A two-year Housing NWT pilot project in the Beaufort Delta, Dehcho and Sahtu will create new teams “to support preventative maintenance activities and improve the delivery of repairs.”
The housing agency said the program is meant to address challenges in small, isolated communities where skilled tradespeople can be hard to find, contributing to a backlog of repairs.
Housing NWT did not state why those regions were chosen. Instead, a spokesperson said “many of the smaller and more remote communities in these [regions] can face challenges accessing skilled tradespersons and specialized technical support.”
“Everyone deserves to live in a home that is safe, well maintained and suitable for their needs,” stated Lucy Kuptana, the territory’s housing minister, in a news release announcing the project.
Housing NWT said the new “technical teams” will have offices in Inuvik, Norman Wells and Fort Simpson, and work in collaboration with local housing authorities.
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Members of the teams will be able to provide carpentry, plumbing, heating, technical assessment and troubleshooting services, Housing NWT said, adding they will help to “complete repairs faster, reduce backlogs, keep homes in good condition longer, and better track maintenance work.”
Housing NWT said staff will be hired shortly and the project should launch over the winter.
After two years, the project will be evaluated based on how it improves the cost-effectiveness of maintenance, reduces backlogs, shortens repair turnaround times and decreases the number of vacant housing units, Housing NWT said.
