Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Aug 22/05) - The federal minister of labour and housing arrived in Iqaluit on Friday without any new money, but promised that short term relief is on the way for the Nunavut housing crisis.

"Hopefully by the fall, we can come to some sort of short-term arrangement. The need is imminent," said Joe Fontana, during a stop on his Northern tour.

Olayuk Akesuk, minister responsible for Nunavut housing, was happy to see Fontana arrive in the territory, with or without the cash.

"I was very happy he was able to visit some of the smaller communities in the Kivalliq region, it's important we have these federal ministers visit here, to see the lack of infrastructure in Nunavut," said Akesuk.

Fontana visited a home and the mens homeless shelter while in Iqaluit. His whirlwind tour took him to Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet and Whale Cove before he landed in the capital.

"It is a crisis, there is an incredible need here," said Fontana. "The greatest need is here in the North."

"The minister (Akesuk) and I are working on a 10-year plan worth about 1.9 billion for about four or five thousand units."

New division

Fontana also announced job-shuffling at the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation when he started his tour on Wednesday, creating a northern housing division.

Tom Kerwin was named the manager of the new Northern Housing division, which will operate from Calgary. There will be divisional offices in Whitehorse, Iqaluit and Yellowknife.