Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Decentralizations of North Slave district housing office. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken in this House many times about the housing crisis in the Tlicho region. There are not enough homes to house the people in Tlicho region. The homes we do have are overcrowded and undermaintained. Many homes have mold. There are no housing staff in district office that speak Tlicho language. Further, there are not enough housing staff in the Tlicho region, and they are overworked. Tlicho residents need someone who can speak the language to help them deal with their housing issues. If people in the Tlicho region have problems or issues or want to submit program application, they have to do so through the North Slave district office in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, this is a barrier.
Mr. Speaker, this means that residents from Tlicho region have to drive into the capital city, enter a government building which is intimidating for some people whose first language is not English, or they have to wait for the North Slave district office to visit the communities. The requirement to work with the North Slave district housing office in Yellowknife is not working for Tlicho citizens and other people living in the Tlicho region. Mr. Speaker, there needs to be decisionmaking authority within the Tlicho region. The North Slave housing district office needs to be decentralized into the Tlicho region so Housing NWT can actually improve the housing crisis in the region.
Mr. Speaker, we know there is a housing crisis in Behchoko, the largest Indigenous community in the NWT, yet the main estimate show that Behchoko housing support worker has been sunset this year. A local Tlicho position has been sunset but, Mr. Speaker, there are six new positions established in Yellowknife for this fiscal year. This is unacceptable. Mr. Speaker, this government should be focused on decentralizing services to improve services to residents in small communities, not creating more barriers. I will have questions for the Minister of housing. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
