ML a aN d de PuTY PreMI er vI s IT saCH s Harbour Ha MLe T

Nunakput MLA Jackie Jacobson and NWT Deputy Premier Michael Miltenberger held a public meeting on the 27th of February at the hamlet of Sachs Harbour. A range of questions about housing shortages in Sachs Harbour were posed to Jacobson and Miltenberger (the latter is also Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.)

Residents were concerned about housing shortages for educators and other employees in their community, as well as with the high rental rates in Sachs Harbour. Some individuals pay as much as $2100 for one month’s accommodation. Residents were also concerned that Sachs Harbour does not offer education beyond grade 9, and that 11 youth will have to begin grade 10 in next year Inuvik, where the boarding school is no longer available.

“It is hard to keep quality staff,” said d avid Haogak, who works for Parks Canada. He feels the high rental scales are contributing to a staffing crisis in his community. “Couples who both work often find it harder, because a big part of their income is gone after paying full rent. s ome couples choose to not work because they can live in low-rent housing if one of them does not have a job.” o ptions such as refurbishing old houses and developing a tender plan for those who wish to own their own homes at reasonable cost were discussed to resolve this problem. m argaret Carpenter was concerned that the nursing station does not have an ambulance. s he said that lives have been lost due to nurses not being able to attend to people in need of medical care. residents were also unsatisfied with the high rates they have to pay for excess baggage when they travel. High cargo rates increases their food expenses, as many have to fly in additional groceries from Inuvik, to supplement the lack of food available for sale in s achs Harbour. o ther concerns that were brought up were the difficulties faced by residents who have to travel to obtain photo I d s, n orthwest Passage sovereignty and wildlife issues such as polar bear tags and climate change.

Jacobson and m iltenberger toured the muskox harvest site after the meeting before traveling to Paulatuk for their next public meeting. t hey promised to take the concerns of these constituents back to the 16th legislative assembly.