Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative

In the Legislative Assembly on February 24th, 1994. See this topic in context.

Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 344

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in my Member's statement I outlined a problem that was occurring in my riding dealing with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and the Inukshuk Housing Cooperative. I incorrectly referred to it as multi-family, and it should be multi-residential, for the record.

Madam Speaker, I have a question for the Minister. It appears that MACA officials arbitrarily decided to reclassify the cooperative from single-family to multi-family, after the city had already agreed upon its designation. Can the Minister advise me why a decision like that of such consequence would be made without any consultation?

Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 344

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 344

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am aware of the situation the honourable Member is raising. I sympathize with the Member and the people who are involved. I would like to say that the decision to change the classification for these units was not arbitrary, rather it was a change which was made in the categorization of these units by the city. Everywhere else in the Northwest Territories, the categorization of these units would have been multi-residential. In this case, the departmental staff made the mistake of classifying these units as multi-residential following what they normally do in other NWT communities. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 344

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think the Minister got right to the point. I think it was on an assumption. There was never any indication by the city that this should be reclassified from one to four. It was with the advisement of the city that this was designated as class one to correspond to yet another cooperative in that neighbourhood. Condos are fairly new to the territories, so there may be some confusion. The decision was never made in conjunction with anyone, but the department. The department admitted this in a letter that was sent to the members of the cooperative. I would like to know, now that the error has been discovered and brought to their attention, is there any provisions for redress to an error that was caused by the department? Are there any provisions for rectifying this problem?

Supplementary To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

February 23rd, 1994

Page 345

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I should clarify that the process currently followed, at the present time, is the department makes assessments of properties in the city of Yellowknife, which are then forwarded to the city of Yellowknife offices. To my understanding, these are then checked over by the city and their officials. In fact, I believe they hire an independent person to review these assessments. That is the second stage where a mistake like this could have been caught. They are then forwarded on to the property owner. So there are three stages that this mistake could have been caught.

I should also clarify that the taxes paid for these units are made to the city, rather than the government. So I think this is an issue that should be raised between the property owner and the city. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The city based their mill rate on the advice of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs' assessment of their property. That is what they base their mill rate on. They don't do this by themselves. If MACA makes an error, we have no way of knowing there is a mistake made. When it was brought to the attention of officials by this voluntary board, they were just soothed and were told that was just a normal tax increase. There are deadlines to be met so that people pay their taxes. When it was officially recognized and brought to their attention officially, they were told nothing could be done. I want to know whether there are any provisions in the act to redress errors that have been made, to recognize these errors have been made?

Supplementary To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I don't know whether there is redress with regard to this particular act, so I am not able to respond to that. But I would be willing to commit that the staff of the department will meet with the officials of the city and the Inukshuk Housing Cooperative and come to a resolution on this matter. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.