Lucy Kuptana

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the deadline was set. It was set for February 8th, from what I understand, and there was a number of applications, and those are now with the honours advisory committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT and this government received a number of applications for naming of buildings, of the two buildings, so these applications have gone before the honours advisory committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one thing we are doing currently is with our Build Canada Homes proposal is -- we're hoping that this would be a big part of the proposal is how we build in community but have that mechanical core system as a big part of our design. So I know right now with our 48-unit modular build, we're lending that throughout the territory. And these will be modular homes that are being built in Hay River. We're also having modular homes being built in Fort Good Hope, modular homes built with the Tlicho Development Corporation. But with the Deline hybrid design, it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the role of the local housing board is important. They work with the housing staff to make sure that the community housing services agreement within the community is maintained and also followed but also looking at infrastructure within community, looking at applications. The board doesn't necessarily look at the applications themselves because of the new -- the point rating system that's been in place for the past 15 years. But in terms of more of a collaborative role, a community contact role, hosting annual general meetings so tenants can come to that meeting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for the question. This is the type of question we get throughout the Northwest Territories on the relationship between the local housing authority and the board staff and also all the tenants within the community. Important question because the relationship has become more so where we're finding that the authorities are more responding to the districts, and I see it in many of the BFs that are issued to the Minister. And I think, again, we have to go back to the housing staff and the districts and also the authorities and just make sure that...

Mr. Speaker, of course I am willing to sit down with the Dene National Chief to talk about their vision around housing in the Northwest Territories, have a conversation. But one thing I will say is I am working with Indigenous rights organizations in this Northwest Territories, and we work one-on-one or through the NWT Housing Forum. But of course willing to sit down. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, Housing NWT is focused on reviewing its homeownership programs to ensure its effectiveness. Once these programs have been reviewed, Housing NWT will evaluate what education tools may be needed to support the program's and clients' success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I feel like Minister Semmler today. I am going to have some water.

So related to the question -- thank you to the Member for the question -- solutions to educate people, which was the STEP program, was discontinued in 2023. It was a requirement to complete prior to accessing homeownership programs. STEP was discontinued because some of the modules were outdated and resources are now available online, such as budgeting and home purchase information. The home maintenance module was also part of the program but was determined to be a barrier to access programs as there are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a Minister of this government, I am responsible to work with rights-based organizations in this territory. And I've never said that I am not willing to work with Dene Nation to have these conversations, but I encourage the Member to work with the Akaitcho chiefs to provide a Build Canada Homes proposal with the Akaitcho chiefs. And if he's interested, we could provide that support. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's a really good question. That's the first thing I thought when I read the territorial housing needs assessment, how did we get to a number of up to 2,700 homes when our waitlist is only 800 homes. Only. That's a lot of homes. But it comprises of the waitlist. It also comprises of the 2024 community survey and looking at the bureau of statistics. That work's being done with the bureau of statistics. Also with the UBC's HART model, the housing assessment resource tool, they use the HART model to look at suppressed households. So that's really important to understand...