The way the Government of Nunavut manages housing remains under review, Lorne Kusugak, the minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, said in the Legislative Assembly on March 8.

Kusugak faced multiple questions about the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 housing crisis over the first couple of days of the legislatureSA国际影视传媒檚 winter sitting, including from Netsilik MLA Inagayuk Quqqiaq.

Despite what he called an SA国际影视传媒渦rgent needSA国际影视传媒� for more houses in Taloyoak and Kugaaruk, Quqqiaq said, SA国际影视传媒淢y constituents in Taloyoak were very disappointed to learn last year that the planned new units for the community had been delayed.SA国际影视传媒�

Kusugak replied that last yearSA国际影视传媒檚 delays were unfortunate but SA国际影视传媒渇or the summer, we donSA国际影视传媒檛 have any more delays. We have been informed that they are going to go ahead.SA国际影视传媒�

Quqqiaq said he understands that the housing corp. doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 have unlimited resources and he recognizes the need to allocate new housing units fairly. However, he encouraged the minister to SA国际影视传媒渢ake a look at the current point rating system that local housing organizations use to review applications in order to ensure that it is as fair as possible.SA国际影视传媒�

Kusugak acknowledged that there has been a uneven distribution of new homes across the territory.

SA国际影视传媒淭here are occasions where some communities wait a very long time for new allocations of housing, while other communities are always getting new housing,SA国际影视传媒� the minister said. SA国际影视传媒淲e have to keep reviewing it to see new allocations for Nunavut and how they are managed and how that management can be improved.SA国际影视传媒�

The 5th Legislative Assembly did its own reviews of housing allocations and construction options.

Kusugak, who pitched the possibility to importing modular homes when he vied for the premiership during NovemberSA国际影视传媒檚 leadership selection, also spoke to the ever-rising expense of building new residences. It can sometimes cost $1 million to construct a new unit, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 too much now. Many of us have entered these houses that have tiny rooms and it costs a million dollars to build. If itSA国际影视传媒檚 a six-plex, it can be $6 million for little one-bedroom units,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e really need to take a look at how we deal with housing and where we want to go with that because, at that rate, we will never make housing affordable. We are taking a look at that SA国际影视传媒� one of many things we are looking at in the housing envelope, and I look forward to tackling that issue with my colleagues.SA国际影视传媒�