Rezoning for new Iqaluit elders’ home gets planning committee’s backing
Elders’ society’s proposed 42-unit building to be presented to council as next step
Iqaluit’s planning committee gave unanimous support during its meeting Tuesday to have this area re-zoned for the construction of a new elders’ home. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
A rezoning bylaw that would allow Pairijiit Tigummiaqtikkut, the Iqaluit Elders’ Society, to build a new elders’ housing complex got unanimous support from the City of Iqaluit’s planning committee Tuesday.
The proposed bylaw must still go through council and community consultations next, but the group behind the bid is celebrating completing this first step.
If approved, the project would impact a large triangular block in the city’s 300 area currently zoned as a residential community and occupied by two housing units.
The bylaw would see the area rezoned specifically for elders’ housing, but with room for a small commercial space.
The four-storey, multimillion-dollar complex the elders’ society hopes to build would include 42 units, a daycare, a medical clinic and a small retail space to be occupied by a country food store.
“It’s a large project. There’s a lot of people with no housing here,” Kopa Mike, president of the elders’ society, told the committee.
“We’re trying to target the elder [population] for a secure place for elders.”
Councillors directed only a few questions to the elders’ society delegation and to city planner Michelle Armstrong.
Deputy Mayor Kyle Sheppard briefly addressed his concern about future for-profit ventures potentially “profiteering” from Nunavut’s elders’ housing shortage before moving the vote to support the bylaw.
The delegation from the elders’ society said it was pleased to receive support from the committee.
“It’s very, very supported by the community and the people of Nunavut,” Jamie Flaherty, an elders’ society representative, said after the vote.
Initial plans for Pairijiit Tigummiaqtikkut’s proposed elders’ home are shown here. (Image from City of Iqaluit documents)
The timeline and budget for the multimillion-dollar project are unclear but Anne Crawford, a lawyer and representative for the society, said it would be in the “tens of millions of dollars.”
The elders’ society is seeking funding from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., as well as the federal and territorial governments, she said.
Crawford also welcomed the committee support, calling it a positive step in the society’s mission to repatriate elders living in retirement homes in the south.
“It will create spaces and it’ll kind of create a vacuum that people may be able to come back to fill, but this housing is like retirement housing, it’s not like it’s not medical in nature,” she said.
“It’s for people who are going to have independent apartments and who are going to be engaged in community and who are capable of looking after themselves. But it will create spaces in other places, hopefully, for repatriation because this society has very strongly advocated for repatriation.”
Coun, Kimberly Smith, who chairs the planning committee, called it a “wonderful proposal.” She said the next step is to discuss the rezoning in council and to hold a public hearing at a later date.
“It’s a desperately needed project that’s going to provide some desperately needed services and doing it in a way that’s honestly quite beautiful with the incorporation of a daycare,” Smith said in an interview after the meeting.
“Myself and others in this room are in full support of this project and we’re really looking forward to seeing it done.”
Find a better spot or and least in a safe area
How about down by the beach were all those single family houses were demolished nice and straight it’s not an angle just a suggestion I don’t want are elders living on up down road should be nice and flat don’t have to worry about going up or down the road
The road does go downhill —- but the site work and gravel in place before construction will mean that the Elders have easy flat access to the outside doors near DJs and where there will be a taxi drop off. That is basic construction.
In the winter Elders will have lots of space in the building to walk around and two elevators to go to the higher floors.
It will be a for-profit venture, as Deputy Mayor Sheppard commented and with that, only people that can pay the rent will occupy the building, but it should ease housing issues for some elders. A lot of Elders/Inuit are sent out to facilities, like Embassy West Senior Living, because they can’t looked after themselves anymore, so proposed elders’ housing complex will not benefit those individuals that can’t live on their own.
Excellent plan. Great use of the location.
Didn’t Rick Mercer on “Talking to Americans” say that we put our elderly on ice flows LOL that was a classic and it showed how dumb they are in the states.
He is actual Canadian
one of the busiest areas in Iqaluit day and night i don’t think its a good location for elders facility they need a water front view if its possible.
It would be nice closer the Anglican church. The place they are looking at would be a spot for the Friendship Center or a gift shop. The spot would be nice place where they can have a little walk where there is hardly any heavy traffic area and closer to the Store. A nice view to the ocean. I don’t like that spot!. And it should be closer to the hospital.
There will be a clinic in the building so it does not need to be near the hospital – and there is a view to the ocean. No site is perfect but this is available now.
Following news,
Not alot from public seems to know of this massive biulding is getting the wrong information to think elders will live in ,
This is for anyone who wants a place to live in NOT for elders,
Get your facts together as elders will own this biulding, outside of any businesses to support Iqaluitmuit…
Eyes and ears