With more homes in Nunavik needing major repairs, Marco Audet, general manager of the Nunavik Housing Bureau, shares his agency’s plans for improving the region’s housing stock. (Photo courtesy of the Nunavik Housing Bureau)
Housing bureau pushing for major repairs in Nunavik homes
General manager Marco Audet says around 140 homes in 11 Nunavik communities will see upgrades by the end of next year
More of Nunavik’s homes are seeing an increased need for major repairs, according to Statistics Canada.
The government agency recently rolled out its 2021 population profile for the region. It shows 22.1 per cent of households in Nunavik need major repairs, compared to an average of 6.3 per cent across Quebec.
Marco Audet, general manager of the provincially funded non-profit Nunavik Housing Bureau, said his organization plans to renovate 44 homes this year and 140 next year in 11 Nunavik communities.
These projects come on top of the regular maintenance work that’s provided in the communities by the housing bureau.
The communities involved are Aupaluk, Ivujivik, Kangirsuk, Kangiqsualujjuaq, Kangiqsujuaq, Kuujjuaq, Kuujjuaraapik, Puvirnituq, Quaqtaq, Salluit and Tasiujaq.
“We’re talking about major construction sites,” Audet said.
His team also plans to replace 100 windows in four communities this year.
“We know that there can be vandalism in the communities, and we will put effort into that as well,” he said.
About 98 per cent of the Nunavik population is housed under the Nunavik Housing Bureau, according to its website.
Audet said that until now, the bureau has been more of an administrative body than a developer.
“But we are at the dawn of putting forth a new strategic plan for 2024-26 where the NHB wishes to reposition itself,” he said.
There are challenges specific to Nunavik when it comes to housing, said Audet, including the climate, size of the region and the infrastructure already in place.
That said, he promised the “housing stock and renovation team will be present on the territory like they have never been before.”
“We’re increasing the budgets, we’re increasing the cadence to work on this issue.”
These projects are not guaranteed as of yet, and are waiting for tenders to be issued before work can start.
For the three remaining communities, Umiujaq, Inukjuak and Akulivik, renovations will be done on vacant homes, Audet said.
Statistics Canada also reported that in 18.1 per cent of households in Nunavik there are on average more inhabitants than rooms, compared to Quebec’s average of 1.3 per cent.
This figure is actually lower than what was previously reported in the 2016 profile, when it was 22.7 per cent.
The bureau aims to decrease the amount of people per home by reorganizing the housing already in place.
“We know that people in Nunavik live in homes that are not adapted to their needs,” Audet said, adding some families live in homes with too few rooms while others live in homes with too many rooms for them.
“We want to make an effort to exchange housing units to re-establish a balance between occupation and real needs,” he said.
Much needed, thank you Marco!
Considering the problems over the years, it appears to be much attributable to poor quality workmanship, and depletion of funds into the vast void, thereby continuing to need repairs that would otherwise not be needed, and seeking more funding, after more funding. The government, kmhb, board, has to be more vigilant in selecting contractors. More transparency in whom what, how , why, and accept only the best based on those qualifications. The people living in these houses are documented evidence in their stories everyday. Listen to the people who are asking for help. The mold, the windows and doors, the furnaces. And safety issues with fire escape and disabled access.
how did you get this job when you were the hr director and you were developing the job description for the new General director it was solely confidential for anyone to see the job description only the board members were to see. Patrick saw it ,then he became the interim then he left then now you the the General director. Conflict of interest big time.