RANKIN INLET/KIVALLIQ - The Kivalliq Outreach Program will be closing its doors on March 31, barring a minor miracle.

Kevin Sanguin watches as Mark Petersheim cuts ice for elders during a Kivalliq Outreach Program project near Rankin Inlet. - photo courtesy of Kivalliq Outreach

Outreach began as a three-year program funded through the Aboriginal Healing Foundation in 2004, and was extended by the Government of Canada for three years in 2007.

Regional director Kevin Sanguin said most of the 140 Aboriginal Healing Foundation programs across the country will stop on March 31.

He said a final effort to extend funding is underway.

"We've put our shoulder to the plow to help the effort started by the Manitoba Chief's Association about a month ago," said Sanguin.

"A letter was circulated asking us to try and get people to sign a petition of support for our funding.

"So we're busy at that and talking to our political representatives to get support to continue our program."

Sanguin said he understands the feds are not interested in a never-ending commitment of big dollars across the country.

But, he said, many programs are working well under the foundation umbrella.

"I thought the lobbying power of our aboriginal neighbours to the south would have led to an extension being granted.

"But the chances of that seem rather remote unless amazing support rises and puts a lot of pressure on the government."

Sanguin said the biggest success of the Kivalliq program is building capacity with front-line caregivers, which was a core strategy for the past 30 months.

He said the second is being able to bring real help to families and individuals through counselling, and the third is the success of various programs across the region.

"It's a huge success to see the program grow, and some projects we supported really blossomed.

"Our goal from the start was to invest our time, energy and funding into things that would extend the benefit of the program beyond March 31, 2010, and we see lots of evidence of that."

The funding stoppage will also have an economic impact on the region, with seven full-time and 15 casual positions lost between Repulse Bay, Chesterfield Inlet, Arviat, Coral Harbour and Rankin.

The Outreach closure will also affect about 70 people involved in traditional teaching, sewing instruction, sporting events and other projects.

The total salaries, honoraria and instructor fees paid out in 2009 was $588,000, of which more than 90 per cent was spent in the communities.

March 31 will also bring a drastic drop in Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre activities, with staff cut to 36 from 71, and further reductions expected due to late funding of other programs.

Sanguin said while he appreciates the support Outreach initiatives received in the past, there's still lots of work remaining.

He said that's especially true in many smaller communities where Outreach programs are often the only resources available.

"We've been able to touch a lot of people in the time we've been here and the services we provide are crucial to our region.

"Other service-providing professionals fully appreciate the value of our service and they're going to be dearly missed.

"The outlook is bleak, but we'll keep trying because that's better than resigning ourselves to our extinction."