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).

Changes to the points rating system include:

• Prioritizing victims of domestic violence
• Including a category to award points for chronically homeless applicants.
• Revising the arrears category to be less punitive and to better reflect housing readiness; for example, applicants with previous arrears can receive points if they have successfully adhered to an arrears repayment plan.
• Enhancing the points awarded for time spent on the waitlist.
• Requiring points allocated for medical accommodation and disability be related to the applicant’s current housing situation.
• Assessing the housing needs for families as a unit, as opposed to assessing if the individual housing needs of each family member has been met.

The new points system will be in effect April 1, 2023.

New public housing tenants are prioritized and selected according to the greatest level of need. Letters are going out to current public housing clients and those on wait lists to advise them that they will have their points rated with the new points rating system and they will need to provide proof to receive the new points that are being introduced if they apply to them.

Quote(s)

“Aligning the programs and policies of Housing NWT with its reinvigorated mission is critical. Updating and modernizing the points rating system for public housing is one way Housing NWT is supporting people most in need, while ensuring a client-centred, transparent and fairly delivered public housing program.”

- Paulie Chinna, Minister Responsible for Housing NWT

Quick facts

• The Housing NWT Strategic Renewal policy and program changes take into account input received from the Council of Leaders Housing Working Group, Staff, Local Housing Organizations (LHOs), previous reports, and the Standing Committee on Social Development.
• Public Housing in the NWT is delivered in communities by LHOs who are agents of Housing NWT.
• Public Housing is rental housing that leases housing units to individuals with low to moderate income. Tenants are assessed rent geared to their income. The current rent scale charges rent from 4% to 19% of income, far less than the national affordability rate of 30%
• There are 2,502 public housing units, operated by 24 LHOs and five (5) Regional District Offices. In addition, LHOs also manage 310 market units and 187 Homeowner Entry Level Program (HELP) units.

Related links

• Housing NWT’s Renewal Strategy
• Housing NWT’s Public Housing Program

For media requests, please contact:

Tami Johnson

Manager of Communications

Policy and Planning

Housing NWT

Tami_johnson@gov.nt.ca

Ph: 867-767-9328, ext. 85029