Government of Nunavut services during the holiday closure

Public Service Announcement

Government of Nunavut services during the holiday closure                                                                                

All Government of Nunavut (GN) offices will be closed from December 24, 2021 to January 3, 2022, except for designated facilities that must stay open.

GN services will be provided according to the public health measures in place and could change suddenly.

Health
  Iqaluit Health Services

• The Qikiqtani General Hospital will remain open with full Inpatient and emergency services. 
• The following Iqaluit Health Services will be open at a reduced capacity:
  • Ambulatory Care Clinics (QGH Clinics & Family Practice).
  • Rehabilitation Services.
  • Iqaluit Case Management.
  • Public Health Services.
  • Home and Community Care Services.
  • Diagnostic Imaging.
  • Health Records.
  • Environmental Services.
  • Biomedical Services.
  • Materials Management.
  • Central Sterilizing and Reprocessing.
  • Surgical Services for emergencies only (no scheduled surgeries).
  • Laboratory Services for emergencies only (no outpatient bloodwork).

Qikiqtani, Kivalliq and Kitikmeot Region Health Services

• Community health centres will operate with reduced services during the holiday closure period with 24/7 on-call services for emergency care and triage for all necessary care. There will be no disruption to urgent and necessary care.
• All nursing staff, clerk interpreters, caretakers, medical travel clerks, Community Health Representatives, housekeepers, and security guards are deemed essential and will work during the holiday closure dates, as scheduled by their supervisor.
• Postponed services:
  • Routine clinics such as chronic disease management, well-child immunizations and well-woman/well-man clinics.
  • The following core services at community health centres will be maintained:
    • Prenatal clinic sfor high-risk clients.
    • Urgent and emergent appointments.
    • Medical travel services.
    • Community members are advised to call ahead before visiting the health centre.

Public Health

• Public Health Nurses, Regional Communicable Disease Coordinators, TB Coordinators, and support staff will work at reduced capacity.
• TB programs and TB care delivery will function at full capacity.
• COVID-19 pandemic response will function at full capacity. Community members are asked to call the Hotline at 1-800-975-8601 for inquiries related to COVID-19 or if they have symptoms of COVID-19 to schedule testing.

Lab and Diagnostic Imaging

• Laboratory and diagnostic imaging services remain open for all urgent testing
• requirements. Routine collection and testing of lab work will be suspended during this period.
• COVID-19 swabs will remain an urgent priority and all transport measures will remain in place over the closures.

Mental Health and Addictions:

• Mental Health Nurses and consultants will function at full capacity.
• Mental Health and Addictions paraprofessional staff will be off but available to be called in at the discretion of the mental health nurse.

Medical Travel and Boarding Homes

• Boarding homes will operate at full capacity:
  • Churchill – Iglualuk Boarding Home.
  • Edmonton – Larga House.
  • Ottawa – Larga House Baffin.
  • Winnipeg – Kivalliq Inuit Centre.
  • Yellowknife – Larga Kitikmeot Boarding Home.

Family Services

• Family Services Offices will have on call services available.

Community and Government Services

• The following Community and Government Services divisions are available on an emergency basis:
  • Safety Services Division (Office of the Fire Marshal, chief electrical inspector, chief building inspector and chief boiler inspector).
  • Facilities Management Division.
  • Emergency Management Office.

Economic Development and Transportation

• The Nunavut Airports Division will be open for limited services and emergencies only.
• All airports within Nunavut will remain open for regular hours.

Education

• Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students (FANS) office is on call for travel emergencies at 867-857-6950.

Finance

• The Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Board (NLCB) is closed from December 15, 2021, to January 4, 2022. For more information, contact Edith Sweetwater at 867-975-6807 or email @email.
• The Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Commission (NULC) will continue to sell low alcohol content products (beer, wine, cider, coolers) through the Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet NULC stores during the holiday closures, with reduced hours.

• Liquor import permits and community orders will not be processed from December 23, 2021 to January 4, 2022. Customers who are planning to import liquor during  this time are encouraged to purchase a permit by December 23 from one of the  following locations:

Iqaluit NULC store
In person:

• Monday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m. EST.
• Tuesday to Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. EST.

By phone: 867-975-6869.
By email: @email.

Rankin Inlet NULC office (Siniktarvik Building)

• In person: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST.

By phone: Call 855-844-5488.
By email: @email

Cambridge Bay Department of Finance (Helen Maksagak Centre)

• In person: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. MST

By phone: Call 867-983-4048.
By email: @email

Community and Government Services

• The following Community and Government Services divisions are available on an emergency basis:
  • Safety Services Division (Office of the Fire Marshal, chief electrical  inspector, chief building inspector and chief boiler inspector).
  • Facilities Management Division.
  • Emergency Management Office.

Human Resources

• The Employee and Family Assistance Program will be available over the holiday season. Employees and their families can call the toll-free number
• 1-800-663-1142 for personal counselling in all of Nunavut’s official languages or visit https://homewoodhealth.com.
• During the GN holiday closure, @email will be monitored for emergencies only.

Justice

• Legal Registries will remain open.
• All correctional facilities will remain open:
  • Baffin Correctional Centre and Makigiarvik Correction Centre.
  • Rankin Inlet Healing Facility.
  • Kugluktuk Ilavut Centre.
  • Uttaqivik Community Residential Centre.
  • Nunavut Women’s Correctional Centre.
  • Isumaqsunngittukkuvik Youth Facility.
• Community Justice Offices will be closed but Emergency Protection Orders are available by calling 1-844-534-1038 or by calling the local RCMP detachment for assistance.
• The Nunavut Court of Justice will be closed, but standard necessary arrangements will be made to ensure bail hearings and Emergency Protection Orders are adjudicated without delay.
• The Office of Public Guardian and Trustee will be closed but can be reached at 867-222-1805 for emergencies only.

Environment

• Emergency spill response is available 24 hours a day at 867-920-8130.
• Emergency wildlife response is available 24 hours a day at 867-975-7780.

Qulliq Energy Corporation

• Qulliq Energy Corporation offices will be open during the GN’s holiday closure days (December 24, 29, 30 and 31), but closed during the statutory holidays (December 27, 28 and January 3).

Nunavut Housing Corporation

• Emergency contact number for Iqaluit staff housing: 867-222-1304. Do not send text messages.

Nunavut Arctic College:

The following NAC buildings will be closed beginning on December 24:

• Kitikmeot Campus – Cambridge Bay.
• Kivalliq Hall Offices – Rankin Inlet*
• *Single unit student residences in Kivalliq Hall will close on December 18.
• Sanatuliqsarvik, Trades Training Centre – Rankin Inlet.
• Nunatta Main Campus – Iqaluit
• Nunavut Research Institute

The following NAC Buildings will remain open (for students) during the closure:

• Family Housing Units - Cambridge Bay.
• Family Housing Units - Rankin Inlet.
• Family Housing Units and Student Residence (Old Nova Building) – Iqaluit.

More contact information can be found at: www.gov.nu.ca.

All GN offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 for regular business.

Happy Holidays!

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Media Contact:

Matthew Illaszewicz
Manager, Communications
Department of Human Resources
867-975-6262
@email