Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Martin.
Debates of Feb. 22nd, 2017
This is page numbers 1883 – 1930 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was housing.
Topics
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Martin
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As was mentioned, the Housing Corporation plans to proceed with the adjustment to our user-pay subsidy program for power. We will be increasing the rate an additional 6 cents per kilowatt hour. That will translate to an increase from 15 cents to 21 cents per kilowatt hour that our public housing tenants would be paying. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the answer. So there are no additional increases planned beyond April 1st. Is that correct?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Martin
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are additional adjustments planned for an additional two years, actually. This is intended to be a multi-year initiative as opposed to implementing a larger increase in one year. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could the witness tell us what years two and three look like in terms of cents per kilowatt hour increase? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
February 21st, 2017
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Martin
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In 2018-19, there is a further increase planned in this initiative, again a further 6 cent increase. Then, the year following that, the plan is to see final adjustments to bring our public housing tenants' power rates in line with other residents'. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand that in year two it will go up by 6 cents again, and then it will be 27 cents a kilowatt hour, but what is the figure for year three, please? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Martin
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The final year of implementation would see tenants paying 28 cents per kilowatt hour. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, by the time full implementation of these rate increases takes place, how much money will the Housing Corporation be saving on utilities? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Martin
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The expectation is that at the end of this initiative we should be saving approximately $3 million. That funding, Mr. Chairman, will be directed towards addressing the declining CMHC funding. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Caroline Cochrane Range Lake
I just really want to add on to that that this is not only about taking costs away from the Housing Corporation. Really, it is one thing to address the CMHC declining funding, but it is really about energy conservation. I would rather lower my cost of rent than keep providing utility bills where people are opening doors and leaving windows open in the winter. It is about energy conservation, as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green, your time has expired, but you can go back on the list if you wish. Next, I have Mr. McNeely.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Daniel McNeely Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think I may have asked this question here last year on reviewing efficiencies by social housing ownership divesting the social housing unit; and maybe picking a house downtown Tulita, for example, okay, so-and-so has a three-bedroom housing unit. Sharing the information of operating this unit, utility copies for the last three, four, five years, whatever, and seeing if there is interest of the current occupant if they want to buy that social unit. Is there any progress that has been made in that area, Mr. Chair?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Caroline Cochrane Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is actually one of the areas that we are looking with our program renewal. Like I had said earlier, currently we are spending for homeowners you can access $100,000 every 10 years for renovations; for public housing it is costing us over $200,000 for 10 years. It does make sense that people who have shown, not for everyone but people who have shown that they have the ability to pay and they have been reliable that they would move into homeownership versus public housing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters