This is page numbers 721 - 753 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was housing.

Topics

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 739

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Erasmus.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

July 29th, 1999

Page 739

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. What happens if these units are not sold?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 739

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Mr. Dent.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 739

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. We would have to take a look at that situation if it arises. To date it has not been a problem.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 739

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Erasmus.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Madam Chairperson, what I am interested in is, does it follow the same policy as the other units? Does it go into social housing?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Mr. Dent.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. That other policy is pursuant to staff housing, so I am not certain that technically this would fit into it. Since we have not run into the problem before, I do not know that there has been an examination of whether or not it would. It could be something that we could consider, whether or not units that we were unable to sell would also fall under that policy. Our Staff Housing Policy applies to housing units where we have been providing housing for employees. In this situation we are buying housing from an employee who had their own house. I am not sure that would really qualify as staff housing. We would have to have a look at it. I do not think that it is clearly set out in our policy. It has not been a problem.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Erasmus.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The rationale, as I understand it, to turn the staff housing into social housing is that there is no sense in leaving government houses empty. If you cannot sell these, presumably the same rationale exists. You do not want to sit there paying for these units if they are empty, so we are going to have to do something with them. I am asking, will they go under the same policy?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Mr. Dent.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. As I said, if we wind up in a situation where we have to consider that, I think we would likely consider these houses as fitting under that policy. It would be something that I would have to examine as to what our Staff Housing Policy says now and ensure that it does in fact apply to these properties should that eventuality ever come to pass.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Executive capital directorate, not previously authorized, $625,000. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Can the Minister tell us exactly where these units are located, in which communities?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Mr. Dent.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. There are no properties. This money is in the budget if the situation arises. This program only applies in the smaller communities. The government has agreed with its employees that if in a certain period of time they are unable to sell their properties, the government will purchase them at ten percent below the appraised value. What we are doing here is we have estimated what we think the potential uptake might be in the course of this fiscal year and are putting money in the budget so that if that situation arises, we can follow through on the policy which we have made available to our employees.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Can the Minister tell me if there have been any employee housing units purchased and exactly where those purchases have taken place?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Mr. Dent.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. None of the $625,000 has been spent this year. The government has not purchased any houses under this policy this year. There were some that were purchased last year, and that information, the locations of those units, was provided to the standing committee.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

In regard to these units that have been purchased in the past, has the government been stuck with these units and not able to sell them at this time?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Mr. Dent.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. We do not believe that we are stuck with any of them. There may be one or two that have not sold yet, but we are confident they will sell.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 740

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Department of the Executive, capital, total department, not previously authorized, $625,000. Agreed?