Debates of June 11th, 2024

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This is from 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 housing.

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Funding Opportunities for Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Programs

Inuvik Petroleum Show

Change of Name Act

Sahtu Graduation Season

Changes to Student Financial Assistance Offerings for Indigenous STudents

Emgergency Shelters

Folk on the Rocks

Solutions for Education for Indigenous Students

Mental health

Supports for Autism

Frank Gruben Pride Festival

Laura Gareau Retirement

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Report 7-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Public Accounts, Deemed Read

Report 7-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Public Accounts, Received and Adopted by the Assembly

Report 7-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Public Accounts, Response by Government within 120 Days

Report 8-20(1): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Committee's Initiation of a Project to Conduct a Review of the Land and Water Permitting Regulatory Framework

Report 8-20(1): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Committee's Initiation of a Project to Conduct a Review of the Land and Water Permitting Regulatory Framework, Received and Adopted by the Assembly

Acknowledgements

Autism Supports

Applying for a Name Change

Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife

Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System

Solutions for Education for Indigenous Students

Mental Health Training

Strategic Educational Planning for Sahtu

Incident Command System for Emergencies

Tabled Document 119-20(1): Letter dated December 6, 2023 from Alternatives North to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding Public Participation in a Regional Study under part 5.2 of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act Tabled Document 120-20(1): Letter from the Assistant Deputy Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to Alternatives North regarding Public Participation in a Regional Study under part 5.2 of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act Tabled Document 121-20(1): Letter dated January 30, 2024 from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to Alternatives North regarding Public Participation in a Regional Study under part 5.2 of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act

Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Tabled Document 118-20(1)

Mackenzie Valley Highway Business Case Renewal

Consideration for the Hamlet of Enterprise to Receive Top-Up Funding

Extended Adjournment of the House to October 17, 2024

Bill 7: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2024

Bill 8: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates - Industry, Tourism and Investment - Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment

Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates - Housing Northwest Territories - Deferral of Housing Northwest Territories

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates - Industry, Tourism and Investment - Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. President Young will provide information on the inspections of housing units. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

June 11th

Eleanor Young

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So with this budget, there would be an inspection done on the home as part of the application to determine what repairs would be done to the home. So the inspection would be part of the application process. For folks who just need an inspection without submitting an application, we could work with the LHO to see if that could be done but it wouldn't be out of this specific program. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go back to the Member from Mackenzie Delta.

June 11th

George Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, I was looking at that and I was, you know, feeling kind of optimistic about the elders that want to stay within the community, and this would help them a great deal with inspections because I am getting calls from mainly the community of Tsiigehtchic. The resident, I contacted him, and he said it'll be good if they can have annual inspections on their home because at their age, they can't determine if there's any deficiencies within their own home except, you know, if their heating source goes out then they might get worried. But, you know, if an annual inspection can be conducted -- I had something here, more of a preventative measure. Like, if a senior wants an inspection on his home, how would he or she go about proceeding with an inspection? Would they go to their local housing authority and ask for an application, help with an application? Every elder requires assistance filling out applications because they're so time consuming and everything, you know, you got to make things more easier for our elders because they want to stay within their own communities where they feel comfortable. So just how would they go about getting this information so they can get their homes inspected, especially if it's this time of the year they can get some work done on it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would encourage the elders if they're interested in inspections of their homes, that they contact the local housing authority and the local housing authority could work with program staff at the district office. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

June 11th

George Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My other concern is the home purchase program. I know the Indigenous governments within each region were allocated some money from the federal government to build houses within their respective regions, and I believe within my community of Fort McPherson, I believe we have eight houses constructed by the Gwich'in Tribal Council, and I think the purpose of building these houses is not to turn over to housing for public housing units but to give residents of communities the option or the opportunity to own their own homes, because right now we have a number of young people that are working, they have families, and they have no choice but to live with their parents because they're not eligible to live in public housing units because of how much money they make. So if these houses were -- which I believe are going to be given -- or not given, or letting these potential homeowners, if they can get a mortgage to own these homes, would the home purchase program be something that they could look at applying for to give them assistance? Because most of these people are single mothers, and it's going to be pretty difficult for them to start but if this program can help them, it'll be of great value. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If President Young can talk a bit more about the home purchase program to provide information to MLA Nerysoo. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the president.

June 11th

Eleanor Young

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I think I'll start by saying the homes that the Indigenous governments are building, those are separate from Housing NWT and so I can't say for sure how they plan to deliver their homeownership program. But the home purchase program that Housing NWT offers is a down payment assistance program. It's primarily targeted to regional centres but, you know, we can look at it if this is required in other communities. But I think first we would need to have a conversation just with the Indigenous government to understand how they're planning to deliver the program and whether our programs would match up or not. We do have the collaborative agreement with the Indigenous government in your riding so we can absolutely have a conversation, just to understand how we can work together to support the homeowners. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

June 11th

George Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

That will be beneficial -- thank you, Mr. Chair. It would be beneficial to the potential homeowners. And there is -- yeah, I would like to hear back of what the purpose of those homes are for. But it would help a great deal in getting some potential homeowners within my community because they'd like to be independent and strive for something that they've always wanted. And owning a home is a big step, so having this forgivable loan, if it's available to subsidize the cost, it will help a great bit. It's just more of a comment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. Next on my list I have is the Member from the Deh Cho.

June 11th

Sheryl Yakeleya Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my question to the Minister of housing is under the emergency repair program, can Members from my riding, my constituents from the Hay River Reserve, access this program? Thank you.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the members can access this program. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

June 11th

Sheryl Yakeleya Deh Cho

The question is -- thank you. Thank you to the Minister. Can members that are -- I don't know if the housing that they're living in currently -- some of the members from the Hay River Reserve, if their housing units -- if they're privately owned units, can they still access the program?

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, this is what the program would be eligible for, is for privately owned units, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

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

Debates of June 11th, 2024

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