Yellowknife, N.W.T. - Seniors living in public housing will not be charged rent for an additional two months.

However, the NWT Seniors Society says they don't want the rent increase implemented at all until a cost benefit analysis is done.

Last Thursday the NWT Housing Corporation minister Robert C. McLeod announced that rent increases for seniors who currently don't pay rent will be implemented over time. 

Seniors Society executive director Barb Hood said seniors had a huge benefit at 60 of not paying rent and now that whole program is changing.

"So I think it's prudent to ask government 'what's this going to cost you, and what's it going to cost me as a taxpayer, and what benefit is there going to be?'."

Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya said the delay should be looked at as a win for seniors,

"That's what they wanted. They wanted a delay in the implementation and they wanted to look at a cost benefit analysis. We listened to them. Between now and September 1st they can work with us, they can work with the minister."

In April the NWT Housing Corporation announced a new rent scale for tenants, which was set to come into effect July 1st.

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