Debates of June 11th, 2024

This Hansard is the unedited transcript and will be replaced by the final copy soon (generally within 5 business days). In the meantime, direct quotes should not be used, when the final is published it will seamlessly replace this unedited copy and any existing links should still work.

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

Sheryl Yakeleya Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And can residents or my constituents, are they to go to the local district office or the -- which office do they go to to access -- to get an application to take part in this emergency repair program? Because currently I am told by some residents that they are not able to access any emergency repair program. There's a few of my constituents in Hay River on the reserve that are having issues with the damages from the flood and having mold underneath their houses, and currently are getting no support at all. And it was really unfortunate, so now I can tell them they can access this emergency repair program, which is delivered out of which office in Hay River? Thank you.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The program's delivered out of the Hay River district office. 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

Thank you. Mr. Chair, I will advise my constituents to go to this district office and apply for emergency repair programs. Hopefully -- yeah, thank you. That's the question I have. Hopefully they're eligible to receive that funding for their repairs as we're now in June, fall's going to come, and I would really like for them to have that support. Thank you.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'm going to go to -- sorry, any other Members that have questions? I'll go to the Member from Monfwi.

June 11th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you. This fuel tank replacement for homeowners, I know that's a popular program because a lot of people in my region applied and got their fuel tank replaced and etcetera. So for this fiscal year, I see the program is -- I don't know if it's discontinued, but there's no money allocated. So if the Minister can explain why this fiscal year, because people are going to be asking.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The fuel tank replacement program for homeowners is discontinued for this fiscal year. We encourage all homeowners interested in replacing their fuel tank to use the emergency repair program. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Monfwi.

June 11th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Yes, thank you for that information. It's good to know so we can, you know, redirect them to that program.

Another one too is that -- here, so all this housing programs, it's a good program because I know a lot of -- like, we've been, you know, advocating for a lot of people and to apply for these programs. So I just wanted to ask all these programs that's in place, are they based on income threshold? Thank you.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, all the programs are based on the core need income threshold, and it depends on which region they live in for the different types of income thresholds. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Monfwi.

June 11th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you. No, well, it's in my region and it's in her region, in all the North, because especially for seniors and elders aging in place, it's difficult for them to make ends meet so they -- you know, like, they do part-time job here and there or contract work and when income tax season comes, you know, a lot of times some of them they're denied the program. So I just want to ask the Minister if they can increase the income threshold to accommodate elders, retirees, so they can -- so they can apply for these programs, be eligible for the programs. Thank you.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

June 11th

Lucy Kuptana Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is some of the work that we're doing over the next little while is review of the core need income threshold and also the rental scale. Both the rental scale and the core need income threshold haven't been reviewed since 2012, so we're doing some of the work behind that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Monfwi.

June 11th

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you. That's all I have for this on this page. Thank you.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. Are there any further questions? I'm going to go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

June 11th

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So there's been some sort of concerns circulating amongst constituents that programs for homeownership assistance are being cut or they won't have opportunities to get help in purchasing homes. Now, I do see that the home purchase program is being maintained. If we go back to page 383, we certainly see a bit of a decrease in the homeownership entry level program. Can the Minister explain, so that it's clear to everyone in the public too, are some of the homeownership assistance programs being cut, and is there a shift towards a different type of assistance towards homeownership? 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. The fuel tank replacement program for homeowners is the only one that has been discontinued for this fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

June 11th

The Chair Richard Edjericon

Thank you. I'll go to the Member from Yellowknife North.

June 11th

Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. And the homeownership entry level program, is that a type of homeownership assistance program and is that one being cut? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of June 11th, 2024

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