Committee, we will defer the housing corporation summary on page 373 and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning with community housing services starting on page 377, with information items on page 378. Questions? Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I see that the housing corporation has 107 positions. Can I just get clarification whether that number includes the staff at LHOs and, if not, how many positions exist within LHOs. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The majority of our staff are with the local housing organizations and boards in the smaller communities. I don't have a percentage in front of me. I'll have Ms. Eleanor Young elaborate on the numbers. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. President Young.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Yes, I guess I'll start with a comment that it would be helpful -- I know that this is a finance template -- to include those positions. I know every time we go through this you get lots of questions about where jobs are in communities. And if any of these jobs move in the Housing Corp positions in the community, we talk about it but clearly the majority of staff are in LHOs. So I think some transparency there would be helpful for everyone. But I'll leave that as a comment.

My other question is I see under community housing services, there's $2 million approximately in property taxes and land leases. I guess I've expressed frustration at this before that I understand the housing corporation, being a corporation, pays its taxes and then MACA deals with that perhaps in a grant of lieu and then we pay lease fees to the Department of Lands. It just seems like this is $2 million that would be better not spent the government paying itself. Is there any efforts underway to reduce this payments for property taxes and land leases? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Presently we do hold leases with the Department of Lands as well, and we're working together to transfer those leases. I'll have President Young elaborate on the response. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. President Young.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you. Yeah, I think that would be helpful that we just -- it seems an odd thing that the housing corp is paying lease fees to lands.

Can someone just explain to me the property taxes here? Is the housing corporation -- my understanding is that no other GNWT assets pay property tax. Good thing we have a former team of MACA here. They essentially -- we take the value of our assets and we give a grant in lieu through that formula. But can I just clarify whether the housing corporation is not part of that and, in fact, just pays property taxes? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister Chinna.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will have Eleanor speak about the property taxes and exemptions. Thank you, Madam Chair.

President Young.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

It seems like there should be some way for the housing corp to get that off their books and have it treated like all the other GNWT assets. You know, it just seems odd that we're paying ourselves tax. But I'll leave that as a comment.

I did have a couple questions about the scope of authority of LHOs. I guess I'll start with, do any of our LHOs own any assets, whether that be housing or the offices they work in or anything at all? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister Chinna.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The local housing authorities act on our behalf through a service agreement. We own all assets. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you. And I'm wondering if LHOs have the ability to manage other people's assets? I know here in Yellowknife both the city has kind of made that ask of the Yellowknife Housing Authority as well as perhaps some non-profits, obviously for money, but is that something any of our LHOs do or are able do? Thank you.