Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in this Assembly we often speak about promoting self-sufficiency, strengthening our communities, and expanding opportunities for homeownership across the Northwest Territories. This motion presents a practical way to advance those goals. Across our territory, Housing NWT manages a portfolio of market rental units. Many of these homes are occupied by tenants who have demonstrated long-term stability and responsibility. They have built their lives in these units and contribute meaningfully to their communities. Where tenants have demonstrated that stability...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is what happens when there is too many duplication of program and services between departments.

So to Minister of MACA, will the Minister take steps to ensure seniors who pay land lease fees receive the same relief as seniors who receive property tax relief across the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister take steps to ensure seniors who pay land lease fees receive the same relief as seniors who receive property tax relief across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Can the Minister explain why transferring a land lease to immediate family members after the leaseholder has passed away requires such a complex and costly legal process? Even when there is wills and estates are in place, that is not helping the process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, NWT has younger population, not enough seniors. That's according to the statistics. Mr. Speaker, to keep young people in the NWT, we need to do more for them. We need to make NWT an affordable place to live and a good place to raise their families. But due to high cost of living, we are seeing more families moving south where they can afford to pay to accommodate family of six living in a townhouse less than $2,000. But because of the high cost of living, we are seeing more and more families -- not just families, it's also the seniors or the retirees, they...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure why ECC is responsible for lands when they are not responsible for property tax. Land lease in small communities are MACA responsibility. So does this mean I go to ECC office in Behchoko to pay for my land lease? Thank you.

Given the high legal costs associated with the current lease transfer policy, will the Minister commit to reviewing the process to determine how it can be simplified to reduce the financial burdens on families? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak about fairness in our land lease system, and how it is affecting families and elders in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, in Tlicho region, many residents live on land they lease from their community governments. Families build homes, raise children, and spend their entire life on these lands. Yet the structure of our land lease system is creating real financial pressure. I know that the Minister is going to say this is community government, band, hamlets, or villages' responsibility. I can't tell them what to do. I know that's what he's...

I will do a written statement. Can the Minister confirm the process used to change, update, or establish new regions of the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you. So they don't have to redo the applications and just move forward. Okay, that's good, then, because, you know, in the past, elders were getting tired. You know, they were, like, upset because they have district office going into their house, invading their space, you know, asking them the same old questions again and taking pictures and it's, like, they're not getting anywhere. So because of that, a lot of elders said, no, don't come in my house because I know I am not going to get approved. So that was the attitude at that time because it's just that the policy wasn't, you know...