Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for housing. Mr. Speaker, GNWT received various auditor general's reports, education, social program, and housing all gave a failing grade. With that in mind, Mr. Speaker, Tlicho region is in housing crisis with severe overcrowding in Tlicho communities. What immediate steps is the Minister of Housing NWT taking to build new houses in the Tlicho region rather than relocating families to Yellowknife. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. I think in terms of housing in Northwest Territories, again the concern in the Tlicho region is a concern throughout the Northwest Territories. We have 32 communities that we're providing housing for, public and social housing. We have over, like almost 3,000 units that we're providing supports to. With $150 million investment over the next couple of years, we're going to have a significant new build throughout the Northwest Territories and also mentioned in the capital statement we are repairing over 600 homes throughout. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware in all the NWT but the auditor general's report did mention Tlicho region with the highest need. We're in housing crisis. I am going based on the report that's before us.
So with that in mind, Mr. Speaker, the homeownership program is intended to help residents achieve stability yet many homes are in poor conditions and require costly repairs that low income families cannot afford. What changes will the Minister make to ensure this program supports success instead of setting people up for failure. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an important program. We provide $10 million a year throughout the Northwest Territories for home repairs, seniors home repair, senior aging in place, emergency home repair. And, again, this is a program that's fully subscribed. With the auditor general's report and the notes in the auditor general's report, the recommendations with the report, I've asked Housing Northwest Territories to do a fulsome review of the homeownership program to see what we can do and how we can deliver this better because within the report, it talks about some caution and recommendations and some services that we need to do better. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the auditor general's report shows that housing issues have persisted for over a decade with little progress. How will the Minister ensure accountability and deliver a clear, measurable plan to address overcrowding, improve housing quality, and prevent this crisis from continuing for another generation. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Work that Housing Northwest Territories is doing at this time, again like I mentioned a fulsome review, but we also need to look at all the programs we're offering in the Northwest Territories, in our communities, and with our local housing organization who are integral to housing in the community. So we need to provide them updated systems, more training, more monitoring, how are we allocating units, how are we working with the tenants to make sure that we have tenant succession plans in place, the work we're doing with our territorial housing needs assessment. Because we need to base this on data and statistics and also visits into the community to see the housing conditions ourselves. These are really important tools that we need to put in place. But there's an opportunity, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we have proposal that will go in with Build Canada Homes. And that's probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the federal government, and it could change housing in the Northwest Territories. We could add more units, and we also could repair what we have. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
