Thank you. Member.
Debates of March 10th, 2021
This is page numbers 2439 - 2492 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
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. Going to seniors aging in place retrofits and repairs, one of the things that I see is that, as people get older and they are either using walkers or are in wheelchairs and that, ramps are a big thing. Ramps were around $15,000 to $20,000, but with the price of lumber now, we are probably looking at $35,000 to $40,000 for a ramp, which seems outrageous, but that's just what it is.
One of the issues is that seniors who actually have a government pension or private pension, they may be over the threshold. Yet, if we were to provide that support, something as simple as that, it would allow them to continue to stay in their home, and we wouldn't have to try and find something else for them. How do we treat the seniors differently, the ones who are under the threshold and over? Do we just say no and yes? Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will have Vice-President Carpenter respond. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. We have a couple of items that will be of significant benefit to that question. The first one is that we've updated our core need income thresholds. They are set to be official on April 1st of this year, and they have gone up significantly over all the communities, just off the top of my head roughly by $20,000. That's one benefit. The other benefit that was seen as a barrier over the years that we've made the change to, as well, is that we're only going to assess the incomes of the seniors in the house if they're the owners of the house. A lot of times before, applications were not moving forward because there were children living in the homes and their incomes put people over the threshold. Those two changes we see are going to be of significant benefit to seniors and private homeowners. 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
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair, and I'm pleased to hear that. Going back to Hay River, I'm sure I'll get questions on that and be able to at least provide some positive news. One last question is: of course, due to the pandemic, employees were required to work from home, and now we've seen people head back into the offices. Can the Minister tell me if the district offices are fully staffed again, or are there still people working from home? 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
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, all our district offices are fully staffed.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
The Chair Lesa Semmler
Are there any further questions under programs and district operations? Member for Nunakput.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. No. Just in regard to providing assistance for territorial home ownership for the communities, how is the uptake in the Nunakput communities? 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
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Carpenter
Thank you, Madam Chair. That particular program is a down payment program to purchase or build a new home. That program is almost entirely subscribed in the major centres, where there is access to buy home and it's easier to get financing. It's not generally used in the communities. In the communities, the home ownership options are generally taken up by people acquiring whatever homes are available for sale there. Their public housing units, it will be through the new units we plan to build. 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
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to the uptake for the houses that are in the community that people are living in, Sachs Harbour, for instance, if somebody wants to buy a house there, what's the uptake on that in regard to somebody local? Because we were dealing with that about a month and a half ago. How is that going? 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
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2463