Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement last week, the Minister of housing stated that the waitlist across the Northwest Territories is 897 applications. I was just wondering how much authority does the board level -- the board at the local housing authority have, and my question is what is being done to clear the waitlist of nearly 900 applications for public housing programs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Mackenzie Delta. Minister for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the needs for housing in the Northwest Territories is difficult and that 897 families on the waitlist is an almost insurmountable task for the Northwest Territories and for this government. And the Legislative Assembly has made housing its number one priority. Housing NWT is up to the task along with this government, but that requires both federal funding, territorial funding, working with partners like our Indigenous governments, working with NGOs. So, again, it's not insurmountable but we have to make headway. We have been making some headway over the last couple of years, especially with the 19th Assembly, and we continue to do the work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my riding, especially in that community, you see a lot of people that are approaching me and asking me like what is the government doing. Where are all these -- where's the money to allocate housing. How many of those 897 applications include residents in the Mackenzie Delta communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have that exact data at this moment, but I can commit to the Member to provide that to him for Mackenzie Delta riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister, for that response; I await the numbers. What is being done to get more public housing units available and accessible on the ground in the communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last number of years, Housing NWT has provided reports, done community housing plans with communities, has provided assessment reports with various contractors, has held NWT Housing forums, has met with Indigenous governments, signed collaborative agreements with Indigenous governments to work together. There's much work being done but the funding is limited again. So this is both a federal issue, a territorial issue, and something that we have to work together in partnership to get things done. But the work continues. Housing NWT has come up with a three-year notional plan that is willing to present to committee. And this would outline some of the ideas that Housing NWT has over the next number of years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How is Housing NWT addressing the issue of suitability of housing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was trying to quickly look for the waiting list numbers for the Member while he was asking the question.
In terms of suitability for housing, again, this is work that's being done with Housing NWT. Suitability of housing requires many of our units to be modernized and improved. And this is something that I mentioned in the capital plan update last week, the ministerial statement that there's 364 units that were in the plan to be modernized and improved over the next couple of years. So this is an indication that Housing NWT is working, is planning, is looking at data. We also have a territorial housing needs assessment that's being worked on at this moment, that's something, again, that this House will have the information available. So work is being done. It's just information takes a bit of time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.
