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Waiting for houses

Bad weather grounds housing president on way to Arviat meeting

Kathleen Lippa
Northern News Services

Arviat (Aug 13/03) - Bad weather kept president of Nunavut Housing Corporation, Peter Scott, from visiting Arviat to discuss housing issues over a month ago.

Housing is a serious issue in Arviat, said mayor Peter Kritaqliluk.

It is estimated more than 120 people are on housing waiting lists right now.

But it is not just the waiting lists that are bothering Kritaqliluk.

He is frustrated his community has new housing units "sitting empty," and other housing units leased to the government that are boarded up.

On Tuesday Scott explained the boarded up housing and empty housing units have all been allocated for GN positions.

"We had a large turn over in teachers in Arviat this year," he said.

"Every unit over there would be filled if every position was filled in Arviat as well."

The windows are boarded up to avoid being vandalized.

"The teachers won't be coming until August," Scott said.

Two sets of condominium units have just been completed there -- one set will be leased to GN staff. The other set are for sale.

Scott also stressed that waiting lists don't tell the story. The need for housing is much greater than 120 units.

"Just those eligible will be on a waiting list," he said.

"Which means that there are a number of other individuals -- I find it as high as two to one -- who don't bother even applying for housing because they feel it's not worth the wait. It's futile."

But his department is strapped for cash.

To satisfy housing needs in Nunavut, Scott said 3000 units would be "a good start" at a cost of half a billion dollars.

Scott says housing is "the biggest issue" facing Arviat, and plans to get back there before September.

"I don't have a definite plan yet," he said.