Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions, as I mentioned in my Member's statement, are for the Minister responsible for Homelessness.
This past fall, or actually last spring, it was raised in the House when there was struggles with the board to keep the emergency shelter warm with my continuous talks with the Minister. What I would like to know now, since the Housing Corporation has taken over operations of the two shelters in Inuvik, can the Minister advise what is the plan on the future running of these two homeless shelters in Inuvik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Homelessness.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for her question. I did respond to her in earlier this year. I travelled to Inuvik with my staff to address the housing issue in the Inuvik region and also during COVID as well too.
The Housing Corporation did speak with the Indigenous groups. They are in support of an expression of interest for the homeless shelters in Inuvik. Right now the advertisement for a request for proposal was advertised May 6th, and the closing date is May 31st, 2022, and our intention is to work with the with the person who or the company who is going to be submitting for the RFP.
We did have conversations as well with local memberships that were interested. But I'm not too sure, I can't confirm right now, if they have put forward any submissions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The cost of running the shelter over the winter has, I think if the last numbers that I received from the Minister, have almost quadrupled from what their funding is normally is. So I'm just wondering if the RFP is put out now and the Indigenous groups are going to run it and they come back with an amount that doesn't meet what the budget used to be, because this is the issue that I raised with the Minister even when we met with in our community in my community, what are we going are we going to continue to is Housing Corporation going to continue to run these shelters? Because, you know, I hope that this discussion is going to keep going because I don't want these people I mean, they're already homeless, and we don't want them to not have a space to go sleep safely. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing NWT was just there to support the boards at that time. They did have some issues. They did have some board issues, staffing issues, management as well. Housing was there to support them and try to in trying to find successful solutions.
The Indigenous governments in the Member's riding has only supported the expression of interest. They did not say that they would be taking over the homeless shelter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So that brings me back to my initial thought, question, is what is going to happen to the homeless shelters in Inuvik if nobody bids on these RFPs? Like, I'm looking at the RFP. I've received an email from past board members about the RFP and how strict and how many things that they're asking for. We know that there's gonna be ongoing issues. So what is Housing Corporation going to do now that they've assumed operations? They have assumed. These boards are no longer there. They're dissolved. They've closed up their books. So what is Housing Corporation going to do? Or are our homeless going to be on the streets come fall time? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now I am confident on the RPF going out. The closing date is the 31st. I can't comment whether we've had success or no success with that approach. The operation of the homeless shelter right now is supported by Housing NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Final supplementary, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I guess my final supplementary question to this Minister is where's our homeless strategy? It was promised in the 18th Assembly. The Minister has said on repeated occasions, when asked by Members of this side of the House, when are we going to see it, it'll be the oh, it'll be ready the next session, next session. We haven't seen it. Where is this homelessness strategy and when can we expect to see this strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've taken the strategy back to my department. It's a very complex issue to be worked with within the territory. But not only that, the strategy doesn't come with any money. How are we going to support and operate the strategy coming forward? And speaking with my colleagues in other departments, that I'm looking at hopefully being able to table this document in the fall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
