Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about programs and policies of the NWT Housing Corporation. Having just returned from Fort Resolution, I find that housing is still a big problem with many residents of Tu Nedhe.
Mr. Speaker, I think part of the problem may be changes made a few years ago with the corporation’s housing programs. Unfortunately, when the corporation revised programs from 14 programs down to their current four programs this created a whole new set of problems for housing clients.
Hear! Hear!
According to the corporation at the time of the change, they said the change was driven by the clients. Mr. Speaker, with the amount of housing issues I’ve been working on in my riding, I find this very difficult to believe.
Mr. Speaker, the corporation is in a tough position trying to address a huge arrears collection file while, at the same time, trying to encourage and accommodate homeownership clients and doing so in a stricter context of accountability and efficiency. Mr. Speaker, I feel the corporation needs to be flexible with its approach and needs to work this flexibility into its programs and policies.
When the corporation made these changes, as stated in the press release, the four new programs provided standardized and consistent program requirements. Well, maybe standardization doesn’t work in this case. How can four programs accommodate the needs of over 3,000 families with core needs across this vast Territory?
Mr. Speaker, needs vary from client to client and even from community to community. A program designed to serve the needs in Yellowknife and Hay River will not do the same for clients in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e. The simple fact that some clients will receive huge gains by the market alone while others live in a non-market community says it all.
While I’m saying that although you can see the rationale for the consistent and standard approach for the delivery of programs when it comes to a variety of housing needs in the NWT, the NWT Housing Corporation must be more flexible. Each applicant will present their own unique factors and challenges and, therefore, I feel should be treated as such and assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT Housing Corporation is trying to make people eligible for programs as opposed to making programs that can be delivered to the people to take them out of core need. I believe that is the objective. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
