Makivik Construction is now well into the second five-year contract with the Government of Canada and Quebec to build social housing units in all 14 communities in an effort to overcome a continuing housing shortage across the region.
Given Nunavik’s young and rapidly growing population, providing adequate housing remains a priority for Makivik, the federal and provincial governments, and the Kativik Regional Government.
Makivik Construction is now well into the second five-year contract with the Government of Canada and Quebec to build social housing units in all 14 communities in an effort to overcome a continuing housing shortage across the region.
The current five-year contract was signed in 2005 and provides approximately $69-million over a five-year period to build housing units in the 14 communities. The five-year agreement also provides for funding to be made available to the Kativik Municipal Housing Bureau over a 20-year period to cover the maintenance and operating deficit for such units. The program calls for approximately 60 two-bedroom duplexes to be built each year over the five-year period ending with the the 2009 construction season. Negotiations are underway on a third five-year program to begin in 2010.
One of the difficulties facing the Makivik Construction Division is employing and retaining a majority Inuit workforce within the housing programs, simply because there are not enough trained carpenters and other skilled workers available in Nunavik.
However it has worked closely with the Kativik School Board and the Kativik Regional Government to develop a number of on-the-job carpenter training programs.
