Mr. Speaker, addressing housing needs in the Northwest Territories cannot be done by any single government. We must continue to build and strengthen partnerships partnerships with Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, community governments, nongovernment organizations, private companies, and the Government of Canada.
Partnerships is a theme I have spoken about many times since becoming Minister responsible for Housing Northwest Territories. But over the last three years, through our strategic renewal process, it has become more prominent. We have worked with our partners to deliver home repair and homeownership programs, develop community housing plans, deliver new units in communities, support those at risk of being homeless and, recently, we have developed a plan to address a lack of market housing in communities across the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, our partnerships with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations are important as we address the territory's housing crisis. The Community Housing Support Initiative is a great example of how Housing NWT established this funding program to support Indigenous governments in implementing innovative and communitydriven housing projects of their own design. We have partnered with a number of Indigenous governments to date, including the Salt River First Nation, Whati Community Government, and the Nihtat Gwich'in Council.
Mr. Speaker, for over 15 years Housing NWT has been partnering with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation for the operation and administration of public housing units in N'dilo and Dettah. We also provide approximately $1.5 million a year to the North Slave Housing Corporation for the operation and administration of 75 units to Indigenous people in Yellowknife. We have also been working with K'atlodeeche First Nation, providing them with funding to operate and maintain ten public housing units on the K'atlodeeche First Nation Reserve.
Additionally, our staff worked with the K'atlodeeche First Nation on completing their community housing plan, which was adopted on September 19, 2022.
In the Tlicho region, we work through the Tlicho housing working group which sets priorities and administers housing projects. During this fiscal year, Housing NWT is projecting to invest over $3 million on housing programs and maintenance and repairs of its rental units in the Tlicho communities.
Mr. Speaker, as part of finding ways of partnering with Indigenous governments under the renewal strategy, Housing NWT entered into three formal agreements over the last year:
A Memorandum of Understanding with the Tlicho government;
A Memorandum of Agreement with the Sahtu Secretariat; and, most recently,
A Memorandum of Understanding with the Deline Got'ine Government.
These agreements provide a framework for intergovernmental cooperation on housingrelated matters and may include such priorities as community housing planning, coordinating program delivery, information and data sharing. These housing agreements can also advance the implementation of selfgovernment agreements, including the agreement to procure and enact laws related to social housing. Outside of the formal MOUs, Housing NWT is working with other Indigenous governments with less formal approach but still with the full intent to partner on housing priorities and interests.
Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT will continue to seek opportunities for partnership to leverage funding to address the needs of Northwest Territories residents. One example of this is with the YWCA where their capital project funding from Canada required an ongoing inkind commitment from Housing NWT to provide operational funding and Housing NWT has provided a multiyear funding agreement of $500,000 per year to support the program delivery. Another example is our partnership with Habitat for Humanity, a global organization that works towards stability, affordability housing with the help of sweat equity. Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity began in 2013 and included capital contributions to their project but also includes supporting them to find locations for their builds and advertising for eligible clients. Habitat currently has an agreement with Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Housing NWT and will see ten units constructed. Housing NWT seeks to be flexible in partnership arrangements to achieve at the end of our goal of getting more affordable housing into our communities.
Mr. Speaker, a lack of housing options in communities across the Northwest Territories is a barrier for the recruitment and retention of frontline community workers. In response to this, a number of GNWT departments have worked together to present a future need for market housing rental needs. The joint effort has resulted in identifying the need for over 260 market rental units across the Northwest Territories. As the GNWT is a lead on this work, Housing NWT will work with Indigenous governments, local businesses, and within the federal government, to put a plan in place to develop these market housing units and supporting the recruitment, local economies, businesses, and employment in the Northwest Territories. Our renewal strategy continues to work with Indigenous governments, community governments, nongovernment organizations, and others to improve housing programs and services and expand in our collaborative housing portfolio in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, as this statement describes, Housing NWT has been putting a lot of emphasis on building and repairing relationships during the life of this government by continuing to deepen the relationships with our partners. We believe we can successfully address the Northwest Territories housing crisis. I would also like to thank the staff of Housing NWT for the collaboration and the work that they have been putting together within the time of this government. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
