Category : News

On August 29, 2019, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec announced a joint investment to complete the funding package to provide Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre with a long-awaited facility. This confirmation came right on time to begin the construction of the new centre in the Summer 2020.

The first funding contribution was announced back in the Fall 2017 when the Kativik Regional Government and the Makivik Corporation each announced $1 million funding to kick off the project.

Then, the project received further support in late October 2018 from Indigenous Services Canada with a $6 million funding contribution. As a result, Isuarsivik was able to begin the construction of the access road before the confirmation of the entire funding.

Estimated at $40.5 million, the construction of the new centre includes the building of a new access road, a parking lot and three fourplexes to lodge staff. The funding of such project is made possible through five precious partners:

• 21 million from the Government of Canada, with Infrastructure Canada;
• 5 million from the Government of Quebec;
• 6 million from the Government of Canada, with Indigenous Services Canada;
• 75 million from Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre;
• 2 million from KRG;
• 1 million from Makivik.

In addition, the Société du Plan Nord (SPN) has supported the project by funding the technical and financial studies necessary for the design and construction of the building as well as contributing to the coordination of the project, with a distinct envelope of $1.5 million.

The new building will have 32 beds to accommodate individual and family program users, numerous office spaces, a daycare and school tutoring area for the clients’ children. The opening of the new centre is planned before the end of 2021.

On May 14^th, Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre came to an agreement with the Société du Plan Nord regarding the final total budget for the construction project and the creation of a Construction Project Governance Structure. The Quebec government has shown positive leadership and commitment with our project over the past few months and we are delighted to confirm the official construction cost evaluated at $40.5 M. So far, $19.5M has been secured from Indigenous Services Canada, the Quebec government, the Kativik Regional Government, Makivik Corporation and seed money from Isuarsivik.

On June 4^th, the Quebec government requested an allocation of $21M from Infrastructure Canada under the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Program to complete the financial package. A 10 week period is necessary for Infrastructure Canada to process the application. A positive response is expected prior to August 29^th, a significant date for Isuarsivik as the organization will host the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the construction work for the new Centre.

The construction of the main facility is scheduled for next summer.  In the meantime, we have to build the access road, parking and underground power line in order to be ready for 2020. Gely Construction was contracted to manage this specific project and has started their work since the end of July. The construction should be completed in early October.

The first fourplex to lodge employees will be built in the new town area of Kuujjuaq. The pad was completed during the last week of June by the Northern Village of Kuujjuaq.  Kautaq Construction has started construction work and the building shall be made available for Isuarsivik staff sometimes in January or February 2020.

As for the two other fourplexs, the municipal council approved the derogation –on June 26^th to zoning regulation to allow construction along the access road. Nayumivik Landholding of Kuujjuaq has already issued construction permits and geotechnical studies that will be completed during the summer to determine best construction method for both pads. Construction work is planned to commence in the summer 2020 and be completed by January 2021.

Besides Gely Construction, we also feel privileged to count amongst our construction partners SNC-Lavalin for civil engineering, EVOQ for architecture matters, NCK for structure expertise and BPA for electricity and mechanic knowledge.

Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre has already secured $19,5 M out of a total construction budget of approximately $40.5 M. The final cost evaluation is under process with the support of the Société du Plan Nord. The remaining funding balance shall be confirmed soon since the organization is expecting to receive important support from Infrastructure Canada through its program Investing in Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure.

The project includes the construction of:

• A main facility that could welcome 22 single adult clients or 32 clients under the family approach;
• Three (3) fourplex housing units to accommodate employees from and outside the community.

Thanks to Makivik Corporation and Indigenous Services Canada, some work has already started. Indeed, the footings for the first housing unit were done during the fall of 2018 and are ready for the construction to start this summer. The call for tender is online from March 3 to April 5, 2019. Plus, the sunny season will be busy at Nuuvuk Bay with the construction of the access road for the new facility and the parking lot. The call for tender is online from March 20 to April 17, 2019. Hydro-Québec will be present to connect the electricity along the road and bring it up the hill where the main building will be situated. The electricity poles will be underground to respect the land and the area of this special spot.

All these important steps will set the tone for the official construction of the facility to start off as soon as the snow melts in 2020. The construction will continue until 2021 and the opening in scheduled for fall 2021.

If you pass by the community of Kuujjuaq sometimes this summer, come and visit us at the Nuvuuk Bay site to see the work in progress!

A major component of our Development Plan 2016–2036: Towards a New Isuarsivik Recovery Centre is the revision and the adjustment of our clinical programs and team in order to better suit the needs of our clients from the 14 communities of Nunavik.

Over the past few years, the organization has been through a complete consultation process to meet with partners from health and social service sectors. Since September 2018, Isuarsivik has started an extensive revision of its adult clinical program as well as the development of a family approach that will welcome clients’ partners and children.

To do so, our organization has engaged a strong and skilled team to clearly define both the programs’ objectives based on our clients’ needs while taking in consideration their families and partners’ feedback. The whole revision process relies also on the best practices in terms of Indigenous treatment of addictions and trauma. Indeed, a literature review targeting all recovery centres’ best practices within aboriginal communities is now completed. Several focus groups were organized involving over 40 participants from all over the region. Recently, Isuarsivik’s Board of Directors was able to discuss the results emerging from the revision process and validate the key orientations of each of our two main programs.

The team supervising the revision process and the development of both programs is now drafting the workshop content and material. Many working sessions and consultations are scheduled with the BOD and the clinical staff throughout the spring and summer seasons. A first draft of the completed programs revision shall be presented to the BOD this fall.