Nunavut Sivuniksavut gets $5M boost for student housing

Students attending Nunavut Sivuniksavut, an Inuit youth college leadership program in Ottawa, may soon be able to live in a residence building of their own.

It recently received a $1 million donation from NunasiCorporation and a $4 million commitment from NunavutTunngavikInc.towards the college's goal to purchase a student residence.

Nunasi Corporation, an Inuit-owned business development company, announced its funding in a news release last week.

"This big dollop of money fromNunasiis a major contribution," said Morley Hanson, a coordinator withNunavutSivuniksavut.

"We're excited by it. We're very grateful."

For about the last 15 years, college staff have been finding apartments and other housing for each student attending Nunavut Sivuniksavut.

The college had more than 50 students enrolledthis year, and Hanson said it can be difficult to arrange housing for all of them.

"It takes a lot of staff time here to secure all these apartments, to secure the leases, to furnish them," he said.

"The student housing market really tightened up."

Hanson explained that the money the college raised through fundraising, as well as the donations, will help secure a residence building.

The college is waiting to hear back about a set of new buildings close to the school that Hansonhopes could serve that purpose.

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