Lucy Kuptana

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the progress the Government of the Northwest Territories has made in addressing homelessness, and to acknowledge the ongoing needs ahead. We have taken important steps to remain committed to continuing this work with empathy, focus, and collaboration.

Homelessness is a complex issue that intersects with all areas of the 20th Legislative Assembly's priorities. It is influenced by the suitability, accessibility, and affordability of housing, a strong economic foundation, access to health care and addressing the effects of trauma and ensuring safe residents...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I don't have the information of how much will staff be paid through the operations of the transitional housing facility. I do know that shelters across the North, some are government run and some are run by NGOs. So some that are run by NGOs, like in Hay River for example, the wage could be a lot lower than the Government of Northwest Territories run facilities in Inuvik. We have two facilities in Inuvik. We have the warming shelter, and then we have the homeless shelter. So the homeless shelter and the warming shelter have been run by...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the transitional housing complex at the Folk on the Rocks site near the airport is -- had to go through a number of regulatory approvals and including Transport Canada working with the infrastructure team at Government of Northwest Territories, but also with NAV Canada because it's near the airport. And normally that process could take up to six months for approvals, and that approval through NAV Canada was approved today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, transitional housing and the idea of transitional housing just came up in the last few years where many communities and shelters are looking at different options for clients or for tenants. A recent trip to Behchoko, I talked to a transitional housing client, and he had been in transitional housing for 11 years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize two pages from the Nunakput riding. Nita Lucas and Emery Keogak are from the Inualthuyak School in Sachs Harbour. And just to add, I just want to recognize Nita because she's harvested two polar bears. So that's a pretty amazing individual. Powerful woman in the territory, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following documents: Housing Northwest Territories Annual Report 2024-2025. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, it's a big challenge to staff up and to operate a facility, especially a transitional housing facility. And we do have the request for proposal out. It's out for public procurement, and we hope to select an operator very soon. I'll check on the date and follow up with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it's important that we understand that right now in the Northwest Territories we offer public or market housing, and we're offering shelter space across the Northwest Territories in seven different communities, or seven different shelters, plus we have a Northern Pathways program, plus we have some transitional housing after addictions treatment that recently opened in Yellowknife and Inuvik.

In terms of transitional housing, this is not meant to be permanent, Mr. Speaker, but it provides those that are in kind of, like, suspension right now, they're waiting for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In terms of the definition for transitional housing is individuals that are in transit, so they're looking for independent living and, unfortunately, many times in the Northwest Territories we have people on the waitlist for many, many years. We have over 900 families on the waitlist in the Northwest Territories. So they're on the waitlist waiting for independent housing or public housing, as many people call it, and the idea of transitional housing, it provides some housing but it's in transition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Understanding housing has 99 employees across the Northwest Territories and we take care of 2900 units across the Northwest Territories, working with 23 different LHOs, and we have two people -- two employees in the policy shop. I mean, we have to look at things carefully. Understanding the concern, the urgency around encampments, and this has been ongoing for the last number of years. We have committed to deliver something in spring of 2026 but I'll ask the president of Housing NWT if anything can be done sooner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.