Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This program is very successful. I think we've not I think, but we've opened one of the or celebrated one of the units that were opened here in Yellowknife, and there was a plan to be constructing I think three more. I'll have President Young respond of the $50,000 contribution that we were contributing to this program annually. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Martin. Sorry. Ms. Young.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The habitat for humanities is partly being funded through the national coinvestment program. So what we've done internally is instead of taking this money out of grants and contributions, we're taking it out of the $5 million annual contribution we have for cost matching for habitat for humanities. We do still have a partnership with them. We have a commitment to do at least ten builds. And they are seeking currently more federal funding through Canada. So it is a wonderful program, and we do hope to continue it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi cho. Any further questions in this section here? Ms. Cleveland.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my first question is in regards to the CanadaNWT housing benefit program. I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to whether or not this program continues to be fully subscribed and also what the total amount is with the GNWT and federal contribution combined? Thank you.
Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This program is a 50/50 cost share that we did renew an agreement with them, I want to say two years ago, and we do have a contribution made territorially. I'll have vicepresident Jim Martin respond.
Mr. Martin.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. For 20232024, we have a budget of 2.7. Currently right now Housing NWT is supporting approximately 270 clients, and the expectation is is that the funds that are available will be able to fully support that client intake. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Ms. Cleveland.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm wondering if there are any applicants who were denied, either because they do not fit the criteria outlined or because the fund is fully subscribed? Thank you.
Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll have President Young respond. Thank you.
Ms. Young.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This year, due to the increase that has happened over the agreement with Canada, we have had enough money to fund applications this year. There would be some applications who may not be eligible due to the criteria of the program, but we have been able to everyone who's been eligible, we've been able to meet their needs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Ms. Cleveland.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I will say that from my office, this is probably one of the programs that gets recommended the most to constituents who are especially just really being hit hard by inflationary increases that we're feeling in the territory, and so it's definitely a program that is much used and much appreciated by the people of the Northwest Territories, and I definitely recommend that the government continues to support this, especially right now with the economic landscape across the country.
My next question is in regards to some of the programs that are offered by Housing NWT. And I do note a bit of an increase here to the programs and different operations or regional operations. And I'm wondering has the major and minor home repair program specific to seniors aging in place, have those been fully subscribed over the last year? Thank you.
Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, they have been. Thank you.
Ms. Cleveland.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, one of the concerns that I have, and I understand that, you know, there's a process that Housing NWT follows, but the minor and major home repair program, as well as the home mobility and accessibility modifications program offered by Housing NWT, the first two are for health and safety related repairs for seniors aging in place, and then the second one is for people really to be able to access their home and use their home. And my concern is that the application period is isolated to April 1st through to November 31st. And, you know, we're all human. We know that life changes don't happen on a schedule and never when it's most convenient. And so I'm wondering what happens when people, you know, need major or minor repairs to a home outside of April 1st to October 31st or changes to their home due to mobility and accessibility challenges? Thank you.
Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have a number of programs that are here. And looking at that program intake, it was to looking at for material delivery, making sure we do have those available in the smaller communities. But should they miss that application time period, we will be looking at the emergency repair program. We won't turn the client away. We will try our best to making sure that they are accommodated through the programming that we do have. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Ms. Cleveland.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm wondering if the housing corporation and, you know, people in the Northwest Territories understand that sometimes, you know, things can't be transported right away because of whether it's breakup or freezeup or anything else that's going on, that's just a way of life in the Northwest Territories, but I'm wondering if we can remove kind of an administrative burden or something that might turn people off from a program and really take away the April 1st to October 31st deadline on applications and just look at applications as they come through the door, especially related to health and safety and mobility and accessibility? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will take that back to the department. Thank you.
Mahsi. Ms. Cleveland.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have no further questions on this section. Thank you.
Mahsi. Ms. Weyallon Armstrong.
North Slave district office, there's an increase from 20212022 to 20232024. I just want to ask or know how many of these will be allocated to Tlicho region, these funds?
Mahsi. Minister.
Just a second, I'm just trying to find the section here. I'll have vicepresident Jim Martin respond. Thank you.
Mr. Martin.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. From 20222023 to 20232024 Main Estimates, in the North Slave district there's a projected increase there of approximately $1.2 million, and that's explained by the additional investment in homeownership programming for the district. And that does include certainly the Tlicho region. And these are programs that are applicationbased. So an exact determination of the allocation to Tlicho would have to be determined following the application process. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Ms. Weyallon Armstrong.
So can they be specific on what that program is for?
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll have vicepresident Jim Martin respond.
Mr. Martin.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. That increase includes all the programs that will be receiving an increase in 20232024. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mahsi. Ms. Weyallon Armstrong.
I was just wondering because if that includes the LHO office?
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, that doesn't. Thank you.
Ms. Weyallon Armstrong.
Okay, thank you. And here on the next page on page 389, here it says North Slave, North Slave district office or North Slave active positions. And here you recognize Tlicho but there's nothing there. Why is that?
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Our Tlicho office, we have one position in Behchoko and our headquarters office runs out of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
