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Monday, June 21, 2021 A7
โItโs a hazardโ; mayor, MLA warn of danger in houses with a single exit Minister makes no commitment to address issue in public residences By Derek Neary Northern News Services Kugluktuk/Nunavut
Kugluktukโs mayor and MLA are insisting that something must be done to address public housing units with only a single exit due to risks to occupantsโ safety. โIt is a very big concern,โ Kugluktuk Mayor Simon Kuliktana said. A fire broke out in a two-storey multiplex in the community earlier this month, and the units have only one door each. โWeโre lucky it didnโt spread fast. The reason why it was contained was because we had a very quick response from our fire department,โ the mayor said. โI donโt know how the GN approved (the previous design) without the thought of safety โ safety was not part of the plan.โ In the legislative assembly on June 9, Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC) president Terry Audla said the NHC has varied designs over the past several years in an effort to reduce costs. Moving to a single door per unit shaved off $20,000 per household, or $100,000 for a five-plex, he said. โBut the feedback we got was that the second door is required and is needed for safety concerns โฆ so we went back to the drawing board and switched it back to the original two-door design.โ Calvin Pedersen, MLA for Kugluktuk, pressed Housing Minister Margaret Nakashuk to ensure greater safety while questioning her in the legislative assembly on June 9. โOne improvement that I believe can and should be looked at right away is the need for multiplex units to have more than one exit,โ he said. โFrom what I observed yesterday (June 8), this feature appears to be very lacking.โ
Nakashuk replied, โWe are concerned about the one exit, but when youโre building a multiplex, itโs cheaper.โ The minister said the NHC relies on fire-retardant wood and other materials to help keep house fires from getting out of control. โFor example, if a bedroom was on fire, theyโre using materials that would contain the fire to one area,โ she said. Kuliktana said the Government of Nunavut cannot just ignore the risk. โIt is a hazardโฆ I would like to see the housing corp. rectify the issue,โ he said. โThereโs got to be some solution. At least to make it an option for people living on the second floor, some kind of escape route so they can have peace of mind.โ Nunavut News asked the NHC to specify the number of one-door public housing and staff housing units in the territory and whether there are any plans to renovate them, but answers were not provided prior to press deadline. Former Nunavut fire marshal Tony Noakes said limiting occupants to one exit could result in deaths during a fire. โEspecially if all other access areas (such as windows) are high enough to cause serious injuries or death if used as an exit by occupants fleeing a fire,โ Noakes stated, adding that such homes should have sprinkler systems, heat detectors, alarms, extinguishers, building materials that limit fire spread, fire safety plans and related education for tenants. In Kugaaruk, Jamal Immingark lives in a recently constructed five-plex with a back door, but there are no stairs and he estimates that thereโs a drop of close to five metres. โThese new units are not safe in case of a fire,โ he said. Noakes said leaping from that height in an
Baker Lake bans single-use plastic bags Fines up to $10,000 will be issued to retailers who do not comply By Cody Punter Northern News Services Qamanittuaq/Baker Lake
Baker Lake has banned the use of single-use plastic bags in an effort to tackle its growing waste management issues. Bylaw 236 passed unanimously after its final reading on June 3. It โprohibits the provision, distribution, and sale of single-use shopping bags by retail establishments.โ The maximum fine for failing to adhere to the new regulation is $10,000. โWhen we look at our dump, the fence is half white because of shopping bags stuck in the fence. You go out hunting and fishing thereโs all kinds of bags,โ senior administrative officer Sheldon Dorey told Kivalliq News. โCouncil thought this would be the best way to deal with this.โ According to Dorey, council has been debating wheth-
er to prohibit retailers from offering plastic bags ever since members of the public started raising the issue last year. โPeople in the community had some concerns about the amount of waste, in particular plastic bags,โ he said. The hamlet offered the opportunity for businesses and community members to weigh in on the bylaw after it received first and second reading in January. No responses were received, however. Dorey said the hamlet has sent out letters to retailers since the bylaw was passed. Although some were surprised, they accept the new law. โI think the retail establishments are OK with it,โ he said. Retailers can request a four-month grace period to allow them to transition. After that period is over, enforcement will begin. โIf a retail establishment
six months from now is contravening the bylaw and we talked to them about it, the fine could rise up to $10,000,โ Dorey said. โNo one wants to go that route.โ Dorey said local residents take pride in trying to keep the land clean, with several community cleanups scheduled every year. However, with the high number of plastic bags in town, it always ends up being a losing battle. โThis year we spent a lot of time and energy cleaning up the dump and landfill and itโs already full of plastic,โ he said. The hamlet has also been looking at other ways to reduce waste in the community. Baker Lake recently began a battery collection program and has been trying to better organize and get rid of its scrap metal with the help of mining company Agnico Eagle. โWeโre just trying to make a difference,โ said Dorey.
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Multiplex units similar to these in Iqaluit with no rear exit doors pose a safety hazard for tenants that ought to be addressed, according to Kugluktukโs mayor and MLA. Trevor Wright/NNSL photo