EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The GN funding for the Nunavut Housing Corporation for the fiscal year 2014-15 will increase by $7,540,000 from the 2013-14 main estimates.
$4,677,000 to help cover the costs of new public housing units, including increased oil prices
$1,975,000 for new staff housing
$402,000 to offset the net reduction in CMHC funding
Access to adequate and suitable housing is intricately linked with other aspects of an individual’s well-being, including health, education, and employment. Increased funding for housing will ensure more affordable and adequate housing options are available to meet the varied needs of Nunavummiut.
In accordance with the goals set out in the GN Long-term Comprehensive Housing Strategy, I look forward to lobbying the federal government to continue to discuss our growing housing issues in Nunavut and the requirements for new funding for both capital and operating costs.
I would be pleased to answer any questions you may have regarding the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2014-15 main estimates and business plan.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Kuksuk. (interpretation) Does the Chair of the Standing Committee on Community and Economic Development have any opening comments?
I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Community and Economic Development on its review of the 2014-15 main estimates and 2014-17 business plan of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
The standing committee notes that the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2014-15 operations and maintenance budget of $172,873,000 has increased by approximately 4.3 percent since the introduction of its 2013-14 main estimates.
The number of positions in the Nunavut Housing Corporation is 104.
This is an increase of 14 positions from the 2013-14 main estimates.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s draft 2014-17 business plan indicates that it has “completed a comprehensive organizational structure review” and that one of its priorities for the 2014-15 fiscal year is to “Implement approved recommendations” as a result of the comprehensive organizational structure review.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2014-215 main estimates includes funding for 27 positions in its Iqaluit directorate and 12 positions in its Arviat headquarters.
In June of 2011, amendments to the Nunavut Housing Corporation Act were passed by the Legislative Assembly.
These amendments provided for the establishment of a board of directors for the corporation.
It is the standing committee’s understanding that the board meets on a quarterly basis.
The 2013-14 ministerial letter of expectation to the chairperson of the board of directors was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on September 17, 2013.
The standing committee looks forward to the 2014-15 letter of expectation being tabled in the House in a timely manner.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2012-13 annual report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on March 20, 2014.
The standing committee looks forward to the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2013-14 annual report accounting in detail for the activities and decisions of the board of directors, including its audit committee, the statutory mandate of which includes the responsibility to “ensure the critical and objective oversight of the corporation’s reporting of financial information and practices of strategic management and financial control.”
Mr. Chairman, the 2008 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut on the Nunavut Housing Corporation noted that “the corporation’s public housing program is delivered by 25 community-based partners, according to agreements that outline the roles and responsibilities of both the corporation and the community partner.
The corporation is responsible for regularly monitoring and assessing the operations of its community partners to ensure that they deliver its public housing program effectively and in accordance with established policies and procedures.”
Mr. Chairman, from time to time, concerns have been expressed regarding the extent to which the decisions of local housing organizations in such areas as public housing allocations and hiring of employees may be overruled by the corporation.
The standing committee encourages the corporation to periodically review its management agreements with local housing organizations so as to ensure that all parties have a clear understanding of their respective authorities.
Although the standing committee recognizes the importance of ensuring that decisions in such areas as public housing allocations are made by local housing organizations in a consistent, unbiased, and transparent manner, it is equally important that the corporation recognize that local housing organizations are often in the best position to determine the most appropriate course of action when faced with community-specific situations.
The standing committee recommends that this issue be explicitly addressed in the minister’s 2014-15 letter of expectation to the chairperson of the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s board of directors.
The standing committee also recommends that the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current management agreements with local housing organizations be tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
On May 13 of 2013, the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation tabled the Government of Nunavut’s Long-term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s draft 2014-17 business plan indicates that one of its priorities for the 2014-15 fiscal year is to “Establish [an] interdepartmental collaboration structure for the development of a multi-year Action Plan” for the Government of Nunavut’s Long-term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
In 2004, a Member of the Legislative Assembly posed a written question in the Legislative Assembly concerning public housing rental arrears and tenant damages.
The government’s response indicated that as of November 2004, approximately $6.6 million was owed in public housing rent arrears to local housing organizations across the territory.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2009-2010 business plan indicated that one of its priorities was to “Strengthen Local Housing Organization financial management by the Nunavut Housing Corporation taking over the direct payment of the non-controllable utility expenses for Local Housing Organizations and allowing them to dedicate their resources to increased internal financial management on administration, maintenance and collection of rents.”
The Government of Nunavut’s Long-term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on May 13 of 2013, indicates that “arrears stood at $18.5 million as of March 2012.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2012-13 annual report, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on March 20, 2014, indicates that the collection rate for public housing rent decreased from 84.4 percent in the 2011-12 fiscal year to 80.1 percent in the 2012-13 fiscal year.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s draft 2014-17 business plan indicates that one of its priorities for the 2014-15 fiscal year is to “Complete [the] roll out of collections policy and procedures to reduce LHO arrears, and continue to develop and implement LHO deficit recovery plans.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s draft 2014-17 business plan also indicates that the Nunavut Housing Corporation has “implemented a number of pilot initiatives for the collection of LHO arrears to be included in a formal Arrear Reduction Plan.
The NHC has drafted a Collections Policy that has been reviewed by the Board [of Directors] and approved for consultation with the GN.”
On January 24 of 2013, the Government of Nunavut announced changes to the public housing rent scale.
The changes were originally scheduled to come into effect in the fall of 2013.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s draft 2014-17 business plan indicates that it has “implemented the new Rent Scale Management System, which incorporates the changes made to the Public Housing Rent Scale on February 1, 2014.”
The draft 2014-17 business plan also indicates that one of its priorities for the 2014-15 fiscal year is to “monitor the impact of changes made to the Public Housing Rent Scale.”
The Government of Nunavut’s Long-Term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy observes that, and I quote, “There are several challenges with the staff housing program.
First, it is a very expensive form of compensation, worth approximately $18,500 to recipient employees as a non-taxable benefit. The program costs the government $26.0 million annually.
Another challenge arises from the discrepancy between staff housing tenants and those in private homes or apartments.
Government employees who do not use staff housing receive an annual taxable housing allowance of $4,800.
This is about $14,000 less than the value of the staff housing subsidy.
Though costly, the Government of Nunavut cannot abandon its staff housing program. The program remains an important element in the government’s recruitment and retention of employees.
But for staff housing to become a stepping-stone to private-market rentals or homeownership, government will need to consider changes.
Staff housing should provide new employees who move into market communities with a home until they become settled.
Then these employees should be encouraged to move into the private sector or discouraged from remaining in staff housing.
The program does not support this transition currently, leaving many tenants to remain in staff housing for the long term.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s draft 2014-17 business plan indicates that one of its priorities for the 2014-15 fiscal year is to “research alternative approaches for the delivery of staff housing in emerging market communities.”
The standing committee also notes that the Department of Finance’s draft 2014-17 business plan indicates that “work continues with the Nunavut Housing Corporation to clarify roles and responsibilities regarding the Staff Housing Policy.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s budget for its homeownership programs is funded through its annual capital estimates.
The corporation’s 2014-15 capital estimates, which were approved by the Legislative Assembly in March of 2014, included a total of $4,616,000 in funding for homeownership programs.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s draft 2014-17 business plan indicates that one of its priorities for the 2014-15 fiscal year is to “research and develop proposed changes to homeownership programs resulting from the Government of Nunavut’s Comprehensive Long-Term Housing and Homelessness Strategy.”
Mr. Chairman, public demand for the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s homeownership programs is significant.
The corporation’s 2012-13 annual report indicates that the corporation received 448 new applications during the 2012-13 fiscal year.
As of March 31, 2013, a total of 213 applications were pending or waitlisted.
The standing committee encourages the Nunavut Housing Corporation to carefully review such issues as the current income thresholds for its programs, as well as the need to take into account such factors as local availability of skilled tradespeople in remote communities when determining allowable amounts under such programs as the Emergency Repair Program and Home Renovation Program.
The standing committee also recommends that the Nunavut Housing Corporation provide clear information to the public concerning options that may be available for low-income homeowners, especially seniors and elders, who may be financially unable to sustain the costs of homeownership.
The standing committee also recommends that the Nunavut Housing Corporation review its current residency requirements for its homeownership programs so as to achieve greater consistency with other territorial programs and entitlements.
For example, individuals are required by law to have been residents of the territory for a consecutive period of at least 12 months prior to being eligible to vote in a general election.
It is not unreasonable to expect individuals to have lived in the territory for at least one year prior to being eligible to receive significant financial support under the government’s homeownership programs.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2014-15 main estimates and 2014-17 business plan of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Well read. (interpretation) As we continue, are there any general comments?
We will go to page L-3.
If you would like a detailed breakdown of this page, it’s on pages N-IV-1, N-IV-2, N-IV-3, N-IV-4, N-IV-5, and N-IV-6.
If you have questions, please indicate clearly and raise your hand up high.
Ms. Angnakak (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I just read here under Advisory and Administrative Services that the Nunavut Housing Corporation develops services for homeowners in the areas of finance, education, technical assistance, as well as coordinate housing-related advocacy efforts.
So I wonder if you can elaborate what you mean on that statement and what kind of advocacy you do on behalf of homeowners.
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the member for asking a good question.
In order to have a clear response, I’ll have Lori Kimball, the interim president, to respond through you, Mr. Chairman.
In each of our district offices, we have community development officers that work in programs that provide support to homeowners. Homeowners are encouraged to contact our district offices and we provide counselling, if they have questions.
If they’re struggling as homeowners, we can review their financial situation and apply some expertise and insights into some of their different options.
Thank you for that answer, Ms. Kimball.
I’m wondering if the minister can tell us what kind of programs they have that can help homeowners who are about to be evicted out of their homes.
What kind of programs do you have that can help people like this?
I apologize if I misunderstood the member.
I’m not sure if understood the member’s question. I would like to ask the member if she can clarify her question.
Chairman (interpretation): Ms. Angnakak, please clarify your question.
I’m talking about homeownership advocacy, homeownership education and technical assistance, and what they wrote in their business plan.
I’m wondering: for homeowners who are about to be evicted out of their homes, what kind of programs do you have in place?
What kind of outreach does the Nunavut Housing Corporation do to help people stay in their own homes?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the member for the question.
If I may, I will direct the question to the interim president of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Chairman: Qujannamiik, hon. minister. (interpretation) Interim President of the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Ms. Kimball.
The types of supports we provide for homeowners are more in terms of the maintenance of their homes.
Where we have low-income homeowners, we provide support in the form of the Homeownership Repair Program, the Emergency Repair Program, the Seniors and Disabled [Persons] Preventative Maintenance Program, and the Seniors Home Repair Program.
Through our tenant engagement campaign, as we roll that out, we’re also targeting homeowners in things like instructions for how to maintain your home and some maintenance supports that way.
In terms of direct financial support where our homeowners are running into financial issues where they have a bank mortgage, for instance, NHC is really outside of the scope of that.
Now, if they have a mortgage with the Nunavut Housing Corporation, we do what we can to work with the clients to try to keep them in their homes as long as possible.
I know that the interpreters are very capable, but I would like to remind you to keep the interpreters in mind so that the public can also have the same understanding.
I’ll slow down.
I’m wondering: how many houses has the Nunavut Housing Corporation acquired from the banks for people who can’t own their own homes or have had to give up their homes due to bankruptcy?
There are very few units that have been taken back. In regard to the member’s comments, the largest number is two.
Chairman: Mamianaq, hon. minister.
I wonder if the minister could elaborate more on that.
Surely, you guys must have some numbers on how many houses you have acquired through the banks when people can’t pay their mortgage anymore.
I would also like to thank the member for her question. In order to have a clearer understanding of the figure, Mr. Chairman, if you don’t mind, I would like to have Lori Kimball respond to that question.
In terms of acquisition from the banks, when the banks approach us on a foreclosed property, we do try to encourage that it be offered for sale locally before Nunavut Housing would step in and acquire the unit. We do try to promote homeownership within the communities.
If it’s a homeowner who is losing the home, we do try to get another homeowner crated with that home.
As far as I can recall in the past couple of years, I believe we’ve only had two that we have acquired from the bank.
That’s just off the top of my head, but I can get the exact numbers per year if the member would like that.
Thank you for that answer. I look forward to seeing that information.
In terms of corporate governance, when you develop policies, in what way do you involve stakeholders or local housing organizations when changing or creating policies that may or may not affect them personally or at the community level?
There are different policies that are followed by the local housing associations and other policies as well. I can say in English that (interpretation ends) it all depends on the policy. (interpretation) Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I’ll try and slow down again.
Can you give an example, then, of what kind of policy you would be sure to involve the local housing organization with?
An example I can use is that I would look carefully into the local housing association.
If we’re going to be changing a policy on giving out houses that can be built in each community, the number of houses that would be given to a particular community, like housing allocations for the communities… .
If we had to change that policy, then we would work with the local housing associations to set up the new policy. I hope that makes sense.
Again with corporate governance, it talks about effective application of policy and standards, procedures, and program delivery.
I’m wondering: at what point does the Nunavut Housing Corporation corporate governance overrule a local housing organization’s board of directors on directions that they may have in how they want to conduct business?
The policies that are used are approved by cabinet and those are the policies that the housing corporation follows.
There is also a management agreement that is signed by the local authorities and the Nunavut Housing Corporation. It’s a detailed agreement as to how they will work together. We work through that management agreement.
If they don’t follow the lines of the management agreement, then we would have to step in and look at it.
Thanks to the minister for answering.
I want to go into a little bit further about what I’m getting at here.
In Iqaluit here, we had a board member who wrote me a letter and he wrote me a letter saying that he had resigned from the local Iqaluit housing organization.
The reason why he resigned he said is because he felt that there’s a lot of interference from the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
They were interfering on how the local board should be running their organization, and he felt that this was so wrong that he could no longer remain a board member.
I’m wondering: how many times does the Nunavut Housing Corporation overrule local housing organizations’ decisions on they’re going to run their business in the community?
I think there are a lot of us here who knows that that happens.
As I stated, we have a management agreement with the local housing associations with the housing corporation and they work through that management agreement.
I can just say that whenever that agreement is not adhered to for whatever reason, only when nothing else can be done, when there are no other steps to take, the housing corporation will take over matters on a particular subject. However, other than something really major and strange happening, the local housing authorities are the ones that handle it.
Mr. Chairman, with your permission, Lori can supplement my response.
Definitely, NHC endeavours not to overrule the LHO management and board, except in exceptional situations where there are areas of concern.
In the situation of Iqaluit, I’m not aware of us specifically overruling something, but I know that there was a concern raised because the LHO was running a significant deficit for the year and had some financial concerns. We did have discussions with them about different options.
If ever a board member has an issue, they should be escalating it through our district office.
If they’re not happy with that answer and they really feel that the answer is not correct, we encourage them to escalate it up to our headquarters or directorate office and make sure that their issues have been heard.
Thank you, Ms. Kimball, for that answer.
I must say that I think the board member in question really did try and address this, and I think he felt very frustrated with the whole process that he had to go through.
I don’t he’s the only one. I think there are other local housing organizations that feel that NHC is a bully at times. This has come to light to many of us here.
I think that’s really something to look at and something that I know that I will be keeping my eye on because we want to have good relationships with the local boards and they need to feel that they have a say over how they do their business in their own community without having to always get prior approval from the Nunavut Housing Corporation in decisions that they want to make.
Let me go on now to district program administration. This is for homeownership and housing repair programs.
I think, in the past, we talked about thresholds being rather low to access funding. I’m wondering if the minister has already looked at the thresholds that are in place to access these programs or if he is willing to review them. I feel that they are far too low.
Before I pass it on to the minister, I need to reiterate that there is a lot of concern out there. NHC might deny it, but there is a lot of concern. I’ve had numerous people come to me from numerous different communities about NHC bullying or being heavy-handed with local authorities. (interpretation) Minister Kuksuk, to the question.
If I remember correctly, the income threshold being too low, I can say now that it is being analyzed and it is being worked on right now.
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, minister, for that answer.
That’s good to hear because I really think it deserves the review and changes really need to be made.
The other thing under that heading that I would like to bring up is the programs.
For example, you have programs there for elders to access, yet they need to provide you with three years of financial statements or earning income and that.
I’m just wondering if we can’t perhaps make it as simple as, for example, when you apply for the government fuel subsidy. They just need, really, your latest income report from Revenue Canada and that’s good enough. Why is that not good enough for the Nunavut Housing Corporation?
Can we make the application process to become simpler if we can?
Mr. Chairman, in regard to the question, we’re looking for ways to improve it or make it smoother for elders to access it, to have one form where they can just fill it out, a very simple form.
It’s called one form, a single form in English. We’re trying to create an application like that.
Through the Canada Revenue Agency, we would use that form to try and put together a form that is the least confusing. We’re putting that together.
That’s great to hear. We need to make new positive changes happen to go forward.