storage containers and so on, they should contact the Minister's office. As bad as conditions are in Lanky Court, the statistics bureau figures on specific housing problems reveal that about 10 percent of NWT houses have mold and/or insect pest problems. This strikes me as a pandemic, Mr. Speaker. What public education and awareness measures does Housing NWT or community housing organizations take to raise awareness of these problems and give advice on actions tenants can take? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member because I'm starting to recognize that this is quite a huge issue here in Yellowknife with the Lanky Court. We do have the pest control companies that do provide information as they are providing the assistance and the work in these units as well. Right now one of the things that housing is developing is improvement with our clients as well too. So we're looking at educational materials for the tenants as well when we're looking at what needs to be maintained, what needs to be recognized, and when to call our local housing authorities right away to deal with these issues. Another thing that I just wanted to mention is that within our conversations with the federal government, we were successful in receiving $60 million over two years. We will be committing $30 million of that funding to public housing renovation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. Again, on mold, pests, and bad indoor quality indoor air quality and other housing stats, the numbers show that housing core needs have steadily gotten worse from 2009 to 2019. Today it stands at about 24 percent. A quarter of our houses are not good. This government continues to spend far more on roads than housing. Can the Minister tell us when this government will spend at least as much on housing as it does on roads? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for his questions as well too. And I do understand where he's coming from when we're talking about funding and trying to address the housing needs throughout the Northwest Territories. And we continue to work together as a government in trying to address these needs. But what we've done successfully is we've worked with the federal government as well too and really tried to enhance those federal applications going forward. And I've recognized that it's not all of a onegovernment approach, and it's not only the GNWT to address this crisis. The other thing that I wanted to mention is that we were very successful with the Indigenous governments and partnering up with them for them to receive housing money as well too. We also do support them with the community housing plans to identify the housing needs in each of the communities as well. There's a lot of funding that is out there, and housing tries its best to making sure that we do receive a bit of that federal funding coming to the north. I know I'm taking a little bit of time. The other thing that I'm just still wanting to mention is that we did put forward another coinvestment application as well to address the seniors housing needs in the Northwest Territories, and we were successful with that application. So we'll see 12 new housing units for seniors that will be built for seniors and their mobilization as well too recognizing their limited mobility. Those would be constructed in 20232024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the last year, I feel the Premier and Cabinet are not working together with the ordinary MLAs in the spirit and intent to resolve their respective community issues. In this consensus style government, this should be a top priority to work together with all Members so all communities have a voice to be heard in this government, and that needs to be respected. From what I could see, this is not happening with this government. There is no consultation or accommodation with MLAs in small communities, especially for my riding, their wants and needs for the respective communities. This is not reflected in their fouryear plan. Again, the NWT Cabinet knows best for my riding. Mr. Speaker, my small communities do matter, and their voices need to be heard and respected. My question, Mr. Speaker, is to the GNWT Cabinet. I know the Premier's not here today, Mr. Speaker. The thing is that I'd like to get a commitment from Cabinet the Premier, Minister Caroline Wawzonek, Minister Shane Thompson, Minister Paulie Chinna, and Minister Diane Archie, and Minister Julie Green, and Minister R.J. Simpson to see if they could come to my riding in the first week of break the House so that they are able to listen to the people in my riding to their issues and concerns. And I just want to see if I can get a commitment here today. I'm inviting you, and maybe the Cabinet could work together to either charter into the community, or we could figure this thing out. But I think it's important that we do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. The question needs to be directed to one person so I'm guessing that'll be Deputy Premier. Deputy Premier.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we as a Cabinet have standing committee meetings on all of our different discussions, whether it be our bills, legislation. We sit in front of committee, and we go through all the all of our work in detail, and we get feedback. And it's you know, it's a wholeofgovernment approach with Regular Members and committee. In terms of looking to commit right now, for me just sitting here asking to go into the community directly, we'd have to individually look at our schedules. Right after we're done session, some of us have FPTs; we have community tours; we have bilateral agreements. I'm not saying no, but I think that we as a government could perhaps look at each of our individual schedules and respond back to the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for your response. Again, Mr. Speaker, you know, I've been here a year, and there's no Minister no Cabinet Minister has approached me to say, what is it your needs are for your community in your riding. In 2019, all MLAs got together, and they are able to put everything on the table in what they want to see for their riding, and they came up with a mandate for this government. Again, you know, I was never given an opportunity to have a say what should be on that mandate as well. So, you know, we've been advocating for winter roads, dust control, additions, schools in Dettah, and so on. But the thing is I know Cabinet is busy, and I'm just saying that if there's a way that we could have the Cabinet come to our community. Dettah and N'dilo is just down the road. We'd be there in 20 minutes. We could fly to Lutselk'e. You know, we could be there if we go there by charter, in and out, we could do Fort Resolution and so on. So, anyways, I'd just like to see if there's a way we could work together to accommodate that. This is a request on behalf of the community. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, absolutely we have requests often from Regular Members to go as Ministers. Perhaps we've been to your community several times as a result of your request to us. We've gone to some of the other ridings as a request of the Members. I encourage the Member to reach out to our ministerial offices, find a schedule that works for all of us, or perhaps even a couple of us. I mean, you know, we all can't sometimes make it all together, but we will give it some effort to be able to get to some of the communities when and where we can. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Deputy Premier. For the record, we haven't seen you since last year. No, I'm just kidding. Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, and I'll reach out to the Cabinet by email and see if we could try to work together to come up with a day to go into those communities because I think it's very important that we do that. Mr. Speaker, earlier I had mentioned that, you know, there's and I heard the Minister of housing talk about the $30 million that they're looking at putting back into housing. But that $30 million over two years is it's coming from CIRNAC to deal with housing crisis. And in my riding, we have a housing crisis already, and we have housing issues. So I want to know if we are able to work with the government to look at how we could use that money to go back into the communities here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. But your line of questions needs to be to your invitation for Cabinet. We can't go to another line of questioning for a different Minister. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Okay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I'll have to ask these questions tomorrow then because they are important. The monies that we're talking about from CIRNAC are $30 million over two years, but that money was spent to fixing the public housing. We still have housing crisis in Northwest Territories. And the money that's been used to address these issues were never addressed. So what I'm saying, Mr. Speaker, is that tomorrow I'll bring this up and say, hey, look, we got to work with Indigenous government to talk about how we're going to we should actually do a contribution agreement with Indigenous government to spend that $30 million. So I'll talk about that tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. We may have a chance later today, but I doubt it, but just a thought. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
