Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the years I have brought up the concern from the communities that there’s a lack of housing that’s needed. As we just passed the budget for this upcoming year, I’d like to ask the Minister of Housing, how many units are planned for the communities in the Mackenzie Delta?
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of Housing, Mr. R.C. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The capital budget we just passed, I think there were two units that were allocated for one of the Member’s communities, and there was an additional nine with the replacement of the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik, so that’s 11 that we have for this year. As well, through the Modernization and Improvement Program, which is a major retrofit, we’ve got 19 units scheduled for the Member’s riding.
That’s really good news, by the way. I’d also like to ask the Minister, I know when we do get new units, a lot of times they’re just replacements, so in the future, when are we going to get more units as add-ons?
With the decline in the CMHC funding, it’s getting awfully difficult for the Housing Corporation to put in other units, so we have to replace the ones that are already there. We have a lot of units that are old and that need replacing. The two units that I spoke to before, we’re doing our initial allocation for the market housing and the money that we had received through FMB and the Legislative Assembly to try and provide housing for professional staff in the community. We’re doing our initial allocation. I think there are a few that are earmarked for the Member’s riding. As well, next year there’s going to be another significant investment in the Member’s riding with the seniors complex in Fort McPherson, and that’s in addition to the $31.8 million we’ve spent in the Member’s riding since 2006.
Order! Order! The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
