IGLULIK - The daycare society in Iglulik is now applying for funding outside of Nunavut in an effort to get a daycare facility in the community, according to economic development officer Carroll Macintyre.

Macintyre said the society has decided to try to secure funding from the south after years of being turned down by various departments in Nunavut.

"If the government can't do it there's no place else that has the kind of money that we need that would be willing to donate it," he said. "We're in the situation now where we're going to try foundations, if that doesn't work then we may go back to the government again."

Macintyre said the society applied for funding from various sources in Nunavut, including the Strategic Investments Program through the department of Economic Development and Transportation, but all were turned down.

Ed McKenna, director of policy planning and communications for the department of economic development and transportation, said the daycare funding application was turned down because the department is not responsible for daycares.

"Our decision was based on the fact that responsibility for early childhood education and the administration of the child daycare act is with the department of education and not with economic development," he said.

"There's actually no federal funding or territorial or provincial funding for daycares, why I don't know," Macintyre said. "So you're kind of left out in the woods unless you got one several years ago."

Elijah Evaluarjuk, head of the daycare society, agreed.

"We've tried different departments, but our criteria never seems to fit," he said.

Evaluarjuk said Iglulik's daycare woes have been a major problem in the community.

"This has been an ongoing issue for a long time, Iglulik is one of the bigger communities in the Baffin region and we don't have a daycare," he said. "I think every community needs a daycare, I guess that's the main reason people with jobs are having a hard time trying to get babysitters. We need one here in town."

Iglulik's population was 1,538 in 2006, according to Statistics Canada.

Macintyre said Iglulik is a decentralized community with government jobs available, but jobs can't be filled because there is no daycare. He said the lack of daycare facilities not only affects local residents, but the community also can't attract southern employees.

"It can be really disruptive within the community in terms of the economy and positions not being filled when they could be," he said.

Evaluarjuk said the community will continue to fundraise to make up the difference.

"During the summer we're slowed down, but in the fall we're going to start fundraising again," he said.

In a previous interview with Nunavut News/North, former Iglulik resident and member of the daycare society Jennifer McLaren said the society had been fundraising for two years.

Both Evaluarjuk and Macintyre said planning meetings will take place in the fall to discuss funding options.