Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Picco on May 16th with respect to the application of seniors' housing rates. The full transfer of the property management function for the government's inventory of staff housing units to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation was completed in April of this year. This transfer does not change any of the terms and conditions for employees who occupy staff housing.

Housing Corporation policies, such as rates for seniors, apply only to tenants in public housing. These policies do not apply to tenants in staff housing. The policies that govern the terms and conditions for tenants in staff housing continue to be the responsibility of the Financial Management Board. The role of the Housing Corporation, acting as property manager, is to ensure that these policies are adhered to.

As part of the government's commitment to ensure that all housing is managed as efficiently as possible, in cases where staff housing units are no longer required for that program, one of the options that will be considered is converting them into social housing units. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Only when this occurs, would the social housing policies of the Housing Corporation apply.