Thank you, Mr. Blake. Would the Minister like to respond?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation and on behalf of the department, we also are conscious of the need for additional units within our communities. That is part of the reason that we're doing the engagement survey, not to identify the problems that we have; we know we have problems. We're looking to identify solutions within that survey so that we can actually assist residents of the Northwest Territories to be more independent or semi-independent so that we can invest more into public housing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Further general comments on the NWT Housing Corporation? Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm interested in what the Minister just indicated with public housing, encouraging independence and, I guess, essentially, moving towards home ownership. I'd like to ask the Minister if the Minister has a divestment plan for public housing.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. This is general comments, but I will allow the Minister to respond. Minister Cochrane.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this point, we haven't actually made a formalized plan on what we are going to be doing because I did make a commitment to listening to the community members, but we have talked in draft about different areas, mortgages, lease to own, a variety of different options for home ownership that we will be expanding on once the survey results are in. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Anything further? Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as general comments, without asking questions, I apologize. In general, I know that the Housing Corporation has this infrastructure plan for, for the most part, improving the public housing inventory that they have on hand. I think it's very good. I notice that in my community where the Housing Corporation has been slowly renovating all of their inventory. It is getting to a stage where the authorities almost have new inventory.

One of the things that has become a point of contention or a difficult one to pin down seems to be the contribution as opposed to the capital, the programs that contribute to the community's housing inventory but it is not necessarily owned or is not for sure owned by the NWT housing corporation. I know that that is something that we, at some point, need to have a dialogue between ourselves here in this open House to discuss this with the Minister, but there doesn't seem to be a place to do it. I take this opportunity now to talk a little bit about that. If the Minister doesn't respond to me -- really just opening comments.

I think that is what the Housing Corporation needs, more than anything else, is to look at their contribution programs and look at all of the programs that are repaired, that are designated for home ownership, and look at the delivery of those programs. In light, I said, it is not really a venue at this point for that type of discussion, but just my comment is that we look at the programs, if it is under subscribed, at this point, I think that the corporation should maybe redevelop the programs or renew the programs so they are really something that would be applicable for what is on the ground today in our communities.

I know that it is a difficult time for individuals for all kinds of reasons that the Minister and I have been discussing for some of these programs to be delivered. I just hope that if this is not the time and place to discuss that, the Minister and I have lots of discussions anyway, but for the record I think it is important for people to know that when they are in their home communities and they are trying to apply for programs and they are having a difficult time getting assistance because of various obstacles like I have mentioned, insurance, land title -- land tenure I guess I should say -- mainly because of those two factors, it becomes very difficult. Even the houses that were at a time owned by the corporation or even houses that were built by the corporation under the same thing.

Overall, some way the housing inventory that doesn't belong to NWT Housing Corporation, I think they are doing a good job of maintaining these units, but the housing that does not belong to the corporation are deteriorating. That is all I have to say. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Would the Minister like to respond?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Since 2006, the Housing Corporation has invested approximately $50 million towards home ownership, not renovations, but actually purchasing homes. I too have issues with the co-payment allocations. That is one of the areas that we will be looking at in depth to try to assist people. Today I was having a conversation with one of the MLAs, and he spoke to me and said one of the elders actually had been paying for years and was wondering why he didn't own his house. That really resonated with me and told me that we need to look at alternatives so that people can move into home ownership. It is something I am taking seriously and will be moving to action. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for that, Minister. Next I have Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. A number of these projects are classified as affordable housing: seven units in Fort Simpson, six units in Hay River, three units in Norman Wells. Can the Minister provide a definition of affordable housing as understood by the Housing Corporation? Thank you.

Mr. Testart, there are no general comments right now on the department. Would you like to hold your questions until we get into the detail? Thank you. Next I have Mr. McNeely.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, committee. We agree that we have concluded general comments on the NWT Housing Corporation.

If committee would turn to page 67 in the capital estimates, I will let committee know that this is an information item only. It reflects a 2017-2018 planned expenditures of the NWT Housing Corporation for the infrastructure acquisition plan. The financing of these expenditures include funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and various other sources. Contribution funding is provided by the GNWT by the NWTHC's sponsoring department, the Department of Finance in the annual main estimates. This information is intended for review purposes only. We will not be voting on it, but we will be deliberating. The detail is contained on pages 68 through 71. If committee has comments, please indicate which page you are talking about. First I have Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I apologize for my earlier error. This would be on page 70. Again, there are three affordable housing projects in Fort Simpson, Hay River, and Norman Wells. Can the department provide its definition of affordable housing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister Cochrane.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Affordable housing is defined as market housing and the HELP program, which is a home ownership program. Just to add on, the "PH" is public housing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Are these units being constructed for the purposes of accommodating the RCMP? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is correct. These units are to accommodate the RCMP members. Thank you, Mr. Chair.