Tagak Curley, a former politician whose resume includes a stint as minister responsible for Nunavut Housing Corp., says he is ‘disappointed’ with the way corporation works on homeownership support applications. (Photo courtesy of Tagak Curley)
Tagak Curley tired of ‘red tape’ at Nunavut Housing Corporation
Former politician’s application for home renovation is still pending a year later
Tagak Curley’s house needs repairs.
The former politician — who was the minister responsible for Nunavut Housing Corp. from 2010 to 2011 — is living in a 40-year-old house in Rankin Inlet with an aging roof, “drafty” windows and a damaged steel bathtub he says is long overdue for a replacement.
“It needs to be replaced, otherwise it’s gonna eventually get a leak,” Curley said in an interview.
Nunavut Housing Corp. has several homeownership support programs including one for Nunavut elders. The program allows for a grant of up to $5,000 for preventive maintenance and up to $30,000 for repairs, the public housing corporation’s website says.
All Nunavut elders are eligible but the level of assistance depends on their income.
So, shortly after buying a house roughly two years ago, 80-year-old Curley applied to Nunavut Housing Corp. to replace his almost unusable bathtub – a project that Curley estimated would cost $5,000.
“All the freight costs and labor costs, man, it adds up,” he said.
At first, the Nunavut Housing Corporation asked Curley to provide income and tax information such as Canada Revenue Agency statements and his social insurance number.
“I’m very cautious in releasing my social insurance number — that really shouldn’t be tied in there in my view,” Curley said.
But once the application was referred to the housing corporation’s head office in Iqaluit, all communication stopped.
Now, after more than a year and a half, Curley still doesn’t know whether his application was approved or denied.
And in July, Curley said he completely gave up on the idea of getting any help from the corporation.
“The bureaucratic red tape is really out of this world. I don’t have time for this nonsense, it’s not worth it,” he said, adding that he will cover the bathtub replacement cost himself.
A representative for Nunavut Housing Corp. didn’t respond to an inquiry from Nunatsiaq News.
Curley made a Facebook post on May 12 about his troubles and after that, many “very educated homeowners” started reaching out to him with similar stories.
“So I know I am not alone in my disappointment,” he said.
Curley is not the only Nunavut elder whose house needs repairs.
Roughly 29 per cent of Nunavut elders live in homes that need major repairs, a rate six times higher than in the rest of Canada, and 31 per cent live in “unsuitable conditions,” 11 times the national rate, according a January 2025 report by Pairijiit Tigummiaqtikkut Elders Society.
“The current housing options, services and programs in Nunavut dedicated to Inuit elders are entirely insufficient,” the report said.
Tagak Curley lives in a 40-year-old house in Rankin Inlet with a damaged steel bathtub he says needs to be replaced (Photo courtesy of Tagak Curley)
The majority of government funding relating to elder care goes towards long-term care, while long-term care residents represent only 2.7 per cent of Nunavummiut’s 65 and older population, the report said.
A vast majority of Nunavut residents who need long-term care are sent south to facilities such as Embassy West Senior Living.
“We keep pouring money into the wrong end of the pipe when it comes to Nunavut elder care — funding distant facilities instead of investing in local solutions that honour our elders’ dignity and keep them close to home,” the report said.
A 24-bed long-term care centre opened in Rankin Inlet in May, and some elders have begun slowly transferring there since.
Meanwhile, home-owning elders like Curley get little support maintaining their homes in the northern environment where costs of construction is higher that in the rest of Canada.
“This scarcity can lead to delayed or avoided repairs, greater expense, and the potential development of mold, leakage, storm damage, reduced ventilation and conditions which impact health,” the report said.
He bought the house they say 2 years ago
Perhaps this guy has. Ones that’s why he don’t want to release his sin#
We all do have to give our sin#when applying for funds what makes him any special
He was a politician and politician get a pension
good for you! you should know the system, you were it!
Not releasing your SIN is probably the issue! They need confirmation of your income! Elder or not, ALL homeowners must follow the requirements! Just because you were a former politician, you think you have special treatment? That you should automatically be approved for funding? Wait like the rest of us regular folks!
The nonsense just goes on and on. Where is the Minister? Where is the “retiring” Premier? Where is the NHC CEO.? Where is anyone from the NHC? Quote from this article, “A representative for Nunavut Housing Corp. didn’t respond to an inquiry from Nunatsiaq News”. The total lack of responsibility, accountability or simple humanity is downright shameful. No Nunavummiut should be being treated this way. Especially not Elders. The Minister, Premier, NHC CEO and other government representatives walk around shooting off their mouths about NU 3000 and all its programs and opportunities but when it comes to actually delivering, they are a great big ZERO! Just a continuing example of the complete and total mismanagement by NHC and this government. So, when is it going to stop? When is someone, anyone in this government going to stand up and demand a full, complete and independent inquiry into NU 3000, the NHC, the Minster, CEO and anyone else involved in this fiasco? Mr. Curley and all Nunavummiut deserve better.
Is this satire?
NHC is broken. The last 4 years we have heard nothing but nonsense from them regarding NU 3000 and all the plans, programs and initiatives to improve the desperately poor housing situation in our territory. There is a program in place to assist Nunavummiut with home repairs. And yes, there are requirements and limits to the program and no Mr. Curley should not get a “pass” in providing necessary information. However, there are 40 thousand of us and not millions of us. Even fewer own homes. NHC should be able to adapt and adjust accordingly. It needs to work with Nunavummiut and make it simple. Instead, it is an example of the continuous bureaucratic creep instilling itself into our Territory. I also see people in the comments saying he has a pension or providing his Resume or saying, “take care of it like the rest of homeowners in Canada have to”. First of all, it is irrelevant if he has a pension. He would be entitled to whatever assistance based upon his income. So even if he got $500.00 it something and no one here would refuse the money. Second, it is irrelevant what he did or when he did it over the course of his career. He worked his whole life and that should be something we celebrate and not use to degrade or justify mistreatment. Third and finally, every single Province in Canada, every single one, has homeowner assistance programs for renovations, repairs, etc.., available to anyone who wishes to apply. They will allocate funds based on income and in many cases (more than 3/4 of the provinces) offer incentivized programs to First Nation and Indigenous peoples. We were taught to respect and value our Elders. So no, that original comment was not satire.
Very recently, NTI was the victim of a couple of people impersonating Inuit accessing their programs. Quite rightly, many people criticized NTI for not having steps in place in order to verify if they were financially supporting real Inuit before giving out money.
Also very recently, QC was successfully defrauded of significant funds by a phishing attack, were hackers successfully impersonated a QC staff member personally known to all people that work at that outfit. It is not enough in today’s world to simply rely on believing you know who you are dealing with.
These basic steps (to verify that a person saying they are Tagak Curley is indeed Tagak Curley, and that the real Tagak Curley is really asking for financial support they are truly eligible for) is the bare, absolute minimum that a government agency should be doing to avoid fraud and using public funds for the purpose they were intended.
There is no scandal here. If it turned out that NHC gave out renovation funding to someone pretending to be Tagak Curley by avoiding some simple administrative steps, or they gave out funds to a former leader when they were not eligible for the funds, now that would indeed be a scandal.
Tired of his implemented red tape while he was at NHC?
LOL… I had a giggle at this one…
Development Officer with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Repulse Bay Settlement Manager
Editor of the Keewatin Echo
First President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Leadership Position with the Inuit Cultural Institute
Leadership Position with Inuit Development Corporation (Nunasi)
Leadership Position with Nunavut Construction Corporation
MLA of the Northwest Territories from 1979 to 1987
-Minister of Economic Development
-Minister of Mines and Resources Secretariat
-Minister of Public Utilities from 1984 to 1987
-Minister of Government Services
Business Manager for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI)
MLA for the Nunavut riding of Rankin Inlet North from 2004 to 2012
Buy your own tub.
So in the end Tagak has resigned himself to pay the repairs on his own home. This is what everyone in the world outside the bubble of Nunavut does. Amazing that this is a story, isn’t it?
The NHC will likely not comment on this particular case for privacy reasons. One thing that this article skirts anround and doesn’t really talk about is whether Mr. Curley falls under the income thresholds in order to qualify for publicly funded home renovation assistance. We know that Mr. Curley was a long time territorial politician who held cabinet posts and was himself president of the NHC for a while. Consequently, it is fair to assume that he receives significant pension income which might possibly make him ineligible for this assistance.
Given the above, I’ll reserve judgement on this. There is often two sides to the story in a situation like this.
Same thing is happening to us. We bought a house in 1995. In April 2025 our hot watermaker was leaking water into the floor under the tiles. Housing replaced it saying we don’t have pay if we provide CRA notice of assessments for the previous 2 yrs. And now they are threatening us to garnish our OAP for over $4,000. I get only $627/mo. in OAS.
I can just imagine how old regular MLA Curley would have reacted if he read an auditor’s report describing sloppy grant-making procedures at NHC, like giving out funds without proper means-testing.
The old crooked finger stabbing the air and insinuations of someone having their “hands in the cookie jar”!
I agree, I wish the process was abit faster.
Curly lost me when he didnt want to give his SIN and CRA info, but also the underlying issues is that the process of getting the funding (THAT IS THERE FOR A REASON) is very difficult and takes a lot of follow up. but thats what you need to keep doing, every month or two follow up. the longer it is from when you applied and didnt get an answer email and call even more. instead of every month or two do it every week or two. And keep track of your emails and calls. then go to their boss. and keep the pressure going. If you are not eligible they should be able to say NO and give a reason. and if the money is done for the year then make sure your on the list for the next year.
Its the no response that is the killer.
Shameful Nunatsiaq news typical storey to target a respected elder in a dilapidated house seeking assistance, he was a Nunavut builder and these shameful comments hang your heads, disgusting, he may not have had the money to buy a million dollar house .
I almost guarantee that Tagak reached out to Nunatsiaq or someone gave them Tagak name. And he had to agree to be quoted in the article. Or it would not have happened.
Elder or not, how can someone like this guy who must be close to six figures on a pension after a lifetime of working for government qualify? Are there really no barriers?
Well, I am not sure what is happening with the rest of the homeowners in Nunavut when they applied for funding from NHC.
My wife and I can only give kudos to the staff in the regional offices in Cambridge Bay and the Head Offices in Arviat
In 2023, we needed major repairs/ renovations to our home in Kugluktuk.
We dealt with Mr Leslie Beasley in Cambridge Bay, who told us of the programs available and advised us of all the documentation that they would require to submit for approval.
Lots of pictures of the areas requiring help.
Proof of household income. Detailed quotes on each project from the contractor.
Proof of completion (again with lots of pictures) along with approval of contractor invoices.
Sure, there were lots of rules etc, but I see that as nothing more than protecting the public purse.
We wanted public funds to help us and our home. We had lots of time as we, like Mr Curley, are retired and had the time .
Projects Completed?
A new bathroom, including a walk-in tub (Health Center recommendation to prevent slipping at our age). I am older than Mr. C.
A completely renovated kitchen to replace the old and damaged counters and cupboards.
Replaced flooring throughout the home
Upgraded and leveling of the land in front of our home. The snow would pile up on the south side of the home and when spring came would melt. The bulk of the water would flow under our home instead of into the municipal drainage ditch alongside.
So, lots of safety and health issues repaired or renovated as required thanks to the programs funded by NHC
So, I don’t accept the premise that NHC is the problem. The homeowner needs the cooperate with them when they have their handout for public funds,
We thank Mr Beasley, the staff in Cambridge Bay and Arviat as well as the local contractor who have all helped to make our home safe and healthy again.