Thank you. On May 18th, 2022, Government of the Northwest Territories and Tlicho government signed a memorandum of understanding on housing that commits both government to a formal framework for intergovernmental cooperation of housing. Can the Minister responsible for housing Northwest Territories share the key elements of the framework. Thank you.

Thank you, member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Housing.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we did sign an agreement with the Tlicho Government. I can have that document available for the member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister for Housing NWT share the vision and goals of the framework, how this MOU will change their current housing situation faced by the people in Tlicho region. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The intent of the agreement is for both governments to be working in collaboration together in addressing the housing issues in the Tlicho area. The agreement is a -- is a fair agreement, a considerable agreement between both governments.

We are working towards establishing the working group as well too for housing in that region. The Northwest Territories as well, the Indigenous governments have received distinction-based funding.

So through this agreement, we're trying to understand what is our responsibility when we are addressing housing in the smaller communities. It is a significant amount. We do have the expertise within Housing NWT, and this is -- this is a respectful agreement to making sure that we both meet the priorities of this -- of the regions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister responsible for NWT Housing provide information from the framework on the sale of Housing NWT assets, like houses and units. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now Housing NWT is going through our mortgage files. And, you know, I wanted to make sure that we are able to close those files by the end of this government. But unfortunately, we are experiencing a lot of arrears within those mortgage files. We have approximately 247, and 207 of those files are experiencing arrears. And then 115 out of the 247, the clients are either paying on a regular basis or periodically.

We did announce that each of the public housing units are for sale. Through that, we are going through our programming to making sure that we are not setting up the clients for failure but really looking at their eligibility and really wanting to see success amongst our public housing clients should we be able to sell the public housing units to our tenants. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Well, if the Minister wants to do something about it, they can transfer the unit about the -- if they want -- if she wants to do something about the arrears, they can transfer the unit to -- to the tenants living in there, give the homeowner, and bring other programs, like home assistance program back.

But anyways, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister responsible -- can the Minister responsible for Housing NWT provide information from the framework on the transfer of housing unit ownership from Housing NWT to long-term tenants. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I hear the member's passion as well too. I would like to see a lot of the housing units transferred over to the clients. But we are experiencing difficulties within the transfer. We're looking at the environmental, the condition of the units, the health and safety of the units as well too, and the liability. But it doesn't stop us from continuing to work with those tenants as well.

And as of today, I think we've received approximately 150 applications that are wanting public housing to be sold to the tenants. And I will keep the member informed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions, like I said in my Member's statement, are for the Minister of Infrastructure.

The 468-kilometre section of the Dempster Highway is currently the area I'm talking about in the Yukon. Can the Minister provide an update if there's been any discussions with the Yukon government about improving the Dempster Highway in particular to that section of the highway. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have discussed the need for investment on the Dempster Highway across the border. You know, I've been hearing concerns from the people that are having to drive that part of the Dempster, that, you know, it needs some work. So we have discussion. We have ongoing discussions with the -- the Yukon's Minister of Transportation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if possible, will the Minister within these talks with the Yukon possibly do a joint submission to Canada for dollars to improve the Yukon section of the Dempster Highway.

As I mentioned, it's an awful highway when you have to use it for transportation out of our region. We've got the MacKenzie Delta, the Nunakput, both Inuvik constituencies. They continuously travel out that road. That's the only road out of the Beaufort Delta. It brings in all of our food, our fuel, our supplies. That is a lifeline for us.

I drive -- I drove into Yellowknife. All the highways into Hay River, Enterprise, here are chip sealed. They're beautiful. People around here may not think they're beautiful. Drive the Yukon portion of the Dempster Highway. You will think they are beautiful.

So will this Minister commit to putting in a joint application or work with her counterpart to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to know that the rest of the highways are in excellent condition, and therefore, we need to -- I agree with the Member. You know, I drive that highway too. Same with yourself, Mr. Speaker. So, you know, yes, we will continue to make efforts to be able to have a joint submission with the Yukon. So we were having that discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll correct myself. Maybe they're not that wonderful. But like I said, if you drive the Dempster Highway, even that section from Behchoko to Yellowknife is a lot nicer than the section from the corner to the border.

Will the Minister also mention that when in these discussions to include improvements being made to these bridges.

As I mentioned in my member's statement, the bridge that you first cross when you hit the Dempster Highway is a single lane wooden bridge. And this limits what can go up and down that highway. And if we were able to get the federal dollars to change that bridge out, maybe that could be try and solve some of our housing issues because then we could pull up modulars through there.

So will the Minister commit to adding those into this joint submission or having that discussion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm just trying to look at what the member is saying.

I understand the Member's concern about the -- I know exactly which bridge she's referring to, and it does have weight restrictions which really doesn't allow much fuel, equipment coming up on Dempster Highway.

So yes, we will have that discussion on the bridge. I think that's an important piece of infrastructure that we need to get to work with the Yukon government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The only last commitment that I'd ask is if the Minister could just follow up with me when she's going to be meeting with the Minister responsible for infrastructure and what their plan is because this is something -- I mean, this highway has been there since 1979, and I don't know if that other side of the highway has been touched much. So I think it's end of life, and it really needs to be looked at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, I'll keep the Member informed on some of the discussions that we will be having.

I just want to note that Minister Alghabra, who is the federal Minister of Transportation, is planning a visit to the Northwest Territories this summer. So I plan to see if I could get him up to the Beaufort Delta to see some of the problems that we are having with infrastructure, including some of the effects on climate change and the need for investment on the Yukon side of the Dempster. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Housing.