Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I’m speaking I'm not only speaking for my region, but I'm speaking for the rest of the Northwest Territories. So there's a lot of people that are in the same situation. I know that.

So with all the recommendation made -- or with accepting all the recommendation, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to exploring a policy that allows long-term tenants in market rental unit, especially in small communities with no housing market, to transition into homeownership through a formal transfer of ownership? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is good to hear Housing NWT will accept all recommendation made in housing audit. Mr. Speaker, I assume accepting recommendation means commitment as well. With that in mind, Mr. Speaker, many of my constituents have asked about the possibility of having ownership of their market rental unit transferred to them. Has Housing NWT conducted any assessments or consultation with residents in small communities to determine interest or readiness for ownership transfer of market rental units? And if not, will the Minister commit to initiating this engagement...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my region market rental unit, despite the condition of the unit, tenants are paying $1,900 monthly in rent. So I want to ask the Minister what step is Housing NWT taking to support homeownership in communities where private housing market are limited or nonexistent and how will the department ensure that Northerners in these areas are not left behind in housing policy decisions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Indeed housing did fail our people, especially in small communities. Mr. Speaker, across the NWT, many residents live in market rental units owned by Housing NWT. These homes have provided shelter and stability for many families, but the dreams of homeownership is not possible. It is unreachable for many.

Mr. Speaker, in communities where there is little to no housing market, residents cannot buy a house. There is no house listing, no private developers, and no banks offering mortgages. Yet these same residents have been paying rent, maintaining the house, and...

Executive summary: Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Social Development presents this Report on committee Project: Housing as a Human Right, to advise the Government of the Northwest Territories on how to implement the right to adequate housing through updates to territorial laws and policies. The report outlines committee's study, public engagement, findings, and positions on key legislative and policy updates needed to advance housing rights in the Northwest Territories (NWT). The report puts forward 44 recommendations to guide the GNWT's response which will strengthen housing policy...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Social Development is pleased to provide its Report on Housing as a Human Right and commends it to the House.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Mackenzie Delta, that the remainder of Committee Report 29-20(1), Standing Committee on Social Development's Report on Housing as a Human Right, be deemed read and printed in Hansard in its entirety. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

ED: the link for Committee Report 29-20(1), Standing Committee on Social Development's Report on Housing as a Human Right can be found here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker. In many of our communities in Tlicho region and the rest of the NWT, landfills are not adequately engineered to protect people or the environment. They lack basic safeguards such as contaminant liners, designated waste zones, and proper leachate management. In some cases, waste is deposited directly on the land just a short distance from creeks, lakes, or wetlands, with no barriers to protect against runoff or groundwater contaminations.

Mr. Speaker, this is not just a technical oversight. This is a public health risk.

Improperly managed dumps attract...

Thank you. Yeah, with the community expanding, we will -- they will definitely need some form of transportation for the students. So that's about it, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay, looking at the education project listing for the schools, I don't see Whati school on here on this project. There are other schools in Tlicho region that are on there with some repair. But Whati school was built to accommodate elementary students in the early '80s. Now it's accommodating high school students. Because of that, classes are -- classroom space are limited. And I know that they need more classroom space for young family, once -- for young families that are moving back with the young kids. Because now it's even -- I think we need to focus on doing...

Thank you. Can the Minister explain if financial or technical support is available to communities, especially small and remote communities, to upgrade their landfill infrastructure to include liners? Thank you.