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.

Immediately 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 prior, 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 parents and extended family, her husband, her two sons, and her two grandchildren. She says she owes much of her success to her family, the Elders, and 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
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

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Unfortunately, our CIRNAC agreement sunsetted, and it decreased our MMI budget. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand the MLA's question, and the work that we do in collaboration with Indigenous governments is critical, especially in advancing our mandate and business plan.

In terms of missing opportunities, I think at this point Indigenous governments, with their distinction base funding that they're getting from the federal government, see that as an opportunity for market houses in their communities, and they're advancing that. They're advancing their own plans. So that's fine with Housing NWT if they want to do that. The thing is that nobody is interested in public or...

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. President Young will provide information on the inspections of housing units. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you for that question. With the maintenance budget, the maintenance budget is for LHOs and much of that is health and safety, preventative maintenance measures that are done on each unit throughout the Northwest Territories, each public housing unit, but also paying for staff to maintain those units. So that's all encompassing in that number of $13,854,000. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that material will be available publicly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to confirm the numbers, we have two duplexes to the Hay River Reserve. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, there is no plan to expand homeless shelters into the smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. President Young is looking for the information at this moment. But when we look at applications for emergency repair or homeownership, we do have a number of things that clients would have to be eligible for, including our core need income threshold, so they have to be within that threshold to be applicable. They also have to have title to the home. And President Young can provide more information to this question. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Those units are located in Fort Providence, Mr. Chair. Thank you.