Mr. Speaker, the staff housing strategy implemented by the previous government provided that employee tenants of government-owned tied staff housing would be required to pay for their own heating fuel effective April 1, 1996.

This government has considered the move to user pay for fuel in relation to our accelerated timetable for removing ourselves from the position of landlord to our employees. As a result, it has been decided to defer indefinitely the implementation of user pay for fuel.

Mr. Speaker, it is the position of this government that the matter of user pay can better be addressed by selling our housing units to employees for an affordable price and by encouraging home ownership in other ways. This is a matter that I intend to address in a more comprehensive manner in the upcoming budget. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.