Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe that the corporation realizes we can’t do everything. I think it’s critical that we do formulate partnerships, especially for communities that are trying to find unique ways to deal with the housing crises in our communities. Also trying to work with the clients to work around some of the situations. I think it’s through those partnerships that we are going to have to develop a way.
A good example is the liaison positions that were put into communities. It was a $20,000 investment and for that investment that was made, it really improved the communications between the community clients, the political organizations in the community, and the people at the regional level and headquarters. You had a means of communicating. You had people on the ground that were local and really realized the importance of housing programs and services to our communities. I think for that $20,000 investment versus having somebody that’s hired full time and having them in headquarters and having to put them up in government offices, that the savings were huge compared to the practice of today.
I think it’s important that we sometimes have to take a look at where the highest needs are. I know you just put out your report and it looks like there’s been some major increases in housing upwards of 10 percent from the previous survey. It would be interesting to see what the previous survey was compared to the one presented in the House here yesterday.
Again, I think it’s critical that this government and the Housing Corporation build on those relationships, because I think, like you say, we do realize that we’re going to have some challenges going forward. But, I think, if we can find unique ways to deliver services maybe a little cheaper, a little more unique ways of doing it, that we can save ourselves money in the long term.
The other issue that I’d like to reflect is in regard to the whole area of single housing. I mentioned earlier in regard to dealing with single dwellings to family units to aging populations by way of elder care and, more importantly, realizing that we do have to have different types of housing units to meet the different segments of our population. I think it’s important to realize that we look at our programs by way of need. I know the frustration from a lot of community members that we have a lot of units in our communities and yet we still see the percentages going up by need in regard to core need, but yet the Housing Corporation has a couple hundred units on the ground, boarded up, not being used. I think if you got those units up and ready to
go or simply getting rid of them and giving them to individuals, that it will reduce the core needs in a lot of our communities. I think it’s important that we do look at that.
I would just like to leave it at that and let the Minister respond to my questions. I may have a few more later. Thank you.