CEO says Nunavut Housing Corp. committed to transparency, improvements after auditor general report
MLAs review findings of report outlining shortfalls in public housing, Nunavut 3000
Nunavut Housing Corp. president and CEO Eiryn Devereaux takes the hot seat at the legislative assembly Thursday as MLAs examine a recent auditor general’s report on public housing in the territory. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Nunavut Housing Corp. president and CEO Eiryn Devereaux says he’s committed to better transparency and implementing improvements, following a report from Canada’s auditor general on shortcomings in public housing in the territory.
Devereaux, deputy auditor general Andrew Hayes and executives from the Nunavut Housing Corp. and NCC Investment Group Inc. appeared Thursday before the Nunavut legislature’s government oversight committee.
The committee is examining the findings of the auditor general’s report, tabled in the legislature in May.
It outlined problems with public housing in Nunavut, including poor maintenance, challenges the government faces in meeting its goal to build 3,000 new housing units by 2030, and a failure to provide “equitable” housing for Nunavummiut.
Deputy auditor general Andrew Hayes speaks to MLAs Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
“It is critical for the government to take action and ensure Nunavummiut have access to suitable and adequate public housing, giving priority to those with the greatest need,” Hayes said in his opening remarks.
Devereaux, in his opening remarks, said the housing corporation welcomes the report and accepts its 10 recommendations, which include improving collaboration and communication with local housing authorities and more transparency on progress being made in construction.
“I want to begin by reaffirming [the Nunavut Housing Corp.’s] strong commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement,” he said.
The logistical challenges of providing public housing in the territory, progress the corporation has made in resolving “systemic” administrative and management issues, and some of the corporation’s Nunavut 3000 builds so far, he said.
“While we respect the work of the auditor general, we believe the audit captures only part of this story,” Devereaux said.
“The transformation of Nunavut’s housing system is underway and future audits will better reflect the depth of this change.”
A recurring topic was that some issues with public housing identified in a 2008 auditor general’s report were similar to ones cited in this year’s report.
That report by then-auditor general Sheila Fraser similarly cited problems with Nunavut Housing Corp.’s management, preventive maintenance programs, housing allocation and construction.
“I think the delivery of the public housing program will always be dififcult and challenging,” Devereaux said, stating he wasn’t with the housing corporation in 2008.
“Hopefully, through [an audit report], both Nunavut Housing Corporation and [local housing organizations] are moving in a favourable direction to try to improve upon that, to try to achieve that sort of perfect scenario.”
Hayes said at some point there will likely be a followup to this year’s report. Devereaux said he hopes it will show the progress being made.
“I think coming out of this audit report, we’ve reviewed the findings, worked to develop an action plan that was time-bound and specific that hopefully addresses a lot of the key observations,” he said.
“I’m sure the office of the auditor general will do a followup in the coming year or two to help measure progress toward some of the recommendations.”
Questions continued late into Thursday afternoon and are expected to continue Friday.
It is difficult to say what was more painful watching that hearing:
1. The total time they spent in the actual hearing was exactly 3 hours and 56 minutes. That there is an example of your taxpayer dollars hard claiming to be trying to get to the heart of the issues at NHC and the NU3000. Hey no worries, we’re just talking about a multi-billion dollar project.
2. Listening to the NHC CEO Devereaux saying absolutely nothing other than, “yes we are aware” no we don’t do that” maybe we should do that” not sure what we will really do”. It was like a broken record. I wonder how much practice that takes?
3. Listening to member Brewster talk for almost an hour and say nothing other than “I would like to go back to that” and continuously ask “non” questions, it was brutal and the time she burned, no one can get back.
4. Listening to Committee members ask the exact same questions as their colleagues asked 20 minutes earlier as if they were not even in the chamber.
5. Listening to Devereaux claim that, “I do not know the status of available affordable housing in the communities”. Complete nonsense. There is NONE! Everyone in Nunavut knows this and his claim to not know that is absurdity at a completely unbelievable level.
What was less painful was:
1. The two AG representatives were concise, well informed and straight forward and provided the most value of any participants. Especially appreciated when the AAG clarified Devereaux’s attempt in his opening remarks to claim” NHC Governance is unique and different” only to have the AAG state that in fact, no it is not different than any other crown or para public organization across the country. That was gold!
2. Jimmy Main seemed sincere and straightforward.
3. Joe seemed interested in getting more clarity to some of his questions. Unfortunately he was not successful.
3. It is clear there is no adherence to standardized practices, policies and procedures across the LHO’s and clearly no attempt by NHC to ensure adherence to its very own written guidelines and policies or enforce its authority over them.
4. The Lack of leadership and responsibility of the HNC Board of Directors in relation to how NHC operates was abundantly clear.
Nunavummiut’s, we are on our own here. We will see what Friday’s hearing brings. Regardless, it is up to us to inform ourselves where any candidate who presents themselves for the upcoming election (this October) situates in regard to this and to ask them clearly, “what will you do to fix NHC and ensure NU 3000 gets put on the right track.”. Absence of clear and concise answers should tell you all you need to know regarding how to use your vote.
There was a lady in Sanikiluaq who blamed the locals for the shortage of housing, people were outraged about her comment, she was told to look for a Nunavut wide Facebook page to make a complaint because it’s not only in Sanikiluaq, it’s all across Nunavut, heck! It’s all across northern Canada. The only thing that got me questioning is that she mentioned Sanikiluaq Housing workers wouldn’t have to board up school windows over the summer, isn’t that suppose to be CGS job to board up the windows for Nuiyak school? Since when did Housing workers allowed to do CGS’ job?
That’s my rant for this article! Have a good day.
That lady ain’t exactly wrong. There’s been a big increase layely with GN housing being given to unskilled local workers like GLO and janitor, when it should be for professionals like teachers and nurses
Nurses have their appointments where it’s provided only for the nurses. Teachers? Teachers here in Sanikiluaq are not professionals, literally no teaching certificate for most teachers hers unless you have flown to Sanikiluaq to teach. Secretary’s adult child is no professional, no job experience at all yet was hired to teach.
Come on over to Sanikiluaq see for yourself, not just about housing, or nursing or even teachers. You’ll see, you can get hired right away especially in school because there is a lack of certified teachers. So much fun….NOT.
Okay, bye.
Ps housing maintenance workers who arrive to work are given an old house, but at least they have a roof over their head.
Eliminate local housing boards.👿
They only run on nepotism. Never collect rent or power bills.
There are tenants who haven’t paid rent in years!. No shame either.
Sad
Any luck collecting rent?
Not even close?
Since its inception, has any other agency in Nunavut, maybe even in Canada been under more scrutiny than NHC? It seems every so many years, from huge funding scandal shortfalls, to illegal sales, to constant failure of trust in audits, how is this still happening? When will enough be enough for this public agency to get its act together?
So let me see if I got this right. The AG exposed the total lack of transparency from NHC. A lack of transparency that would not have been brought to light had it not been for the AG Report in late May and the subsequent media coverage and social media postings that fully exposed it. But now that it has, and now that it’s in the light, the NHC President and CEO has the audacity to claim in the hearing he is committed to more transparency. Did I get that right? If I did get it right, things over there at the NHC, its Board, Minister and this government are truly a disaster.
Was the Minister Kusugak present? Was the Premier present? Would the Minister responsible and Premier usually attend these types of committee hearings? Has the Premier commented at all on the AG Housing report? Has he read it yet? Are these elected officials even attempting to live up to their responsibilities? Or are they just collecting a paycheque while they wait for their terms to expire?
LMFAO PJ is already out the door, his head is else where.
Maybe we will see him in a red jacket speaking for Canadian North in the future.
Eviction notice notices need to start acting.
Pay your bill
Since when does the GN follow any of the auditor generals recommendations? Year after year we have all kinds of issues with the GN, operational issues, wasting funds and full of incompetence, all brought to light by the Auditor General and year after year the GN does nothing about it.
Our leadership Premier and Minister has shown a lack of leadership, our MLAs continually show a lack of leadership and vision.
Having a guy like this as the Housing President shows there are serious issues at our Nunavut Government. Continually showing us his lack of leadership and accountability, speaks too much but fails to listen and this is what we get.
There is a serious problem with our government, with a huge budget of nearly 3 BILLION dollars annually for such a small population we are not getting the services from our government.
We need better, better Premier and MLAs with actual leadership that are results oriented and not just about themselves. Enough of MLAs like Janet who just speak to speak without any meaningful questions.
We have too many of these kind of politicians who do not want to rock the boat and have no vision of what Nunavut should be or who it should really represent.
Im glad PJ is not running again, I’m sure he saw the writing on the wall and would be lucky to get voted back on and he would never be appointed Premier again, or even a minister role. Him and his uncle love the photo ops and that’s all they care for.
When voting for a mla through out the family and popularity stuff out the window and actually vote for someone that will work for you to make changes in our government, enough is enough, look at who is running not based of the hot air that comes out of their mouths but on what they have actually completed and done. We need visionaries and people not afraid to make changes and stand up to the bureaucracy that has been dictating how and where our government is heading. Guys like the housing president have too much authority and is forgiven way too easily for doing such a terrible job, goes on way too long. Enough is enough and get the right people in there, even if it’s just a few to start, it’s something.
Pay your own rent angu-timmariq
Man up
The brutal nonsense leadership with local board of directors are corrupted illegal sales, corrupt so call southern companies using Inuit firm registries to partner and the inuit oraganizations run by southern people are damagaing the systems and not being transparent, so much corruption needs to stop!!!!