Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2017-2018 Main Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. The main estimates propose a budget of $132,888,000, a decrease of $14,019,000 or 9.5 per cent from the 2016-2017 Main Estimates.
These estimates continue to support the Government of the Northwest Territories’ objective of ensuring a strong and sustainable future for the government and its programs by managing expenditures due to limited revenue growth.
The 2017-2018 Main Estimates include a decrease of $7,814,000 from the 2017-2018 Business Plan reviewed by standing committee in September. This change relates primarily to the reinstatement of $745,000 for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation’s homeownership repair programming and the introduction of a $500,000 renovation and energy-retrofit program for seniors to allow them to live in their homes longer and more affordably. Other changes include an adjustment of $10 million to reflect federal funding flowing, not to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, but directly to the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, or IRC, for the delivery of social housing projects in the Beaufort Delta Region, and an increase in amortization of $990,000.
The major changes from the previous year’s main estimates include sunsets of $6.75 million for the market housing program initiative for non-market communities, $783,000 for the rental housing in rural and remote locations initiative, and $3.5 million for the first year of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police housing project. As part of reduction initiatives, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation will be implementing partial reductions of $644,000 to the CARE Major Program, $300,000 to the Transitional Rent Supplement Program, and a $216,000 reduction related to local housing organizations.
In fiscal year 2017-18, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation will be receiving an $8.79 million federal funding allocation, a decline of $7.84 million from the previous year. This change is primarily explained by the re-allocation of the Inuit housing funding component directly to the IRC. This allocation will include:
● $4.1 million for public housing replacement and modernization and improvement projects;
● $750,000 on repair support for third-party social housing providers;
● $375,000 on semi-independent housing-first units within emergency shelters;
● $156,000 for repairing family violence shelters;
● $1.2 million for homeownership programming; and
● $750,000 for the demolition of surplus housing units, including opportunities for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's Working Off Arrears and Community Training Programs.
An additional $1.4 million will be used for minor capital repairs and fuel and hot water tank replacements, including an LED lighting initiative for public housing units.
The 2017-2018 Main Estimates also reflect the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's priority to work with other levels of government for their housing needs by investing $5.5 million in developing RCMP housing, which will help ensure that our communities are able to staff policing personnel. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is also committed to the priority of the 18th Legislative Assembly to improve community wellness and safety by supporting seniors to age in place. The new seniors repair program that addressing housing quality issues and energy efficiency will support seniors to remain in their homes longer.
That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chair.