First Nunavut 3000 build set to be complete by next week
Nunavut Housing Corp., GN, Inuit organizations aim to build 3,000 housing units by 2030
Clarence Synard, president and CEO of NCC Investment Group Inc., speaks at a panel discussion on Nunavut 3000 at the Nunavut Trade Show and Conference in Iqaluit on Thursday. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
A multiplex with 18 public housing units is slated to be completed next week in Iqaluit, marking the first build as part of Nunavut 3000.
Clarence Synard, president and CEO of NCC Investment Group Inc., made the announcement Thursday during a panel discussion on the program, which aims to tackle Nunavut’s housing crisis by building 3,000 housing units by 2030.
The new multiplex will help at least 36 families in Iqaluit, Synard said. The 18 families moving into those new units will likely leave overcrowded homes, which will become available to help other families in the community.
Speaking on the final day of the Nunavut Trade Show, Synard appeared on the panel alongside Juanie Pudluk, president of Nunavut Housing Corp., and Nick Clark, director of maintenance at the housing corporation. About 50 people watched the discussion, which was held at the Arctic Winter Games arena.
The Nunavut government and Nunavut Housing Corp. announced Nunavut 3000 in 2022.
Nunavut Housing Corp. and NCC Development Ltd. are directly responsible for construction of nearly half of all the planned homes, of which around 1,400 are to become public housing units.
Approximately 900 units will be co-investments between Nunavut Housing Corp. and partners such as Inuit organizations, not-for-profits, community organizations and private-sector companies.
The entire project is estimated to cost $2.6 billion, with $900 million from the private sector and the rest covered by governments and Inuit organizations.
“It’s about time that there’s been this kind of initiative going forward,” Synard said.
The housing crisis is being experienced all across Canada, Synard said, adding Nunavummiut have been “living in a crisis for a very long time.”
As an example of the need for more housing in the territory, 35 per cent of Nunavut homes do not have enough bedrooms for their occupants, compared to five per cent nationally, according to a 2020 report by Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
As part of Nunavut 3000, locals will receive training in trades and construction, which Synard referred to as one of the most exciting parts of the project.
During previous rounds of training across Nunavut, 30 locals were trained and hired by NCC and are still employed with the company, Pudluk said.
The training will help prepare “people today for the future,” Synard said.
18 units over two years only 2982 to go, better pick up the pace only got six years left. Also the 18 units being vacated are more than likely in rough shape, what’s the budget and time line to renovate them?
And to add to your observation of really slow. Had nhc followed thier historical and widely practiced tender process they would have well over 200 units on the ground. However to the other problem. Residential maintenance standards recommend one journey trades person for every 22 units and one vehicle for every two journey trades persons. So that would mean the nhc will require 136 staff, 68 vehicles, additional warehouse space and inventory, work areas and tools. See where I’m going with this. Just the tip of one of those icebergs we always reference when the bulk of the challenge is below the surface going unnoticed.
The key word here is DONE. How long do you think it takes to order, deliver, and build something like this in the north?
You asked “do you know how long… ” Under the original format NHC would go to public tender around February or March usually for approximately 80 to 120 units. Awards were issued approximately 1 to 2 months after that. Awarded contractors would place orders to ensure lead time on specialty material such as windows, doors, roofing and cabinets to ensure the 6 week fabrication window. Other quantities for dimensional lumber, insulation and the multitude of accessories and tools were marshalled and crated. All this to ensure delivery to ports to meet first sailing. Crews were hired, local accommodations and local hires and locally sourced materials and equipment reserved to ensure everything was ready to go on the day the ship arrived. Mnay of these community resourced items were used every year. Typically 5 plexes (perhaps a number of them) or 10 plexes in each community were started and completed prior to Christmas break. Late sailings meant the buildings were brought to weather tight, perishable material was stored in heated areas and the project was completed early the following year and the cycle started over again. So yes, many contractors knew exactly how long it took, and did it. Not 2 years or more for 18 units in the main center which has access to much more services, equipment and human resources. Why the NHC deviated from a system that worked is unfathomable. However the cost was driven up because of a difficult to build NHC design, followed by protectionist regulations (which didn’t work), toss in covid and there you have it. Any more questions. Has the supposed reduced unit price been achieved?
“As part of Nunavut 3000, locals will receive training in trades and construction, which Synard referred to as one of the most exciting parts of the project.”
How many Inuit have received how much training so far, and what have they been trained to do?
How many Inuit will receive how much training, in what, during each of the next 6 years?
How many are expected to become red seal carpenters, plumbers and electricians in each year between now and 2030?
There will be more Nunavummiut on the housing waitlists in 2030 than there were in 2020. That’s because about 10,000 Nunavummiut who are already born will have grown to adulthood (that’s 5,000 couples) during the 2030 to 2040 decade, while Nunavut 3000 is targeted to build 3000 “housing units”. And the 3000 includes hundreds of single shelter beds and hundreds of 1-bedroom apartments that will not be homes for couples to raise a family in.
How many Inuit red seal house builders will there be in 2030 to build Nunavut 4000?
That’s easy – not enough.
It’s one thing for someone to ask such questions in Nunatsiaq News.
But do we have an MLA with the gonads to ask these questions in the Legislative Assembly and demand answers?
Let’s hope so.
I once heard that from reliable person, red seal doesn’t mean anything, once you passed the trade, you pass the trade requirements.
Red seal is recognized across all provinces and opens doors to higher level positions.
Hopefully no more punching holes in the walls
The answers must come from within and not in parliament. Get educated, trained, apply the skills learned, get a job keep it, keep your kids in school, turn things around on your own. Waiting for someone to speak for you will not solve the problem. The solution is yours.
Only $866,000 apiece for these 3,000 homes? What a bargain!
Out wezt here…we have a marine laydown and for the first time …a few if not a bit…building matetials came in on a ship ! In the 4 summers i’ve been here thus, was the 1st one with something on it for a change. Now the long wait begins when we wait for southern contractors to build them. No inuit have been building houses since the 80’s and the corporation has not seen such an endeavor since.
30 inuit trained so far ! 30 out of how many nunavut communities ? We have over 37000+ ppl in the territory and not even one ! account for every community thats already trained. Most of the money for all of this will go to an out of territory business while they laugh all the way to the bank.