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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Mr. Carpenter.

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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Carpenter

Thank you, Madam Chair. The new home program, we've had that in development. We were to roll it out earlier in the year, but COVID hit us for a little bit of a delay. What has happened, though, is we're trying to get back into building houses in rural and remote communities. There's been a lot of interest over the years for the Housing Corporation to do that from a past program from the mid-1980's to the late 1990's that is quite successful, and a majority of those homes are still in existence today. The problem we've run into is -- it could be related to COVID or just the changing times -- is the cost to construction has just gone through the roof for us, whereas I think I reported it to you last time I was here that for a modest, four-bedroom home that we wanted to have a big family in is well into exceeding $1 million when you add up all the costs from shipping to labour, all the components.

Right now, it's on our drawing board to see what we can do to address that, and that includes talking to the contractors, all the suppliers, and many of you would know that they're hitting hard times, too, in finding supplies and their own subcontractors, too. Our hope is that we will still be able to get some of these built in some of these communities. It's a good design. It's a good concept that would hopefully move people out of public housing into these units, complete with a suite for seniors and/or a disabled person that might free up a space in a senior's unit in that community, as well, and alleviating pressures on our waiting lists. 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, Mr. Carpenter. Member for Yellowknife North.

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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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I recognize that the Housing Corporation has to somewhat operate in the ever-increasing construction costs that the North faces to an exponential level in our rural and remote communities as compared to down south. I look forward to seeing the outcome of that work and if we can find some of those cost savings. I had one last question. I'm looking at the lease commitments on page 386, and I see that there're 71 lease commitments here for units. I heard earlier that we leased 200 units. If it's finance or a reporting thing, can I get an explanation of why all of our leased units do not show up on the lease commitments? Thank you.

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.

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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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. This would have been a question to be answered by Mr. Jim Martin. I can get back to the Member. Thank you.

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 Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

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

March 10th, 2021

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. My colleagues didn't leave me a lot of meat on the bone here, but I've got some high-level questions on page 383. Just some high-level questions, in terms of district operations that are decreased right across the board. I'm just wondering, to the Minister: will this take away from any sort of staffing or any sort of operational work? Thank you.

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.

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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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can you repeat the question? Thank you.

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

Member.

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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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you. Sorry, Madam Chair. District operations for each district, it just seems like there were decreases right across the board: for example, $2.5 million for the South Slave, and even more so for the North Slave district. Again, it seems to level out with the program development. This is probably more of an accounting question, but can the Minister explain how this is and if there is going to be any sort of takeaway programming happening or any sort of operations? Thank you.

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.

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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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will have Vice-President Franklin Carpenter respond.

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. Mr. Carpenter.

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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Carpenter

Thank you, Madam Chair. That was just a result of: we moved some money around in our programming because we were spending a fair bit more on our community housing support initiatives where communities are being more active in delivering some repair programming for us. It's just a movement of money around, not an actual impact on the district office operations itself. 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, Mr. Carpenter. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

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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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Madam Chair. I figured there was some sort of accounting wizardry going on. Thank you. One thing I get a lot of inquiries on in my constituency is the fuel tank replacement. I am just wondering if this is being utilized to its full extent for this line item. Thank you.

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.

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

Page 2462

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will have Vice-President Franklin 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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Mr. Carpenter.

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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Carpenter

My apologies, Madam Chair. I didn't catch the last part of that question.

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

If our fuel tank replacement fund was being fully utilized.

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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Carpenter

Thank you, Madam Chair. The question was whether our fuel tank fund was fully utilized. Our answer from our end is that all the eligible applicants that we have had were approved for that program.

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 Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.