IGLULIK - A licensed daycare facility is in the works in Iglulik, the last community in Nunavut to get one.

The legislative assembly is allocating $235,000 in one-time capital funding to the community's daycare project, according to a bill presented June 9.

In 2008 Meeka Nangmalik walked from Iglulik to Hall Beach and back, a 150-km journey, to fundraise close to $5,000 to establish a daycare. She teaches at Ataguttaaluk High School.

"Now, it will be opened and that makes me really happy," she said. "I am really thankful they're going to get one now. A lot of them (young mothers) cannot finish high school because of a lack of babysitting."

The Ajagutaq Daycare Society has been working since December 2007 to establish a licensed daycare in the community, said chairman Elijah Evaluarjuq. He added they plan to use the money received from the territorial government to renovate an existing building this fall, bringing construction material on this year's sealift if all goes well.

"I'm just glad we'll get a daycare, hopefully within a year's time," he said. "We know that won't be enough but at least that will be a start. There is always a need for daycare, especially people that want to work."

He added they will probably accept anywhere from 15 to 20 children.

"We were surprised but not too surprised (to get the funding) because we have been pressuring the government about getting a daycare," said Evaluarjuq.

Premier and Education Minister Eva Aariak stated in the legislature the $235,000 was received by Nunavut from the federal government's Child Care Spaces Initiative in 2007. Nanulik MLA Johnny Ningeogan pointed out Chesterfield Inlet has also been asking for funding for a daycare in that community, but has been told the government of Nunavut does not provide infrastructure money to establish stand-alone daycares, only for daycares inside schools.

"In the future, the schools that will be constructed will include a daycare," Aariak stated, adding the Iglulik initiative was one-time-only.

Celestino Uyarak, Iglulik's assistant senior administrative officer, said the community was happy about the announcement.

"Trying to get a babysitter has been hard for them (mothers) as well and this daycare centre will be a very helpful one for them," he said. "We're expecting good things about it."

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