The Speaker Lesa Semmler

Ministers' Statements. Minister for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Employment.

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Madam Speaker, on November 24th I rose before the House to announce a strategy for renewal of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation - a strategy that is focused on taking action to address the housing crisis in the Northwest Territories. I am very pleased to rise again today to announce that, guided by the strategy, we are continuing to take action and set the stage for real, positive change.

Madam Speaker, in a motion on March 4, 2021, this Legislative Assembly told the Government of the Northwest Territories to update the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's mission statement to ensure it reflects the corporation's role in social wellness. I have heard the Members and I acknowledge and share their desire for change. That is why one of the first actions in the strategy is to review and update the corporation's mission statement.

During the fall, we collected input on the motion from the Legislative Assembly from the large volume of existing reports and directions, including the NWT ombud and from the corporation's own staff. We also asked the Council of Leaders Housing Working Group for input on the future and direction of the corporation. This input has resulted in its mandate for the Housing Corporation's composed of a new statement of mission, values, and a vision.

Madam Speaker, the corporation's new mission focuses on the wellbeing of individuals, on fairness, and on providing support to those most in need, recognizing the Housing Corporation is about more than building houses. We are part of an integrated support system composed of other government departments and partnerships. At the time, limited resources we needed to focus that supports on those who are most in need.

The new mandate also describes six values to guide the corporation. They are:

• Client focused;
• Accountability;
• Reconciliation;
• Collaboration;
• Innovation; and
• Sustainability.

Madam Speaker, these values reflect a more modern and client-focused approach to the work of the Corporation.

Finally, Madam Speaker, the mandate includes a vision statement which, until now, was missing from the Housing Corporation's mandate. The vision recognizes that meeting the territory's housing need is bigger than any other single government or organization. It is critical that we work in partnership with the Indigenous groups, the Government of Canada, community governments, and other stakeholders to reach our housing goals.

Madam Speaker, I realize that some people might say that a new mission, values, and vision for the corporation is just a piece of paper. People may ask, "What real impact will the mandate have on the ground for residents and communities across the Northwest Territories?"

Our new mandate will serve as the measure of everything that the corporation does. It will serve as a lens through which we undertake the review of the Housing Corporation's policies and programs in the next steps of the renewal. It will also guide the corporation's relationship with the public, with the clients, and with its partners as it strives to address the housing gap in the Northwest Territories.

Madam Speaker, I would like to read the corporation's new mission into the records because I am very proud of the new direction it sets. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's new mission is to increase the well-being of individual and communities by providing fair access to quality housing support for people most in need.

I give my firm commitment to the Legislative Assembly that, as Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, my direction to the corporation will consist with our mission, values and vision, which I will be tabling later today.

Madam Speaker, I am excited about this new mandate and where the next steps in the renewal process will take us. I look forward to rising again in the House soon and providing Members with another update on the actions we are taking under our renewal strategy, helping the GNWT meet its mandate commitment to increase the number of affordable homes and reduce housing core need in the Northwest Territories. With this Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the staff of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, all stakeholders, and Indigenous groups that have taken part to make this document and for me to table it today..

Mahsi to the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' Statements. Minister for Education, Culture and Employment.

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Madam Speaker, "Let's Go Fishing." That's the theme of this year's Indigenous Languages Month, which we celebrate every February in partnership with Indigenous governments and the NWT Literacy Council. To help everyone embrace this year's celebration, we are sharing a delicious fish chowder recipe in all nine official Indigenous languages. Throughout February, we continue to encourage residents to engage in the exciting activities in communities and schools to promote Indigenous language use.

Madam Speaker, the Northwest Territories is a landscape of rich and vibrant cultures that are the foundation of our northern identity. Our nine official Indigenous languages capture the diversity of our territory and make it truly unique. As leaders and residents, we share the responsibility of revitalizing our Cree, Inuvialuit, Dene, and Metis cultures and languages through education and practice.

Our Indigenous Languages Action Plan has two main goals:

• Revitalizing Indigenous languages; and
• Enhancing access to government services in Indigenous languages.

And over the past year, we have continued to work diligently towards these goals. In 2021, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment hosted two virtual interpreter/translator gatherings that included 43 participants. At these gatherings, the department heard a range of needs for support and training,

Including the need for technology, linguistics, and specialized training;

The need for accreditation and certification opportunities; Resource development; and The need to recruit more Indigenous language speakers to join this profession.

Based on this feedback, the department is researching potential partnerships to offer training and supports to new and existing interpreters and translators.

In July 2021, the department launched the second delivery of the Mentor-Apprentice Program, and it was bigger and better than ever. The amount of language learning hours was increased from 100 to 200, and the length of the program was increased from four to eight months.

Although the program runs until March 2022, 35 pairs of apprentices and mentors have already completed the required training for six language groups:

• Dene Zhatye
• Inuvialuktun
• Gwich'in
• Dene Kede
• Tlicho
• Dene Souyne.

A final gathering of mentors and apprentices is being planned for next month. It will include a program evaluation, training, and an evening gala that will showcase apprentices speaking in their languages.

Madam Speaker, 2022 marks the fourth year of the GNWT's Indigenous Languages Revitalization Scholarship Program. This year, ten $5,000 scholarships will be available to students who are registered in an accredited post-secondary program with a focus on Indigenous language revitalization. To date, there have been 31 scholarships that have been awarded to incentivize students to pursue studies focusing on Indigenous language revitalization.

In 2021, the department also updated the NWT JK-12 Indigenous Languages and Education Handbook. The handbook provides educators with a user-friendly guide to implement the Indigenous Language Education Policy, ensuring quality, culture-based school programming, and a whole-school approach to Indigenous language use. Contributions to the handbook were made by elders and knowledge-keepers, regional Indigenous language and education coordinators, Indigenous language instructors, other educators, community members, and students.

Rooted in the wisdom, traditions, and lived-experience of the elders and knowledge-keepers that guided the creation of the Dene Kede and Inuuqatigiit curricula, all educators can draw upon this resource to strengthen Indigenous language education and support language revitalization in the territory. The updated handbook will be distributed to school staff in the coming months.

Revitalizing Indigenous language takes ingenuity, commitment, and courage. I have heard it from the people in the Mentor-Apprentice Program - it takes courage to start and courage to make mistakes and courage to learn. Madam Speaker, I would like to test my own courage.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha. This is the first of four theme days in this sitting, so Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, along with the rest of my colleagues here, I have a whole host of housing-related issues with my constituents in my community. I could go on about general issues relating the NWT Housing Corp, however today I am going to focus on one constituent.

This is an elderly man who is nearly 80 years old and has been dealing with increased health problems including a recent heart attack and even contacting COVID-19, not to mention he and his wife being homeless temporarily after their home was destroyed nearly three years ago.

Madam Speaker, this constituent endured a tornado in June 2019 which severely damaged his home to the point that it was unlivable. In other words, his home was totalled, and since that time his life has been turned upside down in dealing with the after effects.

Since I was elected, I have been doing everything I can to help with the situation. I've gone to the housing minister at least a dozen times, trying to get this constituent fair treatment in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Madam Speaker, after this constituent's home was destroyed, the Northwest Territories Housing Corp did an assessment of his property and gave him a very lowball park offer to purchase his land. Then he was put into a public housing unit but his rental costs have been very high for him to manage. In fact, there is a major discrepancy regarding the level of rent he's currently paying.

Based on the housing corp's own pamphlet on public housing and subsidized rental housing, he is paying too much for his monthly rent under his current monthly income. Even with the combined income of his spouse, my constituent is still paying more than he should be.

Madam Speaker, this is someone who has worked 44 years for the territorial government in various capacities. He was devoted public servant who did everything right to provide for himself and his family, but he has been receiving the short end of the stick in his dealings with the NWT Housing Corporation since his home was destroyed. To treat a former long-time public employee and a residential school survivor like this is not acceptable. To make matters worse, this whole experience has made my constituent go into debt as he's always been supporting his family with various costs, including post-secondary education. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

In closing, Madam Speaker, it is not right at all for our government to treat this constituent's situation of a natural disaster in some a different way compared to other victims of natural disasters in the NWT. I'm grateful that the flood victims of Fort Simpson and Jean Marie got complete compensation there. The same treatment should be extended to my constituent because it was an act of God and should be treated as a natural disaster. My constituent is sad and feels he has been forgotten. I will have questions for the Minister of Housing later today. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, housing was identified and continues to be our priority for this government and, more importantly, it is a basic need that has a significant impact on one's quality of life and potentially one's future. This government, with all its good intentions, has made minimal progress over the last several decades on meeting the housing needs of Indigenous people in the Northwest Territories - and we continue down that same path.

We found our past approach to be flawed and through renewal we are hoping to see positive change. It is important to give a new approach flexibility that allows for adapting to change without having to start at square one. Madam Speaker, many who look to the NWT Housing Corporation for public housing, do so because there are no other options. People come to us, as MLAs, and plead for help. They go to their Indigenous representatives and plead for help. Yet, there is nothing we can say or do that will provide any hope or comfort to a long-standing problem, which is lack of public housing.

Indigenous People in need of housing need not only pressure this government, but must pressure Indigenous and federal governments as well. Our focus must be on solutions that will fill the many units sitting empty in our communities, place new units on those vacant lands owned by the NWT Housing Corporation or Indigenous governments, and increase program funding.

Madam Speaker, I must give credit to the department on the timing and purchase of the Nordic Arms Apartment complex in YK. The per door cost will be considerably less than constructing a new complex or building 24 single-detached homes. Following that acquisition, I will now be looking to the Minister and her department to begin planning a residential complex in Hay River for seniors and one for singles and couples. Land has been sitting vacant for several years and it is time make use of it.

Madam Speaker, the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation and her team have made some good decisions which we need to see expanded throughout the NWT. We now see Indigenous governments taking on housing initiatives, seeking solutions that work for their communities, dealing directly with the federal government and using own resources for delivery. If we expect ongoing results, we need cooperation amongst all level of governments with Indigenous governments taking the lead. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. On January 25th of this year, there was another announcement about funding for 29 houses being built in small communities. That's all good but it got me thinking about that federal co-investment carve out for $60 million that was set aside for the NWT.

After the last Cabinet failed to make housing a priority, we got very little under the National Housing Strategy, but that's another story.

Recently I got an accounting of the funds spent and used under the NWT co-investment carve out. $25.5 million of this amount was allocated to the NWT Housing Corp to assist with the construction of 60 public housing units and the remaining $34.5 million was allocated to Indigenous governments and organizations to create 66 affordable homes through a combination of repair and new construction projects.

As for the cost share requirements, the NWT Housing Corp has had to utilize its own fiscal resources to supplement the $25.5 million federal funding for the delivery of the 60 public housing units. Unforeseen construction cost increases are going to cost the Housing Corp another $6 million in internal resources. And there could be more. It's not clear what funding the Indigenous governments and other organizations had to put up to access the NWT co-investment carve out. The average cost of a new housing unit, using these funds, amounts to about $520,000. I guess that's good but I wonder whether we can do any better and what this will mean for the O and M costs for the NWT Housing Corp. I also wonder whether other NWT organizations have been successful in accessing the National Co-Investment Fund and what, if any, support has been given by the NWT Housing Corporation. What is clear, Madam Speaker, is that the NWT Housing Corporation needs improved communications with its clients, MLAs, and the public. I will have lots of questions later today for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I'll continue to talk about the needs of my riding of housing.

Recent surveys shows the population of Paulatuk has increased by 33 people, it's up to 297. But unfortunately the survey showed that the number of houses in the community has declined 8 percent. Currently 81 homes in Paulatuk for 298 people. Of these 81 homes, 23 of these units are in core need, Madam Speaker. That means that either the home is not adequate, affordable, suitable for the people to live in the community.

Yesterday we heard from the Minister we have 15 people. When I asked, we have 15 to 17 people on the waitlist. But I'm hearing different. I'm hearing it's almost up to 28 people in the community, which is around five families, Madam Speaker.

Almost 10 percent of the community is essentially homelessness and couch surfing. So it's a significant number of people without homes which leads to overcrowding and just hardships, pressure on everybody.

2019, 16 percent of the homes in Paulatuk, six people or more living inside. That was nearly 13 overcrowded homes in the community. Madam Speaker, Paulatuk, we have 81 homes, 298 people, 81 of those homes are -- 23 of those homes are not adequate or suitable but we're still using them and we'll keep fixing them. We have to give those units to the community, to the people that want to take over those houses so we can add into the housing core, Madam Speaker. Again, 15 to 17 people when the community says 28, people in core need of housing.

Under the United Nations Act, 130 litres of water per day per person and our government gets $35,000 per year to provide service for every constituent across the territory. We need to start working together to getting housing core need in our communities. And then like I said yesterday, Madam Speaker in my Member's statements that we have to look at it a different way. We have to get Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the community corporations to get on board to start pushing to get houses for the community and working together for a stronger better Beaufort Delta and Nunakput. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Northview Real Estate Investment Trust, or REIT, was formed in 1986 by former GNWT civil servants that eventually evolved into a publicly-traded company allowing individual investors to buy shares in real estate portfolios. Northview holds thousands of residential and commercial units in Yellowknife and Iqaluit. Sources vary on how much they own, but it's estimated to be between 50 to 80 percent of the rental market.

In 2018, 28 percent of Northview's operating income was derived in northern Canada. REITs are recognized as financialized landlords and the largest landlords for multi-family rental units across Canada with the most significant penetration into markets with weak rent control. In a recent study of tight rental markets like those in the North, it is stated that REITs do the minimum to maintain their buildings while charging higher rents because tenants are desperate. This leads to issues with mold, water damage, pest infestations, and all kinds of frustrations as people have no other choice.

On November 2nd, 2020, Northview Apartment REIT was purchased by two Toronto firms for $4.9 billion. The purchase was considered stable as 66 percent of their leases held in the territories were secured by government or credit-rated corporations. Rent was increased across the board by $300, and with the control of so many units, the market prices continued to skyrocket in Yellowknife well beyond affordability.

In Yellowknife, nearly 35 percent of the entire housing stock was built before 1980, and another 45 percent was added during the '80s and '90s. With supply chains increasingly disrupted through the pandemic, the cost of construction materials and supplies required for housing construction and maintenance have continued to rise, driving up housing prices to unaffordable levels.

The average home price in Yellowknife rose to just below $486,000 in 2021, an all-time high, with average sale prices increasing by 22 percent year over year.

In 2018, the City of Yellowknife conducted a point-in-time homelessness count and found that 338 people were experiencing homelessness in the city with a significant overrepresentation of Indigenous people, particularly children and youth.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 42 percent, or 142 of those enumerated, were age 24 or younger with 104 of those being children under the age of 18. Significantly, the count identified that 90 percent of the city's homeless identified as Indigenous compared to the city overall at 23 percent. A large portion of the homeless in Yellowknife are from other communities due in part to inadequate housing in those home communities.

The terrible state of our housing market means that for far too long residents, and in particular Indigenous residents, have had to choose between a roof over their heads or feeding their families; a choice that, in my opinion, is impossible to make and should be a source of deep shame for our government and nation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause