This is page numbers 393 - 436 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 communities.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. The programs that are offered for the seniors to age in place, we do have a safe program. We do have the accessibility to accommodate the limited mobilities for the seniors. Also, we have constructed seniors' complexes throughout the Northwest Territories, and trying to support the seniors to age in place. I don't know all the programs off the top of my head, but I can provide the Member with the programs that we do have listed. Also, working in conjunction with my colleagues, that we do have a set programming to address that, to have our seniors age in place, and the number of programs that are out there throughout the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Again, I would like to touch on the support agencies and families to identify gaps in existing resources as part of our mandate. We know that the cost of airfare into our isolated communities is quite high across the North and my region, about three communities I represent. If any work has to be done on a senior's home in an isolated community, those travel costs are often passed on to the senior on top of the actual cost of the work involved. Are there any Housing Corporation programs specific to having a certified oil burning mechanic to visit all our communities so that they can service the furnaces for our most vulnerable seniors?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation created the seniors aging-in-place program to help seniors improve the durability of their home and to make energy-efficient retrofits every year. It is an easy program to access and seniors can apply for this every year. There is also a co-payment portion for seniors who make only low to moderate income. Seniors can also access the SAFE program, the emergency repair program, to access up to $10,000 per year for urgent emergency repairs, such as furnace failure. Seniors can also have their furnace maintained under the preventative maintenance program, up to $3,000 per year. As for seniors' complexes, I just really would like to stress that we have completed seniors' complexes throughout the territory, and we are now just looking at one in the Sahtu that is just completed. We've constructed five of them.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

The Minister hasn't really answered my question about if they had specific certified burner mechanics visiting the isolated communities. I'll just move on to the next question, because these are tough questions that the department should be answering, especially for our elders in the communities. A couple of months ago, I had an 82-year-old senior constituent out of Behchoko who had furnace issues, and this was broadcast on the CBC, as well, when we were in the middle of a two-week-long cold spell. Apparently, her furnace had not been serviced for a few years. In the end, Polar Ice from Yellowknife stepped up to the plate and fixed her furnace for free. Masi to Polar Ice for doing such an awesome job for this elder. Would the Minister consider implementing a pilot project so that every senior in our communities can have their furnace serviced on an annual basis as a safety precaution, as well?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

My apologies to the Member that I didn't answer the last question about the burner mechanics going into the communities. We do have contractors who go out and they do work on the function of the homes, looking at the water heaters and the furnaces, and making sure that they are up and they are functioning. I'm not familiar with the contractors who go into the isolated communities, but also I just wanted to inform the Member that we do have the SAFE program that is accessible for the furnace and upkeep of them and to make sure that they are maintained, and it's up to $10,000. I would encourage the residents in his riding to contact the Housing Corporation further to complete the application.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Madam Speaker. The Minister is referring to an application-based process, and a lot of our elders obviously are struggling, sometimes because of individuals living in their household. It's based on household income, so most times, they don't qualify, unfortunately. When it comes to two weeks of cold spell, this is a very urgent matter that we need to deal with on an annual basis, to service their furnaces, especially the vulnerable elders. I've touched on Polar Ice as a contractor going to the community, on their own services. Could we have something similar to that as a pilot project in our communities, not just my Tlicho communities, but other isolated communities in the Northwest Territories? I believe this is, indeed, an asset that we should be utilizing, having those individuals qualified to service the furnaces. Madam Speaker, masi.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

I am interested in looking at that, actually looking at our application process. I have gotten feedback that it is quite difficult for the residents of the Northwest Territories to access our programs. I would like to go forward and encourage that initiative and that suggestion from the Member. It's something that I will work towards, and I would like to have a conversation with my department to see how we can initialize that and work with that initiative going forward throughout the Northwest Territories and make sure that our elders are getting the services that they need. If it's just a simple application process that is keeping them from accessing our programs, I would really like to connect the LHO housing managers and the clients, that we are there and we are able to get the applications done immediately, but I will be working with the Member going forward. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

I believe that's my fifth question, now, Madam Speaker. I just want to say I look forward to departmental correspondence on this particular, very important, matter in my region. When can we see this happening? Masi.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Going forward, looking at this initiative, I would like to hopefully be able to get back into the communities, hopefully, I want to commit in July, that I would like to look at this and then going forward and looking at the need for the rest of the Northwest Territories and working with the Member, also. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Mahsi cho, Madam Speaker. My question here is for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Just to supplement what my colleague from Monfwi was asking about seniors and mobility-restricted people, my questions are regarding people with no land tenure in our communities.

Can the Minister advise if there are any programs available to seniors or people with restricted mobility, if there are any programs available for them in terms of mobility access? Mahsi cho.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just want to touch on the first issue, which was the land tenure process. I know that it does hinder a lot of our applicants going forward in accessing the programs that we have. Right now, our department is looking at our policies, and we're wanting to look forward to see how we could work around the hindrance of having the land tenure issue burden our application process and having our clients access their entitlement to the programs that we offer.

Looking at the wheelchair access, we do have funding that is available. It is the SAFE program, and I would encourage the Member to work with me so we can look at these programs and distribute them accordingly, to make sure that we are able to increase the number of seniors who are able to age in place.

Also, the accessibility is starting to become a huge situation that is identified out there, that we need to make our units and our homes more accessible for people who are in need of these programs. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you to the Minister for the response. Just judging from what was just said, outside the SAFE program, there are no other programs available for residents who have no land tenure in their homes? Is that correct?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Sorry, I should have been more clear, but we do have the CARE Mobility Program, the SAFE Program, the CARE Major and the CARE Minor, and they do come with forgivable loans that are established and set in those programs that are available.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

I have one last question for the Minister. Is there any appetite to change this policy to open up more programs for our residents with no land tenure?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Going forward with the programs that are accessible for the seniors, we can have them access all three of them going forward, and it's per applicant. I would like to meet with the Member so I can give him the programs that we do have for seniors, and I can provide him with a clearer understanding of what those programs entail.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madame la Presidente. My questions are for the Minister of Lands. I know he made a statement earlier today about the Conservation Network Gathering, with a different hat on, but I would just like to know what the status of the Edehzhie proposed protected area is? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Lands.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have been in communications with DFN and their planning committee, and we have been corresponding through letters on some issues that we are trying to work out. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

I want to thank the Minister for that. I am kind of putting him on the spot, but that is his job. I would like to know if he could be a little bit more particular or give us some more specifics about what these issues are. Look, this proposed protected area has been in process for years. The feds, as I understand it, are ready to go. They have the surface of the area that is going to be protected as a national wildlife area. The feds are ready to invest. I understand the community has lined up some private donors to set up a trust to hire guardians and so on. What is the problem? The problem seems to be our government not transferring the subsurface, so can the Minister tell us, give us more specifics?

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

This is actually a very complicated file because it involves EIA, Executive and Indigenous Affairs, and Lands, and DFN, and we are trying to work with them to get a clear understanding of the process, the big process, of how we are dealing with all issues with the Dehcho First Nations. Right now, this is where we are working on it. We have been corresponding through letters. As well, the Premier has already met with the grand chief about a month ago, I believe, or a month and a half ago, to start the negotiations again.