Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, transfer Housing Northwest Territories market rental units to tenants.

WHEREAS Housing Northwest Territories operates a portfolio of market rental units across the territory;

AND WHEREAS many of these units are currently occupied by tenants who have demonstrated stable residency, consistent payment history, and strong community ties;

AND WHEREAS enabling current tenants to assume ownership of the units they occupy can support housing stability, increase homeownership rates, and reduce long-term operational and maintenance costs for Housing Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, NWT has younger population, not enough seniors. That's according to the statistics. Mr. Speaker, to keep young people in the NWT, we need to do more for them. We need to make NWT an affordable place to live and a good place to raise their families. But due to high cost of living, we are seeing more families moving south where they can afford to pay to accommodate family of six living in a townhouse less than $2,000. But because of the high cost of living, we are seeing more and more families -- not just families, it's also the seniors or the retirees, they...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure why ECC is responsible for lands when they are not responsible for property tax. Land lease in small communities are MACA responsibility. So does this mean I go to ECC office in Behchoko to pay for my land lease? Thank you.

Given the high legal costs associated with the current lease transfer policy, will the Minister commit to reviewing the process to determine how it can be simplified to reduce the financial burdens on families? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak about fairness in our land lease system, and how it is affecting families and elders in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, in Tlicho region, many residents live on land they lease from their community governments. Families build homes, raise children, and spend their entire life on these lands. Yet the structure of our land lease system is creating real financial pressure. I know that the Minister is going to say this is community government, band, hamlets, or villages' responsibility. I can't tell them what to do. I know that's what he's...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is what happens when there is too many duplication of program and services between departments.

So to Minister of MACA, will the Minister take steps to ensure seniors who pay land lease fees receive the same relief as seniors who receive property tax relief across the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister take steps to ensure seniors who pay land lease fees receive the same relief as seniors who receive property tax relief across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Can the Minister explain why transferring a land lease to immediate family members after the leaseholder has passed away requires such a complex and costly legal process? Even when there is wills and estates are in place, that is not helping the process. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. You know, we were talking about having -- you know, we have a lot of people on the waitlist. It's not just the young people. It's the seniors. It's the elders, you know, 65 and over. They're on the waitlist for independent living unit, so -- and we have two, I know that in Behchoko, and there's one in Whati and in Gameti. There's nothing in Wekweeti. So I just want to know if the Minister had been talking to the local leaders over there, possibly doing an independent unit, because it -- you know, some of the elders living in their own home, it's good, but it's costly for...

We all know that there's still 33 communities but the designations. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide the legal or policy instrument used to define a "region", quote, of the Northwest Territories? Thank you.