Nunavut to receive $65.3M in additional federal funding for housing
Funding is part of a $130-million federal investment in Inuit housing
Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty, pictured here with Kuujjuaq Greenhouse committee members, announced an additional $130 million in federal funding for Inuit housing Oct. 30 in Kuujjuaq. The investment brings total funding for Inuit Treaty Organizations under the Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy to $327.8 million. (File photo)
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. will receive $65.3 million in federal funding for Inuit housing over five years, an expenditure MP Lori Idlout says is welcome but must be part of a long-term commitment to address the territory’s housing crisis.
“I know that when I still go to the communities, housing is always the first thing that’s mentioned to me as an important issue,” Idlout said in an interview Wednesday. “It’s great to see our government hearing that.”
The funding comes from a $130.3-million top up to the federal government’s Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, which Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty and Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty announced Oct. 30 in Kuujjuaq.
The money will go to the four Inuit Treaty Organizations, including $32.5 million to Makivvik, nearly $17 million to the Inuvialuit Regional Corp. and $15.5 million to the Nunatsiavut Government.
The federal government previously allocated $197.5 million, bringing the total to $327.8 million, according to the government’s news release.
The money can support Inuit-led housing projects and programs, including new construction, repairs, transitional housing, shelters, rent subsidies and short-term accommodations for students, the release said.
In a Sept. 16 letter to Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, in which she outlined her recommendations for the 2026 budget, Idlout called for $810 million in funding for 400 affordable units across Nunavut through an Inuit-led initiative.
“I think we just need to make sure these are not one-time funding announcements,” Idlout said.
The federal government did not provide a target for how many homes the additional funding is expected to build, Idlout said.
Under the strategy, Inuit Treaty Organizations will determine how to direct the money, the release said.
“We are proud to support Inuit-led housing approaches that put decision-making in the hands of Inuit partners and communities,” Gull-Masty said in the release.
In addition to being Indigenous services minister, Gull-Masty is the MP for Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, the sprawling Quebec riding that includes Nunavik.
“This investment will help advance housing projects that reflect local priorities, strengthen community well-being, and create safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate homes for Inuit families and future generations.”
I asked Google how much Feds give Nunavut for Housing per year: Over $330 million bucks. There’s 40 thousand ppls in Nunavut so that’s about 9000$ bucks per Nunavut ppls.
I asked how much they give Alaska per year for Housing: $50 to $80 million bucks. There’s 700 thousand ppls in Alaska. Thats about 90$ per Alaska ppl.
Makes u think eh? It isnt 100x more expensive in nunavut then alaska is it? We rly need to “drain the swamp “
The dust of mishandling of Nunavut 3000 is still drifting about without any apparent resolution or any attempt at accountability and another basket of cash has been grabbed. How will this batch be squandered. When will someone take any form of action to investigate the fiasco. Lessons learned from the NHT debacle. “Hey there, that was nothing, let’s really screw up hundreds of millions”