Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask some questions of the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Earlier today I spoke in my Member’s statement about the repair and renovation programs that are available to all residents of the NWT, but most particularly my concern is about our seniors, those on pensions, and our disabled. There’s the co-pay component on the majority of our programming, and in my experience I’ve seen that in the small and remote communities people don’t have access to $500 that they’re required to co-pay on.
I’d like to ask the Minister responsible, has his department looked at this? Have these concerns been raised to his department with respect to reducing or, if not, eliminating and taking care of our seniors and those who are disabled with this housing program? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do have the new co-pay program and a lot of folks have done very well with it. However, we do recognize the Member’s concern with some of the challenges that are faced with our seniors and those with disabilities. So I will commit to the Member that we will go back and do an assessment and revisit and maybe make some adjustments to the seniors and those who are disabled, people who are living on fixed incomes. Thank you.
Thank you very much. I know that when I first began in the Assembly with the 15th Assembly, we did have a specific seniors or elders housing program which spoke to giving relief for those kind of things. I’m wondering if the Minister is willing to look at it in that perspective in identifying specific seniors or elders repair programs. Thank you.
We have a number of programs within the NWT Housing Corporation that the uptake in the programs is from the seniors themselves. We have the Mobility Policy now where we work with those who have mobility issues and we have a number of programs designed for seniors. We have the Preventative Maintenance Program. So, we have a number of programs. A couple of them are designed specifically for seniors and those with mobility issues, and we also have, as far as our CARE program goes, the greater percentage is taken by seniors. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Yes, just with the co-pay component, I’m just wondering what kind of timing does the Minister expect in looking at and reviewing that particular guideline that’s in our programming currently. Thank you.
Thank you. We will start looking at it immediately and the work has already begun. We do recognize there are some challenges that the disabled and seniors are facing, those who are on fixed income, with the co-pay portion of it. So we have begun looking at that and we will see how soon we can get that work completed. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased that they’ll look at it here right away. Like I said in my Member’s statement, a particular case is an elder needs his water tank replaced and in that case he cannot come up with the $1,200, but it’s a need for that elder and his family. Water and cleanliness is one of our basic needs. So, I appreciate the Minister looking at that immediately and if he can, once again, to look at it and review certain situations. Thank you.
Yes, as I committed before and I’ll commit again, we will have a look at it and continue to try and improve our programs as we have done for the last number of years with the help of this Legislative Assembly. So, we will continue to try, not try, we will continue to improve our programs and help those seniors, those with mobility issues, the disabled and all those who are in need the best we can. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
