A 2011 commercial construction project underway in Nunavut during the short spring and summer construction season. One-hundred million dollars in federal funding announced March 2013 will see more than 123 homes under construction this summer, with a further 80 about to go out for tender. In total, the funding will finance 213 new multifamily housing units. - photo courtesy of NCC Development Ltd. |
Legislature considers budget
Transportation, government services, housing top costs
Walter Strong
Northern News Services
Published Monday, March 17, 2014
NUNAVUT
Nunavut Department of Finance 2014/15 capital estimates budget went before the Nunavut legislative assembly last week with budget deliberations continuing this week.
Proposed capital budget spending show an emphasis on building new public infrastructure surrounding education, housing, healthcare and transportation. Of the almost $150 million preliminary capital budget, transportation, community and government services, and the Nunavut Housing Corporation take the top three budget spots.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation has $30.2 million built into its total capital budget request. Of that, $10 million is budgeted for the construction of public housing, and $5 million for government and staff housing.
Pegging cost per multi-family unit at about $469,500, including property purchase and construction costs, that's approximately 21 multi-family units. This would be in addition to the construction already set in motion under the $100 million in housing funding announced by the federal government on March 21, 2013. The federal funding announced then was a two year commitment to build 213 multi-family housing units throughout Nunavut.
Government of Nunavut manager of policy and planning, Tim Brown, said the housing corporation was on track with expenditures under that federal program.
"We've already tendered and awarded 123 contracts to build, and are going out again now for another 80 units which will put us at 203. We're going out for another 10 in April, for the full 213," Brown said.
Building material will begin arriving as soon as it can be shipped in. Although Nunavut's short construction season combined with difficulties that can surround working in the North, mean that the government is reluctant to announce move-in dates. Units are expected to be taken to lock-up - meaning the units will be weather-tight and ready for completion of interior work before the end of summer - although they may not be ready for occupation this year.
"We like to be very cautious regarding construction projects in terms of announcing when they're going to be done," Brown said. "We've run into some interesting situations. We're being safe in saying they will be done by next summer."
The Nunavut housing corporation maintains a list of families waiting for housing. Although the list can vary from month to month, Brown said it now sits at approximately 1,500 applications, representing more than 3,000 people.
Although Nunavut Housing is able to find contractors for the large-scale bid packages that define a housing project for an entire community, there is a gap in Nunavut's resources when it comes to ongoing maintenance and small renovation projects on existing housing.
"Where we have issues with contractors is with smaller renovation and modernization projects, or for one-off projects," Brown said.
Other preliminary capital budget highlights include new schools, or major renovations to schools, in Arviat, Baker Lake, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, Iqaluit, and Repulse Bay. At the top end of education spending are Repulse Bay, with $8 million alloted for a new school, and Gjoa Haven, with $6 million for phase two of renovations and expansion of Quqshuun Illihakvik school. The Cambridge Bay Mine Training centre has $5 million budgeted for the Kitikmeot Campus residence and daycare centre project.
More than $30 million is budgeted for improvements to the Iqaluit international airport.
Health infrastructure spending is budgeted to total $12.4 million. Just over $9 million is budgeted to replace the Taloyoak health centre. Arctic Bay has $1 million budgeted to replace its health centre.
The budget numbers highlighted here have not been confirmed by Nunavut legislature yet.
