Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At one time in the past, there was a board that was established for housing. And we're looking at reinstating that as well too through the strategic renewal. I'll have President Young elaborate on the details. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Young.

Mahsi. Ms. Martselos.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I also would like to see a policy on expulsion of drug dealers within the housing corp. We have many drug dealers that seem to be able to rent these houses, get into housing very easily, and pay the minimum rent because they're not working but they're doing other things, and big fancy cars sitting outside their house. I think that we have to have a policy. I don't know how we could deal with that but we have to think of something creative and innovative to ensure that this is not happening and that we look after families that really require housing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is something that I've recognized as well too and I all them high traffic areas as well. And just looking at the health and safety of the tenants in our units and also the families as well. We do try to work with our tenancy agreements as well too and I want to enhance those agreements as well and just a lot more education with the clients. But I do understand that it requires a lot more attention than just basically that. We need legislation. We need something to drive and making sure that we do this correctly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Ms. Martselos.

Mr. Chair, I'd like to question the seniors aging in place retrofits and repairs. Does that come with a means test for seniors? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that does come with a means test. Thank you.

Mahsi. Ms. Martselos.

Mr. Chair, I want to question the means test for the homeownership program. Does that come under a means test also? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that's correct.

Ms. Martselos.

So, you know, Mr. Chair, if we're going to continually use the means test for seniors and for people who are trying to gain ownership just because -- because I had a client from Fort Smith that applied to the homeownership program and were refuse. They were just like $10,000 over. The whole philosophy of homeownership has got to change and also the means test for seniors, if we truly believe in some of our statements that we make in this House. You're discouraging people from working. We should be encouraging people to work. And until that is switched around to the housing corp, we will never make change within our own people that want to have homeownership, that are able to -- or should be encouraged to work, and there should be a minimum amount of people who -- like the minimum wage amount that should be assessed at a certain thing but, you know, there should be a certain minimum payment monthly for people to encourage them to work. And until we change all these factors within the housing corp, things are not going to change too much. And I wonder if people start stepping back and looking at the whole picture, if we could make change. And I think that's the only way we are going to make change. We have all these policies coming from people who do not know our people, okay. We have bureaucrats writing these policies that are not okay. And I wonder if we could try and correct that and the Minister could be more innovative, staff could be more innovative, junior staff also be more innovative to our clients in all the NWT because they're the people that are accessing these housing are the ones that require some hope for the future. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And through the work that the housing has been doing up until this point, we are in the process right now of reviewing all of our programs as well. We work very closely with the Council of Leaders, and they have put forward their discussions with us as well on what should be changed. The Council of Leaders is the Indigenous governments throughout the Northwest Territories who equally participate. With that, they have been contributing to the changes that you'll see in the future. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Ms. Martselos.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My last question is, there's 56 applicants for homeownership that were done across the territories. How many actually are complete? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. A lot of those applications there's a lot of back and forth that's going on to try to, making sure that these applications are successful. I don't have the number in front of me right now. But we do our best to try to support the individuals. What I've seen so far is some clients are interested in the homeownership program and once they realize that they're paying $300 a month, $800 a month, and just kind of questioning the utility costs and the maintenance of the units. But we try our best to try to counsel the tenants and also encouraging them that they're still going to be eligible for our programming. Just because they got into the homeownership does not eliminate them from applying back to the housing corporation for any type of upgrades for their unit. Thank you, Mr. Chair.