This is page numbers 659 - 708 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 community.

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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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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Chair, I am not really clear on the answer. When a natural disaster happens, where a place is actually destroyed, and it involves a senior, and the senior has to go into other housing, which happened, do they still have to go through a means test?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister. Sorry, Member for Thebacha. You're going to have to repeat that last part because of the mic.

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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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Chair, I am asking, when a natural disaster happens, and the house is completely destroyed, because we did have a tornado in Fort Smith, and if we have a senior who is involved and has ownership of that house, and it's completely destroyed, if they are moved into a smaller unit, do they still have to have that means test and pay the full amount?

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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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister.

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am familiar with this situation that the Member is speaking about. The natural disasters that this emergency money would be securing, I really want to emphasize, would be the infrastructure that the Housing Corporation does secure and that we do own. I would have to review this again, because we did provide the client with a public housing unit immediately. For us to rebuild a unit for the individual, it wasn't a part of our stock and it wasn't a part of our inventory, so this would be a very different scenario to be working towards. The disaster funding that is there is used tremendously with the water freeze-ups that we do have and sewage freeze-ups, as well, and the furnaces. It's strongly used in that category, but looking at the natural disasters, I would have to look at that further for a privately-owned home. I am not too sure. I would have to get back to the Member. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. To the Member, just make sure when you are talking, when we get too specific, the privacy of our residents may be compromised. Thank you. Member for Thebacha.

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

I never named any names. I am just trying to see if they have to have a means test when they go into another unit when a natural disaster happens. That's all I want is clarification.

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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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would have to get back to the Member, because I am not familiar with the means test. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Thebacha.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Chair, I have been back and forth with this whole natural disaster issue since I first got elected, and I still do not have an answer. I am just wondering which line that would come under in the housing budget. That's all; I want clarification.

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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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Housing Corporation administers our public housing units and our interests that we do have on the ground. We don't have anything that's for personal home units in regard to a natural disaster. You can apply, going forward, but I will just have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on this a little bit more. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Carpenter.

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Carpenter

Thank you, Madam Chair. If there was a situation where an individual hypothetically lost their home to a natural disaster and they wanted to get into a homeownership program with the Housing Corporation, the line item that would probably fit in this situation would be providing assistance for territorial homeownership. That's a down payment program that we offer for clients to get bank financing and a down payment from us to purchase or build a new home. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Carpenter. Member for Thebacha.

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to reiterate my question. They're not asking for an extra home or anything. All I want to know is: where does it come under? Two things. One is: do they have to have a means test when they move into another unit during the time of what their future is going to be? They've been through a lot of trauma, this family; and the other one is: as far as I know, they're not asking for another home. It was a natural disaster that happened. It was a tornado, where it destroyed their whole home, and I just want clarification.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. I'm going to give that to the Minister, but if we don't resolve this question, I would suggest that the Minister and the Member for Thebacha try to resolve this. Minister.

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll have Mr. Carpenter elaborate on the response. Thank you.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Mr. Carpenter.

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Carpenter

Thank you, Madam Chair. The simple answer is yes. All the programs that we deliver are means tested because our programs are targeted toward individuals who don't have sufficient income to address their housing issues on their own. Yes, there is an eligibility requirement, whether it's for homeownership programming or our rental portfolio. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Carpenter. Are there any further questions under programs and district operations? Member for Nunakput.

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Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to securing assistance for emergencies under the SAFE program. Is it only for NWT Housing Corporation houses that are under their scope? Is that correct? Thank you, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister.

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to clarify that it is for public housing units. I just want to be very careful; I want to say for private homes. I just want to clarify that and get back to the Member. Thank you, Madam Chair.