Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide an update on plans for supported housing for seniors. One of the priorities of the NWT Housing Corporation’s strategic plan, Building for the Future, was to develop infrastructure based on community needs including approaches to support housing for seniors and aging in place.

Seniors are the fastest growing segment of the territorial population. Currently, there are about 600 seniors that reside in public housing and the NWT

Housing Corporation has units targeted for the senior population in many communities. Providing the opportunity for seniors to live independently in their home communities is an important part of the housing continuum and for the continuum of care for seniors.

We are all aware of the importance of seniors being able to stay in their own communities for as long as possible. Long-term care is necessary for seniors that need more additional support, but many seniors are able to keep living independently with a little help. We also know that it takes a lot of resources and effort to maintain their own house for some seniors, and supported living facilities provide a good option for these residents.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce today that the NWT Housing Corporation is planning to add four seniors facilities in the communities of Fort McPherson, Fort Good Hope, Fort Liard and Whatì.

We will begin planning with these communities, to better understand their needs and to help determine an appropriate location and the types of services that would be available in these facilities. We expect that each facility will contain eight independent housing units, space for the delivery of home care and other services for seniors, and a place for residents and other seniors in the community to gather and to undertake additional programming. There will be caretakers units and security in these facilities.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health and Social Services and I are working closely on this initiative as the services and programming that will be provided through these facilities are as important as the units themselves. We expect to have the planning and design for these facilities completed during the upcoming fiscal year and to start construction in the summer of 2014.

Mr. Speaker, I also wanted to take this opportunity to update Members on the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik. After an extensive review of this facility, we have determined that it will be more cost effective to replace the Joe Greenland Centre than to renovate. We will immediately start to work with Aklavik on planning for a new facility.

The vision of the 17th Legislative Assembly includes

strong individuals, families and communities. The steps that we are taking today will contribute to this vision and I look forward to working with all Members as we continue to work on our priorities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.