Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Housing NWT.
Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT has announced the pending opening of a transitional housing facility near the Yellowknife Airport. Can the Minister describe how the department has engaged with our homeless population on this solution. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, engaging with our encampment folks over the last couple of years has been important both through EIA's integrated service delivery and with Housing NWT. One thing that we found with Housing NWT is that we worked with encampment folks and people that are camping broadly, meeting with them weekly, having those visits, having those discussions, see how we could work with them, and either talk about discussions in terms of transitional housing, supportive living, but also reintegrating them into the overall housing system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly am pleased to hear that the Minister's staff have been meeting with encampment residents. I would note that the residents themselves felt that the meetings were not as frequent as the Minister has said in her answer. But I am pleased to hear that they've been meeting.
Mr. Speaker, what kind of opportunities are being provided to potential occupants of this facility to have influence over its design, location, and construction? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Considering the urgent need for transitional housing in Yellowknife, we needed to move quickly and move forward with the design. And in terms of the occupancy, we're working with Yellowknife partnerships committee, the Salvation Army, the YWCA, the Yellowknife Women's Society, the city of Yellowknife, the RCMP, the fire department, along with Housing NWT and EIA, to work in collaboration so this facility will be a proper facility out at the Folk on the Rocks site. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, I'm pleased to hear that the department is doing a pretty extensive engagement with various NGOs, but I do want to continue to advocate that that engagement also -- and involvement occurs with the population themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I note that the capacity of the facility is planned to accommodate 25 people. Does the Minister have a current estimate for unsheltered residents in our community, and will the 25 spaces be sufficient to meet that need? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, the need for 24 spaces is tied back to the need in 2024 of 30 individuals that would be without shelter and which was further informed by the utilization of the on the land camp which was 20 at its peak. We have been able to add shelter beds during this time to help meet the need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
