Thank you, Madam Chair, just in regards to picking up off of the RCMP housing units in the communities. Do you want me to go ahead, Madam Chair? I see your hand up.
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
The RCMP units are not in this budget because they're not built, and they're not part of their budget until next year, is my clarification that we got. Thank you, Member for Nunakput.
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Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
I just want clarification, letting them know that we want those RCMP houses for my community. I know Frieda just said it. I just want to let it be known for the record that we need those houses. We're short houses. Just in regard to that, low-rental housing, we don't have enough of them in our communities, one single bedroom and two-bedroom multi-plex style house units. I'm wondering if in the communities that I represent in Nunakput, say for Paulatuk, for Tuktoyaktuk, for Ulukhaktok, are there any plans to build five- or six-plexes in the community? Thank you, Madam Chair.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. I'll start your time now. Minister responsible for NWT Housing Corporation.
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Right now, currently, we have completion of a Tuktoyaktuk triplex that is to be completed May 1, 2020 of this year, and we have a completion of a four-plex that is to be done in Paulatuk June 1, 2020. Going forward, I don't have a list of the infrastructure projects that are going forward, but I'll have Mr. Martin elaborate on those activities. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Martin
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. For the outlook for next year, the Housing Corporation is planning to deliver a new public housing duplex in Ulukhaktok.
We're also looking at delivering a new home; this is a single-family, multi-generational home in Tuktoyaktuk. That's our second new construction planned for 2021 in the communities mentioned. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to that, I wonder if there is any thought given to putting like a four-plex of single-dwelling units or one-bedroom apartments, because we have young families in my ridings, and they're just staying with families. It's pretty tough on everybody. So, to try to alleviate the pressure in regard to that, I'm just wondering if, instead of building a house in Tuktoyaktuk, could we put another four-plex in the community, if it's possible? Same thing for Ulukhaktok, Paulatuk; we're really needing not single-dwelling houses. We need multiplexes, because the young families are having babies, now, and creating their own families, but have nowhere to go. There are no rental houses, private rental units in the communities, so this would alleviate some pressure, because the lists are so long, you know. If that's possible, any thought given to it, because we're still a year out on it. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. The delivery of public housing units is completed by an assessment on the need for each community and each district. I'm just going to have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on the project for Nunakput. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. Definitely, the need for singles, particularly public housing, is on our radar, because the amount of applicants, the majority of them is for single units. We are looking at that for our future plans, to get units that are specific for singles, whether they are bachelor units or one-bedroom units, in multiplex format; however, we're not there yet with our planning. Just to go back to when we talked about promoting home ownership, I know it sounds like we're just doing one home, but this is a really exciting project for us where we're building a four-bedroom home where one bedroom is barrier-free on the main floor. That is targeted at our public housing clients who have steady and stable income who can go into that unit, so we're really hopeful that a family and perhaps somebody in a seniors' home moves into those units once they are constructed. We want to get back into home ownership with these types of houses; we haven't done that, really, since the mid-1990s, when we used to be in a previous program that was quite popular. So we're excited; we want to get back into those types of projects. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. Every house, I guess, in the Housing Corporation is for sale in regard to people who want to purchase their housing that they're living in. Is that correct, Madam Chair? Thank you.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am emphasizing detached units. These are not multiplexes or six-plexes; it's detached units that we are interested in selling. Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry, and I'll have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on the program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. In our public housing program right now, we have a really good system where we track our tenants and their incomes, and things like that. As the Minister said, we're looking at our detached units that have that type of tenant in there, where it would make sense that, if you meet the minimum income to go and become a homeowner, we're going to do everything we can to make that happen for you. What that does for us is, as we move more people into these detached units, we could look at future replacement units with those conditions that maybe it's more seniors or more singles, in modern multiplex configurations. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to that, when we build these units, the detached units that are sold to the clients in the communities who can buy the fuel, pay the power, and stuff like that, are these units taken out of our system, and then does CMHC give you the opportunity to get another unit to replace that unit in that community? Thank you, Madam Chair.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Looking at, I guess, maybe refurbishing the current stock that we have, because we do have aging public housing units, this is an initiative going forward. I'm going to have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on the program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. We do have an agreement with CMHC that provides operating money for our public housing units. It doesn't apply to all of our public housing units; there are some units we operate on our own, with funding we receive from the government. It's a complex process, if there is CMHC money involved in a unit we're trying to sell, but we work our way through it in the best interest of the client. Thank you, Madam Chair.