Doug Ashbury and Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 17/99) - The NWT Housing Corp. has announced its first-ever move to build a market outside the territory.

Alaska's Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporations Development Company will buy six housing packages from the NWT Housing Corp.

"The housing corporation showed the Alaskans that it could provide homes for a lower cost than their suppliers in the lower 48 states," Floyd Roland, MLA responsible for the corporation, said.

The deal is worth about $680,000.

The packages will contain products manufactured in the NWT, assembled by NWT suppliers and shipped to Alaska via the Mackenzie River aboard Northern Transportation Company Ltd. barges.

Materials should be in Barrow in July.

Housing contracts are expected to be signed soon following final design changes.

"As more housing packages are sold to the Alaskans, there will be a direct benefit to our residents as the profits from these sales will be used to improve social housing in the NWT," Roland said.

"This sale shows the NWT has a viable economy and the skills, technologies and services developed here can be sold to other parts of the world."

Roland also said: "When we initially spoke to the groups in Barrow, we spoke of two units, so it's grown."

There is potential to add to the six units, he said.

"We're hoping we can expand along the Alaskan coast."

The deal was first discussed with the Alaskans last year during a stopover en route to Russia.

The sale will not mean new jobs, Roland adds, but it does help maintain existing jobs. The Nunavut market continues to be available but, with division, the NWT has to look in other directions for customers as well, he said.