Lucy Kuptana

Okay, thank you, Madam Chair. We do lease a number of properties with Northview here in Yellowknife, and we also lease a number of units in Inuvik with Northview. With the leases here in Yellowknife, there is security provisions for those leases. In terms of the detail of those leases, I will defer that to the vice-president here, Mr. Jim Martin.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We do have an estimated capital carry forward projects at year end, and it just outlines the different builds that are happening throughout the territory, but it also outlines the major retrofits. And we can provide this to the Member if he's interested in the information. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The question around security measures with the Yellowknife public housing buildings, there's a number of buildings that are owned by Housing NWT but there's a number of buildings also leased, apartments leased by Housing NWT. So what I suggest is that I would defer this over to the president of Housing NWT, Erin Kelly.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Understandably that, especially in small communities, remote communities, housing costs and looking at something that's agreeable both for the client and Housing NWT, we work with the client and try to get the -- try to provide them the best counsel. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The operating costs for public housing units or housing units in the Northwest Territories is $21,000 a year. Housing NWT spends approximately $30 million a year just in utilities alone. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Yes, please.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Honestly, I really appreciate these questions but this level of detail is, like, very down, you know, nitty-gritty detail that we can provide but it would take some work to provide that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With the territorial housing needs assessment, this is something that we can share with committee. But basically in the initial review -- and there's still much to be done as President Kelly noted -- the 15,000 units within the territory, 2900 are Housing NWT owned units. And of that, based on the initial assessment, 700 more units are required throughout the Northwest Territories, both private and Housing NWT. So this is just the initial assessment with that report that we can share, but President Kelly can provide more information to that, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. An enormous task, considering Behchoko has 135 people on the waitlist -- 135 families on the waitlist. That's why this territorial housing needs assessment is so important, because we look at everything that we have but we also look at the quality of housing that we have. That's why unit condition ratings are so important is we make decisions, planning decisions, based on unit condition ratings and ages of the housing unit. We have over 356 housing units that are 50 years plus in the Northwest Territories. Some in Behchoko, but many in other communities as well. So...

Thank you, Madam Chair. If I want to be clear, there's no money for additional housing units to be built. Nothing has been approved. But housing still has a responsibility to plan and to plan in place if there's federal funding and if it's approved. The budget today is the budget that you're reviewing and asking questions on. You've had this for how many weeks. We've presented this to committee. We've gone through it. So there was an opportunity then as well. And perhaps President Kelly can provide you more information on what's being done over the next year. Thank you, Madam Chair.