Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Members of the Legislative Assembly, today I am pleased to present the 1993-94 O and M budget for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
The fiscal year 1993-94 will be a landmark year for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Many of the new initiatives that were developed in 1992-93 will be implemented.
One of the most important and exciting initiatives is the access to home ownership programs approved by this House in December. The first access units will be delivered across the NWT this spring and summer.
Public reaction to the access to home ownership programs has been very positive. District staff have held public meetings in 56 communities, and we have over 1,000 applications from interested families.
District staff are now meeting individually with these families as part of the corporation's "one-stop shopping" service. Applicants are receiving information and counselling about the different programs that are offered by the Housing Corporation. This allows families to choose the program that best fits their needs and financial situation.
All in all, 427 families will receive some form of home ownership assistance from the corporation in 1993-94. This is much more assistance than we expected to be able to provide, given the deep cuts to CMHC funding, Mr. Chairman, but I know it is not enough. New program options are being developed to try to assist as many families as we possibly can to become home owners.
The access to home ownership programs were designed to meet the housing needs of a broader range of northern families. We will be monitoring the access programs very closely this year, to make sure we identify any problems with the programs. If changes are needed, they will be made.
Mr. Chairman, we have to make sure we listen to the people in the communities and that we pay attention to what they tell us about how our programs are working. The corporation will implement an expanded consultation framework in 1993-94. Last December, Members passed motions endorsing the consultation framework, and recommending that it be implemented in 1993-94.
I would like to thank the Members of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions for their help with developing the consultation framework. When we presented the proposal for the consultation framework to the standing committee, Members suggested a number of changes. The consultation framework was revised to include their suggestions, and I believe it will be more effective as a result.
The consultation framework will provide more opportunities for public input. We will be holding an annual public meeting in each community to deal with people's housing concerns. In addition to the public, representatives from the local housing organization, community government, band council, Metis local and community development corporation will be invited to attend these meetings.
We will also hold an annual meeting in each district with representatives from the community housing organizations. If a community does not have a housing organization, representatives of the community government, band council and Metis local will be invited to attend. These meetings will deal with regional housing concerns.
Mr. Chairman, meetings are already held in communities on a regular basis, and also at the regional level. We will simply be expanding these existing forums to include more representatives from communities.
Another key part of the consultation framework is the formation of an Advisory Committee on Social Housing to ensure the input of MLAs on territorial-wide social housing issues. I have tabled terms of reference for this committee, and given notice of motion to establish it as soon as possible. Advisory committee Members will be asked to advise us on the policies and programs of the Housing Corporation and will be kept up-to-date on territorial-wide social housing issues.
I am looking forward to working with the advisory committee. I think it is a very positive development in our Legislative Assembly. I have always said that housing is everybody's problem and no one person has all the answers. I welcome the opportunity to work with Members on the advisory committee and I know our housing programs and policies will be better because of their advice.
A review of the public housing rent scale has begun. The present rent scale was designed in 1983 and has not changed since. Changes are needed, Mr. Chairman, because there are some serious problems with the current rent scale that must be resolved. These problems include:
- The current scale is not fair and equitable. There are unfair differences in some of the rents charged within and between communities.
- The current scale does not encourage home ownership.
- The current scale does not reduce rent enough for working families with low incomes.
- CMHC does not accept the NWT rental scale, and reduces its funding to the corporation as a result.
I hope to release a discussion paper on the proposed new rent scale during this session. If the House rises early, the discussion paper will be circulated to all Members, housing associations, authorities and the public. I plan to work closely with Members of the Legislative Assembly, the Advisory Committee on Social Housing, and the communities on this issue.
I want to assure Members and the public that we will take time to explain the changes we feel are needed, both to this House and to the people in the communities. Meetings will be held in each community, with the local housing organization, community governments, and the public to explain why and how the rent scale needs to change.
The consultation framework I proposed to Members last December is already being implemented. Public meetings were held in all communities in December and January to introduce the access programs, and to share information with the communities about the results of the 1992 needs survey. District staff also explained how the needs study results affected the number of homes the communities receive. It is important to us that the public understand what the allocation process is based on and how the Housing Corporation makes these decisions. This is an important part of our consultation process.
The corporation is also doing more to support northern and local construction companies this year. In 1992-93, the corporation originally planned to deliver 12 rent supplement units in Yellowknife. We actually delivered 60 rent supplement units in five communities in 1992-93, Mr. Chairman. The rent supplement allocation was expanded so we could maximize the economic benefits associated with the program in more communities. In 1993-94, we will deliver 121 rent supplement units in 16 communities.
Not only does the rent supplement program allow the Housing Corporation to do more with less, it also provides a number of important business opportunities to northern companies and community development corporations. We will be combining staff housing requirements with public housing needs to create more attractive opportunities for local and northern developers.
Mr. Chairman, the Housing Corporation has been working actively with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, as well as the Department of Government Services and Public Works, on a training strategy. The purpose of this strategy will be to take maximum advantage of the building construction-related opportunities for training and for employment at the local level. The strategy is nearing completion, and I expect to be able to make a Minister's statement on the strategy before the end of this session.
Mr. Chairman, as I advised the Standing Committee on Finance in January, these are all positive steps forward in the way the corporation provides homes. We must all bear in mind, however, that unless we receive enough money to do the job, we will still have a serious shortage of housing on our hands, as well as the health, social, educational and other problems that are a consequence of a housing shortage.
The Government Leader had also planned to raise this issue in her meeting with the Prime Minister. It is very unfortunate that this meeting has been deferred, but the proposed CMHC cuts will remain on the agenda for the Government Leader's meeting with the Prime Minister when it does take place.
I know Members are very concerned and disappointed about the threat of further CMHC funding cuts. I share this disappointment and concern. I will make a Minister's statement on the status of the funding cuts as soon as the numbers are confirmed by the federal Minister. I assure you we will not take any new cuts laying down.
I would like to bring your attention to the report of the federal Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs. The standing committee's report, "A time for Action: Aboriginal and Northern Housing" was released this past December. I spoke to this committee on behalf of the NWT, and I can report to you that they listened to our concerns. The committee has recognized our immediate and critical shortage, and has recommended that, at the very least, the 1992 federal funding level be reinstated. I will ensure the federal government is kept aware of the recommendations of the standing committee.
Mr. Chairman, this sums up the key activities of the NWT Housing Corporation for 1993-94. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. I would be pleased to answer any questions the committee may have. Thank you.
