A Yellowknife MLA wants to know how the government plans to tackle the ongoing issue of homelessness in the North.

Wendy Bisaro says the GNWT needs to follow the recommendations of a June homelessness report that urged the government to establish shelter standards and more affordable housing.

Another suggestion out of the report was for a homelessness secretariat which Bisaro said would provide more effective and efficient services in the NWT.

"It urges the government to establish a homelessness secretariat. I'd like to know from the premier, whether or not in their planning that they've done to date, whether the 17th cabinet has considered consolidating homeless programs into one place, and establishing a homelessness secretariat."

Premier Bob McLeod said that will be a decision to come out of the government's long-term Shelter Policy Review.

"By all means, when we complete the Shelter Policy Review, and it recommends that we have a homelessness secretariat, we would certainly look at doing so."

Bisaro noted that the review is only being done by the Housing Corporation, but the issue cuts across many governments, programs and services.