Mr. Speaker, I have a return to a written question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on October 21, 2004, regarding housing for health care professionals.
1. What is the number of health care professionals, per community, currently in need of affordable accommodations?
As the Government of the Northwest Territories does not track employee housing needs, on the basis of affordability or any other criteria, it is not possible to provide this information.
Generally, it is assumed that all employees need affordable accommodation and to offset the higher cost of living in the NWT, all GNWT employees are provided with a northern allowance, the value of which is based on the community in which they are employed. The allowance ranges in value from $1,862 in Yellowknife to $14,279 in Sachs Harbour. In addition, nurses employed in one, two or three nurse community health centres -- nursing stations -- receive an annual special allowance of $9,000, $6,000 or $4,500 respectively.
2. What is the number of social workers and health care professionals, per community, who have not accepted work in small communities because of the lack of affordable housing?
As the Government of the Northwest Territories does not document information on why individuals decline employment offers, it is not possible for the department to provide the number of social workers and health care professionals who have declined employment offers because of a lack of affordable housing.
The health and social services authorities advise that their records indicate that of the 282 employment offers made during the period January 1 to October 25, 2004, only four offers were rejected due to housing issues.
3. What is the number of health care professionals that currently rent government-owned units and what is the rate(s) of rent that they pay?
The health and social services authorities advise that during the period January 1 to October 25, 2004, a number of health care professionals resided in either government-owned or leased units, as follows:
- a) The Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority advises that accommodation was made available to two nurses and one other health care professional, at a rate of $1,000 per month.
- b) The Dogrib Community Services Board advises that accommodation was made available to eight nurses and eight other health care professionals, at the rates of $450 and $650 per month respectively for one-bedroom and two-bedroom nursing units; and $750 and $850 respectively for other one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
- c) The Fort Smith Health and Social Services Authority advises that accommodation was provided to one physician at the rate of $1,200 per month, including utilities.
- d) The Hay River Health and Social Services Authority advises that furnished accommodations are rented or leased for use by locum physicians as per the terms and conditions of the standardized locum physician contract.
- e) The Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Authority advises that six nurses and three other health care professionals were provided with accommodation at the health centres, at a rate of $1,000 per month.
- f) The Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority advises that rental accommodation was made available to two nurses and one other health care professional at the rate of $415.58 per month in Lutselk'e and $938.46 per month in Fort Resolution.
- g) The Stanton Territorial Health Authority advises that accommodation was made available to seven locum physicians as per the terms and conditions of the standardized locum physician contract, and to two other health care professionals at rental rates of $1,149, $1,380 or $1,400 per month.
It is apparent, with the variety of rates being charged by the authorities, that a system-wide review is needed. This will be raised with board chairs at the February Joint Leadership Council meeting.
4. What other jurisdictions in Canada provide housing for nurses and other health care professionals in remote communities?
The department will survey the other two territories, northern Alberta and one other jurisdiction, such as Labrador, to determine what housing support, if any, these jurisdictions provide to their nurses and other health care professionals.