Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few observations of Housing NWT that I would like to share with the House, and it helps to ease my mind for the time being.
Housing of residents is a major issue for all communities in the Northwest Territories, whether it be in the city, regional centres, or the smaller communities. Equally, and perhaps more important, are the isolated communities in the Beaufort region Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok, and Paulatuk.
I can only imagine the mental health of a tenant when they are evicted from a housing rental unit, have no place to stay, and most of these people have families. This is prevalent across the vast Northwest Territories. Yet, the housing minister has not reached out nor visited these communities enough to truly understand their housing issues and to offer some kind of comfort and possible concrete solutions.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government offers the housing program with 100 percent dollars for Indigenous housing. That program is the Rapid Housing initiative. When this program rolled out in November 2021, there was a very short window to get the applications in. 30 days. I guess many of the communities in the territory didn't have the capacity to fill in the applications and to do it within that very short time period. Many communities were challenged with human resources and missed the golden opportunity for free housing. On top of it all, the federal government kept silent and sent out letters rather than make a huge announcement of an initiative that would have, at the very least, solved most housing shortages, including to the Beaufort region.
The Central Mortgage and Housing corporation, CMHC, has an office in Yellowknife but may as well be back in this Ottawa since no one knows of their existence in the North and what role they can play in addressing our dire housing needs.
When I had conversations with the CMHC representative regarding the initiative, they would not provide me with any information as they state it is all confidential. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi, colleagues. It is ironic the Rapid Housing initiative is a confidential program while spending public dollars.
I also had conversations with the Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, CIRNAC, regional director which, like the conversation with CMHC, went nowhere.
Mr. Speaker, that was my experience with the federal government representatives stationed here in the North and in Yellowknife. Many of our residents don't have easy access to these representatives. Mr. Speaker, the housing minister and staff should have played a crucial role in ensuring all communities have access to the Rapid Housing Initiative Program. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
