We call upon the federal government to provide sustainable funding for existing and new Aboriginal healing centres to address the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual harms caused by residential schools, and to ensure that the funding of healing centres in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories is a priority.
Why “In Progress?”
August 14, 2023 – Today, Vice President of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI), Paul Irngaut, Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu, and Nunavut Minister of Health John Main, turned tundra on the future site of Aqqusariaq as part of a ground-breaking (“tundra turning”) ceremony. Aqqusariaq is an $83.7 million treatment and recovery centre, with $42.1 million in funding from the Government of Canada and $41.6 million from the Government of Nunavut.
In addition, NTI provided $5 million towards the overall costs of the project and $11.8 million through the Makigiaqta Inuit Training Corporation to train Inuit counsellors. Indigenous Services Canada will also provide $9.7 million per year in annual funding towards the costs of operating the centre.
Beginning with Budget 2016 and through Budgets 2017 and 2018, the Federal government has committed over $350M to support various initiatives to address C2A # 21 including a focus on culturally sensitive healing services in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut:
- $47.5M over 5 years in Budget 2019 to support the construction and operations of the Nunavut Recovery Centre and $9.7 million ongoing in support of treatment centre operations.
- $6.5M since 2018-2019 for the construction of a new healing center – Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Center – in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik.
In addition the government has announced the following programs:
- The Federal Pathway to Address MMIWG+ People released in June 2021, outlines investments to be made in Indigenous-led community safety planning to improve the safety and well-being of Indigenous peoples, specifically, women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, including through the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative
- The new Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative to develop more holistic community-based safety and wellness models.
- The Government of Canada will also conduct a review of resources at the Correctional Service of Canada healing lodge for Indigenous women with a view to identifying the capacity required to effectively address rehabilitation and intervention needs.
Current Status
In Progress
Call to Action
last updated
April 01, 2024
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