Housing NWT has announced that tenants have finally begun moving in to the Nordic Arms apartment building in Yellowknife, with all tenants scheduled to move in by the end of the month.
Housing NWT is working towards making public housing more available throughout the city by by providing fair access to quality housing supports for those who need it most. The Nordic Arms building was acquired last year, allowing the company to have direct control over how the units were managed, as well as making sure that public funds stay in the territory.
Between March 2022 and May 2023, Housing NWT conducted significant repairs and renovations to the building, hiring only local contractors. Project costs were approximately $1.3 million and included a range of building upgrades and improvements, including new sprinklers, fire panels, electrical distribution upgrades, and flooring replacements. Approximately $300,000 of this work was funded through a contribution from Finance Canada.
The purchase of Nordic Arms does not represent an overall increase to the number of public housing units in Yellowknife. Instead, a corresponding increase of private market rental units will become available as a result.
Previously a market rental building, two of Nordic Arms’ 24 units will remain market units under Housing NWT. The remaining 22 are designated for public housing.
Housing NWT plans to continue operating this building as a mixed-use public and market facility. As vacancies naturally come up, all units may eventually be used for public housing, with the local housing authority allocating tenants based on need.
