Lucy Kuptana

Member Nunakput

Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Lucy Kuptana was elected to the 20th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in November 2023 to represent the constituency of Nunakput, which includes the communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, and Ulukhaktok. A member of the Executive Council, she is the Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories and the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

Prior to her election, Mrs. Kuptana was the Senior Administrative Officer for the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk. She was also a director with the Tuktoyaktuk District Education Authority.

For 22 years previous, Mrs. Kuptana was the Director of Operations, Communications, and Culture with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC). In a volunteer capacity, she has served as a director of the Inuvik Homeless Shelter Society, trustee of the Arctic Inspiration Prize, president of the Inuvialuit Communications Society, director of the Inuvialuit Investment Corporation, director of the Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik Community Corporations, and a committee member for the 2023 Northern Youth Games “Inuvialuit Piuyausiat” in Tuktoyaktuk.

Originally from Aklavik and raised at her family’s bush camp in the Mackenzie Delta, Mrs. Kuptana obtained a Level II and Level III Certificate in Community Administration from Aurora College in the early 1990s and returned to graduate with a Diploma in Business Administration and Management in 2013. Mrs. Kuptana is currently enrolled with Yukon University, where she is working towards accreditation in the school’s First Nations Governance and Public Administration program.

Despite a successful career spanning decades, Mrs. Kuptana credits her husband and family in supporting her. She says she owes much of her success to those who have fought – and continue to fight – for Indigenous and Inuvialuit rights.

Mrs. Kuptana’s guiding principle is to lead with respect, empathy, knowledge, and the willingness to work hard for the constituents she represents and all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Nunakput Electoral District

Committees

Public Accounts
Lucy Kuptana
Nunakput
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Minister
Email
Email
Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dr. Erin Kelly will provide more information to the budget adjustment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dr. Erin Kelly will provide more information to the seniors aging in place budget item. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. An important question, especially around the transitional housing piece. But, again, like the Premier stated earlier, these homelessness and housing solutions, we need comprehensive and sustainable solutions around housing and homelessness in the Northwest Territories. So what we do as a department is we work with EIA together and have these discussions around shelters in the Northwest Territories and work in partnership, have discussions, have working groups around the homelessness transitional housing piece. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dr. Kelly will provide an answer to that question. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dr. Kelly will provide that information. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dr. Kelly will provide the information related to that question. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dr. Erin Kelly will provide information to the question around the business plan. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to be crystal clear, I'll give it to Mr. Martin here to provide that answer. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is confirmed. There is renewed funding for that program.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In terms of barriers with the homeownership initiative program -- and I spoke about this in the House earlier. But many times, people are not prepared to take on the homeownership initiative and apply to the program. That's one of the barriers. The second barrier is this is related to coordinating of thresholds, so there is a salary threshold for people to be -- applicable to this program and you have to reach -- you have to be below that threshold to be -- to apply to the program. Thank you, Mr. Chair.