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

Question 816-20(1): Elimination of Rent for Seniors in Public Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm just thinking about the question, Mr. Speaker, and how can we eliminate rent for seniors in the Northwest Territories? Understanding the situation we're in for Housing NWT, we have about $13 million in rental arrears across the North. That's the situation right now. And in order to build new homes and maintain what we have, people need to pay their rent. Understanding many times elders are taking on the burden of the entire family, there is considerations and that a $1,000 rental reduction each month, based on their income, is what's provided to elders at this time...

Committee Motion 82-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Conclusion of Legislative Assembly
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Those units are spread across the city. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Question 811-20(1): Backup Power Generators in Seniors’ Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Of course I think Housing NWT would be happy to lend some technical expertise if we're going to look at potential power solution, power generation solutions within the elders' facility. And once we have a technical type of review, then we could talk financial assistance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Committee Motion 82-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Conclusion of Legislative Assembly
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. President Erin Kelly will provide you information to that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Member’s Statement 742-20(1): Cyclonic Surge in Beaufort Delta Region
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on August 30, 2025, the community of Tuktoyaktuk, an area along the Arctic coast, was hit with a post-cyclonic surge of water never experienced before in recorded history. The area endured record break in surge levels of 2.6 metres, almost 10 feet inland. Subdivisions within the community were cut off from essential services like fire, medical, RCMP, and utility services as their roads were underwater and blocked by massive piles of driftwood. Six major roads were quickly overwhelmed and damaged by high water levels. The community had been proactive over...

Committee Motion 82-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Conclusion of Legislative Assembly
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think Housing NWT over the last year has been discussing how do we work in collaboration with the different departments to be successful knowing that our technical and infrastructure team's in place to deliver housing across the Northwest Territories. But the concern from the Member is a concern for many of us, is the overall capacity of the Northwest Territories to take on many of these large infrastructure projects. President Erin Kelly can provide you more insight to some of the collaboration and partnerships we're working together on. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 82-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Conclusion of Legislative Assembly
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Minister of Housing NWT. I haven't graduated yet to finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think it's really important that, again, we highlight the infrastructure deficit of Housing NWT. And we've done some work with that, including the operations and maintenance deficit. And President Erin Kelly could provide us more detail of the $50 million deficit that the Member is speaking about. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 82-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Conclusion of Legislative Assembly
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right is president Erin Kelly, Dr. Erin Kelly, president of Housing NWT. And to my left is Mr. Jim Martin. Mr. Martin is vice-president, finance and infrastructure, excuse me.

Committee Motion 82-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates - Legislative Assembly - Conclusion of Legislative Assembly
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I totally agree, GNWT should get out of the housing business. We should give it to NGOs and Indigenous governments and communities and have them operate the houses and the public housing units. That would be wonderful if we can get to that point. But until then, we have to operate in this manner because we have to be accountable to this House and constituents. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Question 817-20(1): Policy on Unhoused Encampments
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 66)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The difficulty with Housing NWT and with housing in general is we need to come up with comprehensive solutions across the board for housing. And it's not a one size fits all. And we've seen that. We've seen that in encampments. We've seen that with homelessness. We see that with elders that are unable to pay their rent. Housing NWT, we have to move beyond what we're currently doing, and I've said this before, we can't just be market and public housing or market and social housing. We have to look at transitional housing, we have to look at supportive living, we have to...