The governments of Canada and Quebec, along with many dignitaries and regional partners participated in the grand opening of the Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre in Kuujjuaq.
The Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre provides recovery services to Nunavimmiut struggling with problematic substance use. Through the construction of new modern facilities, the centre will be able to triple its reception capacity, develop services adapted to Inuit culture, and meet the growing needs of families across Nunavik.
“Thanks to Isuarsivik, people here can receive culturally appropriate services while staying close to their loved ones. This will make the centre a pillar of the healing process in Nunavik. Its grand opening today was made possible thanks to the leadership of the Nunavimmiut. Our role in government has been to support that leadership. This is how we can move towards reconciliation.” said Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services.
The new building consists of 32 beds for users and their children, as well as 12 staff housing units. With a treatment program offered in Inuktitut, the centre provides a warm and welcoming environment for users to begin their healing process. Based on best practices in problematic substance use, the program considers the trauma specific to Nunavik communities. A variety of family housing units, a daycare centre, and a school tutoring area allow families to stay together, thus improving the quality of life for children when a loved one stays at the centre. Construction of an access road and parking lot adjacent to the centre completes this project, which is essential to the well-being of the 14 Inuit communities in Quebec.
“Thank you to our partners, funders and the Isuarsivik family for standing with us on this significant path and making today possible. After nearly 18 years of hard work, it is finally possible to gather and celebrate the National Grand Opening. Today, we unite in pursuit of a common vision for the future – to deliver comprehensive and culturally sensitive healing programs for Nunavimmiut.” said Etua Snowball, executive director, Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre.
The construction of the Isuarsivik centre, a $43.6 million project, was carried out with the financial support of several partners, including an investment of $29 million from the Government of Canada, $8.5 million from the Government of Quebec and $6.13 million from Isuarsivik Centre, Makivvik Corporation, Kativik Regional Government and Kativik Municipal Housing Bureau.
Lastly, the Government of Quebec, through the involvement of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, also announced that funding of $350,000 for the first year, then $3 million per year for the following three years, would be used to support the care and services provided in Isuarsivik.
“I am pleased that the government is contributing financially to this project. With these new, much more functional buildings, I am hopeful that they will facilitate the important work of the entire Isuarsivik team. I would like to greet them and thank them from the bottom of my heart for their valuable contribution to the community,” said Ian Lafrenière , Quebec Minister responsible for First Nations and Inuit Relations.
The Centre’s operating budget is supported by the Community Organization Support Program, administered by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS), as well as the Ungaluk Safer Communities Program, which Makivvik Corporation and the Kativik Regional Government administer.
Featured image: (Government of Canada)
