Lucy Kuptana

Member Nunakput

Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Lucy Kuptana was elected to the 20th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in November 2023 to represent the constituency of Nunakput, which includes the communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, and Ulukhaktok. A member of the Executive Council, she is the Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories and the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

Prior to her election, Mrs. Kuptana was the Senior Administrative Officer for the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk. She was also a director with the Tuktoyaktuk District Education Authority.

For 22 years previous, Mrs. Kuptana was the Director of Operations, Communications, and Culture with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC). In a volunteer capacity, she has served as a director of the Inuvik Homeless Shelter Society, trustee of the Arctic Inspiration Prize, president of the Inuvialuit Communications Society, director of the Inuvialuit Investment Corporation, director of the Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik Community Corporations, and a committee member for the 2023 Northern Youth Games “Inuvialuit Piuyausiat” in Tuktoyaktuk.

Originally from Aklavik and raised at her family’s bush camp in the Mackenzie Delta, Mrs. Kuptana obtained a Level II and Level III Certificate in Community Administration from Aurora College in the early 1990s and returned to graduate with a Diploma in Business Administration and Management in 2013. Mrs. Kuptana is currently enrolled with Yukon University, where she is working towards accreditation in the school’s First Nations Governance and Public Administration program.

Despite a successful career spanning decades, Mrs. Kuptana credits her husband and family in supporting her. She says she owes much of her success to those who have fought – and continue to fight – for Indigenous and Inuvialuit rights.

Mrs. Kuptana’s guiding principle is to lead with respect, empathy, knowledge, and the willingness to work hard for the constituents she represents and all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Nunakput Electoral District

Committees

Public Accounts
Lucy Kuptana
Nunakput
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Minister
Email
Email
Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Statements in Debates

Question 656-20(1): Construction of New Housing Units
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I understand the question, what does a new home mean? A new home means a new build within Housing NWT and brought into a community as a new home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister’s Statement 120-20(1): Partnerships in Housing: Local Housing Organizations
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of Housing NWT's successful partnerships. Housing NWT works with Indigenous governments, the federal government, non-governmental organizations, municipal and community governments, and industry, to support more homes for Northerners across the Northwest Territories.

Today, I want to highlight Housing NWT's relationship with an important, but often overlooked group of frontline workers, who deserve recognition: The dedicated staff of our local housing organizations.

If you are from a small community, you already know who they are and what they do. Local housing...

Question 656-20(1): Construction of New Housing Units
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand core need is very high. We have over 900 families in the Northwest Territories that need homes. This is the waiting list across the North. We're doing a territorial housing needs assessment, and this is important work because it offers us both a qualitative look and a quantitative look. Right now we've done the quantitative, and we're working towards qualitative. We're working with the university of British Columbia, and they have a HART tool, it's a housing assessment resource tool. And this tool is working with Housing NWT to go across and engage with...

Question 656-20(1): Construction of New Housing Units
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Mr. Speaker -- sorry, Mr. Speaker, I'm a little bit sleepy here. But I don't have those numbers on hand, but I can provide the Member with that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 647-20(1): Collaboration between Housing Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Disability Council
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 54)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Minister of Housing NWT, working with operational staff, professionals that we hire to lead us with Housing NWT, we have a responsibility to make these decisions on behalf of government. I consult with my Cabinet colleagues but if decisions need to be made with committee and consulting committee, I would be happy and welcome that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 647-20(1): Collaboration between Housing Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Disability Council
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 54)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated yesterday, Housing NWT is working with the NWT Disabilities Council, working in collaboration and supporting this not for profit society within the city of Yellowknife. There is a group, there's a board of volunteers, and housing is working in collaboration with them, communicating about possibilities with housing in the city of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 647-20(1): Collaboration between Housing Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Disability Council
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 54)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What we're dealing with here is years of collaboration with the NWT Disabilities Council. So this is nothing new. This has been happening for years with Housing NWT and NWT Disabilities Council. We're trying to find solutions here, so the opportunity to talk to standing committee about it, absolutely, we can do that. There's no secrets here, as the Member mentioned, and we're working in collaboration, working in supporting this group to get their project moving forward as well as housing's project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 54)

Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to recognize my nephew James Williams. He's in the gallery today; I don't often get family members here, so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 635-20(1): Status of Rockhill Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nothing to share at this moment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 635-20(1): Status of Rockhill Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in February I shared a highly confidential letter with MLAs that indicated the progress with the Rockhill properties. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.