Mr. Speaker, homelessness in our communities is a critical issue that we need to address together.    Homelessness is complex and affected by many factors.  People who are homeless often have traumatic past and current lives, most struggle with mental health issues, behavioural concerns, and/or addictions that need to be addressed.  Because homelessness is complex, approaches that don’t include collaboration, or that are not sustainable don’t work.

Collaboration begins with those with lived experience, it extends to all sectors of government, and to each of us as individuals. 

Mr. Speaker, housing costs are a major component of the cost of living, which we all know is very high here in the Northwest Territories. Bringing those costs down is a priority. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation will be putting out a housing engagement survey that will help us find out how we can design and deliver programs that better meet people’s housing needs.

Mr. Speaker, continuing to invest in our power system and looking for innovative approaches to meeting NWT energy needs will be critical to our efforts to reduce the cost of living for NWT residents and protect the NWT environment. I rise today to provide an update on how the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, or NTPC, is contributing to that work.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its Mandate to work in partnership with other orders of government to address affordable housing requirements and to support Aboriginal and local governments in their housing aspirations and initiatives to address homelessness.

We are delivering on that commitment and I am pleased to tell you today about a new partnership initiative between the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and K’atlodeeche First Nation that will let us deliver housing services and programs on reserve land.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to supporting Elders by building more seniors’ supported independent living units and marketing maintenance, renovation and mobility upgrades to help seniors age in place.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to work in partnership with other orders of government to address affordable housing requirements. As Members already know, our territory has housing needs well beyond those of the rest of Canada, especially in our rural and remote communities.  The Northwest Territories has the second highest level of core housing need in the country at 20% while the national average sits at 12.5%. 

Thank you all for coming today. I am here today to announce that as Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, I am revoking the appointment of the current Board of Directors of NTPC and appointing Deputy Ministers to the NTPC Board. This change will take effect on May 24^th, 2016.

YELLOWKNIFE (May 5, 2016) – Minister Responsible for Homelessness Caroline Cochrane and Mayor of Yellowknife Mark Heyck look forward to working together to address homelessness following the Homelessness in Yellowknife: Community Partnership Forum held in Yellowknife on April 26-27.

Mr. Speaker, many communities face challenges in providing programs and services to their people because lack of affordable housing makes it hard to recruit and retain staff.  Lowering the cost of living is one of the priorities of this Assembly and increasing the availability of safe, affordable housing is one of the key actions to advance that priority. 

Mr. Speaker, increasing the availability of safe, affordable housing and building stronger relationships with community governments and other stakeholders are two of the priorities agreed to by Members of the Legislative Assembly.