Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is addressed to the Minister responsible for Homelessness. Approximately a year ago now, Nick Falvo produced a report entitled Homelessness in Yellowknife: An Emerging Social Challenge. They had done a study of homelessness in Yellowknife and had come up with a number of recommendations. In December, about six months ago, I asked the Premier some questions about whether or not the government was going to be reviewing the recommendations in the report, and the Premier advised that yes, they would. During business plans when we were discussing the Housing Corporation, I asked the Minister responsible for Homelessness if they would be reviewing the Falvo recommendations from the report and he advised they would. I would like to at this point ask the Minister whether or not the Housing Corporation, who is responsible for Homelessness, whether or not they have, at this point, been able to look at the five recommendations from the Falvo report of about a year ago.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister responsible for homelessness, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have looked at the report. We have looked at many of the recommendations that have been made, as we listen to all the recommendations that are made from people in and from the Northwest Territories. We’ve had an opportunity to look at it.
I thank the Minister for telling me that yes, they’ve had a chance to look at it. There were five recommendations in the report. Three of them were addressed to the Minister responsible for Homelessness. One talked about accountability and the creation of a homelessness secretariat; another one talked about keeping the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition advised; the third one talked about establishing a working group to develop shelter standards. There was one addressed to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation – I think the Minister for Homelessness knows that Minister – about creating more affordable housing. I would suggest that we probably have the creation of a homelessness secretariat, at least the start, with a dedicated person within the Housing Corporation. But in terms of establishing a working group to develop shelter standards, is that something that is on the plan or the radar or is that something that the Housing Corporation is going to be looking at?
While we have a group that looks at shelter standards called the NWT Housing Corporation, who is now responsible for the homelessness files, we use that opportunity and expertise that we have there. The Homelessness Coalition, the Member pointed out that we are going to have a dedicated person that will be coordinating the homelessness activities across the Northwest Territories. There’s progress made on that. As far as how we’re going to deal with homelessness, we think public housing is a good start. Obviously, there’s more work to do. One of the things we’re going to task our new coordinator to do, is try to gather all the information that’s out there to help us best determine how we’re going to further deal with the homelessness issue.
Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate that there needs to be some background work done. I also appreciate the Minister’s comment that the Housing Corporation is the one that should be developing shelter standards. I look forward to some work on that from the Housing Corporation, presumably in the next year or so. One of the recommendations talked about creating more affordable housing, including more independent living support units. The Minister mentioned that he thinks public housing is part of the solution to alleviating homelessness. Can I ask the Minister in terms of independent living units, whether or not, that is something which the Housing Corporation will consider to try and alleviate homelessness.
This is one that I can commit the Member will have a look at. I think there have been some programs like this tried in the past, with different degrees of success. I know there were a couple of them that were actually not turned back into public housing but were renovated and turned back into the group that built these units. There have been some attempts out there to try this; however, it’s something that we have to look at because we do have a wide need across the Northwest Territories as far as affordable housing goes. I will commit to the Member that as part of the overall picture and being new in this portfolio and just taking it on into the Housing Corporation, we’re going to need to do a little bit of work. I can commit by fall we’ll have a plan put together for sharing with the Members.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. He’s anticipated my next question, my usual question of when, so I appreciate that we’re going to get something in the fall. I guess I would like to know from the Minister, in gathering the information, who are they going to consult with to try and get as much information as possible?
We’ll do the work that’s needed. Obviously, there are some groups in the Northwest Territories that do some fairly good work as far as dealing with the homelessness. It would be wise of us to have some discussions with them, get their input, and get the input from folks all across the Northwest Territories, because if anybody knows the conditions of homelessness in the Territories it would be the folks across the Northwest Territories, especially those in the larger centres that are seeing a migration of people coming into the communities. We’ll have discussions all across the Northwest Territories, and when we update Members in the fall, we will provide a list of all those groups that we have talked with.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
