As part of Housing NWT’s Renewal Strategy, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has updated and modernized the points rating system used to prioritize public housing clients.

Public housing applicants who have met the eligibility criteria undergo prioritization using a rating system that allocates an applicant a given number of points for certain needs (e.g., not enough bedrooms in their current accommodation; not enough income to pay for their current accommodation, inadequacy of their current accommodation).

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has released a draft Homelessness Strategy, titled A Way Home: A Comprehensive Strategy to Address Homelessness in the Northwest Territories, and is seeking feedback from the public.

Addressing ongoing housing issues across the Northwest Territories (NWT) has been and remains a key mandate priority of the GNWT. While the GNWT currently provides safe housing options for those in need of assistance through shelters and multiple programs, homelessness remains a reality experienced by far too many residents.

On April 1 the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will launch a two-year pilot project to support the start up and operation of licensed family day homes in public housing units.

The pilot project, led by Housing NWT and the department of Education, Culture and Employment, is focused on non-market housing communities where no licensed early learning and child care programs currently exist. Non-market communities are those that do not have private rental options.

Communities participating in the pilot:

A renewed funding partnership between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will see an investment of $7.6 million to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri‐food sector in the Northwest Territories (NWT) over the next five years.

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Mr. Speaker, the availability of healthy, affordable food is a fundamental requirement for a good quality of life and a strong, healthy territory. The Government of the Northwest Territories mandate reflects this and commits to addressing food security while also investing in NWT agriculture as a growing sector of our economy.

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Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide an update on the Ministerial mandate commitment to review the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Land Lease-Only Policy.  

Mr. Speaker, the Land Lease-Only Policy was initially established in 1987 to ensure ongoing Aboriginal rights agreement negotiations were not impacted through the sale of land.  

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Mr. Speaker, at a recent Council of Leaders meeting on Mental Health and Addictions, I heard from Indigenous governments about what is working well in their communities and some of the challenges.  There are many successes, and it is truly inspiring to hear about the programs and initiatives going forward in communities across the NWT.

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Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a reality that far too many people experience. The factors that contribute to homelessness are  complex, and unique to each individual who experiences it. The challenges and solutions vary by community, and differ in the Northwest Territories compared to urban centres in the South. This is why we need an all-of-government strategy to address homelessness in the Northwest Territories.

Bill 60, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products and Carbon Tax Act was passed yesterday by the 19th Legislative Assembly, aligning the NWT’s carbon tax system with  the federal government’s national stringency standards (the backstop). Under the amended Act, the Government of the Northwest Territories retains control of the carbon pricing system in the Northwest Territories.

Today Budget 2023-24, which continues to build on the 19th Legislative Assembly’s mandate commitments, was passed. The prioritization of initiatives that have already been set in motion in the life of this government will ensure their sustainability and successful transition into the next Assembly.