Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser announced $27 million towards housing in Nunavut on Friday with $8.9 million of that going to Iqaluit.

Using different methods of building and other reforms, Fraser cited projections of 459 SA国际影视传媒渇ast-trackedSA国际影视传媒� homes for the territory in the next three years, and 3,100 in the next decade SA国际影视传媒� almost half of which will be in the capital city.

SA国际影视传媒淭he housing crisis in this part of Canada has been going on much longer than most of the country,SA国际影视传媒� the minister said. SA国际影视传媒淚n some of the conversations ISA国际影视传媒檝e had since I landed here (on Thursday), itSA国际影视传媒檚 been made clear to me that some of the challenges like overcrowding have been persistent since the time permanent communities were established. And today we see approximately 60 per cent of people living in overcrowding, with more than one-third living with poor housing need.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the challenges that we can work with local leaders to overcome is changing the way that communities build homes. This is where the housing accelerator fund comes inSA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 a financial incentive for communities to change the way that they build homes by implementing systemic reforms,SA国际影视传媒� he added.

Fraser also spoke of the role of communities, which can highlight SA国际影视传媒渢he strategies that will work in their own backyard.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭he kinds of changes that are being made through the leadership and creativity of local levels of government include the establishment of a private land development framework thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to help reduce the cost of building,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Streamlined processes

Fraser spoke of SA国际影视传媒渟treamlined processesSA国际影视传媒� in Iqaluit that would remove density limitations in the downtown core, and allow six-storey buildings across the city without a municipal zoning change. The minister pointed out that removing administrative steps currently in place would speed up the process and reduce costs. There will also be further incentives created in the capital for families who cannot afford housing costs currently.

Practices will also be put in place to capture and assess data relating to climate resiliency in these new structures, so SA国际影视传媒済overnments of all levels can better understand the necessities of building housing that will better work in CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 North and will allow the federal government to better understand how climate impacts will work across a wide variety of policy areas.SA国际影视传媒�

Lorne Kusugak, minister of the Nunavut Housing Corporation, said, SA国际影视传媒淭his is a significant step towards fulfilling the mandate and the commitment towards expand[ing] the housing continuum. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not so much the amount of funds that is announced, but the impact that it will have in the lives of Nunavummiut. Every house built has a huge impactSA国际影视传媒� on the ability to move into a house that they can call their home. It leads to a healthier future, a better education system, and so on.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is very good news, it means we are on schedule with the Nunavut 3000 Housing Plan, and moving forward. We look forward to more announcements like this,SA国际影视传媒� Kusugak added.

Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa expressed his pleasure with the federal commitment.

SA国际影视传媒淭his funding is called the Housing Accelerator Fund, and that is exactly what it is going to help us do,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t is going to help us speed up the process of getting Iqaluit some more housing, which is one of the citySA国际影视传媒檚 greatest needs. Opening 160 new units over three years is going to make a real difference for Iqalummiut.

SA国际影视传媒淭he population of Iqaluit is 9,000, but it is also a hub for the Baffin region, and a place where people from all over Nunavut meet. I appreciate the federal government giving the dollars to help build the foundation for more housesSA国际影视传媒� and ISA国际影视传媒檓 sure that weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to communicate further with [Fraser] about how we can provide this,SA国际影视传媒� he added.

Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, who represents the NDP, described FridaySA国际影视传媒檚 announcement as SA国际影视传媒渟ignificant.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 know that $27 million is not enough to address all the housing needs for Nunavut, but it will make a dent. I want to remind Nunavummiut that this announcement has been able to happen because of the great work of all of us at all levels of government, including the work of the MP,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚f [Nunavummiut] had not been voicing their concerns with me, I would not have been able to use their voice to make sure that the federal government is listening to what Nunavummiut needs areSA国际影视传媒� This [funding] will have great impacts for our children and grandchildren, we will see success later because of [this] now.