Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Social Programs met with the Minister and his officials on March 17, 2000, and would like to offer comment on the following issues of importance noted during the committee's review of the interim appropriations.
Allocation Of Seniors' Housing
Committee members are very concerned over the annual indecision on the placement of seniors' housing between the Department of Health and Social Services and the Housing Corporation. Members believe this indecision could lead to possible construction delays because of shipping deadlines being missed. The indecision also raises the question of potential political interference in the choice of the community that receives the seniors' housing.
The Housing Corporation believes that the housing needs survey, in conjunction with community consultation on the part of the Housing Corporation, should be adequate to determine which community requires the facility. The committee strongly encourages the Housing Corporation to work with the Department of Health and Social Services to resolve this issue. Members look forward to positive news during the review of the business plans.
Seniors' Housing Issues
Members have heard that in some communities there are units dedicated to seniors that are vacant. According to what Members have heard, the vacancies relate to design flaws in the units themselves and the lack of consultation with elders in the community as to whether they wanted to move into new units in the first place.
The members have heard that the standard design for the seniors' fourplexes means the unit's entrances are set too high for seniors to access safely. This may have been appropriate as the design standard when the Housing Corporation was building in the High Arctic, but lacks relevance for construction below the treeline.
It is apparent to the committee that the seniors' fourplexes may not be appropriate in smaller, predominately aboriginal communities, where traditional activities are still a way of life. Some committee members believe that it would be better to build small standalone houses in these types of communities utilizing simple technologies that the elders understand.
Members have heard of instances where the lack of consultation between the local housing authorities and the elders has meant reluctance on the part of seniors to move into newly constructed seniors' facilities. The design of the units does not incorporate adequate areas for elders to store equipment to participate in traditional activities. This also contributes to the reluctance on the part of seniors to move into seniors' units.
This still leaves the issue of what to do with the vacant seniors' units in the communities. Committee members believe that if there are no seniors in need of the units that they should be turned into social housing. We are still facing a housing crisis, particularly for single-parent families and these units, and any other surplus government units, should be utilized. There is also the option of these units being used to house teachers or health care professionals in communities where there is no viable rental market.
Leaseback of Social Housing from Local Development Corporations
The committee is very interested in the possibility of leveraging more money for social housing by entering into long-term leaseback arrangements with local or aboriginal development corporations for the construction of additional social housing units. It is clear to the committee that the federal government's withdrawal from the funding of social housing has meant the territorial government has been playing a desperate game of catch-up in trying to meet the housing needs of its residents. Innovative approaches, such as leasebacks with development corporations, will help the Housing Corporation stretch its always-diminishing dollars. Committee members look forward to discussing this issue further during the business plan review.
Repair/Maintenance of Social Housing
Committee members are interested in reviewing the Housing Corporation's plan for the repair and maintenance of social housing over the three-year period, once it is complete.