Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Nov 30/98) - The Nunavut Construction Corporation might just become even more of a major player over the next few years.

Instead of entering into the business of property management at the end of their four-year mandate as was once planned, the corporation announced recently that they were thinking of entering into the competitive construction market.

According to Tagak Curley, president of NCC, the shareholders (Kitikmeot Corp., Sakku Investments Corp, Qikiqtaaluk Corp. and Nunasi) have reviewed the corporation's records and will decide early in the new year if they will jump in and compete against primarily southern firms for large Northern contracts.

"The shareholders wanted to see how well we're doing...they have to evaluate us," Curley said.

With the support of many of Nunavut's municipalities and residents behind the corporation, Curley said if they did make the move, an NCC-owned subsidiary company would be formed and would become the only Inuit-owned construction corporation capable of competing on such a large level. He added that the move would not disrupt the smaller, local markets.

"We're only interested in tenders that are wide open, the Canada-wide tenders. We're not going to compete with the small contractors who have no ability to get major contracts of that size," Curley said.

He explained that if the company was successful in winning bids on large

Northern projects like schools or government buildings, both Inuit and non-Inuit people would benefit. Income and jobs for Northern sub-contractors would be created and NCC would continue to be a major employer and provide apprenticeships for labourers.

"Our employment record is good. We have proven that it's possible to have a majority Inuit employment in those projects. It's possible to develop pride and build the capacity of the labour force."

Curley said that he signed on more than 20 apprentices this season and that as of September, 170 of the total 270 workers were Inuit.

NCC was formed by Nunavut Tunngavik after the Land Claim Agreement was signed. Their function is to build and manage the infrastructure needed to house the Nunavut government. Currently in the second year of that four-year mandate, the corporation is at work in 11 communities across Nunavut on residential and office units including the $11-million legislative assembly building in Iqaluit.