Mr. Speaker, yesterday the auditor general report on housing in the NWT was released. While I was shocked by its findings, I was not surprised. As the MLA for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh representing the Akaitcho communities that have long been marginalized, I have seen firsthand the lack of services, including housing, that my constituents face. This report reflects what I've been hearing from residents since my election, but seeing it all documented in one report is still deeply shocking.
As an MLA, I am constantly bringing it to the Minister's attention public housing units that are in desperate need of repair. This report confirms the obvious, that the homes are not inspected frequently enough. Delayed inspection means delayed repairs. And when I visit communities like Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution, I see stairs falling off the houses, furnaces spewing ashes into the hallways, and windows and doors improperly sealed. My constituents repeatedly ask me to raise these concerns, yet they are often referred back to the local housing authority which lack resources to make the necessary repairs.
I am also not surprised to see that the average wait time to access a housing unit is two years. Elders and families are always asking me why they can't get homes or why homes are sitting vacant, instead they are living together in a crowded condition or in homes that are even far worse shape than public housing without running water, electricity, or plumbing.
Housing NWT will not last forever. Its funding from CMHC is set to end in a decade. This massive bureaucracy centralized in Yellowknife is failing to relay information from my communities to get resources to them in a timely manner. It feels as though every housing problem becomes a political issue. I work with the Minister to resolve many of these cases, but there simply isn't enough time to address them all.
What we need is a housing authority led by communities themselves with a capacity to get the work done. I appreciate the Minister's focus on decentralizing housing, but this work needs to be top priority for this government before it runs out. I would have questions for the Minister of Housing at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
