Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are related to the NWT Housing Corporation program delivery to the communities and directed to the housing Minister. Can the Minister ensure district program advisors are visiting the communities on a more frequent basis to advise of the housing programs and services that are available to the people? Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Member, for your statement. Mr. Speaker, I will commit to having my programs' advisors who visit the community offices going forward. We do have a significant amount of programs and services that we do deliver as the Housing Corporation. Right now, we are going forward, and we are looking at advertisements. Then we are able to meet the needs of the Northwest Territories through our program delivery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Member, for your question.
Mahsi to the Minister for that answer. We have had program advisors visit the community recently, before the holidays, but they weren't taking down specific information on people who approached them for their program delivery. That wasn't being followed through. Can the Minister ensure district program advisors are available to assist potential clients with the onerous applications process?
Thank you, Member, for your statement. I am quite surprised to hear that the programs' advisors are not seeing the applications thoroughly and that they are not meeting the satisfaction of the clients coming to the programs' advisors. I will ensure to the Member that, when the district officers come into the community, that we do end up with a status report. I want to know what those community visits were like. I want to know how many applications were received and if they were completed or else if there was some information that we are missing. I will ensure that the programs' advisors are following up and that we are accountable as the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Thank you, Member, for your comments.
In my Member statement, I alluded to the fact that the LHOs had program advisors previously. Can the Minister advise as to when we may see program advisors continue back into our communities?
Thank you, Member, for your question. Going forward, I have realized that we have increased the population within our communities, and program delivery in our increased public housing units means that there is a need for more positions within our communities. I will be looking into this question because it is a concern to me that we do have a number of units on the ground, but the number of employees that we have currently, we need to review that. Going forward, I will follow up with the Member with the changes that we will be making throughout the community offices, the local housing authority.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi to the Minister for stating that she will look into the position. Every year, we are always having problems with seniors and other people not being able to access a lot of the programs. There is no advertising in the communities or on the radio, and we are always having the staff of the LHOs directing clients to the Hay River office because we don't have anyone in our community to help with those. Because it's important for the seniors; they are always missing the end dates, or it's too late in the winter for servicing furnaces, and whatever else is required, so it's important to have those staff people on the ground in their communities who can help, maybe go door-to-door to really assist people. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. I didn't hear a question, but if the Minister wants to respond.
Thank you, Member, for your comment. Going forward, I am looking at the program services that we offer at the local housing authority and the district offices. I guess it is kind of disturbing to hear that all of the programs are not being met and that we're not getting out to the clients who require the services that the Housing Corporation has to offer. I have instructed my department, the district offices, to be meeting with the local housing authorities monthly and going forward and looking at that, and wanting to meet the needs of the community membership; looking at the seniors, as well, and the programs; and looking at the dates that they are missing.
I would like the Member to provide me with names of the clients, and I will have my department follow up with that as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Member, for your question.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
