Government of Nunavut Buildings
Location: Iqaluit, Nunavut
Status: In Operation
Provincial/Federal/Municipal: Territorial
Date of Substantial Completion: 2001
Type of P3: BOO (Build-Own-Operate)
Value of Partnership: $160 million (construction)
Handback: 2029 (office buildings); 2021 (block of original residential units sold to Nunavut Housing Corporation)
The Nunavut Government Facilities and Housing Program established the foundational office and residential infrastructure necessary to launch the new Government of Nunavut after the territory's creation in 1999. It also represents a pioneering example of infrastructure delivery aligned with Indigenous ownership, decentralized governance and long-term territorial development.
The program responded to commitments set out in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement and subsequent federal legislation, which called for a decentralized territorial government operating across multiple communities. To support this model, the Canadian and later the Nunavut government required a portfolio of office buildings, legislative facilities and staff housing distributed throughout the territory.
Inuit leadership recognized that these needs could be met through an Inuit-owned development structure that would retain economic benefits in Nunavut while delivering critical public infrastructure. The program delivered 10 government office buildings in 10 communities, including the Legislative Assembly in Iqaluit, along with 250 units of staff housing across 11 communities aligned with regional administrative centres.
The three-storey Legislative Assembly building in Iqaluit, designed by Montreal-based architectural firm Arcop, incorporates architectural elements reflecting Inuit culture and history, reinforcing the program’s emphasis on cultural relevance alongside functional delivery.
Construction took place between 1998 and 2001 and reached completion on budget and approximately one year ahead of the original four-year schedule. The completed buildings were valued at $160 million by the Nunavut Construction Corporation for lease to the Nunavut government.
The assets were delivered under long-term lease arrangements, with responsibility for operations and maintenance retained by the private owner. This arrangement was selected in lieu of direct capital funding by the Nunavut and federal governments and enabled the private sector to secure financing for the project.
In a 1999 article, it was reported the federal government was providing Nunavut with $19 million to $22 million each year to rent the offices and staff houses built by Nunavut Construction Corporation during the original 20-year lease period. In addition to rent, the funding covered "other operations and maintenance costs such as water, sewage, fuel and cleaning."
The office buildings are currently under a lease-to-own agreement for a 10-year period following the expiry of the original 20-year leases. The Government of Nunavut will take ownership of the office buildings at the end of this 10-year extension period (around 2029/2030).
The housing units had separate lease agreements with the Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC) for a 20-year term. In November 2021, 126 of the original residential units were sold outright to the NHC. They included units in Iqaluit, Arviat, Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet, Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay and Gjoa Haven. The remaining 124 units, located in Igloolik, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet and Kinngait, are subject to new lease agreements with the NHC.
Beyond asset delivery, the program catalyzed regional economic development. The program has employed more than 250 Inuit beneficiaries, logged more than 100,000 apprenticeship hours, and prioritized Inuit suppliers and subcontractors. The initiative supported the growth of a local construction and real estate development sector and established a long-term platform for reinvestment in Nunavut communities.
Partners:
Public: Government of Nunavut
Private: Nunavut Construction Corporation (NCC), owned by Nunavut’s four Inuit birthright development corporations (Nunasi Corporation, Kitikmeot Corporation, Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and Sakku Investments)
