Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, one of the most frequent issues that pops up in my riding has to do with housing and the rent scales created by the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Because the rent scales for public housing are based on a person's gross salary, and I am sure that we all know there is a huge difference between gross salary earnings and take home pay, I would like to ask the Minister what criteria they use to take 25 percent of people's earnings? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Debates of Oct. 29th, 2002
This is page numbers 1231 - 1274 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th 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 chairman.
Topics
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1239
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1239
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Return To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1239
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize if I have to smile, but the seriousness of this question is the fact that we assess rents based on total household gross income, between 6 and 30 percent for the majority of the communities across the Northwest Territories. That will help pay for the utility cost, and also to write down some of the mortgages that remain on those units. That is the purpose of our rent scales based on income. Thank you.
Return To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1239
Supplementary To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the Minister. I would like to ask a question that, regardless of what their take home pay is, they are still charged at a rate of the gross earnings. Is that the case? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Further Return To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Further Return To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Supplementary To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if they take maintenance payments into account, because this is also not taken into consideration when they do the gross payment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Further Return To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have the specific details to that legal question, so I will take it as notice. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Question 428-14(5): Public Housing Rent Scale
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Honourable Roger Allen, the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. I would like to ask the Minister, when they do their rent assessment, do they take the condition of the house, the condition of the unit and put that into their rent scale?
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Further Return To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No we do not consider that because most of our houses are condition rating and we do not have tenants in public housing which is less than 80 percent condition rated. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Supplementary To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister, do they take into consideration the condition of the units when they take 25 percent or is that based on what they spent on the unit to run it for the whole year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Further Return To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
No that is incorrect. We do have a regular maintenance system that would ensure that the houses are condition rated so that no one has to put out an over-expense on various maintenance costs. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Supplementary To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have constituents in my riding that had fuel leaks for over two years and they are still paying the maximum rate whenever they are employed. I understand the condition of the unit is not taken into consideration when they charge these fees for this unanimous rate. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you. I am not sure if there is a question there, Mr. Lafferty. I will allow the Minister to see if he can find a question there. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Further Return To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the maintenance management system should be able to inspect any kind of deficiencies in the overall process. We intend to weed out the various components, as the Member knows, that we have met to find solutions to some of the various problems that occur. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Question 429-14(5): Public Housing Rent Assessment
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.
Question 430-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Sunday Openings
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1240
Sandy Lee Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today goes to the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Liquor Commission. I would like to just follow up on the questions that I raised in the February session and it has to do with a special license for establishments that sell liquor. In the event of a special occasion such as the gold medal hockey game on a Sunday and there were lots of exchanges about that.
In going back on the record, the Minister had committed in this House to communicate to the board in writing about what I had raised. I would like to ask the Minister, has he done that and what is the outcome? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.