As seniors housing faces a SA国际影视传媒渃risis,SA国际影视传媒� Yellowknife Centre MLA Julie Green called for 100 more units of independent seniors housing in Yellowknife during the legislative assembly Tuesday.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have a crisis of available and affordable housing for seniors,SA国际影视传媒� Green told MLAs. Over the next decade in Yellowknife, each year will add roughly 134 senior households, but the past term has seen little development of new units, she said. There are 60 people on the AVENS Court Waitlist, and 49 waiting for public housing.

And while those circumstances are concerning, Suzette Montreuil, executive director of NWT SeniorSA国际影视传媒檚 Society, said they arenSA国际影视传媒檛 limited to Yellowknife. The city is one of three communities that a Government of NWT SeniorSA国际影视传媒檚 Planning Study identified as most in need, along with Hay River and Norman Wells.

Since 2004, the seniors population SA国际影视传媒� thatSA国际影视传媒檚 residents aged 60 or older SA国际影视传媒� has been the fastest growing segment of the population, spiking at 53 per cent and outstripping the rest of the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 population growth of one per cent.

That burden will become increasingly apparent as demand grows for long-term care facilities grows in regional centres and Yellowknife.

SA国际影视传媒淚 share Ms. GreenSA国际影视传媒檚 concerns for Yellowknife, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 other places as well,SA国际影视传媒� Montreuil told News/North.

In an interview, Green noted the governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 steps forward on seniors housing, which has recently opened more facilities in communities, including a nineplex in Fort McPherson.  Some of the demand on YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 facilities could be because SA国际影视传媒渢here werenSA国际影视传媒檛 other options available to seniors,SA国际影视传媒� Green said about previous housing limits in communities.

While plans for Yellowknife include possibly adding 72 beds in the Old Stanton hospital to alleviate need, Green said the problem will crest over the next 15 years. SA国际影视传媒淚f we donSA国际影视传媒檛 only catch-up, but also plan for the future, weSA国际影视传媒檒l always end up with a waiting list,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Her proposal included updating a SA国际影视传媒減itifulSA国际影视传媒� retrofitting budget to revamp the homes of aging residents, and building new units, which she said the Government has declined to do in Yellowknife.

SA国际影视传媒淗elp people who want to stay to stay, and help people who want to move to move.SA国际影视传媒�

Responding to GreenSA国际影视传媒檚 concerns in the legislative assembly, Housing Minister Alfred Moses said the government was working toward AVENS to expand seniors units in the city SA国际影视传媒� though that would be for next assembly, and Moses recently announced he wonSA国际影视传媒檛 seek re-election.

SA国际影视传媒�(As a territory) one big part ... is going to be the community housing plans that we have been addressing and looking at the priorities that communities see are priorities that we need to address, and seniors are going to be part of that,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

With these developments in mind, Montreuil said there remains 1,040 seniors housing, and 52 per cent of them are in core need.

That means thereSA国际影视传媒檚 questions around the adequacy and need for repairs SA国际影视传媒� most of the aging buildings were constructed between 1961 and 1980. But core need also includes suitability, which means a ratio between beds and occupants, and also affordability: whether or not the homeowner spends less than 30 per cent of their income before tax on their living situation.

The affordability part becomes more acute on Inuvik, Hay River, Fort Smith and Yellowknife, where no single senior could rent at market without a gap in their income, a March NWT SeniorSA国际影视传媒檚 Society report stated. In Inuvik, it would be difficult for even a couple to meet the benchmark.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou have a really growing population,SA国际影视传媒� said Montreuil. SA国际影视传媒淎nd you have lots of problems with the adequacy of their homes, and then in addition, some of them start to develop health and mobility problems and the accessibility of the home needs to be revamped.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚t is a crisis now, itSA国际影视传媒檚 going to become more (so),SA国际影视传媒� she told News/North.