Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I was quickly trying to grab -- we do have a hundred unit roll out that is happening within the lifetime of this government. My apologies as I was not able to pull up that document right away, but we do have some builds that are going to be delivered in Nunakput. And overcrowding, Mr. Speaker, is an issue that we have throughout the Northwest Territories but we do try to work with community governments in trying to address this issue throughout the North, and I do understand the Member's riding as well too, that there is limited amount of housing and in most communities, we are the only housing deliverer. But I will follow up with the Member as well too and look at further solutions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I've said that the CERB payments should have not been calculated into the rent calculations. But I will follow up with my department, making sure that this message gets down to our headquarters and right down to the local housing authorities. Should there be any confusion, I will follow up with the department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Member for the question. I strongly encourage all documentation that has been collected or has been received in applying for the CERB program provided by the federal government, that they provide those documents to the local housing authority and receive the rent assessment. And for the elder that the Member had spoken about, I'd like to follow up with him separately. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question as well too. I'm quite surprised to hear this, that earlier to the pandemic when we were looking at the CERB payments they weren't to be calculated as earned income, and they should have not been calculated on the based rent. I'd encourage the Member to encourage his constituent to go back to the LHO and receive a rent reassessment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, addressing housing needs in the Northwest Territories cannot be done by any single government. We must continue to build and strengthen partnerships - partnerships with Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, community governments, non-government organizations, private companies, and the Government of Canada.

Partnerships is a theme I have spoken about many times since becoming Minister responsible for Housing Northwest Territories. But over the last three years, through our strategic renewal process, it has become more prominent. We have worked with our partners to deliver home repair and homeownership programs, develop community housing plans, deliver new units in communities, support those at risk of being homeless and, recently, we have developed a plan to address a lack of market housing in communities across the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, our partnerships with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations are important as we address the territory's housing crisis. The Community Housing Support Initiative is a great example of how Housing NWT established this funding program to support Indigenous governments in implementing innovative and community-driven housing projects of their own design. We have partnered with a number of Indigenous governments to date, including the Salt River First Nation, Whati Community Government, and the Nihtat Gwich'in Council.

Mr. Speaker, for over 15 years Housing NWT has been partnering with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation for the operation and administration of public housing units in N'dilo and Dettah. We also provide approximately $1.5 million a year to the North Slave Housing Corporation for the operation and administration of 75 units to Indigenous people in Yellowknife. We have also been working with K'atlodeeche First Nation, providing them with funding to operate and maintain ten public housing units on the K'atlodeeche First Nation Reserve.

Additionally, our staff worked with the K'atlodeeche First Nation on completing their community housing plan, which was adopted on September 19, 2022.

In the Tlicho region, we work through the Tlicho housing working group which sets priorities and administers housing projects. During this fiscal year, Housing NWT is projecting to invest over $3 million on housing programs and maintenance and repairs of its rental units in the Tlicho communities.

Mr. Speaker, as part of finding ways of partnering with Indigenous governments under the renewal strategy, Housing NWT entered into three formal agreements over the last year:

• A Memorandum of Understanding with the Tlicho government;
• A Memorandum of Agreement with the Sahtu Secretariat; and, most recently,
• A Memorandum of Understanding with the Deline Got'ine Government.

These agreements provide a framework for intergovernmental cooperation on housing-related matters and may include such priorities as community housing planning, coordinating program delivery, information and data sharing. These housing agreements can also advance the implementation of self-government agreements, including the agreement to procure and enact laws related to social housing. Outside of the formal MOUs, Housing NWT is working with other Indigenous governments with less formal approach but still with the full intent to partner on housing priorities and interests.

Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT will continue to seek opportunities for partnership to leverage funding to address the needs of Northwest Territories residents. One example of this is with the YWCA where their capital project funding from Canada required an ongoing in-kind commitment from Housing NWT to provide operational funding and Housing NWT has provided a multi-year funding agreement of $500,000 per year to support the program delivery. Another example is our partnership with Habitat for Humanity, a global organization that works towards stability, affordability housing with the help of sweat equity. Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity began in 2013 and included capital contributions to their project but also includes supporting them to find locations for their builds and advertising for eligible clients. Habitat currently has an agreement with Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Housing NWT and will see ten units constructed. Housing NWT seeks to be flexible in partnership arrangements to achieve at the end of our goal of getting more affordable housing into our communities.

Mr. Speaker, a lack of housing options in communities across the Northwest Territories is a barrier for the recruitment and retention of frontline community workers. In response to this, a number of GNWT departments have worked together to present a future need for market housing rental needs. The joint effort has resulted in identifying the need for over 260 market rental units across the Northwest Territories. As the GNWT is a lead on this work, Housing NWT will work with Indigenous governments, local businesses, and within the federal government, to put a plan in place to develop these market housing units and supporting the recruitment, local economies, businesses, and employment in the Northwest Territories. Our renewal strategy continues to work with Indigenous governments, community governments, non-government organizations, and others to improve housing programs and services and expand in our collaborative housing portfolio in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, as this statement describes, Housing NWT has been putting a lot of emphasis on building and repairing relationships during the life of this government by continuing to deepen the relationships with our partners. We believe we can successfully address the Northwest Territories housing crisis. I would also like to thank the staff of Housing NWT for the collaboration and the work that they have been putting together within the time of this government. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will bring this back to the department as I'm quite interested in looking at emergency responses when we're looking at power outages in smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am always looking for innovative ideas on how further look at cost savings, energy savings throughout the territory. And the Member is correct, I'm interested in looking at this further, so I'd like to bring this back to the department as well and looking at those emergency circumstances when it comes to power outages as well. We do live in such a harsh climate as well and looking at the harsh weather conditions in the winter as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since I've had the portfolio, I haven't been asked this question. I don't know if it's an issue in our smaller communities, but I can get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd have to get back to the Member. I don't -- I'm not familiar if we do have backup generators for when the power goes out in our smaller communities. I'd have to get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.