Gjoa Haven business making strides
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
Gjoa Haven (Apr 06/01) - In a community that struggles to provide enough jobs for residents who want them, the Gjoa Haven Development Corporation is doing its part to help out.
The corporation was established to bolster the town's economy and improve the number of services available in Gjoa Haven.
"They wanted to keep the government contracts here in town as opposed to them going to outsiders," said Rick Phaneuf, the general manager of the corporation.
"They wanted to provide much-needed services they didn't have before."
Heading into the black
The development corporation was turned over to the community in 1994 and while it has seen its share of tough times, Phaneuf said things were beginning to look up.
"The history was we barely made ends meet," said Phaneuf.
"We hope to be debt-free by late summer ... This new fiscal year, we should realize a profit," he said.
If the $250,000 its owed by various business,s individuals and the Nunavut government, it can easily pay off the $197,000 it owes.
The nine-member board of directors will decide how to return the profits to community members if and when a profit is realized.
Phaneuf said the corporation currently employs 12 workers, but when they're involved in several different projects, that number goes as high as 35 employees.
Projects include a joint venture with Ninety North where the partners own eight residential properties in the hamlet.
Those properties are then leased to the government and private individuals.
The corporation also owns a two-bay garage that offers mechanical services to community members and a storage warehouse.
Their interests are varied and include property management, construction, and motor vehicle repair.
Future plans
While the business has done well in recent months, future plans are as exciting. Phaneuf said in conjunction with the local hunters and trappers association, the development corporation was looking at purchasing nearby Chantery Lodge Inlet.
The idea is to turn the facility into a fishing lodge.
"That should create about 20 seasonal jobs. That's why we want it," said Phaneuf, adding that approximately 10 more workers would be employed by the corporation during the renovation period.
Phaneuf said the corporation paid out about half a million dollars in salaries during fiscal 2000-2001.
All of the money went to local residents and circulated back into the community's economy.
"Our development corporation is definitely on the move. We want to do big things and we want Gjoa Haven. We want Nunavut to prosper."
