The below is being redistributed on behalf of The Government of The Northwest Territories and The Government of Canada.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/media-advisory-reaching-home-announcement-in-yellowknife-858205368.html

As part of Housing NWT’s Renewal Strategy, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and Indigenous governments have established an NWT Housing Forum to collaborate and share information on housing-related issues in the territory. The newly-established Forum held its first meeting on June 9, 2023, where the Yellowknives Dene First Nation was selected as the first Indigenous co-chair.

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Mr. Speaker, earlier this sitting I was very pleased to update this House on the establishment of the Northwest Territories Housing Forum. The NWT Housing Forum is just one of 42 program and policy changes that Housing NWT staff have been working tirelessly on in collaboration with partners from across the territory.

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Mr. Speaker, we know that no single government can effectively address housing issues in the Northwest Territories on their own, therefore in order to be successful, our government continues to build partnerships with Indigenous governments, community governments, private companies, the Government of Canada, and non-governmental organizations, or NGOs.

As part of Housing NWT’s Renewal Strategy, the GNWT is launching a pilot program in Fort Resolution and Inuvik to enable public housing clients to receive a positive credit rating when they make on-time monthly rent payments.

The program will allow clients to opt in to have their payments reported to credit bureaus. Only positive credit ratings will be disclosed.

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Mr. Speaker, strengthening relationships with Indigenous governments is a priority of this Legislative Assembly and a key objective in Housing NWT’s renewal strategy, so I am pleased to announce the formation of the NWT Housing Forum as another step toward this goal.

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Mr. Speaker, today I want to extend my continued sympathies to the families of two men who gave so much to our territory and also highlight how our government will be honouring their memories for years to come. I am of course speaking about the loss of two exceptional men, former Housing Minister Alfred Moses, and former Housing NWT President and CEO,
Tom Williams. I have carried their memory in this portfolio, advancing our relationships with Indigenous governments and most importantly, working directly with our communities.

The Town of Hay River and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) are announcing the town’s five-year community housing plan, designed to address the community’s unique housing needs, increase housing supply, and improve affordability for residents. 

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is introducing two new scholarships in memory of Tom Williams and Alfred Moses that will recognize and celebrate students who provide positive solutions to housing programs across the Northwest Territories (NWT).

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is announcing that Housing NWT is now accepting applications for single intake homeowner repair programs.