Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of the Housing Corporation. Can the Minister confirm when Hay River can expect more public housing units? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now, the Housing Corporation is in the process of constructing market housing units. That is an RCMP initiative. Presently we don't have any future public housing units to be allocated for the community of Hay River, but in result, we are working with the homelessness strategy in the community and looking at finding long-term solutions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hay River is in dire need of housing for single families, for single people, for larger families. People have been on the waiting list for up to three years. We have to look, I guess, outside of the box on this and figure out how to get more housing in there. Is the Minister willing to consider talking to and using the private sector to build housing that could then be leased back or used for public housing?
I appreciate the Member's comment. Looking at this approach is different, and I would like to look at unique opportunities throughout the Northwest Territories. If we have an opportunity with private sector, I would like to take a look at that. Also, just looking at the City of Yellowknife, we do hold a number of leases already within the apartments that are established here. I would like to follow up with the Member. I am quite interested in that approach.
Right now we have a high-rise in Hay River with 122 apartments, and I am not sure if there is something that we can do to get that up and running. It would alleviate some of the housing concerns in Hay River and help out the Housing Corporation. Can the Minister confirm where we may be with making any head way working with the owner to get that operational again?
The Hay River high-rise is a collaborative approach throughout the government departments. Right now we do have an initiative that we have spoken with the management of the high-rise in looking at a possible co-investment fund application and how we are going to be working with that applicant to make sure that that application is successful.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
