Mr. Speaker, I want to share with you some of the exciting things happening at Housing Northwest Territories that are a direct result of our renewal strategy. Since the initiation of the strategy, Housing NWT has worked with the Council of Leaders to revise and modernize its mandate and use this mandate to guide the review of our policies and programs. We are now in the process of implementing the changes coming up for review. Changes include the implementation and improvement of how Housing NWT works with local housing organizations, our critical partners in delivering all of our public housing programs. We have also improved and collaborated with Indigenous governments with agreements signed with the Tlicho government, Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, and Deline Got’ine government, and more agreements are expected. Additionally, we are putting in place a lastchance mechanism for engaging with Indigenous governments with a forum that will be cochaired by Housing NWT and an Indigenous government. The Terms of Reference are now being finalized, and we do anticipate that the first Indigenous government cochair for this forum will be the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT recognizes the importance of supporting each Indigenous government as they develop and implement their selfgovernment agreements and determine how housing priorities are more in need in their communities. It is worth noting that Housing NWT is doing all of this work while managing a public housing expansion that has been unprecedented in recent decades.
Mr. Speaker, along with these accomplishments, I am proud to bring forward a number of new initiatives and improvements underway. My colleagues are aware, public housing applicants who have met the eligibility criteria undergo prioritization using a point rating system. An applicant is given a number of points for certain needs and this score helps to prioritize their ranking to access available housing in their communities. As part of Housing NWT's renewal strategy, the points system was updated and modernized so that it lines up with Housing NWT's mandate and government priorities. This means that the point rating system now includes points for those who are experiencing chronic homelessness, or individuals who are in need of housing because they are living in an environment that is involving family violence. The new points system is being rolled out on April 1st of this year.
Mr. Speaker, to ensure our tenants' successes, we have recently worked with the literacy council to plain language the tenancy agreements as well as develop a tenant’s handbook that outlines the rights and responsibilities of both the landlord and the tenant. We have also introduced a tenant success plan which outlines how local housing organizations should work with the clients to support them and giving them a chance at success.
Mr. Speaker, another small but new initiative is centered around access to credit. For some of our clients, their monthly rent is the only regular payment that are being make and the only opportunity they have to build a good credit rating. We are happy to announce a credit rating pilot program in two communities: Fort Resolution and Inuvik. Public housing tenants will have the opportunity to opt into the program which will only report positive credit rating.
Mr. Speaker, for our homeowners, along with the increase in thresholds for most programs, a focus on seniors and eliminating the copay for emergency repairs, we are introducing a pilot program in two communities that will allow for us to work with the local housing organizations in communities where there is no local supplier for construction materials. The local housing organization will provide access to material, such as heating and plumbing parts, things that we know homeowners need and that are hard to get in a timely manner in a small remote community.
Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the current highlights with much more exciting news expected to come in the coming weeks, including our new Energy Management Strategy and Blueprint.
Mr. Speaker, the housing needs in the territory are so great that sometimes it seems that the challenges are harder to accomplish. But what I have seen in my time as Minister is the willingness to work together to meet those challenges and to be courageous, to look with a critical eye at whether our efforts are being effective. No one government, no one organization, and no single solution alone will allow us to be successful. We need to work together to address the territory's housing crisis. I would like to take this time to thank my colleagues on the other side who have supported me in this portfolio as well and implementing these changes as we go forward. I'd also like to thank the staff at Housing NWT for coming together and implementing these programs as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
