The Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you know I am working in conjunction with my colleague Mr. Dent, the Minister of Education. We have asked the colleges to submit a housing plan to the department by the end of March. We will then seek a submission both from Public Works, that have some of the money right now, and any additional monies that are required to the FMBs. We are hoping to conclude the submission and the over all plan to meet the housing needs of Arctic College students, particularly in Kitikmeot, Keewatin and the other areas by April or May. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that the transfer of some programs to the Kitikmeot region from the Nunavut Arctic College depends on housing being made available for the students. I see that as a priority. In the Baffin region, we are using leased accommodations for a number of instances. We had some major problems there. Would the Minister be able to inform me that with this transfer coming forward, we are looking at enhancing and hopefully prolonging the duration of the leases in Iqaluit, Baffin and Nunavut students over the next x number of months, accommodating them before the division on April 1, 1999?

Mr. Todd.

First of all it has to qualify subject to the FMB submission. It is our intention to ensure there is adequate housing in the Baffin region, which is Iqaluit where the campus is, and in Kitikmeot. The mayor has pointed out to me, when we were in Cambridge Bay this weekend, that there is an urgent need there. It is our intent to move as quickly as we can to provide some stability to the Arctic colleges and the need for accommodation, particularly since there is an acceleration of the educational programs that are under way to meet the requirements for Nunavut in April 1, 1999. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mrs. Groenewegen.

The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, I do not have the actual percentage in front of me, but there is a set amount of the grant we would give to these new home owners that must be used for northern manufactured. Throughout the process we will strongly encourage the new home owners to use northern manufacturers and to use northern suppliers.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, there will be two ways a client will be able to purchase materials for a house. One, they can go out on their own to get a plan and a design and purchase materials on their own. In which case we would insist, as a condition of the grant, that a portion of that be used

for northern manufacturers. The other way that they could get the materials is through the Housing Corporation packages we have on the shelf that are presently being used. There is already a built in system of using northern manufacturers in a high degree of use of materials from the north.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, that portion of my statement yesterday was pointed out to me also. I think an additional clarifier would have been in order. The clients that access homes through our programs must be able to one, pay for the power, the fuel, and all the operating costs of that house, plus a mortgage. In most cases the income levels start between $35,000 and $50,000 and upwards. Anything below that you would not be able to pay for the operation of the house plus a mortgage. Therefore, you would likely be in our low cost social housing.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Arlooktoo

Mr. Speaker, the Member brings up a good question. In fact, I think her numbers are not far off. The estimates that we have for a decent new house in Fort Resolution, which is near her constituency, would cost $143,000. In Cambridge Bay, that same house would cost $170,000. There is a recognition that there are different costs. Therefore, the payments that we will be using and the scale is a sliding scale which recognizes one, the income of the client and two, the cost of building or maintaining a home in that community.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Roland.