MLAs press housing minister over reduced capital budget, construction delays
Cecile Nelvana Lyall says government still committed to Nunavut 3000, points to recent federal housing announcement
Cecile Nelvana Lyall, the minister responsible for Nunavut Housing Corp., seen in this November 2025 file photo, says the housing corporation is committed to achieving 3,000 new homes built by 2030, despite a reduced capital budget for 2026-27. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Nunavut’s minister responsible for Nunavut Housing Corp. faced questions Monday over construction delays as she unveiled a reduced budget for the corporation.
The housing corporation has been allocated $87.2 million in the 2026-27 capital budget, which outlines planned spending on infrastructure. Its share of last year’s capital budget was $109.7 million.
“This funding level reflects a deliberate effort to align the use of existing capital funds and the upcoming fiscal year’s cash flow, along with our increased federal investments,” Cecile Nelvana Lyall said, noting a recent announcement from Ottawa of $250 million to build 750 units.
“It does not signal a change in the government’s housing objectives or priorities, rather a deliberate sequencing of projects and funding sources.”
Premier John Main, in his capacity as finance minister, tabled the territory’s capital plan for 2026-27 in the legislative assembly Monday.
It outlines $373.2 million in planned spending across 11 territorial government departments.
MLAs began the process of reviewing it Monday afternoon, department by department.
Even with a reduced budget, Nunavut Housing Corp. is still the second-highest spender for 2026-27, behind the Department of Community Services with $128.5 million on its books.
Monday’s capital budget is the first for the seventh legislative assembly, which was elected in October. The new group of MLAs intends to continue the previous government’s goal to build 3,000 housing units by 2030, Lyall said.
“This goal will result in Nunavut Housing Corp. achieving 834 total public housing units, of which 311 have been completed to date and another 523 are either in construction or under contract to start in 2026,” Lyall said in her remarks to colleagues.
MLAs spent over an hour questioning Lyall, who was seated alongside Nunavut Housing Corp. president Eiryn Devereaux, about delays in construction, as well as contractor issues.
Pangnirtung MLA Johnny Mike raised concerns about delayed housing construction in his community, and about how the current building pace is not meeting the demand for more housing.
“I know that the minister is doing as much as she can and as hard as she can,” Mike said in Inuktitut, noting there are more than 3,600 people on the housing wait list across the territory.
Lyall, who was sworn in as housing minister in November, said she would meet with her MLA colleagues to address their communities’ needs.
“I think this process is a bit different for this build cycle in particular, and I thank you for your patience,” she said.
The committee went on to approve Nunavut Housing Corp.’s section of the budget.
MLAs also approved the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure’s $72.5-million capital spending plan.
That money is expected to go toward improving airports, runways and wastewater infrastructure across the territory, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister George Hickes told MLAs.
The Corporation has encountered ongoing challenges with the same president and its construction partner Nunavut Construction Corporation changed its leadership. What the heck are you waiting for new minister and new government. We need to see some refreshing changes, not the same old crap with no new ways to tackle a major problem.
I have seen little to no real comprehensive status updates on Nunavut 3000. Looking from purely a local perspective, I assume its going extremely poorly. Ongoing year 3 of a single build, still not handed over. Now solely word of mouth but from friends and families in other communities, materials are growing legs and walking away as builds sit either incomplete or not started at all with materials at the laydown areas.
Are we even complete 100 units? How is that 2030 goal truly obtainable. If the housing minister actually thinks that, is there an actual road map in place?
I dislike how we lie to each other so much in Nunavut, if its not realistic, lets say so now and work out a plan that is. OR if it is, show us. Show us how its going to be done as we head into 2026s construction and sealift season.
I think we’re no more than probably 100 units actually built, not existing units bought, actual new builds, and that’s over the past 3 years so not sure how we get to 3,000 by 2030.
Might be time to offer a revamped, realistic plan where we tender work out rather than tossing all our eggs in one basket , or 2000 of 3000 eggs anyway.
At this point, none of this should really surprise anyone. With the limited funding housing gets each year and the reputation the system already has, people pretty much know what to expect — slow progress while the housing waitlist keeps getting longer. So why are they even questioning? lol
When is someone going to stand up and demand answers? Demand a full independent and transparent investigation into what has transpired with Nunavut 3000. For almost 2 years now, all Nunavummiut have been hearing and reading are the stories about this failed undertaking which was announced in Oct 2022. The lack of accountability, and ever-changing stories have become nauseating.
So now arrives the new Government and all Nunavummiut received in the form of an explanation was the same old nonsense. Not a single member with the courage to demand answers. Not hyperbole, not hearsay, not stories. Actual facts. The bottom line is, everyone knows the Nunavut 3000 will achieve nowhere near the goal boasted by the current NHC CEO, the previous Housing Minister and Premier, of 3000 homes by 2030. The sole source contract between NHC & NCCD or NCC (or whatever they are calling themselves this week) has resulted in failed delivery dates off up to 2 years from the 2023-24 and 2024-25 contracts. A $30 million Extra was awarded last February for those two contracts combined. How much more has been approved since then? NHC and the GN have been paying NCC more money for failing to deliver on their contractual requirements. Let that sink in! Also let us not kid ourselves, someone has benefited from this project and it’s not your average Nunavummiut.
All of this has been documented for the last two years by this newspaper, other media outlets, on Webcast and during the AG Hearing, and in detail on social media. But yet again, yesterday, Nunavummiut are left with little to no answers. Other than “we are working on it” and another $87 million towards the fiasco.
So, what now? Another 4 years of storytelling, disinformation, deflection, exaggerations, congratulatory back slapping and the NHC CEO’s next “National conferences/trade shows Tour” to celebrate the fake success? Or more of the same old, “well you know it’s hard” and “we are doing our best” while trying to explain why 6, 8 & 12 plex’s are being delivered 18- 24 months late. Also, why now, is every new housing initiative by agencies other than the GN & NHC such as ITK and the FED’s being counted towards the Nunavut 3000.
Will someone finally stand up and demand the answers Nunavummiut deserve and pave a path to delivering desperately needed homes while holding those accountable for this epic failure to task? I guess we all probably know the answer so you can unfortunately consider my question rhetorical!
In short, the answer to your question is no. No one will call for an audit of the failed and failing housing construction programs. Why would they? How would they?
MLAs and reporters alike can’t count. All previous Fed housing construction investments since the creation of Nunavut have equally run astray in much the same manner. It’s what’s expected now.
This is how the big boys fleece the golden goose. Just wait until the defence investment monies start to flow. The usual carpetbaggers and shysters are already licking their lips and lubing up our inadequate and uneducated political leaders.
I just feel sorry for Cecile who has been handed a warm turd and will be used as a punching bag as deflection from all the incompetence and skullduggery..
@Pathetic & Incompetent. You are 100% correct. It still begs to question why a large-scale investigation of the Nunavut 3000 has not been called for or for that matter already occurred. It is clear with what has been reported on to date in NN and other media, the AG Report and on social media; that there is a serious issue here. In fact, so much is out already that all anyone needs to do is piece the parts together, seek out a little more information and it would paint a clear picture of the complete, total and utter mismanagement of Nunavummiut and Canadian Taxpayers money. We are talking hundreds of millions of dollars here. Not a few thousand dollars. Some people and organizations have made significant money off of this project without delivering. Is that acceptable? Is that normal? Is it ok? Meanwhile, Nunavummiut continue to wait for homes, and everyone including this new government (made up of numerous members from the last government) just shrugs their shoulders and tries to look the other way.
But I guess here in Nunavut that does not matter. No wonder we are still spinning around in a circle 26+ years since the birth of the territory.
What I don’t get is how the housing President can still have a job when he has done such a terrible job and he is way over his head, PJ should of never appointed him to that position.
NCC did the right thing in letter their President/CEO go for the same reasons but for some odd reason the GN has failed to make changes on their end, this seems to be a bigger issue in our GN with Deputy Ministers also, who do such a terrible job but instead of being removed they get bonuses for doing so poorly. Very strange indeed.
Why are you budgeting lower than the year before with poor results? Cause the feds pinky promised 250 million guys, don’t worry they will EMT us lolol
This has the former Premier’s name all over it, he left this government in a massive hole a massive mess that this government needs to dig itself out and to clean up the mess the previous government created.
I just don’t get why our media does not ask how the previous government screwed up so bad in such a short time period.
No wonder why the former Premier did not run again, he would not have been re elected and if he had managed to be he would definitely not be premier or minister. Smart of him not to run again and hope people have short term memory of how he did so poorly.
Pj was a really bad Prmier. Other than getting his friends like Sima in cushy jobs in the GN, he did nothing for the territory !
And even nowadays, he pretends he s a consultant, but the only thing he s been doing is going around and taking pictures with high profile individuals to not lose credibility. What a joke!
New show, old show. More things change; more they remain the same. Stunning how the people of Nunavut allow the Government and some of its departments to get away with things that elsewhere in the world would result in full blown scandals, protests, inquiries, heads rolling, resignations and firings. Welcome to the North where when you think it cannot get any worst is just does.
” I think this process is a bit different for this build cycle in particular, and I thank you for your patience,” she said.”
Go say that to the thousands of people waiting to access housing and living in overcrowded homes, while she’s comfy in her nice house.
Nunavut Ministers and MLAS are embrassment to the territory!!