This is page numbers of the Hansard for the 20th Assembly, 1st 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

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Jim Martin

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. We refer to a major retrofit as essentially a major renovation of a housing unit, and it's reflected in this plan due to the fact that we consider it to be a major repair, and it's of a capital nature, so it would be essentially a major repair to extend the life of the current housing asset. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Deh Cho.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Sheryl Yakeleya

Sheryl Yakeleya Deh Cho

So it's on the unit. Is it, like, something like a -- putting in a new furnace, or is it rebuilding part of the unit? Thank you.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. A major retrofit for a housing unit would include electrical, plumbing, foundation work, roofing work. It's detailed work to extend the life of the housing unit. But I will ask vice-president of finance and infrastructure to give more of a detailed description of our major retrofit. Thank you.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Yes, thank you. I'll go to the vice-president of finance.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Jim Martin

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. For this specific retrofit, we're looking to undertake plumbing, sewer upgrades, and some repairs to the -- the landings as well for health and safety as part of that work. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Deh Cho.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Sheryl Yakeleya

Sheryl Yakeleya Deh Cho

That's good.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

I'm going to go to the Member from Monfwi.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, I just wanted to ask, because we know that we're in a housing crisis, it's all over the North, it's not just my region but it's within all the regions. And I see here for retrofit, in Behchoko, you know, like we have 130 people that are on the waitlist, or maybe it's probably more than that, you know, and there's some families, they've been waiting for the last two, three a years, and -- you know, and they haven't moved up the list. So I'm just wondering why only three units that's being retrofit within this fiscal year when there are still other, like five or six units that are boarded up? What is -- what is the department going to be doing with those boarded up units? Are they going to retrofit those units, or are they going to give it away to the community members? Because it's an eyesore, you know, like, those boarded up units, it is an eyesore. It's not good. And people have been inquiring a lot about those units, and it's still sitting there. Thank you.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Before I go to the Minister, just for clarification, are you speaking for your riding in terms of boarded up units?

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

What's that?

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Are you speaking for your riding for the boarded up units?

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Yes, I am asking because there's only three units that's -- that's within this fiscal year that's -- it's -- I'm sure it's a major retrofit, you know. It's not replacing an appliance or anything like that, but I'm just asking why only three units that's -- you know, that's being retrofitted, major retrofit, and there's still a lot of other units that are boarded up. What is the department going to do with those boarded up units because it is an eyesore. Thank you.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was just getting some information from the vice-president. Currently, Behchoko, there is two units being repaired, and 15 units still to be repaired. The plan is that we repair three in Behchoko which would leave 12 units to be repaired once this capital budget is approved. The reason we're not repairing more units is this budget is based on what we have as Housing NWT for capital planning purposes. We look at our budget, we look at -- we provide an analysis of our operating costs, and at the end of the day we're left with $11 million for capital planning. So that's what's left over after everything is said and done for Housing NWT. So the need is great throughout the territory but this is the funds that we have left. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Monfwi.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Okay, thank you. I know the need is great throughout the Northwest Territories and there's 12 units that you just mentioned, but I'm just wondering if the Minister can answer me. Does the department really have any money to do work on these units, or is it just to get people's hope up that, okay, there's actually three units that's going to be retrofitted and hopefully the waiting list will go down? Because from what I heard from the -- in Behchoko is that they're asking people to move out of the unit because they're going to fix up the unit, so they're going to do a retrofit when, in fact, they don't have any money; they don't have the funds to fix up those units. So I'm just wondering if the department, I'm not too sure, if the department has any money to really, like -- to do the actual work on these units. Thank you.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Okay, thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I asked the vice-president of finance and infrastructure, and he confirmed the funds to retrofit these units for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Monfwi.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Yes, within this fiscal year or any other fiscal year, because there was a plan done for 10-year housing plan from 2012 to 2022 of how many houses they were going to retrofit. So that one is over and done with. So I'm just wondering, does the department actually have any funds to do major retrofit when they are -- you know, because the housing is saying they don't have any money to fix up some of these units and other organizations have fixed up a unit because they didn't have any. The Indigenous government fix up some of the units in my riding because housing do not have any -- they don't have the funds to fix up those units and asking people to move out when some of them are in good condition. Now they're sitting empty. And I would like to see some of the people that are on the waitlist to move into those units right now at the moment before freeze up, so it doesn't damage further, and then that's what -- that's how a lot of these units are boarded up, thinking they're going to do something, they're going to fix it up. To date, there's a lot of them. There's about almost ten units that are boarded up in Behchoko that belongs to the housing. So I just wanted to know, I just -- I'm just asking if there's actually any funds allocated and when are some of these constructions going to start. Thank you.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

The Chair

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Minister.

Committee Motion 47-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates - Health and Social Services- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 29th

Lucy Kuptana

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Yes, Mr. Chair, there is funds. It's outlined in the capital plan. There's two houses currently being retrofitted and three planned for next fiscal year. So just to confirm, three for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.