A stray dog bides his time at the Iqaluit pound, in an undated file photo. City councillors will look in-house to design a new dog pound after a proposal came in too expensive. (File photo)
Iqaluit councillors look in-house for dog pound design after proposal comes in high
Proposed project to design and plan facility estimated to cost $500,000
Iqaluit city councillors are staying in-house to design a new dog pound after the lone response to the city’s request for tenders on the project came in higher than expected.
The decision came Thursday during a committee meeting, after a lengthy debate.
Sumon Ghosh, the city’s director of engineering and capital planning, recommended councillors award a contract for assessment, design and construction administration to Stantec Architecture Ltd. worth just over $500,000.
The city had issued a request for proposals for the dog pound building project in February that would involve demolishing the existing dog pound building and constructing a new facility.
Stantec Architecture Ltd. was the only bidder to submit a proposal, with the goal of beginning construction next year.
However, the city only allocated $180,000 for the initiative in its 2023 budget, with $5,400 used so far.
According to the plan put forth by Stantec, the assessment and design phase alone would cost the city about $290,000.
Councillors Romeyn Stevenson and Simon Nattaq, as well as deputy Mayor Kyle Sheppard, said they recognized Iqaluit is facing a “bad loose-dog problem,” with the existing facility no longer able to take in more unhoused and uncared-for dogs.
At the same time, they said, they would not vote in favour of building a facility the city can’t afford.
“We have bigger needs than this,” Sheppard said. “Knowing that just for a planning project we’re spending half a million dollars is outrageous to me.”
Sheppard added the entire project, including construction, could cost as much as $3.5 million.
Councillors debated keeping the existing facility and implementing stricter measures for dogs that are not licensed or registered, including being more proactive in culling.
This was strongly opposed by councillors Kimberly Smith, Swany Amarapala and acting chief administrative officer Rod Mugford, who suggested other options.
“You see it all the time when people are selling puppies on Facebook, for example,” Smith said, putting forth the idea to create policies to strengthen dog control.
“We can work in breeding legislation into our bylaws where you have to apply to have a permit to breed your dog and to sell puppies and find people who are selling puppies.”
Sheppard responded, saying a policy approach has not worked so far but the city could engage with the Iqaluit Humane Society to “see what level of service they may provide” before looking into harsher options such as culling or euthanizing loose dogs.
Mugford suggested the city look at creating its own design for such a facility, especially given the trauma associated with euthanizing dogs for the workers involved.
Amarapala supported that idea and suggested amending the motion for the city “to get within our own resources to try and design a building within the regulations and guidelines up to the minimum standards.”
“It does take a toll on a person to put an animal down,” she noted.
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of Amarapala’s amendment for the city to design the building itself.
Other responsible city governments charge the irresponsible dog owners with hefty fines for loose dogs. If the dogs are wild they should be put out of misery and put to sleep so they will not suffer anymore. So tired of my tax dollars being wasted by dog loving let the tax payed pay for it solutions! Get real you darn dreamy folk as we the tax payers have more pressing bills to pay like fuel to heat our homes and increases in food bills just to survive.
What did you expect? The same people who get puppies for their kids are the one’s who spend their entire budget on cigarettes and gambling, refuse to pay rent or electricity bills then ask for food on Facebook. No way they will care about taking care of that cute puppy they got for their kids. Dogs should just be banned in nunavut. Problem fixed.
The unelected are now running the city. They have never ever been elected by us tax payers and trying to add to my tax dollars. Do not add to my tax bill you unelected wannabe councillors. Wait till you campaign and see if the majority wants to cover your doggy solutions.
Dogs should not be put down because of humans’ irresponsible behaviour. You could start by giving warnings, then fine people, and as a last resort give the dog to the humane society if they are willing. Have a clear policy, communicate it, be compassionate about it to people and the dogs.
Ravens next! They’re just as big of a problem !
Didn’t the city tell the Humane Society to kick rocks? And the mayor at the time openly hated on social media the ones running it? Different people are running the circus now, I know, but I feel like that should at least be acknowledged…
As for this…”We can work in breeding legislation into our bylaws where you have to apply to have a permit to breed your dog and to sell puppies and find people who are selling puppies.” I wish you all in your enforcement of this. I am not confident in that actually happening though.
They have no clue how much anything cost in 2023.
once you get all up to code with the OCBO, Electrical and mechanical they will understand the real cost of things
design is easy, having all the authorization to build is really hard and getting the material in is almost impossible, there are no more space for the first 2 sealift this season already
good luck and learn
I recall in other communities like Cambridge Bay, they had a nearly free spay and neuter program supported by Vets without Borders to help reduce the number of puppies being born. Why not explore that option? Why not work with a southern humane society and Canadian North to help dogs find loving homes – Canadian North might jump at the chance for some good press.
I’m not sure where you live, or if you are new to Nunavut, but there is a humane society. They were in a building owned by the city, and they mayor hated them and evicted them. There’s more details in between, but those two things are true.
The humane society finds homes for stray dogs, though when they do, they sometimes are accused of selling dogs to people down south as some sort of side hustle, which is an insane accusation.
Canadian North used to fly dogs south doe the humane society, but they pulled the plug on that. Why would they care about good publicity? No one has any choice but to fly with them, and they know it.
The Humane Society brought some volunteer Vets up in April or May, and I’ve heard they will be doing it again soon.
Ever heard of seacan, last time I looked dogs can survive without electricity, 500k sounds like a GN move to me like flying managers to Iqaluit every Monday instead of using video conferences lol. Million dollar social housing when trailers can solve the problem.. Province run by a bunch of dummies, Hamlets are even worse..Imagine living in a place where kids are blamed 24/7 for damage but yet there’s not one recreation thing open…..Humm except bingos yes because they dont affect anything..
Don’t blame lack of recreation for the hooligans. There are tons to do, positive things. Have you seen a kid gather with a bunch of friends to say, pick up garbage in their community? Probably never unless it clean up day or something. It is unacceptable for kids and adults alike to be vandalizing anything. These same kids that you are talking about are probably the same kids vandalizing recreation facilities!