Nunavut 3000 is on track to ‘possibly’ achieve goals: Nunavut Housing Corp. president
Eiryn Devereaux responds to criticisms in Auditor General of Canada report into territory’s public housing
Nunavut Housing Corp. president Eiryn Devereaux answers questions from reporters Tuesday after the Office of the Auditor General of Canada released a report Monday on public housing in the territory. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Nunavut Housing Corp. “can’t predict” whether building 3,000 units by 2030 is an achievable goal, its president says.
“I think we’re still targeting 3,000 units,” Eiryn Devereaux told reporters at the legislative assembly on Tuesday.
“We’re on a pathway to possibly do that.”
The Nunavut government announced the $2.6-billion Nunavut 3000 plan in October 2022. It set the 2030 deadline for 3,000 new units in an effort to dig Nunavut out of its housing crisis.
Devereaux gave his assessment the day after the Office of the Auditor General of Canada released a report titled Public Housing in Nunavut, looking at how well Nunavut Housing Corp. maintains and allocates its housing units, as well as Nunavut 3000’s progress.
The report pointed to a lack of transparency at Nunavut Housing Corp., a failure to properly maintain public housing units and “considerable challenges” toward meeting its Nunavut 3000 targets.
Nunavut Housing Corp. and NCC Development Corp. are directly responsible for constructing approximately 1,400 of the 3,000 units — a $1.2-billion public housing portion of the project.
But the housing corporation is having difficulty securing land and funding, so the project’s targets will likely have to be adjusted, said deputy auditor general Andrew Hayes when he delivered the report.
Devereaux agrees that the timeline, estimated price tag and total number of units might change.
“I can’t predict what’s going to happen in 2030, nor can the auditor general say for certainty whether Nunavut is going to achieve 3,000 units,” Devereaux said.
He noted, however, that even with those changes Nunavut 3000 would still be an “amazing accomplishment compared to the status quo.”
Nunavut has 440 units at various stages of construction, which represents $350 million in active construction contracts, Devereaux said, adding the “status quo” before the projects was 100 units a year.
The auditor general also highlighted the corporation’s lack of transparency when it comes to reporting the progress of Nunavut 3000.
During the investigation, Nunavut Housing Corp. told the auditor general 347 units have been completed as part of Nunavut 3000 with 258 of them being public housing units.
However, six months ago, in November 2024, the corporation told Nunatsiaq News that 394 units were completed. In February, during the Aqsarniit Trade Show and Conference in Ottawa, Devereaux said the number was 350.
Strictly speaking, 18 public housing units — a building on Siku Crescent in Iqaluit — have been built since the start of Nunavut 3000 in 2022. The rest, which the territorial government counts toward its Nunavut 3000 goal, were planned or had begun construction before the announcement of the program in 2022.
This discrepancy is highlighted in the report, with Hayes saying the corporation should have been “crystal clear” about its targets.
“I’d push back a little bit in the sense that I think we have been very transparent,” Devereaux said of the auditor general’s assessment.
He said the Nunavut 3000 progress reports have always been available online and the project was never presented as a plan to only build new housing.
“It was always envisioned that the counting of the 3,000 units would be all units in construction or completed,” he said.
Officialdom just loves vague, non-committal language sprinkled with perfunctory ‘optimism.’
Who are you trying to fool anyway, us or yourself?
If you don’t know if it is an achievable goal, and you don’t have a clear plan laid out in order to reach said goal, then it isn’t a goal at all. A goal without a plan is just a dream.
Any president or director of a corporation employing hundreds of people across a project area equal to 20 percent of Canada with assets worth billions and a multi million dollar annual operating budget who gave responses and obviously has a track record of having no idea what is going on would have been tossed without being advised to clear your desk. Anyone who has had that level of responsibility knows very well the consequences of misinformation or plain just not knowing what is going on in thier operation. Time to retire Mr D.
Did you ever consider the reason Nunavut 3000 is behind is because there’s a million things working against it? Including the people in these comments who have 0 idea the complexities of building in the Arctic.
If I’m wrong, please indulge me and offer the solution to one of the most complex building markets in North America. NHC is working on a solution, but it’s going to take a decade to build up the capacity we need in Nunavut. Impossible to happen in 3 years. But you all knew that, you just love to complain.
True very complex. However, does not explain the massive decline in corporate performance of building about 100 units every year (actually building homes for social and staff housing, not claiming houses build by someone else) to maybe 40 in three years.
3000 units in that timeframe was always a bit of a pipe dream. If it ends up being “Nunavut 2465” and takes a couple extra years to get to 3000 it’s still infinitely better than the pace of building that was happening before and will benefit Nunavummiut.
Housing is such a need, is at the root of so many of Nunavut’s social problems, and investment in maintaining existing units is equally as important as new units being built.
It’s his Bert day too !
And I am possibly going to win lottery this week
NHC is a joke. Why has nobody stepped in to save us from the mess.
They don’t know what to do or they are chicken or they don’t want the fault on them ! Those are not the words you want to hear form a salary like that . Open up his expense portfolios see what he’s been up too.
This is hilarious, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Public servants don’t have expensive accounts.
These are results for dir public servants have expense portfolios nunavut
Search instead for dur oublic servents have expense portfilos nunavut
• Al Overview
+5
In Nunavut, public servants do have expense portfolios for authorized duty travel and other activities undertaken on behalf of the government. The Government of Nunavut (GN) reimburses employees for eligible expenses they incur, such as travel, lodging, meals, and incidentals,. Employees must follow the Comptroller’s direction and submit claims for eligible expenses. o
Elaboration:
Reimbursement:
The GN is responsible for reimbursing employees for expenses incurred during authorized duty travel or activities.
Eligible Expenses:
Eligible expenses typically
We’ve heard this before from Trump, “possibly on target.” What next does Devereaux have “concepts of a plan”
They reported they buit 350 units and months later they have 347 units. They lost 3 units. The ran away. Do more interviews with Devereaux this is so entertaining.
The reason why the gold can’t be reach is because you hired peoples that got no clue how to deal with that matter of the funding and land planification lack of experience of the north plus raciszame cause only immigrants and inuits get hired by NHC
Sacré Bleu !
Give the NHC a break. Most of us know the challenges of building up north. And now add the labour shortages to the equation and it makes it all that more unpredictable on what can be achieved within a predetermined amount of time. Lots of criticizers out there who have zero idea of the challenges, but just want to anonymously and negatively criticize those who are trying to help. Keep up the good work NHC!
Historically auditors were sent onto the battlefield after the battle to take care of the wounded, with their bayonets 🙁 . Glad to see the OAG keeping up the proud tradition of auditing without mercy.
Must be great to have a job where your only responsibility is to criticize others performance.
Lori Kimball, Eriyn Devereaux, and Terry Audla, all of whom previously served as Presidents of Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC), and yet the same housing issues persist today.
At the end of the day, does this ongoing delay and mismanagement come down to the Minister of Housing not asking the right questions, or not holding NHC and NCC accountable for the delay in delivery?
I still question the Premier’s appointment of this guy to the top job at housing, it sure hasn’t worked out very well and the dumpster fire is only getting worse.
This government needs an overhaul and a major review by the auditor general.
Imagine having an MBA, MA, PMP and a 25 year career in infrastructure and some anon named Tom says you’re under qualified. You have no idea the complexities of this job, and if I’m wrong, please submit your name for consideration below >
Imagine ?????
With all this experience and academia you would think questions on project progress and costs would be easy to answer. Counting to 250, 350 or whatever should be easy for a graduate MBA ; ONE WOULD THINK THAT EHE or is that Duh.
Yeah and I got a great piece of waterfront property in Arizona that I could “possibly” sell you if believe that statement
What was said during this interview is in itself a clack of clarity.
What does “various stages of construction” mean? Does just a lot obtained by the hamlet mean its in a stage of construction and being counted? Does a building permit mean its in a stage and being counted, is just landed materials in a stage of construction and being counted. Where does NHC start counting?
Also 100 units BUILT and completed in the years is far in excess of 18. The previous build plan prior to NU3000 was actually based on completed units per year so having 18 completed and 440 in “various stages of construction” is not at all on the same pace as prior.
Could it be tendering something to a single construction firm yields less units per year when they clearly cant keep crews on site. Shocking! Maybe we should have at minimum divided it into 3 firms for 3 regions or something, or you know best practices and tendered it in tranches.
Wow. That is all I can say. What a poor interview that takes no accountability, shows no understanding of the territories concern, and takes no ownership. It is a statement that simply hides behind trying to give out all kinds of nonsense that does not answer the question. It is time for Eiryn to return to Nova Scotia and to find a leader that will operate NHC in a transparent and appropriate way. How many NHC employees have filed complaints against Eiryn and his approach to leadership. How many are on a leave of absence. How many casual employees does NHC have, some in Managers roles or higher for an extended period of time. If the goal was to build 3000 homes by 2030, where is the plan, where is the regular transparent reporting, and where is the ownership. I don’t think Eiryn’s last return to Nova Scotia went very well for him. Maybe that should have been a sign. Why was he appointed to this critical role? If the GN is serious about the housing crisis, turff Eiryn, and lets start again. There is still 5 years. If we can build 500 units a year we will get close to the goal. NHC is a joke. We have all known this for years.
This is sickening to read. If only you knew the dedication this individual has put into Nunavut 3000. Over 20 years building across the Arctic and raising his family who does so much for the community, and this is the way you talk about someone who is actually trying to move the needle? It’s people like you that will make sure Nunavut cannot grow. You should be ashamed hiding behind your anonymous shell.
Using the argument that the current practice is better than the previous public tender process really isn’t factual. The reason NHC previously contracted 100 to 125 units per year were two fold. Th NHC factored in allocated new construction budget and capacity of contractors to deliver. The nonsense of several years to deliver an equivalent capacity is also wrong. Design and Lan acquisition was done in the 3rd quarter of one year, tendering and awards in 1st quarter of following year, material order and deliver in second or early 3rd quarter, construction in 4th quarter. And repeat. Look back you will see the evidence of the construction companies of the 80’s and 90’s who deeliverd consistently. Then the wisdom of all eggs in one basket took hold. All well ad good except the basket was too small and had a big hole in it.
I’m on track to “possibly” become a movie star.
Seriously though, where the heck are Lorne and PJ?
I’m so sick of pretend leaders who are all about dressing up and sucking their beer guts in for the photo-ops but then run like scared little weasels when things go off the rails.
Nunavut is 25 years old now. When does it finally grow up?
Nunavut is 25 years old with 4 kids (3 RIA’s + NTI), living off the charity / transfer payments coming from Southern Canadian taxpayers.
AMEN.
It has been said if you fail to plan, you should plan to fail. NHC has no plan.
Those long days of going through the emails ? Tryna shuffle it all together . Got the best of him!
Be so for real, this article is intentionally misleading. Nunatsiaq news needs to do better by their own communities.
You’re right! I agree! However there is a big big big problem !
This is a blatantly personal attack. Would love to know who’s behind this one, clearly a disgruntled employee.
It’s not tax payers, RIAs and NTI funding came from Nunavut Agreement a modern day treaty that was negotiate by Inuit like John Amagoalik, Tagak Curley, James Eetoolook and Paul Quassa just to name a few.
Questions have been raised regarding the accountability and transparency of the Nunavut Leader due to their extended hold on power, which is reminiscent of past issues at QIA. Typically, a leader in this situation would have been removed by now, but this leader is expected to remain in power for at least four more months. If any other premier and NHC and his Deputy Minister were in this situation, they would likely be gone by now. This government has consistently demonstrated an unwillingness to answer questions, with the leader often diverting attention to minor accomplishments. The former Minister of Finance strongly supports the Government without any doubts. Meanwhile, concerns are being raised due to the NHC minister’s absence.
With only four months left in their term, this government remains unresponsive. The Nunavut government lacks accountability and transparency. Under normal circumstances, a leader in this situation would have been ousted, but this leader is expected to stay in power. In similar circumstances, any other premier, NHC, and Deputy Minister would likely have faced removal. This government consistently evades questions, with the leader frequently shifting focus to insignificant accomplishments. Concerns are also growing about the NHC minister’s absence.
This man is working for himself not the public at all . Yip Hes definitely in a public position . But Hes definitely work for his best interests . It’s construction the biggest corrupt industry prolly in North America . You betcha !!!
With so much clout ??? Why is he on the berg ???
Yes they do ! Google it !
The title alone gives it away possibly on track. Which means not on track.
The Premier removed Inuit who where more competent then this President because they made far more minuscule errors. We are tired of this double standard Premier. When is this one going on a one way fare?
Federal housing Minister is paying attention to all this, and will act, at the end of the day it’s Federal tax dollars, and shows people the incopitence of the GN, and everyone in Nunavut knew this, but all the politicians in NU. Ignored this enormous blunder. It will cost us.
Nunavut construction company needs to be audited