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HAY RIVER - Soon Northerners with moderate-to-severe intellectual disabilities will be able to stay in the North to receive living assistance, and some will even be returning home.

Health minister Sandy Lee cut the ribbon on the Hay River territorial supportive living campus at the facility's grand opening April 27.

Nancy Hughes, manager of supportive living services, said the doors are now open at two two of the facility's three homes, and she hoped to have eight tenants moved in by July.

The facility will assist adults over the age of 19 that have brain injuries, FASD, autism or other intellectual disabilities with basic activities in their daily lives and help them become more independent.

"They have to learn how to cook and learn how to clean and learn how to do these types of things on their own," she said. Staff will work be available 24 hours a day, on rotating 12-hour shifts.

A large, fenced-off area along Woodland Drive has been dug up in anticipation of a day program centre, which is expected to be completed this fall, along with another four-bedroom house.

Hughes said the program centre will house an industrial-sized kitchen for tenants to learn to cook and bake, will feature an arts and crafts area, and will allow workers to teach life and job skills to tenants.

Lee said it will also serve as a gathering point for the community and for people to access resources.

Hughes led a group of residents, politicians, health workers, media and RCMP officers on a tour through one of the homes. Each home has four bedrooms, a den, a spacious kitchen and living room, two bathrooms with specialty showers and a laundry area. Guests commented on the abundance of natural sunlight in the house.

Jane Groenewegen, Hay River South MLA, said the 28 full-time jobs the campus will create will be a great boon to the local economy.

Hughes said seven or eight causal positions will also be created when all the facilities are up and running.

Department officials told News/North the facility will receive $1.829 million "ongoing for operation costs and funding."

Lee said there was a gap in services provided to disabled residents of the NWT, as space in Inuvik's Charlotte Vehus Group Home is limited. As well, many residents have to be sent south for care, which is costly and separates people from their families.

"It's not necessarily going to be cheaper but everything being balanced, I think it's a good thing for the government and the people."

The facility was once home to a young offenders' facility that closed around three years ago, eliminating 16 full-time jobs. Hay River North MLA Paul Delorey was pleased to see the campus finally open, bringing more jobs to the community.

Delorey said he had hoped to see it open a year ago – with the entire facility operational – but acknowledged "it takes time."