N.W.T. housing goal: Minister confident government will reach 300 new homes but says more needed

Housing Minister Lucy Kuptana said the Northwest Territories aims to build 300 new housing units by the end of the mandate and is confident it can meet that target; 81 units are complete and others are under construction or planned.

The Northwest Territories government has set a goal to build 300 new housing units by the end of its mandate. Housing Minister Lucy Kuptana said the figure is constrained by territorial finances and will not fully meet ongoing need. The update followed the recent territorial budget and statements in the Legislative Assembly. Premier R.J. Simpson reported current counts of completed, under-construction and planned units. Key details: - Kuptana said the government is confident it can deliver the 300-unit commitment while noting that "so much more" housing is needed. - Officials reported that 81 units have been completed, 155 are in various stages of construction, and 64 are planned. - There are about 850 families on the housing waitlist and many newly built units are aimed at seniors and singles. - The government said it is spending more than $30 million over three years on repairs, is repairing over 600 homes, and noted roughly 1,100 public housing units are about 40 years old. Summary: The 300-unit target is intended to increase housing supply but officials acknowledge it will not erase existing need, with a substantial waitlist and ongoing repair demands. The territory has committed funds for major repairs and continues building units; the government's homeownership program is currently under review. Undetermined at this time.