Debates of March 31, 2004 (day 12)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the review of the proposed budget for the Housing Corporation during the last week, the honourable Minister spoke about the number of program objectives that really support increased community involvement and participation and decision-making increases, and personal responsibility in order to break the cycle of dependency that are desperately needed in the Sahtu region. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier in my Member’s statement, I see it as personal pride to own a home as very important. In the pride of building a home for oneself is perhaps the most effective way for a person to get themselves beyond the cycle of dependency, especially in public housing.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation if he will commit to working with local housing authorities in the Sahtu region to offer opportunities to individuals who may be interested in building their own log houses. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Mr. Speaker, we’ve had programs targeted towards log homes in the past. We’ve done several projects in the Member’s riding. I believe it was Deline that came up with some very nice log units there. However, our experience with the logs over the years has been that it’s very costly and we are currently working with one community to do a pilot project, but I would certainly entertain any proposals or any discussions the Member may have. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister. During the review of the Housing Corporation in Committee of the Whole, the Minister recognized that the Sahtu has a very pressing need for housing and housing needs and that the Minister was going to look at a proposal for the Sahtu. I would like to ask the Minister, would he commit his department to look at a pilot project within the Sahtu that would commit to log buildings for next year? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I would welcome the opportunity to look at a pilot project in the communities. Our concerns, the high cost components of log buildings in all the different regions, of course, is the cost of the logs and of the professional trainers. Our target and our priority is to promote homeownership. If there are ways we can use our existing programs to benefit the Members and their desires to put in log units, I’d certainly look at that. We have a number of programs that can fit the bill. We can modify some of our EDAP programs possibly or IHP or look specifically at a pilot project in the area. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister recommend to his department to look at the…In Sahtu there is the high cost of doing business up there and can the Minister recommend from his department costs that could minimize the cost of building log houses in terms of pricing of windows, doors and roofing for single people, single men that would like to have a log house in their communities? It takes a lot of effort and time for the communities to gather this information. Can this department put together a pricing package that would be suitable and affordable in the Sahtu region for these log homes? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe we have, as part of our technical team in the Sahtu, a person that specializes in log building. I will follow up the request with my officials and we will do some preliminary work in that area. We can also have a sit-down discussion with community members, if it is desired, when we have our community tour. I believe we’re planning to go there this coming month, sometime toward the end of this month. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister. In terms of the log housing, a lot of the people in the Sahtu like to live in their log houses, especially the single people. In terms of getting a project like that off the ground, would the Minister commit to this House to work with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in terms of training opportunities they could have for the people who are interested in it? If we get one or two log houses in the Sahtu region as a pilot project, surely we can look at that as a means to building affordable housing in our region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will commit to doing that. I will commit to working with the required Ministers that would be affected by this project. Thank you.