Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past winter, the homeless shelter and the emergency shelter have been operated by the Housing Corporation. Since being elected, I raised issues that have been brought forward to me impacting them and their operations. The emergency shelter was having difficulty and needed support; however, the homeless shelter, from my discussions with the past board, were running somewhat well by the board minus their concerns for minimal funding and ongoing search for funding.
Mr. Speaker, the past board had stated that they would assume to take over the emergency shelter before Housing Corporation assumed control over both. Why the Housing Corporation did not let this happen, I am unsure, and I never really got an answer.
These two shelters were run by separate notforprofit boards, and they have both since dissolved.
When advocating for support for the emergency shelter last spring, the Housing Corporation took over control of both shelters and hired employees into GNWT positions and ran it throughout the winter.
Mr. Speaker, there is now an RFP posted to try and go back to have it a nonforprofit run the organization again. I raised the issue of assuming full control over the shelters and then tried to give them back will not be an easy task. I have also been asking for the homeless strategy and have yet to see this after many promises of "the next sitting, we will have it ready", "the next sitting we will have it ready." I heard this a few times, Mr. Speaker.
I'm worried for the future of our homeless and emergency shelter in Inuvik and will have questions for the Minister responsible for Homelessness. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
