Thank you, Member. To the motion?
Debates of June 4th, 2021
This is page numbers 2867 - 2906 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 know.
Topics
Committee Motion 145-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Repair Program, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Committee Motion 145-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Repair Program, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Some Hon. Members
Question.
Committee Motion 145-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Repair Program, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
The Chair Rocky Simpson
Question's been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carried.
---Carried
Member for Kam Lake.
Committee Motion 146-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Homeownership Programs with Person Centered Case Management, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories implement homeownership programs with persons-centered case management to navigate the complex northern housing environment, including mortgage financing, land tenure and affordable home insurance. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 146-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Homeownership Programs with Person Centered Case Management, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Committee Motion 146-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Homeownership Programs with Person Centered Case Management, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Some Hon. Members
Question.
Committee Motion 146-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Homeownership Programs with Person Centered Case Management, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
The Chair Rocky Simpson
Question's been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carried.
---Carried
Member for Kam Lake.
Committee Motion 147-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Rental Accommodation Allowance
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories remove interdepartmental policy requirements creating barriers for applicants to receive the rental accommodation allowance, including requirements to be on the public housing waitlist and the payment of utility arrears. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 147-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Rental Accommodation Allowance
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
The Chair Rocky Simpson
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion? Member for YK North.
Committee Motion 147-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Rental Accommodation Allowance
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know the Minister has spoken to this in the House, and I understand the reality that it's cheaper for ECE to put people in public housing than give them the rental accommodation allowance, but you know, that's -- I think net overall, it is a -- it's more expensive to not have people housed, and we know there are about 900 people on our housing waitlist who are costing the government money by being in the shelter program, by being in transitional housing, by picking up the slack in other areas. So I think a whole-of-government approach is to get everyone housed. And one of the ways we can do that is to remove the requirement that people be on the public housing waitlist in order to obtain rental accommodation allowance. This also gives them more flexibility to move houses, to move throughout the territory for work opportunities.
And, lastly, I just want to point out, we've asked the Housing Corp for how long the waitlist is for public housing, and they can't give a clear answer because that waitlist is so obscured by people just simply being on it to receive income assistance. So we don't even have an accurate picture of the housing waitlist because a lot of people are simply on it because of this policy requirement. So I would encourage the government to do a whole-of-government approach and remove this requirement. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 147-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Rental Accommodation Allowance
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Committee Motion 147-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Rental Accommodation Allowance
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
Some Hon. Members
Question.
Committee Motion 147-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Rental Accommodation Allowance
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2897
The Chair Rocky Simpson
Question's been called. All those in favour. Opposed. Abstentions? Motion carried.
---Carried
Member for Kam Lake.
Committee Motion 148-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Rental Allowance Portability, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories allow rental allowance to be portable so people can choose where they want to live in housing that meets their needs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 148-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Rental Allowance Portability, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
Committee Motion 148-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Rental Allowance Portability, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
Some Hon. Members
Question.
Committee Motion 148-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Rental Allowance Portability, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
The Chair Rocky Simpson
Question's been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carried.
---Carried
Member for Kam Lake.
Committee Motion 149-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Homeowners, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much. I've got a double up here so I'm going to... sorry, Mr. Chair, I appear to have a copy that is not -- give me a second. I've got a repeat of recommendations.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories remove interdepartmental policy barriers for homeowners, including requirements to be on the public housing waitlist and the payment of utility arrears. This also includes removing the policy barrier requiring applicants to sell their homes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 149-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Homeowners, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 4th, 2021
Page 2898
Committee Motion 149-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Homeowners, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
Some Hon. Members
Question.
Committee Motion 149-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Interdepartmental Policy Barriers for Homeowners, carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
The Chair Rocky Simpson
Question's been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carried.
---Carried
Member for Kam Lake.
Committee Report 150-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Access to Homeowners Insurance, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop a program to help homeowners access insurance and work with homeowners to keep costs low. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Report 150-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Access to Homeowners Insurance, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898
The Chair Rocky Simpson
Thank you, Member. Motion is in order. To the motion? Member for Frame Lake.
Committee Report 150-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Access to Homeowners Insurance, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. So, yeah, I've raised this issue on the floor of the House several times now about the inability of even Yellowknife residents to get home insurance. And I'll give another example. I said -- charted this out before. We had home insurance with Aviva. We had some roof work done. Told the company about it. All of a sudden, they started to ask questions about our heating source. We've had a wood pellet boiler for five years. They decided to cut us off, cancel our policy because they didn't want to insure us anymore. So -- and I've had similar complaints from other residents in my riding about the inability to get home insurance in even Yellowknife so I can't imagine what it's like in small communities. I understand that the minister of Finance and her staff are looking at other options, including the Saskatchewan Government Insurance Corporation. You know, it would be better if we could actually get the private market to provide home insurance here. But if the private market is unwilling to do that, then we've got to look at other options and that may include a government insurance program. But I understand the Minister's having her staff talk to Saskatchewan Government Insurance Corporation about whether they're willing to enter the market here because we just can't -- the other parts of the market are not serving our needs. So I look forward to that work coming forward. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Committee Report 150-19(2): Committee Report 16-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Housing Phase One: Needs for NWT Homeowners and Private Landlords - Access to Homeowners Insurance, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 2898