Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Last week, I had the pleasure of being on the Hay River Reserve and I had a quick, brief tour of 10 two-bedroom units that they're constructing on the reserve. I thought that was a really good idea, so I just want to ask the Minister how this project came about and can we look at doing other communities, as well? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Honourable David Krutko, Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.

Return To Question 495-15(4): Need For Immediate Alternative Housing Solutions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do have a Loan Guarantee Program in which we were able to assist the Hay River Reserve by getting a loan through a loan guarantee where we guaranteed the loan in which they were able to borrow $1 million from the bank and build 10 units on the reserve. Again, the program is open to every organization out there. We have several of these in place with a lot of businesses, and also people in the private sector. So this program is in place; it is there to assist people in the private sector to develop housing infrastructure in the North. So it is a program we provide which is called the Loan Guarantee Program.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 495-15(4): Need For Immediate Alternative Housing Solutions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the Minister for that response. It's been something that the communities have been crying…Well, not crying, but they've been looking for an alternative to relieve the housing pressures immediately. I know that we've got ABCD Company that's going to provide all these thousands of homes, but it's today that people want answers for…

Today.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

…Mr. Speaker, and that's a good alternative. Once again, if the Minister can tell me how can the communities, for example, Fort Liard, get the process initiated for such a program of building 10 homes? Thank you.

Hear! Hear!

Mahsi, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 495-15(4): Need For Immediate Alternative Housing Solutions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been talking to aboriginal organizations. We have a program right now in place with the Metis Land Corporation in Norman Wells. We've done a project with them where we've built eight units, where they built four, we built four. Again, it was through a Loan Guarantee Program.

But again, we have talked to land claims organizations, band organizations, and also people in the private sector, that this program exists. I think we're hoping people will take up this program, especially where communities have lands in regards to IAB lands. I think that's one of the reserve’s unique qualities, is because they have a large land base, they were able to use the land as part of their collateral, going to the bank and also being able to…(inaudible)…that loan.

Again, we are open to talking with any community organizations, bands, land claims organizations, to consider this program. It is there, again, but we are open to sitting down with anyone interested in talking. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Krutko. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 495-15(4): Need For Immediate Alternative Housing Solutions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. Just in terms of financing of a program such as this, does the corporation have a set aside pool of money for this? I thought I heard him mention another organization, but what kind of cost-sharing arrangements are there, or does the…I know that the corporation has budgeted allotments for regions and per community, is this something that he's looking at taking the funds directly from there? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Menicoche. Minister Krutko.

Further Return To Question 495-15(4): Need For Immediate Alternative Housing Solutions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a Loan Guarantee Program where we guarantee the loan of a client. They go to the bank, the bank wants some certainty that they want to be able to assured that if they give a loan, someone will basically guarantee it. So we guarantee the loans as they're approved by the banks. So that's the loan guarantee that we offer. Again, it's up to $1 million. In those cases, we work that arrangement with the banks, the individual and ourselves. Where we've offered the loan guarantee, we have a written letter. Thank you.