Inuit Housing Needs: a Coral Harbour, Nunavut Case Study

116 Prairie Perspectives Inuit housing needs: a Coral Harbour, Nunavut case study Tom Carter, Christa Jacobucci and Tom Janzen, Institute of Urban Studies, The University of Winnipeg Abstract: The settlement of Coral Harbour, Nunavut, is characterized by geographic isolation, high rates of population growth and high levels of poverty. This case study, employing a review of relevant literature, analysis of available statistics and key informant interviews, focuses on the housing needs and circumstances of the resident population. Demographic trends and social housing waiting lists illustrate a significant demand for new housing and the young population with high rates of household formation means continued housing demand for many more years. The high cost of housing characteristic of such northern communities as Coral Harbour, when combined with the poverty so prevalent in the centre means, however, that few households can afford housing without public support. Without improved economic development opportunities providing more full time, better paying jobs for local people, public support for new housing will continue to be a high priority for the community. This case study, as well as highlighting housing, demographic and economic circumstances in Coral Harbour, illustrates many of the issues and problems facing Inuit communities in the North. Key words: northern communities, housing needs, poverty Introduction Located on Southampton Island, Nunavut, at the north end of Hudson Bay, the hamlet of Coral Harbour (so named because coral is present in the harbour) is situated at approximately 65 degrees north latitude and 85 degrees west longitude. The community has no road access and is only accessible by plane in winter with the addition of water access (boat and barge) during the short late July to mid October shipping season. The centre is located approximately 500 kilometres (by air) from Rankin Inlet, 825 kilometres from Iqaluit and 275 kilometres from Repulse Bay (Figure Prairie Perspectives 117 Figure 1: Location of Coral Harbour. 1). This paper focuses on the housing needs and circumstances of the community. The objectives of this paper include: documenting the housing needs and circumstances of the resident population; illustrating how housing has been used to generate employment opportunities; and, highlighting the fact that other economic development initiatives are necessary if the community hopes to address the deep levels of poverty experienced by the population. Although the focus of the paper is Coral Harbour, the issues and problems highlighted by this case study are typical of many northern Inuit communities. 118 Prairie Perspectives History and Past Development Trends European settlement in the Coral Harbour area dates from the late 19th century when European and American whalers arrived to exploit the rich bowhead whaling grounds off the coast. In 1899 the Scots established a permanent whaling station on the southern tip of the island (Marketing- ology 2002a). Early contact with the Inuit proved disastrous as the Europeans brought previously unknown diseases into the region. In the winter of 1902 the Inuit contracted a virulent gastrointestinal disease that wiped out all but one woman and four children who were adopted by other Inuit from the west coast of Hudson Bay. By 1915 the whaling industry in the area had collapsed because of over killing. In 1924, Inuit again began to settle in significant numbers in Coral Harbour as a local hunter had convinced the Hudson Bay Company to establish a trading post on Southampton Island (Struzik 1988). In the 1950s and ’60s federal government presence in the centre increased with the building of a school in 1950 and a nursing station in 1963. The government encouraged Inuit to move from their camps to the community to receive health care, social services and education and began building public housing during this period to accommodate families moving to the community. During the same period the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches established missions in the community. The community has continued to grow and today, in addition to being a service centre for the local population, it attracts some tourists because of the rich wildlife in the area as well as the skills of its local carvers, painters and those producing crafts from seal, caribou and other local furs (Marketing-ology 2002b, 2002c). Methodology Three approaches were employed to complete the analysis provided in this case study: a review of literature on Coral Harbour and other Inuit communities in the North; a statistical review of data from Statistics Canada, the hamlet office, the housing authority office and the Government of Nunavut; and, interviews with key informants in the community. Key informant interviews were held in May 2002 with sixteen individuals with a good knowledge of the housing, economic development, social, cultural and historical circumstances of Coral Harbour. These individuals included hamlet staff, councillors and the Mayor, the social worker, economic development officer, health care workers, the housing authority manager and tenant relations officer, the school principal, law Prairie Perspectives 119 enforcement officers and administrators of key businesses in the community. In addition to these key informant interviews in the community, discussions were held with staff of the Government of Nunavut. Questions during the interviews focused on housing conditions, housing needs, the housing market and housing programs supported by public funds, demographic trends, employment opportunities and issues associated with poverty. Demographic Trends The 2001 population of Coral Harbour was 712, up 6.4% since 1996 (Table 1). In the census period 1991 to 1996, the population grew by 15.7% from 578 to 669. The 6.4% growth rate in Coral Harbour in the 1996 to 2001 period is slightly lower than the rate for Nunavut as a whole, which increased 8.1%. Other centres in the area are growing at similar or slightly higher rates: Repulse Bay at 9.5%, Rankin Inlet at 6.4% and Baker Lake at 8.8% (Statistics Canada 2001). Growth rates in Coral Harbour are much higher than most small communities in the south because of higher birth rates and falling mortality rates, hence high rates of natural increase. Consequently the population of the community is very young. Approximately 53% of the population was 19 years of age and younger (Figure 2). In 2001 approximately 17% of the population was between the ages of 0 and 4; 12% between 5 and 9; and another 15% between 10 and 14. The school principal reported that there would be approximately thirty students going into kindergarten in Fall 2002 and there were between 35 and 40 children born in the community in 2001. Less than 3% of the population is 65 years of age or older (Table 120 Prairie Perspectives Figure 2: Coral Harbour population pyramid, 2001. 2). Although there will be some growth in the number of elderly over the next decade, less than 5% of the population is between 55 and 64 years of age (Figure 2). Some people interviewed suggested that the birth rates are starting to fall modestly as people are beginning to recognize the economic and social advantages of smaller families. However, the young population profile illustrates that housing demand will certainly be strong for the next fifteen to twenty years, as household formation will be high, at least for another generation. Household size is also worth noting as one-third of the households contain four or five persons and another one-third contain six or more persons. Only 13% are one person households and another 10% are two person households. Average household size, which stood at 4.1 persons Prairie Perspectives 121 per household in 2001 (Table 2), down from 4.5 in 1996, may continue to fall in the future, but will be larger than the Canadian average (2.6) for many years to come. Falling household size, however, will also increase the number of households and therefore housing demand in the community. Coral Harbour can obviously look forward to robust housing demand for many years. Household structure in the community illustrates a high proportion of family households. Many are young couples under 20, or 20-24 years of age. In 2001 there were a total of 175 households (Table 3), of which 76% were family households (Table 1). The number of lone parent families (both male and female led) has been increasing and in 2001 comprised 21% of total families (Table 1), up from 15% in 1996. People marry at a relatively young age, according to informants in the community, but with such a young population there are also many single individuals in their late teens and early twenties. Although most of them still live in the family home, persons living alone constituted 15% of all households in 2001 (Table 1). Some of these single households, it was pointed out, were people who had moved into the community from the south to take jobs as school teachers, nurses and RCMP officers. Living alone is not a prominent characteristic of the local population for a number of reasons. Many people interviewed suggested there is a shortage of housing (apartments or units other than single family homes) for single individuals; many local single 122 Prairie Perspectives people cannot afford housing on their own; and, the importance of family and the preference to live with family is strong both until one is married, and later when people become seniors. Informants suggested that very few people leave the community. Some move to take advantage of employment opportunities elsewhere, generally in other nearby northern communities such as Rankin Inlet or Iqaluit. A few move to further their education. In 2002 four grade twelve graduates left the community. This is the highest number of graduates ever to leave the community in any one year. Usually it is one or two - often none at all.

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