Residents share traffic, housing concerns at public meeting on high-rise proposal
Development would add trio of 8-storey buildings to Iqaluit’s skyline, create 500 housing units
People gathered at Iqaluit’s Cadet Hall Monday night to discuss a proposal that would bring three eight-storey buildings to the city. (Photo by David Lochead)
Traffic flow and the need for housing units large enough to support families were the main concerns surrounding a proposal to build three eight-storey residential towers in Iqaluit at a public meeting Monday.
The City of Iqaluit hosted the event at the Cadet Hall after city council requested feedback from the community about the proposal. Around 30 people were in attendance.
TBG Construction Ltd. is behind the project, which would create 500 new housing units on Sivumugiaq Street, just north of Inuksugait Plaza.
If built, the complex wouldn’t be the first eight-storey buildings in Iqaluit. That milestone belongs to the Tukturjuk Tower, which is part of Astro Hill complex.
Valérie Beaulieu Blanchette told Nunatsiaq News before the meeting that she thinks it’s good to see more housing in the city, but she hopes part of the process is a requirement to “ensure some of the units would be affordable.”
She is one of several residents who brought up the need not only for affordable housing, but also for bigger units tailored to the needs of families.
Glenn Malloy, owner of TBG Construction Ltd., said he was interested in what the public had to say about the city’s needs for the proportion of three-bedroom units as opposed to one- and two-bedroom units in the proposed buildings.
Others spoke about their concerns about traffic flow and parking in the area, should the towers go up.
Vance Fok, who was at the meeting, told Nunatsiaq News his concern is the lack of walking infrastructure in the area. There are no sidewalks. Instead, there are barriers that separate parking lots, which pedestrians need to navigate.
“It’s a little bit awkward,” he said, adding he hopes the proposed development doesn’t make the situation worse.
Mathew Dodds, the City of Iqaluit’s planner, moderated the event and answered questions. He said the city will consider how the project fits into its traffic plan, and public transportation as well as infrastructure will be part of that.
There was also concern from the public about the ability of the fire department to service the city with the addition of such a large apartment complex.
Dodds said the fire department’s approval will be required for a building to go ahead with construction.
He said anyone who did not attend the meeting but still wants to give input can email planning@iqaluit.ca.
“lack of walking infrastructure in the area. There are no sidewalks”
This is a very important point. I’ve been a pedestrian in Nunavut for a pretty long time now and this is the worst winter for walking, by far. I usually have the choice of dodging cars in parking lots or literally on the road. I’ve even had my elbow clipped a few times this winter because no one knows where the road ends.
I echo that. I observed a pedestrian who uses a wheeled walker navigating her way on the side of the road, where it was slicker but smoother as the roads are ploughed but not the walking areas. The wide walking space by the Qamotiq building was knee high in snow so she couldn’t walk there. I was sitting on the passenger side of our car and only saw her as the wider vehicle in front of us cleared the 4-way corner. I was so concerned for her and how vulnerable to injury she was.
Our former mayor, Kenny Bell (ol’ stanky leg), had a hate on for objects that delineate any separation between road and sidewalk. He was most vocal about it when he was councilor, but I don’t think things improved while he was mayor.
The comment on the barriers between parking lots is bang-on.
The road into Inuksugait plaza is particularly bad in terms of walkability – it is not wide enough for two cars and a pedestrian. I heard that NCC was supposed to build a sidewalk, but somehow got the City to relax the requirement. Hopefully that kind of shenanigan isn’t repeated.
When the Mayor reached out to the homelessness – it may have been a left-handed punch but he reached out nonetheless. The Mayor even had the homeless involved in activities – it may be teaching someone how to do the stanky leg, but it’s the thought that counts. The Mayor knew that the homeless must be drinking contaminated water and he had the rest of Iqaluit also do that as a show of support and equality. I reminiscence…
That’s so cute.
Iqaluit think they’re a “city”.
And Nunavut calls it….”Capitol”
💖😍🥰🤩🥳
No we don’t. We call it “CapitAl” … because we can read.
That is just still too cute.
Must be a crazy 3 hour rush traffic getting home from work.😱🤪
LMFAO on Jan 23, 2024: Iqaluit think they’re a “city”. And Nunavut calls it….”Capitol”
And then John K on Jan 23, 2024 replied to this comment: “No we don’t. We call it “CapitAl” … because we can read.”
Well John K. I not sure you realize that syntax overrides grammar, as long as the content is conveying what the writer intended, the pedants of the world shouldn’t try and belittle a speech just to prove intellectual superiority.
Pedantic is an insulting word used to describe someone who annoys others by correcting small errors, caring too much about minor details, or emphasizing their own expertise especially in some narrow or boring subject matter.
I’m**
Sentence fragment.
Run-on sentence.
You LOVE commas.
Your username is lowkey hilarious. You should be more pedantic.
N.I.M.B.Y. ?
“Not in my back yard!!”👿
“Where we’re going,…we don’t need roads.”🤣🤘💖
Build it, though really i hope i never have to live in it or near that area there is a great need for more housing.
On a somewhat related topic, did City Council fill that vacant councillor position?
It hasnt been long enough… might still be to close that the runner up might have the best ‘right’ to get it… probably need another 4-5 months then it might be long enough to put in a buddy.
nope, i believe theyre stalling that process so they could hand pick the next councilor
Shame on Iqaluit Council.
They are waiting for someone else to do it for them. These are not leaders, but moral cowards.
Interesting that traffic wasn’t a valid argument for the Larga proposal but is a valid concern here.
Is it really interesting though? Why traffic concerns related to Larga, a building in Ottawa, be of any valid concern to Iqaluit City Council? One has nothing to do with the other.
8 Storey high density buildings are meant for couples and singles not for families. Families need low rise buildings (3 storey) like the ones to be built across the road from CBC building. Will there be an indoor parking for 1000 cars (2 per household). Is it a good idea for kids to be climbing on balconies to play in an 8 storey building? With 500 new housing units, consisting of bachelors and one bedrooms, people will no longer need to couchsurf, housesit or live in rooming houses. Normally new buildings are rented as staff housing to Federal Government or Government of Nunavut. Government employees with kids would pick houses on the plateau as staff housing rather than 8-storey building.
If the photo is an accurate representation of attendees, appears most were non-Inuit. Inuit are struggling for basic necessities of life- the corner stone of which is safe and appropriate housing. While I appreciate the need for appropriate sidewalks and other considerations, this development WILL add hundreds of units to Iqaluit which is desperately needed. I think anyone opposed to this development is a little tone deaf…
same, looks like a bunch of non-inuit who take up all the space and never ensure Inuit participation, saying they pulled all the stops to ensure participation but never really actually doing so. lets get a bunch of people who will go back to their home in 5, 10 years after they made their retirement nest egg off of nunavut’s back.. sad sad sad
The city called for this public consultation. It never said only non-Inuit can attend. If Inuit wants a say, come to these meetings! I am very sure it is still a bilingual (English/Inuktitut) consultation. I am not a fan of the location of these new buildings, they are in an “industrial” zone. While this might be marketed as staff housing, it is guaranteed to have some amount of public housing which makes it less desirable for purchase or to live in by professionals. Just look at the blue building by Ventures, beautiful when it was built. It is probably not even 10 years old? and it already looks kinda dilapidated and tons of garbage outside the building. And this is somewhat in a prime real estate area ie close to everything. I wished public housing tenants take better care of their $60/month units.
I agree the photo looks like a miss representation of who should be there, but i dont think i can follow your logic that the non Inuit are taking up space. I don think their opioin should matter less since like you said high probabilities that even by the time the first people are actually moving into the units most in this photo will no longer live in Nunavut at all. but i also know at every meeting we need more Inuit to vocalize opinions. and not be afraid that if an Inuk is for or against something that another Inuk could disagree.
It was a public meeting open to every Iqalummiut Curious George. If you wanted a stronger Inuit presence there you should have gotten off your derrière and made it happen. Last time I checked no one has an obligation to consult with you and your pals.
What does an Inuk look like? It is not so clear cut now, I know a bunch of Inuit who are blonde/blue eyes that can pass as being scandinavian but they are Inuk.
Hey Curious George, it said it was a public meeting so anyone could go, stop trying make excuses because very few Inuit didn’t bother to go the meeting.
Were Inuit barred from attending? The picture is, perhaps, an accurate representation of residents who care enough to take the time to show up. If I was that concerned about the issue, for.or against, I would think I’d get up off the couch and go to the meeting, no?
An Inuk was quoted in the article.
With 500 housing units, Malloy will be the third largest community in Nunavut.
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If they are all 1 bedroom apartments, that means 2000 people and almost that many cars, unless most of them are transients – in town for a year or two.
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If they are all 3 bedroom apartments, that means 6000 people, plus cars, ATVs, boats, etc. That includes 4000 kids.
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Will Malloyville have its own grocery store? Will it have its own schools, will it have its own hospital, will it have its own day care centers, will it have its own elders facility, will it have its own post office and postal code?
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Where will all the parking be? Will Malloyville have its own power plant and water plant and garbage facilities?
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Still so many questions and so little information.
These 2000 or 6000 people your think of arnt going to suddenly move to Iqaluit, most of the people that are going to end up there at least to start are people that dont already have a place or want a newer place (which then means someone that currently doesn’t have a place can move into their old place). It might mean a bunch of the jobs that are vacant because of lack of housing could be filled but i don’t think it will be a flood of 2000-6000 southerners rushing to Iqaluit.
Also if they say there will be 500 units right now that probably is mostly 1 bedroom or studio apartments, if the size of each unit is increased to 3 or 4 bedrooms the total number of units will decrease significantly. they only have a certain size of lot to build on.
The plan is so obvious to be a mega social housing effort. Malloy gets indefinite government money paying the rent and managing the tenants directly while all they do is shovel the snow and bill the government every time a window gets broken..
Well the Government will pay the rent and everyone’s happy, they aren’t going to put in 500 low rentals where the rent is $45 and it doesn’t get paid EVER. That is happening now here in Iqaluit and has been happing for years and years.
Huh? I don’t understand how the city refuses to release lots for individuals development siting lack of water but will put up 500 units in a megaplex, not sure how this math adds up.
Awe. My old hometown. IQALUIT
Still a hamlet with a “city” designation forced upon them.