Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are only a few units -- market housing units within each of the communities throughout the NWT. They're housing our professional resource people who are coming into our communities to assist in healing our residents. We have limited housing available within our smaller communities, and this is the only option some of our resource people may have. Has the department looked at other options to increase revenue rather than imposing a rent increase on only a select few? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, the department is considering a number of different options to increase revenues with Housing NWT. But market rental rates have not changed since 2012, 2013, and this is a possible -- this is a possible revenue for Housing NWT because it does subsidize our public housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some of these market housings are quite old and past its life span. Some of them are 50 years old, and imposing rent increases on tenants from these units is uncalled for. Will the department be increasing the rent on the same basis as the newer units, or will they be based on the condition of each unit? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, good news to report, most of the market housing rentals in the Northwest Territories are 20 years or less. The Government of the Northwest Territories started investing in market housing in the early 2000s. So most of them are 20 years or less, so much better condition than our public housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll forego my third question and repeat my second question. Will the department be increasing the rent on the same basis as the newer units as the 50-year-old units that we do have in our communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A difficult question and thank you to the Member for the question. This is the same type of question that I've asked Housing NWT. Considering the conditions of units across the Northwest Territories, utilize the unit condition rating, but at this time the expectation is that they would be the same across the board. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.
