Cramped quarters: 40 men squeeze into 3 bedrooms at Iqaluit men's shelter

Every night, at the men's shelter in Iqaluit, up to 40 men squeeze into a four-bedroom house.

As if that wasn't a big enough challenge, one of those bedrooms can't be used because of problems with mould.

So, dozens of men pack into the three remaining rooms, while others find space in a chair, on a couch or on the floor.

The city's mayor is working to change things. 

Madeleine Redfern said the city has put in an offer to purchase 16 modular units from a construction company. The units were originally brought in to house workers during the construction of the city's new airport.

"It would absolutely make a huge difference," Redfern said.

The plan is to transform the units into about 50 furnished living spaces with a bed, desk, closet, fridge and microwave. Additional washrooms would be constructed along with an on-site manager's apartment. Full-time support would be available for the men, who Redfern said, are either homeless or are transitioning out of jail or a mental health facility.

"It affects you so much when you don't have that privacy, that autonomy, that independence. Especially with the support systems, a lot of those men would find themselves way more stabilized," she said.

All three levels of government and an Inuit organization have committed funds to the project. But Redfern said another construction company has also put a bid on the units. 

"It would be good to see this construction company that, you know, built a $300-million airport in our community, effectively do the right thing, to give this asset back to the community."

But Redfern added, there is a backup plan. There is another building that is new and could be built to address the city's specific needs, but it's half the size of the modular units.

"But anything is better than the current situation," she said.

Redfern said the new shelter, in whatever form, should be open by fall of 2018.