Nunavut could get revamped home-ownership assistance program
Details of proposal to come in February, says housing minister
This is a design of HAP A, the first option listed in the NWT Housing Corp.’s Homeownership Assistance Program catalogue in 1989. It was a two-storey, four-bedroom, 1,416-square-foot house created for families of at least four or more people who want the bedrooms on a different level than the main floor. A new version of the program could come back to Nunavut, says a spokesperson for the housing corp. (Screenshot via the NWT Housing Corp.’s 1989 HAP Catalogue)
The Nunavut Housing Corp. plans to announce an “updated suite” of housing programs — which may include a revamped Homeownership Assistance Program — in February.
The programs, which will be part of the Nunavut 3,000 housing strategy, are “currently undergoing the government approvals,” said housing corp. spokesperson Sierra LeBlanc in a recent email to Nunatsiaq News.
The Homeownership Assistance Program was in place in the 1980s and 1990s. Residents could build their own home for free with materials provided by the Government of the Northwest Territories, which at the time governed what is now Nunavut.
More than 1,000 homes were built over about a decade, many of which still stand today. Each house cost the N.W.T. Housing Corp. roughly $130,000, adjusted for inflation in 2022.
In comparison, the cost of one public housing unit in 2022 was $923,477.
Nunatsiaq News published a four-part series in March 2023 outlining the benefits and drawbacks of the program. There were Inuit, housing executives and public officials who said at the time they believe bringing a program like this back could help alleviate Nunavut’s severe housing shortage.
At that time, Nunavut Housing Corporation executive director Eiryn Devereaux said the territorial government would consider adopting a program similar to the Homeownership Assistance Program and that it would spend the following spring and summer working on the policy.
Asked why the corporation missed that initial deadline, LeBlanc said she could not provide any more information.
On Oct. 24, in the legislative assembly, Devereaux said he was “pleased to see that we are proposing a new modern version of the HAP program.”
When Solomon Malliki, MLA for Aivilik, questioned Housing Minister Lorne Kusugak about Devereaux’s comments a day later, Kusugak said NHC is “looking at creating a new Homeownership Assistance Program 2.0.”
“We’ve been hearing from across the territory how great the ownership programs used to be before Nunavut,” Kusugak told the assembly.
How are the people who got suckered into that “buy GN condos” disaster doing these days?
I think this a good idea but I’ll be surprised if Nunavut can pull it off. This should be left to a more capable organization. Maybe get the GNWT to do it for us.
Oh goody! Another government handout that allows someone to get a house cheap, keep it just long enough, sell it at a huge profit and then go back to public housing – as was done many times with the previous program.
Plenty of people who accessed this program still live in their HOME.
It would be interesting if we had some publically available statistics that could define “plenty” for us. Isn’t that what this “decentralized” government was supposed to be all about?
I agree with you, but I don’t know why the housing made it so easy for people to sell their
homes ? I hope they got their act together by now. LOL.
The housing program is going to cost much much more than you think. Not many in this generation will be able to afford it. Now you as owner of the house, have to buy a lot to put it on. And no there is no more rental of lots. Then the cost of your home. And if you default, nhc owns it.
Ok, since your the expert, tell the Housing Minister to quit, and taking over the housing program, and fix it the way you can fix it. what is your solution?
NHC should address the absolute disaster that is the process of these programs first. Homeowners who have applied for and used these programs would attest to poor communication, lengthy wait times and frustration during application process. A wonderful initiative however lacks in NHC employee capacity to be helpful or timely.
It is going to be a challenge . We have a shortage across Canada for qualified carpenters who can build houses up to code and inspectors to certify the work is
done properly. . Many are now retired or about to and not enough certified workers to replace them. Sounds good however hope it works out.
The housing program is going to cost much much more than you think. Not many in this generation will be able to afford it. Now you as owner of the house, have to buy a lot to put it on. And no there is no more rental of lots. Then the cost of your home. And if you default, nhc owns it.
Unless people vote otherwise in the next referendum, people in Nunavut cannot buy land anywhere in the Territory. We have land leases. But yes owning a home is very expensive with yearly land and Gov taxes, outrageous price of heating fuel is just going to go up as we do not have other viable alternatives in our territory climate, expensive electricity bills also dependant on fossil fuels. Do not forget house maintenance costs which are ongoing etc.
HAP Program? NHC tired HAP 2.0 in 2006/07, it was called MAP, Material Assistance Program. Turned out to be a disaster with massive cost over runs caused by delays due to a material and supply issue and several change orders required. These MAP’s were to cost NHC $200,000 per unit and they ended up costing well over $700,000 in material and labour costs and that was with homeowners paying original labour contracts.
No one in Nunavut is building single detached homes in Nunavut in 2024 they are all multiple dwelling buildings. Well maybe one here and there in Iqaluit or Rankin Inlet but in the rest of the territory ZERO! NOTHING! NODDA!
Try finding a contractor to build one single detached house these days…… lol good luck with that. All the players are budling commercial buildings, then try finding accommodation in the smaller communities to house the construction workers rates are $3-400 per night for a bed and meats per man even if they are sharing a room.
NHC should build the houses and sell them at discounts to people who qualify. END of STORY!
Some Existing Home owners have been homeowners well over 20 years, and alot of them are original Hap houses and some are original Public Housing Units or the Government Units and Condos all need alot of upgrading not only windows, Doors and siding but also the Heating systems either forced air Furnace or Boiler and electric HWT’s and definitley some could use new Plumbing and updated Electrical, along with new Kitchen Cabinets and Appliances, would be nice to see a program set up for that too
Get Molloyville going Iqaluit!!! I want a 3BR Condo on the 9th Floor!!
Ya pay your rent yet Nunavut. See what happens
A resold home is still a home… so no qualms about about past recipients of Homeowner Assistance Programs selling their house on my end… In fact, I bought one some years ago and my family and I are suitably housed in it… nakurmii
We need multiple strategies to address housing needs and many players. Government is not flexible or nimble and is unable to do things at reasonable costs. And citizens need help. Non profit organizations can help. Some have tried and have had barriers put in their way by the establishment and government organizations/a municipality in particular. We need to be creative and open-minded and leave space for other ways to do things.
It’s not a handout, it’s another solution to the housing crisis that reach it critical point long ago. what solution do you have for people that normally couldn’t afford house with the housing market, people do apply for a mortgage with the banks before being approved. The mortgage is being paid by the homeowner and how is that a handout? It’s an assistant program which what the GN decided to do to assist people and that’s what government are there for.