Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few questions for the Minister of the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, earlier today we had a briefing and the needs in the Beaufort Delta will triple over the next ten years, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask: will the Minister work with the Minister of Health and Social Services to identify the needs to each community in the Beaufort Delta so we can begin planning? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of NWT Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members may be aware that the Housing Corporation is actually already on that. We are putting out a survey that will develop a community-based plan and we’re more than willing to work with the health and social services department in providing services. When those surveys are received back we will know exactly what each community wishes and we would base our actions for the coming future based on the community needs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as many of my colleagues have mentioned that aging in place is something that everyone in our communities would like to see. You know, our elders do not want to leave the communities they lived in all their lives, but yet we have some elders that are being asked to contribute up to 25 per cent of the actual costs of renovations to their home, for example. Will the Minister look at ways to either eliminate this or put it to five per cent? You know it’s very difficult for elders to save money with the high cost of living that we have in our small communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently in the Northwest Territories we have 356 units that are actually suitable for seniors, designed specifically and have the modifications. This current coming fiscal year we’re looking at adding another 63 with the modifications designed specifically for seniors, so that will bring us up to 459 units in the Northwest Territories that have the seniors’ capacity. We are really actively working towards providing services for seniors so that they can age in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s good to know what the department has, but I’m talking about the homeowners, Mr. Speaker. Many of my elders that have their own homes, when they need renovations they’re either asked to contribute up to 25 per cent, you know, there’s challenges. I know we have the GSOs in the communities to help them, and also other areas to help the elders, but it’s a real challenge for an elder to come up with, whether it’s $10,000, $20,000, Mr. Speaker. That’s what I’m talking about here. We need to look at this policy and possibly revise it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do apologize if I didn’t answer the complete question that the Member asked me. Currently, there are programs within the Northwest Territories that do have a user co-pay component with that. The corporation would love to be able to provide programs that have no cost; however, in all honesty, we have a small population within the Northwest Territories and currently we’re spending seven times the national average rate. Most provinces are spending one per cent of their revenues on housing; we’re spending seven per cent of our revenues currently on housing. We really need to be cautious about how far we go with that. Even though we’re spending seven per cent of our revenues, we’ve never been able to meet the national core need average. I In effect, if we’re going try to get closer to the core need we need to really be careful on what extra programs we’re putting out there and how we spend our monies because we can’t go much further than seven times more than the national average. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, you know, it always seems to be cost is always an issue when it comes to whether it’s providing services for elders or people in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, we need to make sure our elders are cared for. You know, cost is no issue. With all the funding we do get here in the Northwest Territories we have to ensure that we are taking care of our elders in our communities, that’s the bottom line, Mr. Speaker, and we need to make sure that our policies make sure that that happens. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. I didn’t really hear a question there, more of a comment, however, I’ll allow the Minister if she wishes to answer.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I accept that as a comment.
