Former GN housing units in Iqaluit offered to general public at deep discount
Nunavut Housing Corp. opens 11 Plateau Project condos to Nunavut residents; Road to Nowhere building repurposed for staff, affordable housing
Nunavut Housing Corp. has opened the public application process to purchase 11 Iqaluit condominiums that were previously only available to Government of Nunavut employees. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
The Nunavut Housing Corp. has slashed the price of 11 unsold Staff Condo Program units and is taking offers from the general public on them.
The units, located in Iqaluit at 5196 and 5198 Qajisarvik Rd. and also known as the Plateau Project, were previously available only to Government of Nunavut employees.
The units make up part of the housing corporation’s ill-fated Staff Condo Program, to make housing units available to GN employees for a discount as part of an incentive to work for the territorial government.
An ethics investigation completed in 2021 found housing corporation representatives failed to comply with the GN’s code of ethics or follow relevant financial policies in managing the program.
The Staff Condo Program included another 36 units at 4096 and 4096B Aput Ct., called the Road to Nowhere project. None of the Road to Nowhere condos had sold as of January and they are not included in the public sale.
The Road to Nowhere condos were repurposed to staff and affordable housing in May, said housing corporation spokesperson Sierra LeBlanc. Nunatsiaq News asked whether any units in that building remain vacant. LeBlanc did not answer this question.
The Nunavut Housing Corp. purchased the four condo buildings that comprise the Staff Condo Project in 2016 for $14.3 million.
The market value as of 2022 for the Plateau units was estimated to be between $434,625 and $439,200, LeBlanc said.
Since then, the housing corporation has made multiple attempts to sell the condos, including by reducing the price offered to GN employees to $249,900.
Now, Nunavut full-time residents aged 19 and older can apply to purchase one of the two-bedroom units in the Plateau buildings for the same price.
Applications to purchase the 11 Plateau condos are open until Sept. 30.
For once’s that’s good news Nunavut
excellent great news
Gov for Nunavut should support all and not just gov employees. come on, apply!
see that there are high condo fees but in lieu of the utilities (except power?).
I’m quite familiar with the ‘condo’ project and all of NHC’s workings. To say that both the project and NHC are bastions of incompetence and corruption is an understatement.
Notwithstanding the extremely low levels of outcomes of every government and quasi-government file in NU (and Canada for that matter) including education, social services, justice, health care, transportation and public works, NHC’s operation is well beneath the lowest of the low-levels.
One does not need to wonder why every aspect of the condo project failed – and will continue to produce negative outcomes for decades.
Fees are high. Why so high compared to other places? How difficult will it be for prospective owners to sell one of the units when we’re down the road and it’s time for the owner to upgrade? Fees will only be higher.
Don’t just ask for the financial statements but need back up that these high fees were used for ‘snow clearing’ and also there is a fund for emergencies. If the emergency money is not there, be sure to have some in your own bank as things happen. It is the condo owners who pay (or using that fund).
Fairly sure that was the original price the units where offered at… or at least quite close to it.
First check the previous emails to whom appeared to control the decisions, to do this one right. I know of a clean application with over 20 Gov emp, had the mortgage, and the need.
Unapologetically it needs to be given to 10+ years of Residency. 1 yr is not enough of a commitment to NU yet.
A google search on original prices seem to match
Also where are the condofunds paid into this vs the cost to run it
There should be no staff housing in nunavut. Not for GN, not for NTI, not for KIA/QIA, none.
less staff housing = sale of these condos for homeownership
In other words, there should be none of it.
The educated, skilled and gainfully employed should find their own housing. Of course, you have to become educated and skilled.
This is a great example of they didn’t do anything and it didn’t work. 2018 they did a town hall for GN staff and then didn’t contact almost anyone from the lotto. Apparently the ones they did contact they let someone live in a unit for free for a year because they could work with their law firm to get the deal done and other people who had their financing were ignored so the deals couldn’t get done.
Jack up the rent and run them into the ground and get the GN to pay for fixing them. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Condo fees are established by replacement cost formulas so that future owners ate not suddenly hit with burdening costs when elements reached end of life cycle. A condo with a good balance sheet on life cycle replacement is actually a good selling feature.
Where are the details about the upcoming and required cost? The details about the unjustifiable Condo Fees? Where are the details that you are not permitted to sub-rent one of the rooms? Where are the details that you are not permitted to sell the condo prior a set time period, (it used to be 5 years) and that you have to provide NHC with a percentage of the revenue? Was a proper inspection done? We were just a signature away when this project came alive a few years ago, and pulled out. Our balcony, the windows, open power junction boxes behind the dishwasher, the outside staircase were not functioning properly, or were not safe.
We had paid for our own inspection, and NHC did not care about this assessment. Based on the age of those condos, the estimated market value is too high, and don’t get yourself lured into this transaction.
I agree that having additional accommodations in Iqaluit is a must, a dysfunctional department should not lead a project like this.
it GREAT BUT NOT GREAT …imagine working your ass off for same unit size, and then now someone gets it “deep discount” . meaning property value drops as well …
id be pissed!
I’m curious about the agreement the government made with the Inuit regarding their move to settlements and the promise of free housing. Whatever happened to that deal?
It is a myth. It would be in the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement if it was ever promised.