Thank you. Minister.
Debates of March 7th, 2019
This is page numbers 5255 - 5298 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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. View the webstream of the day's session.
Topics
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not sure if we could really restate the page, because it has already been printed, but if the Member is fine with it, we can follow up with a supplementary letter on the breakdown of the detail of this. If a letter is fine with the Member and the committee, we would be more than happy to show that breakdown. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you. A letter that details what is going on on this page is what I am seeking, so if the Minister could provide that, we are good. Thank you.
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you. The Minister has stated that he will provide that. Seeing nothing further, I will call this activity. You know what? How about we just call a brief recess instead? Five minutes.
---SHORT RECESS
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Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's just going to be a couple of quick questions in regard to increasing power to seniors. Can the Minister please explain why seniors are seeing this increase in public housing? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am thinking that the Member is talking about the user pay program that we have started up. Really, it is focusing on responsibility and self-reliance. We have seen a decrease in the amount of dollars that we have been putting into this subsidized program. Even though we are slow subsidizing it, there was better energy efficiency, and those savings that we have had have gone back into other programming. Maybe to go through a bit more further detail, I will ask, through you, Mr. Chair, the president and CEO to just give a little bit more of an update. Thank you.
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Williams
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The user pay electricity was put over a three-year period. I think that this was the last year of it, where public housing tenants are now paying their electricity bills. As the Minister mentioned, it is moving towards self-reliance, and eventually even preparing some of these tenants who want to get into homeownership. You have to pay your O and M costs for your house if you are a homeowner, so it is preparing people for the future.
One of the big things as a corporation that we have done over the years is making sure that all of our repairs and all of our new bills are very highly energy-efficient units, and the whole reason for that is to cut down on our operation and maintenance costs. That is ongoing, and it is a requirement under some of the new federal programming dollars, as well, that energy efficiency is a top priority when you make these investments.
We want to make sure that the tenants are self-reliant and are prepared to take some ownership in their home. It is going to improve their tenancy. One of the things that we say as a government is that we have the cheapest rents. In most jurisdictions, the rent is based on 30 percent of their household income. Our rates are based on 19 percent of the household income, so that is a big difference between the other jurisdictions. We are just having tenants pay some of their own way. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you. Maybe I wasn't very clear. I am talking about seniors. Are seniors lumped in with all tenants, or do we have a different system for our seniors? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Everyone is lumped in. There are other programs that seniors can apply for through other departments. I did table a senior planning study, as well, earlier this session, and I would encourage any seniors who are having any concerns to look at the options that they have in terms of supplementing their heating. Thank you.
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Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am talking about power, but I think I understand correctly. Everybody is lumped in together, and it was over a three-year period. Did the corporation send out letters to the tenants saying that this is what is going to be happening? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, every tenant was communicated with in terms of the changes. Thank you.
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Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is great to hear. Can we get a copy of that communication so that we are able to share it with our constituents when they are asking these questions? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we can get that communication out. The communications were done mostly through the LHOs, but we will get that communication so that you can share it with your constituency. Thank you.
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The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you. The Member is happy with that response. I will call this activity. NWT Housing Corporation, community housing services, operations expenditures summary, total activity, $56,043,000. Does committee agree?
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.