Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Housing NT explain what the housing stability worker position is and tell us whether the pilot project in Behchoko was successful. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you so much to the Member for addressing this issue here. The housing stability worker in Behchoko is very successful. It was actually introduced in the last government and also created by the Premier at that time who held the housing portfolio. We did address the housing evictions, we did address housing needs, wraparound services that may have been required. Since then, housing has created and worked with the Tlicho. We do have a housing working group right now. The decision of that working group is that the Tlicho had wanted to take the position. So we are now working side by side with the Tlicho and looking at how this position will be tailored and we look into the future as to filling of this position in the region. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that, Minister. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us if there's any plans to expand the housing stability worker into other communities and regions beyond Behchoko. As in my Member's statement, you know, this is something that's happening in a lot of our especially in our regional centres, and I'm sure it's happening here in Yellowknife too, so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question, that this is one of the areas that I did highlight, homelessness and housing supports is crucially needed. Throughout the Northwest Territories, we have a variety of different situations that we need to address. Along with mortgages as well, we have units that we need to be transferring. For me, those were the two major highlights while working within this portfolio. I would like to see these positions in every region, to be honest, Mr. Speaker. It is quite needed. It is very much needed. We need to address housing in a different innovative collaborative way, and this is a key on how we should be doing things differently. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, talking about this pilot project, it was a pilot project so it was scheduled for two years. The funding, I guess, was for two years. So is there still funding for this position for Tlicho and it's not been filled, or is there something that has to come back? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. The funding was a government position but we did end up providing a community initiative project approach with the Tlicho housing working group. That is how the position is funded right now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you for that, Mr. Speaker. You know, when we come in here we try to give our Ministers a little bit of an opportunity to come with the answers but sometimes our as we get our answers, things change. So I guess my last question to this Minister would be would this Minister commit to working with the Indigenous groups in Inuvik to try and create this position there to deal with some of the issues that are going on in housing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. I'm very passionate about this portfolio, and I'm quite excited but, you know, I just want to let the Member know is that I would like to see if there's any vacant positions that are not filled within housing and create a position that would soon be able to work side by side with the new housing position that we are creating that is addressing homelessness. I would like to be innovative.
I would like to see things change and address the issue in the Beaufort Delta differently. So I would like to follow up with the Member as well. We do have continuous conversations with the Indigenous governments but I would like to see what we do have available. If this position is able to be fulfilled on a term position, absolutely I would like to I would like to support that and follow up with the Member as well too. We do have a new position supposed to be housed in the northern part of the territory, housed in Inuvik, and if we can get a position to work side by side to address homelessness in the Member's riding, absolutely, I'll bring this back to my department and look for a vacant position to fill that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Calm down. Calm down. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
