Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to use the rest of my time to talk about the Transitional Rent Supplement Program. I see that the 2018-2019 actuals, the fund wasn't fully subscribed. Has the Housing Corporation gained some insight into why this program isn't usually fully subscribed? Thank you.
Debates of March 11th, 2020
This is page numbers 607 - 658 of the Hansard for the 19th 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
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on this rent supplementary program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Transitional Rent Supplement Program, we like the program. We've always wanted to see it more fully subscribed, but what we've done is we've included it in this year's planning because, as part of our bilateral agreement, Canada is coming out with a program called a Canadian Housing Benefit, and that's going to be a program that is going to be delivered or provide a benefit right to individuals for housing. Our plan, or our intent, or our hope is that that program is going to take over for the TRSP. Our plan is we're hoping that it takes over so that we can wind down our TRSP program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not sure that I got an answer to the functional part of this question, which is why the program wasn't fully subscribed and what the lessons are going forward with the newt Canada Housing Benefit. Thank you.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will have Mr. Carpenter elaborate further. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. We really don't have a clear understanding, as well, why the program wasn't fully subscribed. We spent a lot of time and effort contacting private landlords, promoting the program as much as we could. We advertised it in the public and the communities. Despite all those efforts, though, we didn't get the levels of participation that we wanted out of the program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you. This program would have been prime for an evaluation to really get even more detail about why it didn't take off, given, on the face of it, it looks like it's much-needed. Can the Minister say whether the Canada program is going to be a one-size-fits-all program, or will there be a unique set of criteria that apply to the NWT? Thank you.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I see the importance of this program going forward, and I would like to elaborate on it going forward and looking at a lot of advertisement that could take this to another level. I'm going to have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on this. Thank you.
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Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Canada Housing Benefit was anticipated or scheduled by Canada to be developed and rolled out on April 1. That's not going to happen, we were advised. We're not clear on when that program is being rolled out. It's still under development, so we don't know any of the details. We do participate in some working groups on that program, but we just don't have any details to release on that at this point. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. Can the Minister elaborate a bit on the federal and territorial funding, the operating agreements, and just explain to me, I guess, what they are and who they're with, and if it's basically more suited for Yellowknife? Yes, is it in Yellowknife or is it in something that affects the whole NWT? Thank you, Madam Chair.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. The federal agreements that we do have in place, they are for the whole of the Northwest Territories, and not just one area to be fully experiencing the funding and the benefits that the programs have to offer. I'm going to have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on the agreements that we have in place. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister pretty much captured it. We mentioned our unit inventory earlier; that's the operating funding for that portfolio, all over the territories. We do have the unilateral operating agreements. Those are agreements that, when we signed our agreement with Canada back in the mid-1990s, I believe, we picked up some of their programming. One that stands out for those of you from Yellowknife is the North Slave Housing Corporation. We picked up operating money for them that we flow through to them, as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm pleased to hear that we're discussing homelessness today, and the need for emergency shelters, but I guess I'm kind of perplexed on exactly what an emergency shelter is. Because I look in the communities, and you've got people living on the street when it's minus 40, and the government, the department wants plans provided to them saying that they need assistance. The problem is that a lot of the non-profit groups that usually look after social issues and social concerns and homelessness are taxed as it is, and they don't have the people in place to sit down and do that work, or they don't have the money to pay somebody to do it. So I'm just wondering: what role does the NWT Housing Corporation play in homelessness? I'll use Hay River as an example, because we went through the winter just looking after ourselves. I've reached out to the Housing Corporation numerous times, so I'd just like to hear the comment from the Minister. Thank you, Madam Chair.