Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In Hay River, we have a housing issue, so I'd like to ask the Minister of the Housing Corporation, when will we see a real plan to either put houses on the ground or some other solution to take care of a backlog wait list of those seeking housing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation is right now looking at retrofits in our smaller communities and abandoned units that we could bring back up to living conditions. We have expedited our plan right now for the RCMP units, but those are market units that are not specifically for residents of the territory. We also have a list of duplexes and units that are going up throughout the territory. I will have to provide that to the Member. I don't have that information with me on hand. Also, looking at the housing wait list, I am working right now with my federal counterpart for Canada. We, actually, just had a conversation this afternoon, just before this session. I'm quite optimistic about the outcome of that meeting, and I will keep my colleagues informed of the outcome of those discussions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Ever since the high rise had the fire, what happened there was -- prior to that, the number of people who were considered homeless wasn't that great. However, since the fire and the closing of it, the number has substantially increased. What this increase has done is cost this government between $10- to $15,000 per month per person to house them temporarily. I'd like to ask the Minister: there was a working group. I'm just wondering if that working group is still looking at potentially having a high rise open and where they are with respect to communication and working with the owner of the high rise?
The last update that I did receive in regards to the high-rise in Hay River was that they did submit an application for co-investment to look at the deficiencies that are existing in the high-rise. There were a number of expectations to be met prior to that building being open. With that, I will provide the Member with an updated status on where we are with the high-rise in Hay River.
I was elected here by the constituents in Hay River South, but I am also here to ensure that people are provided the opportunity to have housing and other services. This isn't happening. This has been going on with the Housing Corporation year after year. My issue here is that I don't see an end to it. At some point, I am going to have to ask the Minister. I need something concrete. We keep hearing the same rhetoric, and we don't hear anything new. We hear about the smaller communities. We hear something about the larger ones, as well, but I need to be able to take something back to Hay River. What can I take back to them to give them some hope that we are actually going to have some houses?
Our scheduled delivery, we don't have any expectations for Hay River for this year. I just want to just inform the Member that we did address the homelessness issue in Hay River this year for the COVID response. We did respond accordingly and dealt with the homelessness situation in the community, as well. Conversations are still going on with the Hay River high-rise. Looking at other situations that do burden us from constructing in Hay River, as well, is that we need land. We need land to build. In Hay River, it's quite challenging, to be honest. Looking at those opportunities going forward, those discussions are currently happening, as well.
I do hear the Member, like every other community and region, as well, that housing is quite significant, but I will keep the Member updated, as we do have a couple of co-investment applications that are coming forward. Like I had said earlier, the conversation that I did have with the federal government, I am quite optimistic about those outcomes of the applications. I am very confident, and I hope I am able to make an announcement prior to this session ending.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a property in Hay River referred to as "Disneyland." It's a fairly big area. The houses have been removed, and my understanding is that was to be for senior housing. I would ask the Minister if she would look at talking to some of the private developers in town and see if they are interested in building something and using that piece of land. Otherwise, I don't see anything happening, and I am very concerned because the Housing Corporation is important. It's a big budget. If nothing happened, I am hoping that, at some point, the Premier will take a look at the whole issue and maybe take a look at the top management. Maybe we have to do something there, some changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Putting houses in Hay River is quite complicated right now. There are other discussions that I will inform the Member about, as well. We are working with the community, looking at the vacant property that is there. We are looking at addressing the seniors issue there. That pretty much is the ongoing conversation in that specific community. We are really optimistic about the co-investment applications that are coming forward. I would really like to press on those, as well, because we were given a significant amount over the next three years to be addressing those applications and to making sure that they are successful. Once they are submitted to the federal government, the territorial government will receive them and were able to proceed with them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
