Government of Nunavut looks to mines for housing help – by Derek Neary (Nunavut News – November 24, 2019)

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Should mining companies be constructing residences for their employees living in the North? Nunavut’s housing minister is turning to industry for assistance.

“We have no choice but to work in partnership with industry to resolve our housing challenges,” Patterk Netser said in the legislative assembly in February after Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Cathy Towtongie pointed out that the Government of Nunavut’s 2017 memorandum of understanding with Agnico Eagle makes reference to housing as one of 10 priority areas for collaboration.

Netser told NWT and Nunavut Mining that a team from the Nunavut Housing Corporation met with representatives from Agnico Eagle and Baffinland Iron Mines to discuss Nunavut’s housing crisis earlier this year.

“Some points of discussion included how existing income earners at mines can be assisted to develop their personal financial management to save toward purchasing a home, as well as seeking ways to increase affordable housing in communities of points of hire,” Netser stated. “Those discussions are ongoing.”

It’s estimated that Nunavut, where overcrowding is commonplace, needs close to 3,500 additional homes to meet existing demand. NWT and Nunavut Mining asked detailed questions of Agnico Eagle about the company’s plans, if any, to begin building homes in Nunavut. This was the response from a spokesperson with the multi-national miner:

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