Published 8:41 am Tuesday, October 27, 2026 By Jill Westerman Northern News Services With the Nunavut legislative assembly’s fall sitting underway, Arviat South MLA Jamie Kablutsiak said his priorities remain consistent with those he identified during his election campaign. Housing is one item he wants near the top of the government’s agenda because he said he plans to explore whether Arviat’s new modular home factory could also help address a shortage of daycare spaces and other community facilities. With housing being an urgent concern, Kablutsiak said he sees the factory as an important addition that could benefit Arviat, the Kivalliq region and Nunavut more broadly. “It’s something that needs to be on top of the list with this government because it’s badly needed for those who are in bad need of housing,” he said. But Kablutsiak said he also wants to learn more about the factory’s capacity to produce buildings beyond public and staff housing. He spoke with a factory employee about whether the facility could produce other community infrastructure. “So I inquired about daycares or community learning centres, airport terminals and whatnot,” he said. He was told the Arviat factory could produce those types of buildings. He pointed to the community’s daycare waiting list as an example of a need it might help address. “[There’s] not enough space to accommodate all the parents that are on waiting list,” he said. After the fall sitting, which wraps up on Nov. 5, the MLA said he plans to meet with the factory employee to discuss the facility’s capabilities in greater detail, then use that information to advocate in the assembly. Kablutsiak said there are many issues he wants to raise in the House. “Health, infrastructure, education and youth were going to be my top priorities,” he said. He also intends to follow up on questions he raised with ministers during the spring sitting. Kablutsiak sees employment opportunities associated with university development in Arviat, including gravel hauling, heavy equipment operation and construction work. He said he observed gravel being hauled to residential lots during the summer. He expects activity over the coming years to create work for Inuit and local residents. “It’s something that I look forward to because it’ll benefit, no doubt, for those families that need the income with the high cost of food prices and all,” he said. He expects Arviat to be bustling during construction, with the completed university bringing benefits beyond the community. Regional infrastructure is another priority he identified, particularly the proposed Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link. “That’s something that’s been in the talks for quite some time. I would love to see it moving forward,” he said. “We definitely need the federal government to pitch in on these major infrastructure projects.” Kablutsiak believes access to hydroelectricity could reduce residents’ power costs, leaving households with more money for food. He also wants the fall sitting to include scrutiny of preparations for devolution. “That’s another, I’ll put it this way, hot topic that should be highly considered during our fall sitting, and I look forward to reviewing and going over how the process will look like,” he said. Time for change Seasonal clock changes are another issue he intends to revisit. Kablutsiak said the subject came up during the spring sitting, and he supports pursuing year-round standard time. With several issues competing for attention, Kablutsiak said he would return to questions raised in the spring and focus on those he considers important to the region. “If you put your time and thought into it, it can be done in terms of asking questions,” he said.
Housing, community infrastructure among Kablutsiaks fall sitting priorities
