Lucy Kuptana

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to reinforce that Housing NWT will consider applications outside the regional centres for the down payment assistance program, especially those in smaller communities that are interested in purchasing their own house. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think it's important that we understand the structure with housing and housing authorities. We also have housing associations. So we have 24 of either an authority or an association across the Northwest Territories, and we sign community housing services agreements with either the association or the authority, and that outlines the terms and conditions of the authority itself, including either an advisory board or an authority board or an association board. So President Kelly can provide more information in terms of the authority itself and how much -- just...

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my left is Erin Kelly, president of Housing Northwest Territories. And to my right is Michael Saturnino, associate deputy minister, housing sustainability and partnerships.

Thank you, Madam Chair. President Kelly will provide more information related to the deficit. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That's through a contract. So once they've completed the work and there's an inspection after the work is complete, usually the funds are paid out for the contract. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. A really important conversation because what we're facing at Housing NWT now is we're not only a provider of the actual unit itself; we're providing more social supports. And that's probably a big key to our success moving forward, is working with the tenants on an everyday basis to make them succeed. And I think back to the strategic renewal that was implemented in the 19th Assembly and it had people thinking about, like tenants within the public housing units, and how we can succeed. So those 42 recommendations were really important at the time to deliver on that. And...

Madam Chair, if I could defer the question to President Kelly. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. President Kelly will provide more in-depth information related to this question, because it's daily conversations with IGs, Indigenous governments, especially those that we've signed MOAs and MOUs with. So President Kelly will provide more information related to this. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With that social housing agreement that was signed in 1997 with CMHC, they funded the operations and maintenance of our public housing units up until 2038 but the one thing with that agreement was it's slowly declining year by year. And then the federal government, back in -- I think it was 2018 or 2019 signed a bilateral agreement with Housing NWT and the Government of Northwest Territories to supplement that social housing agreement that was signed back in 1997. So the bilateral agreement -- and that was through the national housing fund -- was signed and provided...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Housing NWT increased the number of apprentices from 12 to 15 in the most recent fiscal year. Thank you, Madam Chair.