Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to announce an important change of implementation of the social housing rent scale used by local housing organizations in the NWT.

While the rent scale has been successful in encouraging higher income tenants to become more independent through home-ownership, there is a concern about the difficulties lower income working families may still be having with rent payments.

Mr. Speaker, within the context of the overall social policy framework, the Ministers of the social envelope have agreed to work together to bring forward a proposal which will result in two things. First, it will include an equitable and consistent assessment of all income support and subsidy programs, including those for fuel, water and utilities. It will also include a proposed rental structure which provides incentives for low income earners and income support recipients to make productive choices. Officials from the Housing Corporation and Education, Culture and Employment, have already begun work on this strategy, which we will bring back to Cabinet by July 1, 1997.

Mr. Speaker, I have heard the message from the communities and my fellow MLAs that housing support needs to be better coordinated with income support and overall community wellness. I agree and have instructed the Housing Corporation to include this as part of their review.

I look forward later this year to the input from the Members of this Assembly on options which will be developed. Thank you.