Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In the 2007 Auditor General's report on housing, it was found that about 71 percent of NWT Housing Corporation mortgages were in arrears. I'm wondering if the Minister of Housing can let us know what the average annual cost of home ownership mortgages are to the NWT Housing Corporation and including any maintenance or repair costs that the NWT Housing Corporation funds, as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Presently, we have 321 mortgage files; 103 of them, we are receiving payment, and 218 are in arrears. Three of those are in Yellowknife. For the upcoming year, the Housing Corporation plans to invest $5 million into home ownership programming to support private homeowners with their home needs and repairs. The Housing Corporation also is contributing assistance for a residential enhancement care program, $2 million; care maintenance program, $872,000; fuel tank replacement for homeowners, $500,000; Providing Assistance for Territorial Homeownership, the PATH program to homeownership, $75,000; Securing Assistance for Emergencies, $1.5 million; seniors aging in place, retrofits and repairs, $800,000. We're looking at the loans that are given out, as well, and considered to be forgivable loans that are not payable back to the Housing Corporation if the grant and the conditions are met. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Can the Minister also confirm what the annual operating cost is per public housing unit in the Northwest Territories?
As per the audit for 2019-2020, the financial statement, the approximate cost is $62 million. This is for the utilities and maintenance costs for delivery of the public housing program, and it translates to $25,000 per unit per year.
Does the Minister have any ideas of what the leading causes of mortgage arrears in the Northwest Territories and how the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation intends to address these challenges through their homeownership programs?
The Housing Corporation continues to work very closely with our tenants and supports the collection of rental and mortgage arrears, including developing affordable repayment plans and counselling, as well. As a result of this work, the Housing Corporation maintains a high collection rate of 90 percent. In the 2021-2024 corporate business plan, we continue to make a commitment to maintain that amount to 90 percent of annual collection rates. The Housing Corporation is continuing to be providing repayable mortgages or loans that were established in 2007. Since 2007, the Housing Corporation also continued to collect on these old legacy files. The work also involves entering into affordable repayment plans, where necessary, with existing mortgage clients.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if the Minister can speak to how the NWT Housing Corporation is driving the changes needed for communities to have affordable access to building material, repair, and maintenance within all communities of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
This is a question that was asked throughout the trips that the Housing Corporation made prior to September of last year. We are looking at providing building materials at our local housing authorities to support private homeowners in smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
