EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
NHC capital funding remains at approximately the same level as last year for new public housing and staff housing construction, Modernization and Improvement (M&I) for NHC owned units, homeownership programs, the Mobile Equipment Fund, the Heating Oil Tank Replacement Program, and the Seniors and Disabled Persons Preventative Maintenance Program.
NHC’s funding for the Fire Damage and Replacement Fund will decrease by $189,000 to $2.6 million in 2015-16.
This funding includes $1 million for fire damage repairs and $1.6 million for replacement units.
NHC has successfully tendered all 213 units planned under the additional $100 million in the economic action plan funding from the federal government announced in 2013.
Mr. Chairman, with regard to the management of this significant federal investment, I am pleased to inform my colleagues with changes to its procurement and project management methods.
NHC has saved close to $10 million in the delivery of the $100 million in federal economic action plan funding.
NHC is planning on matching the $10 million in savings with NHC’s proposed capital funding for new public housing construction in 2015-16 to add up to another 45 public housing units to the 213 units originally planned under the federal funding.
By matching these funds, NHC is demonstrating its commitment to doing more with less and is looking to increase the impact of the federal funding by building a total of 258 new homes.
As requested by the members, I am distributing the 2015-16 Projected Construction Report.
You will notice that the following three communities have been allocated 15 units each: Pond Inlet, Kugaaruk, and Arviat.
These three communities have been selected as per NHC’s allocation methodology.
They were prioritized for their land availability and infrastructure capacity to accommodate new construction.
Mr. Chairman, in Sivumut Abluqta, this government has made a commitment to ensure more affordable housing options and alternatives are available to meet the varied needs of Nunavummiut, including the needs of a growing elder population.
I am pleased to report to this committee that the Nunavut Housing Corporation has taken steps towards meeting this commitment with recent changes to its homeownership programs.
In the past, a number of my colleagues have expressed concerns regarding the $125,000 income eligibility limit applied across most homeownership programs.
In response to these concerns, NHC is introducing new community-specific, index-able, and realistic income eligibility limits that better reflect the realities of life in Nunavut.
The corporation has also made changes to improve the delivery of its home repair and maintenance programs.
In communities where there is no access to local skilled labour to do repairs, travel costs to bring in a contractor to complete repair jobs will now be considered over and above the program contribution.
This change will apply to the Home Repair Program, the Senior Citizen Home Repair Program, the Emergency Repair Program, and the Heating Oil Tank Replacement Program.
To help homeowners protect both their investment and our environment, the Nunavut Housing Corporation has increased the Heating Oil Tank Replacement Program limit from $5,000 to $7,500.
The corporation has made it easier for seniors and persons with disabilities to get more assistance for repairs in their homes by increasing the limit of the Seniors and [Disabled] Persons Preventative Maintenance Program from $1,500 to $3,000.
I am confident that my colleagues will applaud these steps towards improving access from the Nunavut Housing Corporation to more effective homeowner assistance for Nunavummiut.
These are important steps towards making homeownership a more widespread reality in this territory.
I look forward to a meaningful discussion and we will be pleased to hear your comments and to answer any questions you may have. (interpretation) Thank you very much.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Does the chair of the standing committee have comments?
Mr. Rumbolt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon to the minister and his officials here today.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Community and Economic Development concerning its review of the proposed 2015-16 Capital Estimates of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed capital budget for 2015-16 is $30,072,000.
The corporation’s capital budget was $30,230,000 for the 2014-15 fiscal year and $28,841,000 for the 2013-14 fiscal year.
Mr. Chairman, the Nunavut Housing Corporation administers a range of programs to assist homeowners and potential homeowners in Nunavut.
Members note that the corporation is proposing a budget of $4,616,000 for its various homeownership programs in its 2015-16 capital estimates.
The corporation’s budget for homeownership programs has not changed since the introduction of the 2011-12 capital estimates.
Members continue to encourage the Nunavut Housing Corporation to review the adequacy of its funding for homeownership programs.
Mr. Chairman, as you will recall, members have previously raised concerns regarding the extent to which the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s homeownership programs are benefiting long-term residents of the territory and residents in smaller communities.
In July of 2012, the Nunavut Housing Corporation announced changes to the Nunavut Down Payment Assistance Program.
It indicated that “these changes aim to support the development of private real estate markets in Nunavut” and that the Nunavut Housing Corporation will be able to “assist a greater number of Nunavummiut in becoming homeowners, and ensure fair access to assistance.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2012-13 annual report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on March 20 of 2014.
This report provides important information concerning the administration of the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s homeownership programs.
For example, the report indicates that there were a total of 213 “pending and waitlisted” applications for the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s homeownership programs as of March 31 of 2013.
However, the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s annual reports have not clearly indicated the extent to which homeownership programs are being accessed in large, medium, and small communities.
The standing committee recommends that the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s future annual reports provide this level of detail which will help enable all Members of the Legislative Assembly and the public to better evaluate the extent to which the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s homeownership programs are being accessed in small, medium, and large communities.
This information will also support the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s review of such issues as the current income threshold for its programs, as well as the need to take into account such factors as local availability of contractors and skilled tradespersons in smaller communities when determining allowable amounts under such programs as the Emergency Repair Program and the home renovation programs.
The standing committee also encourages the Nunavut Housing Corporation to review the feasibility of providing support for our low-income seniors who are homeowners to purchase home insurance.
Mr. Chairman, as you will recall, in the Committee of the Whole’s recent consideration of the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s main estimates and business plan, the standing committee has recommended 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.
It is not unreasonable to expect individuals to have lived in Nunavut for at least one year in order to qualify for the significant financial support that is available under the government’s homeownership programs.
At present, information that is available to the public on the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s website concerning the Tenant-to-Owner Program indicates that application documentation concerning this program is being updated.
The standing committee urges the Nunavut Housing Corporation to clarify the long-term future of this program.
In March of 2010, the Nunavut Housing Corporation announced a new Heating Oil Tank Replacement Program. The corporation’s proposed 2015-16 budget for this program is $500,000.
Information concerning this program indicates that “this is a five-year initiative with a goal of replacing one hundred heating oil tanks per year for a total of 500 oil tanks across Nunavut.
This program is subject to review and/or renewal after five years and is expected to be renewed due to high demand.” The standing committee supports the renewal of this important program.
The standing committee also encourages the Nunavut Housing Corporation to work closely with municipalities and the Department of Community and Government Services concerning the issue of safe and environmentally responsible disposal of used heating oil tanks.
Mr. Chairman, the shortage of public housing in Nunavut’s communities is an ongoing issue of significant concern to all Members of the Legislative Assembly.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current 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.
The standing committee encourages the minister to provide regular updates to the Legislative Assembly concerning the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s implementation of its Long-term Comprehensive Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed capital estimates for 2015-16 include $10 million in funding for new public housing units.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current five-year capital plan indicates that this amount is projected to increase on an annual basis in coming years, reaching a total of $20 million in the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
The standing committee supports increases in investments in new public housing.
On March 12 of 2014, the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation tabled information in the Legislative Assembly which indicated that the corporation’s 2014-15 land acquisition and development activities were to prepare the construction of new public housing units in Iqaluit, Arviat, Whale Cove, and Sanikiluaq during the 2015-16 fiscal year.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation released a detailed background document concerning its new housing allocation system on September 9 of 2013.
This document contains important information concerning current waiting lists and housing stock across Nunavut.
The standing committee encourages the minister to table an updated edition of this document in the Legislative Assembly, as it would serve to publicly substantiate the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s decisions regarding its 2015-16 public housing construction plans.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed capital estimates for 2015-16 include $5 million in funding for new staff housing units.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current 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.” Members support the construction of new staff housing units in communities where there are shortages of housing for frontline staff, especially in the areas of education and health care.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2009-2010 and 2010-11 capital estimates included $900,000 in funding in each fiscal year for the “secure storage” projects to safeguard housing materials in the custody of local housing organizations.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current five-year capital plan indicates that the Nunavut Housing Corporation will spend $3.2 million in the 2016-17 fiscal year on new warehousing facilities for local housing organizations. $3.7 million is projected to be spent on this initiative on an annual basis in subsequent fiscal years. The Nunavut Housing Corporation has indicated that it plans to “replace one warehouse each year, beginning in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, on a prioritized basis.”
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2015-16 capital estimates include $2.6 million for its Fire Damage Replacement Program.
The standing committee encourages the Nunavut Housing Corporation to publicly clarify its policies and practices respecting emergency assistance to public housing tenants whose units have been rendered uninhabitable due to fire or other occurrences.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2015-16 capital estimates include $1,014,000 for the purpose of providing an annual contribution to local housing organizations for the creation of vehicle reserve funds.
The standing committee recommends that the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s annual reports include a detailed listing of vehicle acquisitions undertaken by LHOs.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2015-16 Capital Estimates of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Do members have any general comments?
I have no more members on my list for general comments. We will now proceed to the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates starting with page L-3.
At this time, I would like clarification on the minister’s opening comments.
On page 2 in the English copy, it states that “As requested by members, I am distributing the 2015-16 Projected Construction Report.”
I don’t see the report here.
I would like further clarification on the (interpretation ends) projected construction report. (interpretation) Could you give us a brief overview of exactly what the projected construction report is and what it covers?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister Mr. Kuksuk.
With respect to his question on the (interpretation ends) projected construction report (interpretation) for 2015-16, we can elaborate on it a bit further.
The report is quite lengthy. Maybe I can refer this question to Ms. Kimball, Mr. Chairman.
The projected construction report lists the communities that we will be building in for 2015-16, along with the savings from the $100 million project and the $10 million from GN of capital for 2015-16. We will be able to construct 45 new units.
That will be three five-plexes in Arviat, Pond Inlet, and Kugaaruk.
Mr. Enook: Qujannamiik, Hon. Minister. (interpretation) Let me just state that we should approve it.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) I take that as a comment. (interpretation) Following my list of names, Mr. Rumbolt.
In my opening comments, I mentioned about the minister giving us information back in March about public housing units; this year’s construction being in Iqaluit, Arviat, Whale Cove, and Sanikiluaq. Is this information still the same and these four communities are still the ones getting public housing this year?
No, it’s not the same anymore. It changed. I will have Ms. Kimball elaborate on the changes from what was stated earlier. (interpretation ends) Thank you, Itsivautaaq.
For 2015-16 construction, we had planned for four other communities.
We have a land situation in Iqaluit. We have been working with the city.
We were hoping that we would come to a successful conclusion on that, but we’re not prepared to plan for 2015-16 at this point.
We have deferred the plans for the City of Iqaluit.
For the remaining communities, we received feedback from the members concerned about the waitlist information.
We worked with our local housing organizations and have expanded the waitlist to include those with arrears to ensure that we capture the full extent of the need that is out there in each of the communities.
As a result, different communities are now ranked higher.
Number one was Iqaluit, number two was Pond Inlet, number three was Kugaaruk, and number four was Arviat, and that’s what led to our decision for the 2015-16 allocations.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. Mr. Rumbolt.
Maybe they misunderstood my question. I’m talking about the… . I guess I did say it right.
Has this material been delivered to all the communities? Thank you.
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): I’m sorry I didn’t hear the question.
Could he rephrase it, please.
My question was: have the materials for this year’s construction been delivered to the communities during the sealift season?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, yes, the (interpretation ends) ship, supply, and erect contracts (interpretation) have been awarded, except in Iqaluit because of the land situation.
When the minister tabled this document in March, he stated which communities that public housing would be going in and now this has changed according to Ms. Kimball. Have the communities been consulted about the changes?
Hon. Minister Mr. Kuksuk.
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): The 2013-14 plans outlining our work haven’t changed at this time.
For the fiscal year 2015-16 plans, the changes have been made for that year.
Hopefully my response is understandable, if the member didn’t understand that earlier. (interpretation ends) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Maybe I wasn’t clear enough in my initial question and I’ll try to be more clear.
The minister stated on March 12, 2014 that the Nunavut Housing Corporation, for 2014-15, had land acquisition permits for acquisitions and development activities for Iqaluit, Arviat, Whale Cove, and Sanikiluaq.
If I understand correctly now, there is no construction scheduled for Sanikiluaq this year. Am I correct?
No, that isn’t the situation there.
At this time, there will be construction of a five-plex unit in Sanikiluaq (interpretation ends) for 2014-15. (interpretation) Thank you very much.
You scared me for a minute.
I’m assuming, earlier, you stated that the construction material was delivered to the communities and contracts have been awarded. Who were the contracts awarded to for the communities that are getting public housing this year?
The contracts are won by different contractors in his community.
That is what I can tell the member on what is occurring in his community. There is a unit to be built in Sanikiluaq. Further, the end date for the completion of the unit is set for December 2015 for that five-plex and Kudlik Construction has the contract to construct that unit.
Mr. Rumbolt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s my understanding that there were only two other contracts for this year other than Sanikiluaq. Who was awarded the other two contracts?
The other contractor would be Inukshuk Construction based out of Arviat that would build the five-plexes.
I’m not sure if I got an answer that time to that question or not.
I noted that materials are probably on the beaches in the community and some communities are just getting their last sealifts now.
What is the plan of construction of the public housing for this year? Will they be starting construction now or will it be put off ‘til springtime?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) He did indicate the other contractor, Inukshuk Construction, but Minister Kuksuk.
Perhaps I can have the question redirected to Ms. Kimball, as she has the details contained in her binder related to the last question posed by the member. With your forbearance, I would ask that she respond to that question.
The five-plexes that were tendered were tendered subsequent to the ten-plexes that were tendered under the $100 million.
They went out quite late in the spring and, in order to ensure that we could get the lowest bids possible, we did allow an extended period of time for the completion date in those tenders.
The tenders do have contractual completion dates of December 15, 2015.
I just have one more question on a bit of a different subject, on the M&I programs.
The money allocated to M&I has not changed a whole lot over the years, yet our public housing stock is aging and it’s getting to the point that the M&I dollars are not enough to carry out the necessary repairs on these older units.
What is the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s plan in order to either replace these older units in our communities or repair them to the point where they’re quite liveable in today’s modern age?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For renovations that we provide funding under the M&I program, we look at the condition.
If they could be renovated using that program and become habitable again and be quite satisfactory, then that can still be done.
While there is a major critical shortage of housing that exists, we have worked with the local housing associations. We have local contractors working on them. We have been able to have discussions with the local housing associations that say that they feel that these could become liveable again when renovated.
Whenever they could be through that renovation program that we have, they will be done through that program.
I move that we report progress for the day.
Sergeant-at-Arms, please assist the officials to leave the witness table.
Just a reminder of the meetings scheduled for tomorrow starting off at nine o’clock with the Standing Committee on Legislation in the Tuktu Boardroom.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Members, I invite all of you to join me and the Commissioner of Nunavut at 6:00 p.m. in this Chamber for the investiture ceremony for John Amagoalik into the Order of Nunavut.
This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, October 29, at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 17:04 Appendix – October 28, 2014
2012-2013 and 2013-2014 Annual Reports of the  Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut
2nd Session of the 4th Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
Fall 2014 Sitting
George Hickes, Chair
Alexander Sammurtok, Co-Chair
Under section 68 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to prepare and submit an annual report to the Legislative Assembly on her office’s activities.
Elaine Keenan Bengts was reappointed for a 5-year term as Nunavut’s Information and Privacy Commissioner on March 4, 2010.
This is her third term as Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut.
Her current term expires on March 10, 2015.
Ms. Keenan Bengts also serves as the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.
Bill 38, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, received 1st Reading on June 1, 2012. Bill 38 received Assent on June 8, 2012.
The amendments came into force on May 11, 2013.
“…conduct reviews of decisions of public bodies and to make recommendations to the Minister involved … the Information and Privacy Commissioner has the obligation to promote the principles of the Act through public education.
Standing Committee hearings on the annual reports of independent officers of the Legislative Assembly provide an opportunity for the issues raised in each report to be discussed in a public forum.
The government’s most recent annual report on the administration of the Act was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on September 6, 2013.
The Information and Privacy Commissioner’s 2011-2012 annual report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on October 26, 2012.
The Information and Privacy Commissioner appeared before the 3rd Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts on April 18, 2013.
Officials from the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs (EIA) subsequently appeared before the Standing Committee.
The Standing Committee’s Report on the Review of the 2011-2012 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut was presented to the Legislative Assembly on May 14, 2013.
The Government of Nunavut’s response to the Standing Committee’s report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on September 6, 2013.
The Information and Privacy Commissioner’s 2012-2013 annual report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on September 16, 2013.