N.W.T. wants to use federal housing funds to demolish derelict homes
The structures are falling into disrepair, and some contain dangerous materials like asbestos.
Gary Brennan, the deputy minister of the N.W.T. department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), spoke at a territorial committee meeting with MLAs on Tuesday. He said the territory was granted $74 million from the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, but the funds are not allowed to be used for demolition of derelict houses. Brennan said that's something the territory hopes to change.
Multiple community leaders say that demolishing derelict homes would help with the territory's housing crunch, by making space for new homes.
However, clearing those buildings is more complicated than just getting funding.
Working with the owners
Bertha Rabesca Zoe, Behchokǫ's incoming chief, said her community has structures that are falling into disrepair.
"If some of these homes could be cleared, sure there would be available lots for additional homes," she said.
Rabesca Zoe said the lots and structures are privately owned and the community needs to work with those owners.
Rabesca Zoe said Behchokǫ is also taking other initiatives to address its housing issues, including working on a subdivision for new homes.
Derelict structures have also been a concern in Inuvik. This past spring the town council ended up buying up some lots and clearing them so that private developers could then purchase the lots to build new houses.
Demolishing and replacing derelict homes is also something Fort Good Hope is looking at.
"There is some houses there, structures standing there, that are old," said Collin Pierrot, chief of Fort Good Hope.
Pierrot said the community government has reached out to the owners of some of the structures to ask if they would be interested in having them removed, but he said he hasn't received a response yet.
Another issue Fort Good Hope faces with clearing these structures is the community's limited space in its landfill for waste, Pierrot said. There's been some talk of building a new landfill as the current one is overfull.
Brennan, the deputy minister of MACA, said the department is working with the federal housing minister to allow Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund money to cover both the demolition and removal of the waste, so that small community landfills don't have to deal with these issues.
"We have issues in all of our landfills and small communities. So derelict houses have to be not just demolished, but also shipped south," he said.
"There is potential funding available if we can move the lines on that agreement."
Brennan said the territory had received a "soft commitment" from a "prior minister" on this and that the federal government has indicated a willingness to send the matter back to the Treasury Board, a federal cabinet committee that considers government funding proposals.
Funding intended for water infrastructure
CBC News reached out to Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada for an interview about the issue. That request was not granted by deadline, but the department did provide an email with details on the funding.
A spokesperson wrote that the funding agreement was meant for communities across the Northwest Territories to build or improve the critical infrastructure related to drinking water, wastewater, storm water, and solid waste — which will help them build more homes.
That means the cost of demolishing homes to make way for new homes is not eligible for the funding, the department says.
"Such demolition would not increase capacity of municipal water or waste-related infrastructure that the fund supports," the email reads.
It says that while stand-alone projects wouldn't be eligible, the removal of housing waste could be if it were necessary in order to build a project that did meet the funding criteria, for example, removing derelict buildings that are preventing the construction of something like a drinking water system.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
Edmonton's Food Bank wants to ‘bridge some of the gaps' at this year's Heritage Festival
The number of people relying on Edmonton's Food Bank has almost doubled in three years, so the organization is hoping Edmontonians will come through.
CBC
4 hours ago
- CBC
G7 money going toward keeping bears out of Canmore through fruit tree removal
Social Sharing More than a month after the event ended, June's G7 summit continues to affect the Bow Valley. The Town of Canmore and the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley are expanding its Fruit Tree Removal Incentive program, through funding from the global gathering earlier this summer. The program, first introduced in 2019, offers a financial incentive for property owners to remove fruit-bearing trees, in an effort to keep bears from being attracted to the town. What's new this year is additional funding for fruit-bearing trees to be replaced with new trees. "We set aside in excess of $28,000 that is specifically earmarked to pay for replacement trees in the community here in Canmore," said Biosphere Institute executive director Gareth Thompson.. The initiative will reimburse the cost of tree removal for up to $500 per property, with this year's additional funding offering up to $500 for tree-replacement costs. "We know from our evidence that it will go better if we can offer to replace the tree that the homeowner removes," said Thompson. The funding will enable the town to support fruit tree removal and replacement for up to 70 homes, said Thompson. Non-native plants like crabapple and cherry trees can be found in the backyards of some Canmore residents, potentially drawing in hungry bears. "They're beautiful plants, but we're just coming to realize in the last decade that these represent a big hazard because they attract bears into town, often resulting in the bear's death," said Thompson. He pointed to an incident last August in which a black bear was destroyed after eating crabapples in a Canmore backyard. "Here in Canmore, we take our wildlife very seriously, and even the death of one bear is too many." Thompson said by keeping bears away from Canmore, the fruit-bearing tree removal program is supporting nature. "There's abundant food in the woods and the area surrounding the town of Canmore," he said. "So we're actually keeping more bears in the ecosystem by removing these food attractants in town." Black bears and grizzlies are currently seeking out high-calorie food like fruits, as they prepare for hibernation. Human-wildlife coexistence a priority for G7 Town of Canmore communications advisor Nicky Pacas said the town is really lucky to have local programs benefit with funding from the G7. She said the funding stems from human-wildlife coexistence being a "priority concern" for the summit. "They wanted to put some funding in place for after the summit to benefit the residents of Canmore, and to focus on sort of these priority areas that they were trying to draw attention to, also during the summit," she said. Eligible replacement trees include trembling aspen, balsam poplar, fruitless spring snow crabapple trees, and river or paper birch. Due to the one-time nature of the funding, the tree-replacement program is only being offered this year. A similar initiative took place prior to the G7, when buffaloberry bushes were removed in Kananaskis Country to keep bears away from the summit.
CTV News
8 hours ago
- CTV News
Apartment building fire leaves residents displaced in Goderich
Damage seen from an apartment fire in Goderich, Ont. on Aug. 1, 2025. (Source: Phil Main) Damage from an apartment building fire in Goderich Friday night has left residents displaced. Emergency responders said around 11:20 p.m., they responded to the incident on Nelson Street. As of 2 a.m. Saturday, firefighters were still on scene. Residents and the public are asked to stay away from the area. Residents were evacuated on Brock Street and Nelson Street East because of the blaze. A warming centre was opened at the Knights of Columbus building. Goderich apartment fire Damage seen from an apartment fire in Goderich, Ont. on Aug. 1, 2025. (Source: Phil Main) No injuries have been reported. Nelson Street is closed between Cambria Road North and Albert Street. In a news release, Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet said: 'We are relieved to report that no injuries have been sustained from this incident. The well-being of our community members remains our top priority, and we are thankful for the quick response of our emergency services that made this possible.' For those wanting to support affected residents, Bazinet said gift card donations can be made instead of food items. 'Gift cards for groceries and essentials can provide affected families the flexibility to meet their specific needs during this difficult time,' he said. 'Gift cards may be dropped off to Town Hall, 57 West Street, this Tuesday (Aug. 5) to Friday (Aug. 8), 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.'
