[English translation not provided.]
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to speak on the need to ensure that access to NWT Housing Corporation programs is done fairly and that the program requirements do not put up any systemic barriers for Northerners. I can tell you that some days I wonder whether I ran for the position of housing relations officer instead of MLA.
Mr. Speaker, I have some constituents who have been denied access to Housing Corporation funding because of their arrears with them. These arrears are related to a loan these constituents received for work that was done to their house. These constituents have disputed these loans, because the work was never completed and the required repairs remain outstanding. So these constituents are in a fix.
The Housing Corporation is following their rules that clearly state that if you are in arrears to the corporation, you are not eligible for funding under any Housing Corporation program. The required outstanding repairs and any additional repairs my constituents need done to their homes will not happen until they can deal with these arrears.
The one way I can see for this issue to be dealt with is if we had an appeal board and a formalized complaint process. If the original issue of the incomplete repairs had been dealt with in an appropriate manner through a formalized complaints process, there probably wouldn’t be an issue today. However, Mr. Speaker, we are left with a situation that clearly points out the need for an appeal board with the power to make decisions that can take into account the client’s history.
There clearly needs to be some flexibility in how the “outstanding arrears means no access to funding” policy is applied. If the NWT Housing Corporation can come to an understanding with the client that addresses outstanding arrears and the new funding
requirement, I can see no reason that another loan could not be processed.
Another issue needs to be reviewed. When the Minister examines the role of an appeal board and the application of the no-outstanding-arrears policy, there’s an income threshold eligibility for each community, especially those that are off all-weather roads.