Iqaluit city council debates brewery rezoning plan
Proposed change would allow one worker to live on the premises
The Nunavut Brewing Company Ltd. wants its industrial lot rezoned to allow one employee to live on the premise. (File photo)
Should Nunavut Brewing Ltd. be allowed to have an employee living in its building in the city’s industrial area?
Iqaluit city councillors debated the question on Tuesday, Feb. 12, and ultimately allowed a bylaw amendment in favour of the plan to clear first and second reading.
The brewery has a small “accessory dwelling unit,” or security suite, where a brewery employee lives to help watch the operations after hours.
While the brewery was initially permitted to have a security suite, it had not been officially considered a permanent residence, since it is zoned in an industrial area.
On Tuesday, councillors discussed the trade-offs of re-zoning the brewery building to allow a residential unit.
Earlier, council had a public hearing scheduled on the subject. No concerns from the public were raised.
But after the public hearing, some city councillors raised concerns over how many people could live in the dwelling, or if children should be allowed in it.
The company has said there would be no children living in the unit. Some councillors wondered if there should be a rule to that effect.
No school buses go in the industrial area. As well, in the case of an emergency during a blizzard, getting an ambulance to that area would be more difficult than elsewhere in the city, they said.
But, in the end, councillors decided that it was not their place to enforce a rule like that.
“I oppose conditions being put on here,” said Coun. Kyle Sheppard.
“I don’t know that we are in our legal rights to limit it. We approved this as an accessory residential unit. We cannot say who can or cannot live in it. I think we can make it clear that bus services are not provided there, that it is not an ideal spot for a child, but it is outside of our power to put that limitation on that.”
Mayor Madeleine Redfern reminded council that an industrial area does not offer the same amenities that residential areas do, like playgrounds or road safety conditions like speed bumps.
Brewery expects one adult to live there
Since the unit is fairly small—just 72 square metres—and is used only for one employee to live in, the brewery general manager, Katie Barbour, said the business is fine with allowing only one person to reside in the unit.
“I don’t think there is any question that that area is not a great area for somebody with children to live since it is not set up that way currently, but it sounds like that is not a problem to them,” said Coun. Romeyn Stevenson.
“But that doesn’t mean that there won’t ever be a problem.”
To that, Sheppard noted that added conditions would be “denying someone the possibility of companionship.”
Coun. Joanasie Akumalik cautioned that this exemption might set a precedent.
“Are we setting up something that future companies will be asking to do?” said Akumalik.
Stevenson added that he thinks most Iqaluit businesses would be able to see the value in having an employee staying on the premises to increase security after hours.
“I would like to be able to do that legally and through the proper channels, as opposed to what does happen in a lot of businesses in this town already, where people are staying in their businesses in an industrial area illegally,” said Stevenson.
In the end, the motion passed second reading without any added conditions.
Only Coun. Akumalik and Coun. Kuthula Matshazi were not in favour of the motion.
Who cares? The employee is willing to live there, and it’s hard to get affordable housing in this town.
“Sheppard noted that added conditions would be “denying someone the possibility of companionship.”
What a weird thing to say. 72 metres is 775 square feet. That’s as big as my apartment.
If the employee wants companionship later on, she is free to rent her own apartment like the rest of us.
The zoning in this town is the most insane zoning I’ve ever heard of. It needs to be updated anyway. And there’s already people living down that way who work for the Driving Force, the Snack, and various other businesses. Even if that wasn’t the case though, emergency vehicles should be able to get through most of the time, should they not? What if there’s an emergency on the job at the many businesses out that way, the dump, the park, etc?
Wait….wasn’t the brew master living there all year already? Is there any punishment for this happening?
Councillor Kuthula Matshazi and Joanassie Akumalik have a history of nagging over the most ridiculous ‘what ifs’. At the meeting last night, Kathula brought up the fact that it is unsafe for children to live in the brewery dwelling due to holding ponds located near the brewery. First, I’m pretty sure the brewery doesn’t plan on having a family live in the security suite! Second, what holding ponds is he talking about? Third, the city’s culverts around town are often overflowing with water in the spring and summer due to blockages that they do nothing in terms of finding a long term solution for. A whole subdivision was build around ‘Dead Dog Lake’, which guess what? Has water in it! It’s fairly obvious that Kuthula does not support the brewing industry and the economic growth that the industry spurs in a Territory with pressing needs for more economic growth and stimulus. Will the City ever be well managed and in tune with reality or will we as citizens of Iqaluit forever be reliant on the south for everything we consume in our territory?
Certain councillors keep bending over backwards for all of the poor planning that this brewery has had from the start. Why?
Kuthula will never get my vote again. This guy is out of touch with reality. This town needs housing. I would be in favour of every new building build must have housing included. For example, the brewery is built and it should have a minimum 2 housing units. How about a construction company builds a new garage, well it should have 2 – 3 housing units built along with it (above it or next to it). We need forward thinking people. Not people who don’t support business and thoughtful economic growth. Here’s a what if for you. What if Kuthula wasn’t a Councillor?