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Ten new Iqaluit public housing units near completion

Iqaluit wait list holds 106 applicants

SARA MINOGUE

The halfway point: this new public housing 10-plex was half-finished by early October, and should be ready for tenants by mid-December. (PHOTO BY JEREMY GREGSON)

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Construction is underway on a 10-plex apartment building on Ataani Road in the 300 area of downtown Iqaluit.

Eight one-bedroom units and two two-bedroom units will be ready for tenants, possibly as soon as mid-December, says Susan Spring, manager of the Iqaluit Housing Authority.

The public housing project cost just over $1 million and represents the major local effort this year under the Nunavut Housing Corporation's capital plan.

Synard Construction started work on the property on Aug. 18 and is on track to finish on schedule. After that, the Iqaluit Housing Authority will take over management of the new units.

"It's probably a tenth of what we need but we're thrilled," Spring says.

Spring expects the apartments to house a mix of current public housing tenants whose needs have changed, and some new tenants who have been on the waiting list.

"This is the one time of the year we actually get some movement," Spring says. "We can make corrections."

Two houses that were previously on the property were moved to Apex earlier this year to make way for the new building, which had to be constructed on the utilidor.

Those houses will be fixed up next year, Spring says, using the modernization and improvement fund managed by the Iqaluit Housing Authority.

In spite of the good news, Spring still has 106 people on the waiting list for public housing, as well as "eight or nine" more applications in the screening process.

The majority of applications, Spring says, are for one- and two-bedroom apartments, and come from young singles and young couples.

But some applications represent families with children, which means the actual number of people in need of housing is greater than 106.

"We could use about 10 more of the 10-plex units, but every little bit helps," she says.

Last Wednesday, the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. announced a new, jointly-produced housing plan that calls for $1.9 billion in new housing over the next 10 years.

The board of the Iqaluit Housing Authority met Peter Kilabuk, Nunavut's minister responsible for housing, and NTI president Paul Kaludjak the night before the announcement was made.

Spring reports that the board was "very pleased" with Kilabuk's knowledge and concern.

"It was excellent. He made no false promises, but we've already seen some action on topics discussed."

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