Welcome to Ipirauttaaq Society

Our Initiatives.

Housing

We are a non-profit society who’s focus is on the betterment of the people and community. 

What is Social Housing?

Social housing is government/publicly funded programs that provides lower cost rental units to households with low-to-moderate incomes and can include: public housing (owned directly or indirectly by service managers) not-for-profit and co-operative housing. 

Social housing often fills the gap for low-income people by providing supportive housing, government-funded subsidies and rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing that would not necessarily be available to tenants in the private rental housing market.[210] When they are properly funded[211] and operated efficiently, social housing programs have the potential to provide viable housing options to people and families who cannot compete in the private rental market. 

Who benefits from social housing?

Affordable housing is, unfortunately, a topic that’s largely misunderstood by the public. Myths and misconceptions about affordable housing developments are based on fear around negative stereotypes, property values, and the change it brings to neighborhoods—all of which are common arguments in opposition of a new affordable housing community. 

While those who already have safe and stable housing may not feel the true cost of poverty, the effects are real and can have a serious detriment on our communities. High housing prices can slow down a local economy, leaving jobs unfilled and less spending power in a community. But, when affordable housing is readily available, more opportunities become available for people at all income levels. More money is available for spending in a community, and long-term change can begin to take root. In essence the entire community benefits from Social Housing initiatives. 

At the end of the day our main goal is in building capacity and helping to solve capacity and homelessness 

 

What makes this project different?

  • The Arctic Container Project (ACP) differs because we are not in the business of selling or renting homes. Therefore we are not looking to gain immense profits from these homes. Instead the profits roll back into the project that will in-turn help the next person inline for a home. 
  • One of the key components of this project is the capacity building training project. Our project utilizes the recipient as a labour force if possible, we expect them to put in 200-500 hours of volunteer hours for the opportunity to participate in the program. Now they don’t have to be in the construction of their unit but maybe they have a skillset in need that the community can benefit from, ie a seamstress she could teach some classes in the community, a carver could teach traditional carving methods to youth to keep the cultural component prospering. 

Why is this project needed?

  • Housing that is affordable and in good condition is important for health and well-being. 
  • Most social housing is 25 to 50 years old, and as it gets older it needs more major repair and retrofit to keep it in
    decent condition. Some of this housing is in disrepair, with a backlog of deferred maintenance.
  • Affordable housing of decent quality housing promotes good health and well-being. Poor-quality housing directly affects physical health, with more pests and allergens, toxins, injuries, and respiratory problems.
  • An initiative that focuses on the capacity of Inuit is what ours is all about, this training approach allows for Inuit men and women to better their lives and family’s lives while allowing more money to remain within the community.

What is our solution?

Strengthen the local economy by educating and building the capacity of Nunavummiut.

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Alternative Housing

Nunavut is facing a severe housing crisis Compared to the rest of the country, Nunavut’s housing statistics are devastating. A different approach is much needed in building and developing quick, safe and highly affordable housing alternatives to the ones currently offered.

New Logistics Approach

We use both traditional and non traditional materials in an innovative shipping container home that when shipped from the south has everything in the container needed to complete the build. It is an affordable, high-quality living space that is built quickly and easily.

Training & Capacity Building

Investing in community capacity will improve northern housing sustainability. Options to increase capacity include local labour pools, college trades and building science programs and increasing home maintenance skills for northern housing corporations, owners and occupants.

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Affordability

Discarded shipping containers can be found abandoned, shipping containers provide a perfect footprint for a small home. Sustainable and quick to build, this versatile building material offers a world of design potential at prices that won't break the bank. At a fraction of what a typical home in Nunavut costs this makes it an affordable option for everyone.

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Sustainability

Shipping containers were once primarily considered large metal boxes to be transported on ships containing the consumer goods we buy from China. In today’s inflated real estate market, this is no longer the case. Because all the items needed to build a house have to be shipped from the south what better way to ship it then to have it come up in a kit ready to be built?

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Community Needs

When combined with Nunavut's climate and geography, this presents unique challenges to providing housing in the territory. As a result, Nunavut faces chronic housing shortages. A 2010 survey found that 49% of occupied dwellings were overcrowded, with a housing shortfall of 3,800 units and growing. The need is there the solution is The Arctic Container Project.

Strategy

Our strategy is a multi faceted project, one that combines not only the need for affordable housing but also the need for cost effective build solutions. Our units will be shipped as a complete kit, everything in the shipping container from the south will be shipped up in the shipping container, from the framing, windows, doors, screws and even toilet and furnishings will all be shipped up from the south in a kit form.

Our team will then work with a crew of locally trained staff to build and create the shipping container homes from start to finish. Each unit should be build in 4-6 weeks which means we could build 1.5 to 2 units a month. While these are small units they will have all the amenities of a typical built home just it’s a fraction of the footprint size.