Nunavut Housing Corp. to work with communities to decide how new housing should be used
NationTalk: Nunatsiaq News: Lorne Kusugak, the minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corp., announced 22 new modular housing units will be built across the territory. The housing corporation will work with Sakku Innovative Buildings Solutions on the project. (File photo)
Nunavut Housing Corp. has reached an agreement to bring 22 modular housing units to 11 communities in Nunavut.
The purchase agreement with Sakku Innovative Buildings Solutions, the development corporation of Kivalliq Inuit Association, was announced Wednesday at the legislative assembly by Lorne Kusugak, the minister responsible for the housing corporation. Two-thirds of the units will initially be used by construction workers while they work on public housing builds, Kusugak said.
Once construction on a project is finished, the housing corporation will work with the community to decide if the modular units should be used for public housing, transitional housing or another purpose. The time needed to transition the units from being used by construction workers to community use will vary, Kusugak said, adding he will provide updates as the projects are completed.
Eight of the units will go to the communities of Sanirijak, Sanikiluaq, Kinngait and Pangnirtung for use by the Family Services Department, Kusugak said.
In the legislative assembly, Joe Savikataaq, MLA for Arviat-South, said for previous builds the construction company would pay to have its workers stay in hotels, which helped local businesses. Kusugak said the intention is for the housing corporation to purchase the units, then lease them to the construction company for its staff to live in temporarily.
He said the housing corporation does not believe having construction workers live in the modular units will affect the business of hotels. “It’s very hard to get hotel rooms in the best of times,” Kusugak said.
The modular homes can be remodelled once construction workers are finished staying in them, he said.