Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell us if her department considers it a priority to help all NWT residents find adequate housing regardless of their income level? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, absolutely. It is a priority for the Housing Corporation to initiate and engage with the Northwest Territories to find adequate, suitable, and affordable housing throughout the Northwest Territories. However, I know the Member is also going to be asking about the income threshold that we do currently have. The income threshold is established for fairness and consistency throughout the Northwest Territories, but I would like to take that back because there are a lot of considerations we need to look at with how we look at the rent that we are collecting for the public housing units.
Also, I really wanted to elaborate on the housing programs that we do have that try to work with the residents of the Northwest Territories to find affordable, adequate, suitable housing, and I'm hoping to hearing the rest of the Member's statements, as well, and the questions coming forward because it really puts together a different, unique approach that the Housing Corporation needs to consider. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Can the Minister tell us if she believes that the current means test determining seniors' eligibility for public housing is fair?
Looking at the number of units we have throughout the Northwest Territories for seniors, we do have approximately 2,900 throughout the territory; 374 of those units are occupied by seniors' housing. Also, throughout the Northwest Territories, the Housing Corporation has also established seniors' complexes in Fort Liard, Fort Providence, and a number of communities throughout the territory. Not only that, I wanted to elaborate that, for seniors' housing throughout the territory, we really engage into partnership throughout the territory. The Housing Corporation can't come forward and, right now, put new houses on the ground. We need to look at creative alternative solutions.
I just wanted to highlight that one of the only housing societies throughout the territory is the K'asho Got'ine Housing Society in Fort Good Hope, where they took some money out of their local government, partnered up with the Housing Corporation, and also looked at the need for seniors' housing in that specific community. That is the kind of approach that I'm looking for as a Minister. I need to work with the Indigenous groups, with the stakeholders in the community. We need to start addressing housing as the number one priority within the government, but not only within the government. We need to look at this with the Indigenous groups and the people of the Northwest Territories so we can continue to work in partnership and continue with that collaborative approach to make sure that we have and continue with affordable housing, adequate housing, suitable housing for the residents of the Northwest Territories.
Will the Minister commit to removing or changing the current means test determining seniors' eligibility into public housing units?
I know that the Member is going to continuously ask this question, and I really appreciate it because we come forward and we're coming up with adequate solutions that we are working on with the seniors. The Housing Corporation had lifted the requirement for land tenure and insurance for private homeowners in order for the client to adequately seek approval for our housing programs. The other thing that the Housing Corporation has done is eliminate the requirement for additional people living in the public housing units in order for us to calculate rent, where we're solely looking at the senior.
I recognize, coming from a smaller community, we do have elders in our smaller communities, and we do have extended family members who live with our elders who provide that adequate care. It really prevents them from going into the larger centres and the larger communities. We are supporting seniors to age in place, but with the questions coming forward, I would like to see a lot more creativity throughout the Housing Corporation, as well, in looking at further expanding our needs throughout the territory. Not only that, I need to really consider the other population, as well, of low-income families; the women, the children, and the overcrowding, the homelessness. I will bring this back as a Minister to my department. Sorry for the long answer, but I am very passionate about my portfolio. I know I can't house everybody, but I just take a look at all of the opportunities and the creativity that we can have in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Minister. Colleagues, just to remind everyone to slow down a bit. Our interpreters may be having difficulty here. Also, be mindful for our other Members who still have to ask questions. Final supplementary. Member for Thebacha.
Mr. Speaker, will the Minister consider creating a new seniors' housing strategy for the NWT Housing Corporation that does not discriminate against seniors based on income? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will try to speak very slowly, and I'll be very quick with my response. We are looking at the Core Need Income Threshold for seniors. This is something I will bring back to my department, but I cannot commit to putting together another strategy. I would have to bring this forward, and I will keep the Member informed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
