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.

I would like to advise Members that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is delivering on those commitments with five nineunit senior’s buildings in Aklavik, Fort Liard, Fort McPherson, Fort Good Hope, and Whati. In each of these buildings eight units will be occupied by seniors and one unit will be designated as a caretaker unit. Designed in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Services, these buildings include common areas where therapeutic and lifestyle programming could be delivered directly to seniors.  These buildings will let our seniors live longer in communities and may prevent early admission to long-term care facilities.

The Aklavik Seniors Complex, the Joe Greenland Centre, was completed in the fall of 2015. The Fort Liard Seniors Complex is near completion and will be ready for occupancy within the next month. The Fort McPherson, Fort Good Hope and Whati Senior’s nine plexes are scheduled for completion in the late fall 2016.  

These units are operated under the Public Housing program.  Currently, there are 356 Public Housing units across the territory that are designated for seniors and that have had modifications incorporated that improve accessibility.

To meet the needs of an aging population, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is incorporating specific accessibility features in all new housing units, whether or not they are intended for occupants with mobility challenges.  These “visitable” design features include a no-step entrance area, wider doorway and a bathroom on the main floor. Other visitable design features may include reinforced bathroom walls for grab bars, levered door handles, raised electrical outlets and lowered light switches.

For seniors who need preventative maintenance, repair assistance, or modifications to improve accessibility in their own homes, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is consolidating a program information package to inform seniors and their families about assistance available to age in place. 

To further support senior homeowners, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation will meet with seniors in their own homes to increase access to preventative maintenance.  Application processes can sometimes be confusing and challenging.  We will be proactive in contacting seniors and deliver multi-year services rather than one-time applications, greatly enhancing access for seniors.

As June is Seniors’ Month, Mr. Speaker, we should all take time to celebrate our seniors and reflect on how important a resource they are.  Seniors are never far from the thoughts of our government, especially given the coming demographic changes.   The population of seniors in the Northwest Territories is forecasted to nearly double by 2031.   Meeting the needs of our growing seniors population will need to be a focus for all of us in coming years.  The Federal Government has also recognized this changing demographic and has allocated one and a half million dollars to support senior’s housing needs over the next two years within the Northwest Territories.  

The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is working in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Services to respond to the growing numbers of seniors in our population, and ensure that our government is positioned to address the housing and long-term care needs of seniors so they can remain in their own homes and their own communities as long as possible, and be assured of appropriate options if the time comes when they need a higher level of support.

Mr. Speaker, we will do a better job communicating our programs for seniors and ensuring they can be easily accessed.  Our seniors deserve that.  I know that everyone in this House views seniors as a priority.  These actions will help our seniors age in place, and in so doing, improve their wellness.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.