I know my colleague talked about the home purchase program, and I know that in Tlicho region, you know, it's really, really greatly needed because, like I said, you know, there's a house that's been on the market for three years. No market value, so young people can take advantage of it. And living in small communities, you can't save. So how can you save? You know, because there's -- everything is expensive, fuel, utility bills, groceries. So there's no -- you know, there's no room to save. And if that was possible, I am sure a lot of our young people would, you know, buy. But it's just that it's a down payment, usually it holds them back. And so I know they will benefit from the home purchase program or the down payment program in the Tlicho communities. And even though where there's no market, like, maybe Wekweeti somebody would like to build a house, you know. But it's just that you're taking a chance, you're taking risks, you know, so. But it's needed. And there's nothing in Tlicho region, so it's -- it's nothing new. It's -- I've heard this even prior to 2021, that that program was there and then it's not there anymore, so. And then some of the young people, yeah, they bought, but then they took their chance. And just like with one that we are experiencing, it's no buyer. So thank you.
Minister of NWT Housing.
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. I will go back to Member for Monfwi.
This is -- it's something that I talked about too before were unsettled estates. You know, there's over 60 people that are living in a house that's -- they don't own that house because of estate, it's not settled. It's not in their name so they're not the rightful owner. And, you know, like to settle one of the estates, like it's going to cost a lot of money, sometimes like up to $40,000, so that they legally own that house. So right now there's a lot of people in my region that are living in a house that's not theirs but they've been living in it for quite some time, for many years of a deceased relative, a parent, especially parents. So I know they asked about the home repair program. And do they qualify for the home repair program? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of NWT Housing.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I understand with the criteria that it needs to be the homeowner to apply for the home repair program. So part of the criteria is you own the home, and it's within municipal boundaries. So I think that's part of the criteria with Housing NWT. And with unsettled estates I think that's, again, something that could be very difficult to settle within family, and it is costly to do that, so applying for an administrator through the court system to settle the estate is probably the best bet for the family. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. With that, I am going to call a break, and we'll continue on with the next section when we get back. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
Committee, seeing no further questions for this activity, moving on to housing operations, support, starting on page 385. Are there any questions?
Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I got really excited because my last question was about the last page of the business plan, the very last page, so in the entire, huge business plan that we have. I know I get excited about weird things, Madam Chair. That would be the evaluation plan for Housing Northwest Territories. I am specifically interested in the market rental program. It's not going to be in the 2026-2027 -- or, yeah, not in the 2026-2027 year but in the 2027-2028 year, and it's noted to be in the initial planning stage. Could the Minister please provide some details and substantiation around what that evaluation will be evaluating. Thank you.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister of Housing NWT.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's good to hear that Members are excited about housing because it is so important that we deliver, especially in our business planning items with our mandate and our priorities. I think with the market rental plan, President Erin Kelly can provide the Member with some information related to that. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. President Kelly.
Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to reviewing market housing, I would say that we have been looking at our reviews over the next while, in particular because there were some added based on our response to the OAG. So I don't have a specific date for this one. But I can say that we've recently hired an additional staff member to our policy group who has evaluation background and is doing great things with the evaluations that we have on the go right now. And so I am positive about when we can get to that one. I just don't have an exact date at this time. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I will go back to the Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. And that's really good news. I am hopeful that that means that the items that are slated for this upcoming fiscal year, being the emergency repair program evaluation and the homeownership repair program evaluation are on schedule. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister of Housing NWT.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, those are on schedule.
Thank you. I will go back to the Member for Great Slave.
Madam Chair, that is all for me. Thank you.
Thank you. Seeing no further questions, we will not be voting on the activity total.
Moving on to non-residential building operations starting on page 388. Are there any questions? Seeing no further questions, we will not be voting on the activity total.
Moving on to the rent subsidy program starting on page 390, are there any questions?
Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Chair. So this appears to be a federal subsidy program for people who spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. The budget is $2 million. I am wondering if we can get more details about this.
So, for example, how -- like, is it fully subscribed? Do we get lots of people applying for this federal subsidy and what happens if more people apply than we have money for? Like, do we have -- will the feds pay for more than $2 million if we have lots of people who qualify, according to their criteria, applying for this benefit program? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister of Housing NWT.
Thank you, Madam Chair. President Kelly will provide more information around the subscription to this program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. President Kelly.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This is one that last year was undersubscribed, and this year we did a bunch of advertising to try to increase subscription. It did increase it, but it didn't fully increase it to the allocation. We believe that it's because of the small rental market in the NWT. And one of the things that we are going to do is work with ECE because we believe that there may be some folks -- you can't have income assistance and access this benefit, but there may be folks that are accessing IA that could access this one instead. So our next step is to go and work with ECE and continue to put it out there and advertise it to try to get more folks accessing this benefit. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I will go back to the Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's good to have more information about this program. I had not really heard much about it, and it's good to know too that if you're on income assistance you don't qualify for this program. But yeah, I will look out for some of the advertising that's out there and let people know that they could be taking advantage of federal dollars instead of territorial income assistance potentially in some cases.
Final question, though, does the Minister happen to know if we did get more applicants than we have money for in this $2 million pot, have the feds committed to pay for, like, all eligible applicants that apply, or if they -- is there a firm cap at $2 million even if there's more people that are eligible? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I will go to the Minister of NWT Housing.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, this program is undersubscribed, and with the funding pot itself, it's 50/50. So 50 percent from the federal government and 50 percent from Housing Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I will go back to the Member for Yellowknife North.
Okay. Thanks for that clarification. I will leave it there. That's fine. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Seeing no further questions, we will not be voting on the activity total.
Moving on to unilateral CMHC and other programs starting on page 392, with an information item on page 394. Are there any questions? Seeing no further questions, we will not be voting on the activity total.
Moving on to lease commitments on page 395. Are there any questions?
Thank you, committee. Committee, please return to the Housing Northwest Territories summary on page 373. Are there any further questions or comments from the committee? Seeing no further questions, does the committee agree that consideration of Housing Northwest Territories is now complete?
Agreed.
Thank you, Minister, and thanks to the witnesses for appearing before us. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the chamber.
What is the wish of the committee? Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I move the chair rise and report progress.
Thank you. There is a motion on the floor, the motion to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
I will now rise to report progress.
Member from the Dehcho.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 448-20(1) And, Mr. Speaker, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you..
Thank you, Member from the Dehcho. Can I have a seconder? Member from Hay River South. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? Motion carried.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Orders of the day for Wednesday, March 4th, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Prayer or Reflection
Ministers’ Statements
Members’ Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Oral Question 1071-20(1), Cost of Living
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Written Question 32-20(1), Medical Travel Costs, Budget Pressures, and Travel Volumes
Written Question 33-20(1), Medical Travel Delays, Coordination, Communication and Repeat Travel
Written Question 34-20(1), Medical Travel Escort Policies Eligibility and Appeals
Replies to the Commissioner’s Address
Petitions
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Motions
Motion 69-20(1), Taking Action on Energy Affordability and Security in the Northwest Territories
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
First Reading of Bills
- Bill 45-20(1), Civil Forfeiture Act
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bill 3-20(1), Carbon Tax Repeal Act
Tabled Document 448-20(1), 2026-2027 Main Estimates
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, March 4th, 2026, at 1:30 a.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 7:12 p.m.
