Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of housing in her role as the housing Minister and also the Minister responsible for Homelessness.
Last weekend, when I was home, I was driving home after work and I noticed someone lying in the ditch. It was one of my constituents. He was not under the influence; he was just tired, had a medical issue and no home to go to. He was lucky that a couple of young ladies were kind-hearted enough stop and call an ambulance for him.
When I arrived, he was alone. I stayed with him until the ambulance showed up, and at that time, he informed me that the night before he was in the same position, and he went to hospital there, or the health centre, they wouldn't let him stay overnight. I told him, I said, "Well, go and take the ambulance, and they're pretty well going to have to keep you there." I said, "If they don't, just tell them to call me. As an MLA or as a lawyer, I will look after you, one or the other." I never heard from him so hopefully he's okay.
Anyway, the first question I have is: I would ask the Minister if her departments have taken any action to establish a permanent shelter for men in Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for his question. Right now, the Housing Corporation is involved in a vulnerable persons working group in the community of Hay River. Right now, we are in agreement with an established business in Hay River as well, too, that we have opened up 18 additional rooms for Hay River. I know this is a temporary solution for the community, but we are hoping to work in conjunction with the community membership and the non-profit organizations in the community of Hay River to find a solution to address the homelessness need in the Member's riding.
I think that the people appreciate the beds that are made available to the homeless right now. Problem is that some of them are removed every once in a while, and they have nowhere to go. They had a shelter in the old part of Hay River, and it was closed. This morning there was somebody peeking out the window, so they moved back in. I told the guy, "Just keep the door open. Let them use it until something else comes up."
The next question I have for the Minister: it's not only the homeless that we need shelter for in Hay River. We need living accommodation for singles, couples, and families. There is a big shortage. What is the department doing to address this immediate issue that is in Hay River?
Thank you to the Member for his questions. Last week, the Housing Corporation had rolled out $43 million in infrastructure projects through the Northwest Territories. With that is an initiative, as well, to try to work and address the housing needs and the homelessness issue throughout the territory. We also have carry-over projects as well, too, that that weren't complete in 2019-2020, so those projects are soon to be coming to completion.
I also made an announcement that approximately 130 units would be available to the people of the Northwest Territories due to the COVID response from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and that emergency measure is no longer required those units. Right now, I can let the Member know that the Housing Corporation, we do have 60 units throughout the Northwest Territories that we are looking for immediate occupancy. The additional 70 are needing minor to major repairs. I could follow up with the Member to address how many units identified are going to be allocated in his riding.
The Hay River high-rise has been a sore point for many, but it has 122 apartments sitting empty right now. It is time to put our differences aside and seriously look at it as a viable place to reduce housing requirements in Hay River. This government did it with the Arnica Inn project here in Yellowknife. Why not the Hay River high-rise?
I do see the need for utilizing the high-rise in Hay River for the additional 122 units. The Housing Corporation hasn't been approached, to my knowledge. It does lie in the Office of the Fire Marshal. We haven't had any approach from the business owner or the owner of the high-rise that would have expressed interest in looking at renovations or a possibility of accessing our co-investment fund for the Northwest Territories. I am open to furthering this conversation with the Member, should the Member and his riding be interested in looking at additional solutions for the high-rise. The business owner would have to contact the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation individually.
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I'd be hoping that the Housing Corporation, knowing that there is a shortage in Hay River, would be kind of proactive, so I'm just wondering: when was the last time that anybody from the department has actually talked to the owner of the high-rise? I talk to him probably weekly, so I'm just wondering if your department has talked to him, or when was the last time anybody talked to him. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Like I said, this is a private business, a private owner and, to my knowledge, as of today, we haven't been contacted by the Hay River high-rise. I do have open dialogue to be working with the owner for the high-rise in Hay River, but I do know that there were some concerns with the Fire Marshal, so I'm not too sure; I couldn't comment on what status that building may be in and what the requirements would be to have the high-rise up and running again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
