Debates of October 23, 2006 (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. David Krutko. In my Member's statement today, Mr. Speaker, I talked about the real challenges of northerners living in their own homes and living in rented homes, and the cost of living and how they struggle to address that cost of living. I don't know exactly what would be the best vehicle for delivering a program that could assist with making homes more energy efficient, but I have not been too impressed with what I've seen so far in terms of tangible efforts on behalf of this government.

Right now under the NWT Housing Corporation there's funding available for emergency home repairs, seniors' home repairs, so it's something that's along those same lines. It would not be grants, but even if residents could get interest-free loans that they could pay back over a period of time, they would recover the cost of the money they would invest by the savings in their homes. It could be for a fairly short list of improvements. It could be siding; it could be insulation; it could be new windows; it could be a pellet stove, a wood stove; something that would make their cost of living more affordable. Is this something that the NWT Housing Corporation has even contemplated and would there be anything that would preclude the Housing Corporation from undertaking such a program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 161-15(5): Incentive Programs To Address Housing Utility Costs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd just like to thank the Member for her question, because I think it's important that we do look at new initiatives and make sure we're able to assist residents to bring down the cost of operating and maintaining a home, but I think it's important we change the method. I think one of the best programs I've seen today, especially where people depend on the Fuel Subsidy Program, we have a program where we assist seniors by putting monitor heaters in their homes as a secondary heat source, which they're able to sustain the fuel that they do get through the subsidy program but it gets them through the winter because it's up and it's energy efficient. It also consumes less fuel so they're able to use the fuel that they do have over a longer period. I mean these types of initiatives that we've piloted, we've done with different communities, but I think it's through the Emergency Repair Program we have. We can have a universal program like that for all communities and I think it will really assist in the cost of living, it will assist us in the cost of the Fuel Subsidy Program. But I think, more importantly, how do we operate and maintain homes, bring down the cost of energy but, more importantly, make it affordable for people to live in it. So we do have programs, such as the monitor heater program I mentioned, but we do have other areas in regards to the programs we have for repairs, emergency repairs, RRAP, in regards to people with disabilities.

But I think we do have to look at the programs we have. We are looking at coming forward with a consolidation of our programs. We're hoping to come out with something in the new year which will have those features in it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 161-15(5): Incentive Programs To Address Housing Utility Costs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of those programs. I am talking about a new program. You know, kudos on all that and thank you for that, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm asking for a set aside amount of money in a revolving fund that can be loaned out to homeowners to do energy saving upgrades to their home. Is there any capital, or does the Minister know of any source of capital, which could be the start of something like this that could be implemented in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 161-15(5): Incentive Programs To Address Housing Utility Costs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are looking at consolidating our programs into four general areas, and also we're looking at increasing the borrowing limits that we have had in these programs before. I think by increasing that, looking at especially the eligibility criteria that we have in our programs so that it's more accessible to all residents in the Northwest Territories. But more importantly, we do look at the energy efficiency of how do we improve homes to make them more energy efficient but also make them cost neutral so you're not spending more money. If anything, you'll be spending less money to operate and maintain a home. So we are bringing that forward by way of consolidation of our programs from the 14 programs we have to date into four general areas. So with that change, we're hoping we will see a real change in the programs we deliver. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 161-15(5): Incentive Programs To Address Housing Utility Costs

Okay, Mr. Speaker, thank you. I'd like to make this really simple. I'm a resident of the Northwest Territories. Say as an example I'm having a hard time affording to heat my home. I would like to have $3,000 to install a pellet stove in my house. I would like the government to loan me that money interest free, and over a period of time I would pay it back and I would use the savings on my heating cost to pay back that loan. Is such a program available? Do you have the capital anywhere? Is this doable? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 161-15(5): Incentive Programs To Address Housing Utility Costs

Mr. Speaker, the programs we have today are needs tested. They don't allow all residents to have access to our programs, and I think that's why we are looking at changing that. We are developing energy plans and whatnot that we're putting in place. But more importantly, we realize we do have to change the programs and services we do deliver, working with other departments to look at this by way of looking at the energy we use but, more importantly, by consolidating, changing the criteria we have in our program. So we are looking at that by the way of the consolidation of programs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 161-15(5): Incentive Programs To Address Housing Utility Costs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that I was not speaking about myself personally when I was…I was just trying to give you an example to make it very clear for the Minister. Mr. Speaker, I'm talking about a new program and I don't want it to be needs assessed. Many people who have two income earners out there still don't have the money to do an energy upgrade or add something to their house that would make it more affordable, so I don't want this to have a test applied to it. I want it to be a loan. The money would be paid back. It would be in a revolving fund. All it's going to cost the government is the administration. I'm not talking about existing funds. Would the Minister undertake a new program to assist residents with their cost of living? Is there any money in the system for that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 161-15(5): Incentive Programs To Address Housing Utility Costs

Mr. Speaker, at the present time, no, there is no such program in existence.