Student housing built by students coming to Rankin Inlet, Nunavut

New student housing built by Nunavut students will soon be a reality in Rankin Inlet.

It's a partnership between Nunavut Housing Corporation, Nunavut Arctic College and Pewapun Construction Ltd. 

The Manitoba-based construction company is supplying $3 million in materials and support for apprentices and instructors at the college to build six three-bedroom units for students in Rankin Inlet. 

Housing kits will be designed in Manitoba, then shipped to Rankin Inlet, where 20 to 40 students students and apprentices will put it together. 

Pewapun Construction Ltd. has been getting students and apprentices to build houses, under supervision, since its founding in 2016 by the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation.

Lorne Kusugak, the minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, said that model creates benefits for many different parties. 

"These students have collected practical work experience, earned an income and worked towards their Red Seal certifications, all while building homes in their communities," Kusugak said. 

Currently, trades training at Nunavut Arctic College is limited to regional hubs, like Rankin Inlet. But college president Rebecca Mearns has high hopes of extending this pilot project, beyond just Rankin Inlet and student housing. 

"We have housing going up in all of our communities. So we're working through this partnership to identify when and where there are opportunities for additional learning in communities for trades training," Mearns said.

The six units in Rankin Inlet will be built to northern building standards, Nunavut Housing Corporation president Eiryn Devereaux said, and will be made energy efficient through technologies such as insulated panels. 

The pilot project is set to begin in July 2024, with a move-in date expected by the following summer.