Debates of October 25, 2004 (day 27)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation and it has to do with the housing policy in the last six months or year or so. There were huge debates about this employee market housing policy where the Housing Corporation purchased 22 mobile homes to be placed in small communities in order to make this housing available to employees of government, whether they be teachers or nurses or other professionals. I’d like to know whether or not the corporation has done a review of that and where the Minister is with that. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, the Honourable Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 299-15(3): Review Of Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regard to the market housing initiative, we are still in the process of implementing that program. We haven’t concluded the construction or got all the units occupied. Some are occupied, others are not. Until the whole project is completed, we will be developing a review of the overall project. We will hopefully have that report ready by December, or November at the earliest.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 299-15(3): Review Of Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Members recall, we had a huge debate in this House in June. There was a lot of urgency there because the corporation felt it needed to meet the barge deadline. Now I’m being told that those units are not in place and this is almost the end of October now. So I’d like to know if the Minister could commit to holding off -- because I think there’s a second phase to this program -- any thought of ordering 22 more of them for next year, until this whole thing is revisited. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 299-15(3): Review Of Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, until we complete our review, we can’t make that decision outright right now. We will have to do that review before we determine if we’re continuing on or not.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 299-15(3): Review Of Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have it in writing, but I believe the former Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod, almost wrote it in blood that he would not be ordering the 22 new units without a full review of how much of that contract could stay in the North. Could the Minister indicate to me as to whether or not he has the same kind of commitment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 299-15(3): Review Of Market Housing Initiative

Did what? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the whole intent of the review is to take a close look at exactly the overall cost of the project, what the benefits were to the northern economy and also to look at the systems to ensure that if we do continue on that we are able to meet the objectives that were set, which is to look at market housing and provide a needed service for non-market communities. We will have that as part of the report. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 299-15(3): Review Of Market Housing Initiative

Just to be clear on the 22 homes that were ordered, could the Minister be more specific about what the problems are? Is it getting the gravel there, or getting the stuff there, or are the people not being able to purchase those homes? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 299-15(3): Review Of Market Housing Initiative

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that’s one of the reasons we have to complete this report, is because we did have some logistical problems by way of transportation, barging, looking at sites for these units, gravel was a problem in some communities, and power hookup. Because of the timing of this contract going out, we also weren’t able to meet the timelines that we were looking at. So it’s been moved ahead. With that, we are going to look at the overall project itself to see exactly the hiccups that we did have so we could avoid them in the future. Thank you.