This is page numbers 6023 - 6088 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

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Madam Premier. The Premier is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Madam Premier.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)

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Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have quite a gathering here today in the gallery. We have a lot of Indigenous leaders and some of their officials because we're doing the first reading of bills on the United Nation of Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, the Implementation Act. So they're here for that.

Just telling committee, there will also be, during the break of Committee of the Whole, we'll be having a small reception with the media. People are welcome to attend.

But the visitors here are -- excuse me, if I say these wrong --

  • Ayoni Keh Land Corporation and SSI Incorporated board member, president Joseph Kochon.
  • And SSI manager of intergovernmental relations, Valerie Gordon, who I also believe is a Range Lake constituent.
  • Danny Gaudet from the Deline Got'ine government.
  • Leonard Kenny from the Deline Got'ine government.
  • Vice-president Paul Herrington from the Northwest Territories Metis Nation; and
  • Ayoni Keh Land Corporation and Behdzi Ahda' First Nation governance advisor Stephanie Irlbacher Fox.
  • And my own team, that small team that worked on the United Nations Declaration from Executive and Indigenous Affairs:
  • Ms. Shawn McCann, the Indigenous and intergovernmental affairs deputy secretary. I'll read them all off:
  • Anne Marie Grueben, the manager of Indigenous affairs, and
  • Isabelle Gauthier, the intergovernmental analyst.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)

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The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I as well want to recognize the Sahtu leadership as well, Ayoni Keh president Joseph Kochon. Also Danny Gaudet, Leonard Kenny of Deline Got'ine government. And also I'd like to recognize Ms. Valerie Gordon who is an intergovernmental relations lands resources manager with Sahtu Secretariat. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)

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The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Sahtu. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize one of the new Aurora College board members Stephanie Irlbacher Fox. Thank you for joining us. Thank you.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)

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The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River North. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Glen Rutland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to Written Question number 64-19(2) asked by the Member for Kam Lake on March 8th, 2023, regarding the Housing NWT Funding Formula for Local Housing Organizations.

Question 1: Based on the Housing NWT formula, what amount should each LHO be. Funded to deliver public housing?

Local housing organizations, operating as agents of Housing NWT, are funded for the administration of public and affordable housing rental units. Under their Service Agreement with Housing NWT, local housing organizations are funded to provide property management services including the allocation of units, the assessment of rent, the collection of rents, and the provision of preventative and demand maintenance services.

Local housing organization base funding is based on the number of units in the Local Housing organization's portfolio. The funding local housing organizations receive covers their core operating requirements for management and administration staff, maintenance staff, materials and supplies, contractor's services, costs associated with vehicles and equipment, board of director fees, and other administrative costs. Members should note that this does not reflect all costs to deliver the public housing program.

In 2014, the then NWT Housing Corporation, implemented changes to the funding formula to remove some of the less predictable costs from the LHO funding and pay them directly through Housing NWT. The costs included in the base funding are the items that are generally predictable.

The significant costs involved in operating the housing units themselves is now being paid directly by Housing NWT, including utility costs, land leases and property taxes, totalling over $31 million annually. By making that change LHO's were not put in a position where they were making staffing, or maintenance cutbacks because utility costs had increased significantly. Housing NWT pays all of these costs directly on behalf of all of our LHO's and public housing clients.

Housing NWT continues to closely monitor each Local Housing organization's funding including the need for inflationary operation and maintenance cost increases.

Question 2: What amount is each LHO funded?

Local housing organizations receive an annual base funding allocation of approximately $21 million. Later today I will table a detailed breakdown of this base funding allocation by LHO. LHO's are allocated staff positions based on the number of units under administration. The funding for compensation and benefits are based on equivalent GNWT positions adjusted to reflect community differences in cost of living based on the GNWT northern allowance rates. Funding for materials, supplies and contract services is allocated by the number of units under administration.

Funding for staff compensation is primarily increased through FMB approved collective agreement increases. Funding for materials, supplies and contract services are primarily increased through FMB forced growth submissions and by using Housing NWT internal resources. Overall, local housing organizations base funding has increased 6.4 percent in 2023-2024 compared to 2021-2022.

In addition to base funding for administrative and maintenance activities, Housing NWT provides over $1.1 million annually to support the hiring of local housing organization apprentices and for local housing organizations to attend workshops and training opportunities throughout the year. Housing NWT also funds extraordinary funding requests as needed outside the base funding formula, such as expenses related to tenant damages, security related costs and legal fees. This past year, Housing NWT has paid over $700,000 in extra unforeseen costs for local housing organizations.

Question 3: How does Housing NWT intend fund this gap given LHOs cannot source third party funding or funding from financial institutions?

Through the base funding formula, and additional funding provided by Housing NWT, local housing organizations are currently funded at appropriate levels to deliver their core services. It is also important to point out that as per the March 31, 2022, audited financial statements, local housing organizations reported net financial assets surplus of over $5 million. Most local housing organizations maintain solid cash positions and some of them are able to have short-term investments. Housing NWT allows each local housing organization to retain accumulated surplus to maintain working capital and manage any immediate cash requirements. Where service gaps exist, Housing NWT reviews each gap on a case-by-case basis and strategically positions additional support as required.

As part of our renewal strategy, Housing NWT conducted extensive engagements with many local housing organizations. This process provided valuable perspectives and information for consideration as Housing NWT reviews and updates our policies and procedures, including the local housing organization funding formula.

Question 4: Will the Minister ensure that the Corporation's full list of assets by community, their condition, and required asset maintenance costs be included in Housing NWT's Annual Reports, including the upcoming 2022-23 Annual Report?

Per recommendations of the Auditor General, Housing NWT instituted an internal unit condition inspection and reporting process. This internal assessment process is critical to prioritizing maintenance and repair activities within Housing NWT assets.

We support and agree that Housing NWT should find an appropriate means to provide public reporting on our assets and are looking to find the best way to do this. One of the recommended outcomes identified in Housing NWT's renewal strategy is an enhanced asset management plan. As Housing NWT develops this plan, we will look for opportunities to develop more comprehensive public facing reporting, potentially through a dashboard solution. We believe that a public dashboard approach, will offer a better public reporting solution than an appendix to the Annual Report listing 2600 public housing units with unit-by-unit detail. We look forward to developing our asset management plan beginning in 2023-2024.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Returns to written questions. Replies the to the Commissioner's address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 77, Nursing Profession Act; Alcohol Strategy for the Northwest Territories Final Report March 2023; and, Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act, Three-Year Report 2023. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Plain Language Summary for Bill 78, Waste Reduction and Resource Recovery Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Justice.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Plain Language Summary for Bill 79, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Additional Information for Return to Written Question 64-19(2), Housing NWT Funding Formula for Local Housing Organizations; Housing NWT 2023-24 Consolidated Operating Budget; and, Northwest Territories Public Utilities Board 2022 Annual Report. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 from April 1st to December 31st; 2022; Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 from April 1st to September 30th, 2022; and, the Diversity and Inclusion Framework document. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Madam Premier.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Learning from the Response to COVID-19 Report and Recommendations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 80, Dental Hygienists Profession Statute Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Bill 80 has had first reading.

First reading of bills. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Mr. Speaker, the moment we've all been waiting for. I wish to present to the House Bill 81, An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Bill 81 has had first reading.

First reading of bills. Minister responsible for Justice.