Debates of February 8, 2024 (day 4)

Member’s Statement 44-20(1): Maximizing Northern Employment and Benefits

Sheryl Yakeleya

Dehcho

Topics

Member’s Statement 45-20(1): Colville Lake School

Member’s Statement 47-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Indigenous Procurement Policy

Member’s Statement 48-20(1): Biomass District Heating Systems

Member’s Statement 49-20(1): Fort Resolution Governance and Fire Fighting

Member’s Statement 51-20(1): Income Assistance Policies

Member’s Statement 52-20(1): Closing the Municipal Funding Gap

Member’s Statement 53-20(1): Liidlii Kue Elementary School Boat Purchase

Minister’s Statement 6-20(1): Capital Delivery Status Update

Question 25-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Board Policy

Question 26-20(1): Delay in Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Requests

Question 27-20(1): Guaranteed Basic Income

Question 28-20(1): Colville Lake School

Question 29-20(1): Income Assistance Policies

Question 30-20(1): Preparing for the Closure of Diavik Diamond Mine

Question 31-20(1): Fort Resolution Fire Fighting and Governance

Question 32-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Indigenous Procurement Policy

Question 33-20(1): Biomass District Heating Systems

Question 34-20(1): Construction and Retrofitting of Housing Northwest Territories Units

Question 35-20(1): Yellowknife Street Outreach Program

Question 36-20(1): Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Requests

Question 37-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Energy Strategy

Tabled Document 15-20(1): Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2022-2023

Tabled Document 16-20(1): Excerpt from Government of Nunavut Public Service Annual Report 2021-22

Statements

Question 34-20(1): Construction and Retrofitting of Housing Northwest Territories Units

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the Minister is new to the position, but the stats are still there. So this question, the last government in the 19th Assembly gathered $60 million from the coinvestment fund, $85 million from CIRNAC to build 100 new homes. Can the Minister confirm that 100 new units have been fully constructed and completed?

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I announced in the capital update that 100 new homes were either completed or in progress. So we do have some homes that are in progress because of transportation issues. So there are some homes that are not completed yet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when looking at previous capital estimate plans for the Tlicho region, Housing NWT had planned to retrofit two units in Gameti and two units in Whati between 2022. Can the Minister confirm whether those retrofits have been completed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I cannot confirm at this time that those were completed, Mr. Speaker. I can follow up and provide the information to the Member as soon as I know that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you for the information. Mr. Speaker, in the 20232024 Capital Estimates, CIRNAC is funding five new units public units and retrofitting four public units in Behchoko. Can the Minister provide any updates on the status of those projects?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The status of the projects are ten new public housing units are now under construction in the Tlicho communities, all awarded to Tlicho businesses, including six new public housing units in Behchoko. Four of these are on track for completion this spring and two others will be completed this summer. Two new public housing units in Gameti to be completed this spring. Two new public housing units in Whati to be completed by this summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.

I hope it's going to be completed in Gameti because of that all depends on the ice road.

So, Mr. Speaker, when looking at Housing NWT capital planning documents over the last five years, there have been no plans to put new units or renovate units in Wekweeti. Will the Minister commit to putting a new unit into Wekweeti? Thank you.