Member for Frame Lake.
Debates of Feb. 26th, 2025
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 housing.
Topics
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Julian Morse Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry, I'm just having to go through -- I think that's -- that's it for kind of business plan related questions from me. I'll ask my specifics on the next pages. Thank you.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Daniel McNeely Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. My only question on this activity is on the per unit operating costs, we have 2900 housing units here. What is the operating monthly cost per unit? I know it fluctuates here and differs from community to community depending on items like fuel, for example, but I think historically we were in the neighbourhood of $1,275 for the operating costs of one unit. Can the Minister explain. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Lucy Kuptana Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. The operating costs for public housing units or housing units in the Northwest Territories is $21,000 a year. Housing NWT spends approximately $30 million a year just in utilities alone. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Daniel McNeely Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. As I mentioned, that's the only question I had on this activity. Mahsi.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Denny Rodgers Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm following up sort of on my colleague from Range Lake, and I'm looking at the annual report from 2023-2024, the annual report as of March 31st, 2024. And it shows in there, I think, that -- if I'm correct that the housing corporation or NWT Housing had 88 -- started the year with a $40 million surplus, ended with an $88 million surplus, Madam Chair. I'm just wondering if that funding or any of that funding has been considered as part of the incremental plan that the Minister has spoke to. And if not, what is the plan for -- what's the plan coming in for that surplus and kind of where does it sit now, Madam Chair. Thank you.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Lucy Kuptana Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. For that detail, I'll just ask President Kelly to provide that information to the Member. Thank you.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Dr. Erin Kelly
Thank you, Madam Chair. So, yes, any of the surpluses are rolled over and used for capital ongoing. I think it's important to recognize that we have received some large amounts of funding up front from CIRNAC and CMHC, about $135 million. What happens is that we get that money sometimes before the builds begin, so they end up getting rolled over until we're able to spend them. So our capital carryover is all allocated for capital projects that are underway or to begin next fiscal. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Denny Rodgers Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. And I assume that also includes the $6 million in interest that the housing corporation also earned from that surplus in there, and that is then carried into the ongoing surplus.
Can the Minister then -- if that's the case and if that surplus coming into 2025 from 2024 has been allocated, can we get a kind of list of how much of that is work in progress, Madam Chair, if we will call it, and how much of that is new builds, and what portions -- I understand it's all been allocated. Can we get the information as to what it's been allocated for. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Lucy Kuptana Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. We do have an estimated capital carry forward projects at year end, and it just outlines the different builds that are happening throughout the territory, but it also outlines the major retrofits. And we can provide this to the Member if he's interested in the information. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Denny Rodgers Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you to the Minister. And we had this conversation last year. Last year, I believe we came in with a $90 million surplus, and there was some -- a little bit of ambiguity around what that was being spent on. I think at the end of the day, it was determined that $40 million was basically work in progress, or $30 million I believe, Madam Chair, and $60 million had been allocated to units going forward. It seems to me if you look back historically year after year, there's always a significant accumulated surplus with housing corp, and it seems like it's like they -- they're holding on to that money rather than spending it and, you know -- and, you know, I'd be curious to see what the plan is for that full funding and what that money's going to be spent on, Madam Chair, because, again -- and, you know, we had this debate last year, but it seems that the -- it seems like a big number for the surplus, and it doesn't always seem like it's going to be spent in a timely fashion. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Lucy Kuptana Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I'll just reiterate to the Member that we are doing our best with the money that we have. We do have a plan in place. We're rolling out different capital projects across the Northwest Territories. There's no holding back of nothing besides our operating dollars that we need to maintain within housing to meet payroll, our contractors' costs. We are asking that housing look at all builds, look at operations and maintenance, look at modernization and improvements, and advance those. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th
Denny Rodgers Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you. And, yeah, just for clarity -- and the Minister may have said this, and I apologize if I didn't pick it up. So none of that surplus, then, is being considered as part of the new plan going forward for the new builds that the Member from Range Lake had discussed earlier? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 75-20(1): Tabled Document 275-20(1): 2025-2026 Main Estimates - Deferral of Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th