Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I want to talk about the challenges some residents face when they try to access housing programs for home ownership, repairs, and renovations. This is no small issue. Housing adequacy is one of the biggest obstacles facing residents in our small communities. Right now, the PATH program helps NWT residents who want to own their own home. The amount of money you can access depends on where you live, as well as your income. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad the Housing Corporation recognizes the differences in cost of living across the NWT, but the problem is that these rules have not kept up with the times or the rising cost of living in our small communities. This means residents can get trapped in limbo, Mr. Speaker. They don't have enough money to pay for the work their homes need, but they have too much income to get the help they need from the housing programs that are supposed to support them. This is a real problem in communities where renovating your home can easily cost $30,000 to $50,000, if not more. Even families with two parents will find their income eaten up pretty fast when they have to deal with bringing in supplies and finding skilled contractors on top of just getting the work done. These same issues come up with residents trying to access the CARE program for housing repairs. The NWT Housing Corporation has already done great work on making their programs more accessible to Northerners who need them. I know that factors like income level, family size, and construction costs are being considered. But Mr. Speaker, there's still work that needs to be done. I'd like to see these rules reviewed, so that we can be sure that access to housing programs is better matched to the needs of individual communities, and that income thresholds don't exclude people in need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'll have questions later today.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Frame Lake.
