The Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC) was created in 2000 through the Nunavut Legislature by the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation (Nunavut) Act. Our mandate as a public agency of the Government of Nunavut (GN) is to create, coordinate and administer housing programs so that we may provide fair access to a range of affordable housing options to families and individuals in Nunavut.
To ensure families and individuals in Nunavut have access to a range of affordable housing options.
To provide opportunities for all residents of Nunavut to have homes that support a healthy, secure, independent and dignified lifestyle through working with our communities to allow them to assume the role of providing housing to Nunavummiut.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC) believes in and strives for the following values:
The Nunavut Housing Corporation (the Corporation) is a public agency of the Government of Nunavut (GN), created through the Nunavut Legislature by the Nunavut Housing Corporation () Act. As such an agency, the Corporation is at arms-length from the GN and its operating boundaries are set out in Part IX of the Financial Administration Act, the section of the Act specifically devoted to Public Agencies.
The Corporation reports to the Legislative Assembly, Executive Council and Nunavummiut through its President, Board of Directors, and the Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation. This approach allows the Minister to maximize the effectiveness of the Corporation for the present and future benefits of Nunavummiut.
Status as a Public Agency affords many advantages, including:
The Corporation offers multiple housing solutions including: providing education, training and support to Local Housing Organizations (LHOs) in the areas of administration, finance, program delivery and maintenance; providing homeowner services in the area of finance and technical assistance; and coordinating housing-related lobby efforts on behalf of all Nunavut residents. These business services are organized in four distinct lines of program delivery: Public Housing, Staff Housing, Homeownership, and Homelessness.
To administer the Corporation’s programs, a small corporate team of 100 housing professionals work to make the Corporation an action oriented service delivery agency. Structured around five distinct offices, this cohesive group is further supported by a network of twenty-five Local Housing Organizations that provide an important communication link between Nunavummiut and their communities.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC) implemented a Board of Directors in the fall of 2011. In doing so, the NHC adopted a similar structure to the other four GN Territorial Corporations.
The Board of Directors ensures the Corporation has the capacity to monitor NHC’s overall performance beyond the day to day operations, oversees the corporate risk management function and allows for a more comprehensive approach in setting the Corporation’s strategic direction; the Board of Directors also continues to be active in lobbying for essential private and public funding.
The current Board is comprised of five directors with diverse background and experience in Northern housing, public policy, finance, project management, property management/development, social programs development, and legal issues. The Board of Directors of the Corporation must be composed of no fewer than five directors, but no more than seven. A director holds office, during pleasure, for a term of three years. The Board targets monthly teleconferences and meets in person quarterly.
The Executive Committee is responsible for managing the Corporation to ensure consistency in all its activities across Nunavut, including the application of policies, standards and procedures, and the delivery of programs. It also oversees the development of long-range strategies, policies, and operational guidelines on corporate matters for the Board of Directors, the Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, and for the Executive Council (Cabinet). In addition, it ensures that programs are delivered according to the Corporation’s funding agreements with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
The Corporate Policy & Communications group works on the development of corporate policy, strategic planning and communications related to key program areas. They provide support to the Minister, the Corporate Executive and the District Offices.
Corporate Headquarters coordinates the preparation, monitoring and reporting of the corporate programs. It also provides support to the District Offices in the areas of programs, contracting, project management, and technical design and maintenance.
The Corporation’s District Offices manage and provide support in the delivery of programs and services to the communities. District Offices set regional priorities and work with LHOs and individual clients to ensure programs delivered are of appropriate standards through monitoring and assessment. The District Office is responsible for ensuring the construction program is successful within its region. It is also responsible for the delivery of various homeownership programs, and developing positive relationships with other government departments and agencies.
The Corporation partners with LHOs at the community level, who provide most of the day-to-day services associated with program delivery to individuals and families. Virtually all LHOs are formed as independent organizations under the Societies Act (Housing Associations); however, exceptions to this include the Iqaluit, Cape Dorset, Kugaaruk, Taloyoak, and Coral Harbour Housing Authorities which were formed under the Nunavut Housing Corporation Act.
