Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The MDAP has been very successful in the larger communities, being Yellowknife, Hay River, and to some degree, in Inuvik. A number of the smaller communities that have accessed the MDAP are places like Tuktoyaktuk, Tulita, Deline, Norman Wells, Rae-Edzo, Fort Resolution and Fort Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I believe that this is possibly a good program but one thing we have to realize is that we do not have a real estate market in a lot of our northern isolated communities. I think that because of that we are not getting the maximum benefit to all residents of the Northwest Territories. It serves the majority of the people in the larger regional centres and the larger centres like Yellowknife. I think because of not having a real estate market in a lot of our smaller communities that a lot of people are not able to access this program. I think one thing we have to realize is there is still a shortage of a lot of housing in a lot of our smaller communities and that we have to find ways to assist those smaller communities so that there is some program there that sort of suits those communities. I would like to ask the Minister, what is he doing to ensure that for those communities who did not take advantage of this program that there is also going to be something there in the future to assist them where there may not be a real estate market for them to be able to access this program?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. In the area of MDAP, it has been extended to the end of June. The Mortgage Down Payment Assistance Plan has been extended to the end of June. For the smaller communities, one of the things with MDAP is that there needs to be sellers, as well as buyers, and in most small communities we find that there are not a lot of houses for sale. To address those issues the Housing Corporation still has its ongoing programs. For example, the expanded Down Payment Assistance Program that would work in the smaller communities. There are still other programs that would fit into the smaller communities like the Independent Housing Program.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, one of the concerns I hear a lot of, especially from either clients of the Housing Corporation or clients who were within the Housing Corporation but find themselves now either in arrears with the Government of the Northwest Territories who may have been in social housing but, because of the 24 percent economic rate that is attached to your rent if you go get a job, a lot of people are coming to me now, writing letters and whatnot saying that there is no real appeal process in place that allows them to appeal, saying that the Housing Authority amount may be not what they agree with, that they want to challenge the statement by the Housing Authority. Is there an appeal process in place for an individual in the smaller communities to appeal a decision or an arrears amount from the Housing Authority to an appeal board? Is there such a thing?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. In the area of rent arrears and appeals process, there are a number of avenues that people in public housing could access. One of the areas is the Residential Tenancy Act, that they would apply to a rental officer if there is a disagreement. That has happened in a number of cases, as well as I am being informed, we are, as the Housing Corporation, looking at what we can do to address the other concerns.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. What is your department doing to make clients aware, who are tenants, within the housing association or in our small communities, that there is this appeal process out there that they have? Have you basically sent out flyers? Are you going to put something in the paper making them aware that there is an appeal process that they can go to, to try to resolve a misunderstanding between themselves and the housing authority which they both may not agree at a certain number? Has your department taken steps to educate the public on this appeal process?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Just a little further on the other area, the department is looking at, I should be more specific, an appeal process. We are looking at addressing that. In the area of communications with communities, we do provide counselling to residents that go through the Housing Corporation office. As well, there is knowledge being passed on through the LHOs, but the department as a whole has not done, for example, the Member used an example of flyers, we have not gone that process today. Thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Than you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. In regard the rates that were used, you used the number, I believe, $10,000 for the Minimum Down Payment Assistance Program, but in the eastern Arctic they used $15,000. I think their argument was because of the isolation and what not. Is there any possible consideration by the department to consider that we do have sub-arctic and arctic communities which fall within the same criteria as the eastern communities where they are isolated, where they are above the treeline, where there are different types of living conditions these people have? In the future, can the department take into consideration that in the west there is still sub-arctic versus an arctic layout of the land in which all communities are not in the same accessibility? In most communities, we do not have road access, we do have isolated communities and we do also have communities which are above the treeline, so that when you deliver programs you do allow for that increase in amounts for those communities similar to those being delivered in the eastern Arctic?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. In the area of the MDAPP, the department did recognize that there were more remote communities in the west as well and have adjusted the Minimum Down Payment Assistance Plan to reflect that and those would be the communities of Holman Island, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Tuktoyaktuk.

Mr. Roland.

Just further, that the MDAPP program is due to expire at the end of June this year.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. General comments. Any further general comments? Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. In the area of seniors independent housing, the Housing Corporation will be continuing with the program. There have not been any proposed changes. As one territory, when the Northwest Territories included Nunavut, we provided 16 units for seniors independent housing and the Northwest Territories as we know it today will be providing eight units per year. For example, last year there were the communities of Fort Liard and Lutselk'e that received programs under the senior independent housing. Wha Ti and Rae Lakes were also included. This year, Wha Ti and Rae Lakes will be finished off. We are waiting for the allocation for the other unit, which is my other responsibility and I have not done that as of yet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Erasmus.