Re-establishing this relationship is part of the joint plan of the territorial Department of Health and the board to bring stability to health care in the region. Percy Kabloona, acting chair of the board, said the new agreement will be in place until a more permanent one can be reached.

"Today's agreement will ensure that Keewatin residents continue to have their health needs met while the KRHB continues to explore a more long-term relationship with the University of Manitoba," he said. Dr. Bruce Martin, acting head of the NMU, said the new contract will include more services and will work toward basing physician services in Rankin Inlet.

"The immediate impression is that it will be the same as before, but long-term it will be different," he said. "Some components will be the same and some will be different. We will establish more of a partnership instead of a contractual relationship."

Under the new arrangement, there will also be a review of current services.

Martin said Keewatin residents can expect general practitioner and specialist services, as well as travel clinics to the communities to begin as early as mid-March.

Until that time, there is just one doctor based out of Rankin Inlet.

Chris Keeley, KRHB interim CEO, said that the long-term agreement will likely be established when the board meets NMU officials in April.

While the intent of the long-term agreement is to expand services provided by the NMU, Keeley isn't sure if the territorial government will allocate more money.

"The Department of Health has not been consulted yet," he said. "The model we develop has to be affordable, but I don't want to put a dollar value on it."

The former contract with the MNU cost the board $1.6 million a year.