Thank you Mr. Chairman. I would like to report on the review of the NWT Housing Corporation Mid-Year Status Report by the Standing Committee on Social Programs.
As part of the mid-year review, the Housing Corporation provided information on its restructuring. The committee reviewed the new organizational structure, and will look at it further during the 1997/98 business plan review.
In reviewing the structure, the committee wanted to see that the services are delivered as close to communities as possible. The committee is aware that the amalgamation of the Corporation with Public Works and Services and Transportation is being considered.
While some of the work of the corporation is related to infrastructure development and maintenance, there is another side to the work the corporation is doing. In many ways, the Corporation's mandate to provide social housing is a key component in our social safety net. Co-ordination with the programs like income reform is crucial. With these considerations as well as the transfer of Housing as part of community empowerment, the committee will be looking closely at any proposal to ensure the social program component of the Corporation is recognized and maintained.
Therefore I move that the committee recommends that no implementation of this amalgamation should proceed until all ordinary Members have a chance to review the proposal and debate its merits, regardless of whether the Corporation is being restructured or amalgamated with other departments.
Members believe that the organization's structure could provide more support directly at the community level. There are still many staff at the district level who are supposed to provide community support and development. The committee suggests it is difficult to do community development in Fort Resolution if you work in Hay River, just as it is difficult to do community development in Cape Dorset if you are based in Iqaluit. The committee would like to see a plan to have more district staff working directly in the communities. This plan should address the differences between the program and technical sides of the Corporation, training needs and the issue of duplication of services, LHOs versus district staff.
Housing is one of the areas being considered by many communities as part of empowerment. The committee believes that there is need for appropriate support as communities assume responsibility for the local housing authorities. At the community and territorial level, integration of housing services with other initiatives in the social envelope is crucial. This must be reflected in any program transfers to communities. There has been a change in the way local housing authorities are funded. The new arrangements provide incentives to authorities which find more effective ways of doing business, and able to save money. The committee supports this approach which rewards those who are effective and efficient in how they do their business.
The Housing Corporation is currently running four pilot projects for panel-built homes. These projects are consistent for new and innovative approaches to address our housing shortage. If the results of these pilot projects are positive, the committee encourages the Corporation to promote this panel construction with the view to having the panels made in the north.
Over the past year, committee members have had concerns with utility costs and public housing. The committee asked the Corporation to prepare analysis of utility costs, with the view to identifying problem areas and solutions. This analysis was provided to the committee during the review and was very enlightening for both the Corporation and the Members. While there are certainly individuals living in public housing who are not careful in their utility use, the average public housing consumption is either consistent with, or lower than the average usage in private housing. The difference in costs seems to come from the higher government rate the Corporation has to pay for utilities.
The analysis provided was very well done, and should help the Corporation identify the true areas of concern and develop appropriate solutions.
I now would like to ask Mr. Roland to continue our report.