Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

NUNAVUT
A simplified application process and reporting requirements should make it easier for communities to deliver programs to Nunavummiut, according to a government announcement April 17.

Territorial Health Minister Keith Peterson, left, and his federal counterpart Leona Aglukkaq announce a simplified application and reporting process for communities to access funding to deliver programs. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

Dubbed the Northern Wellness Approach, funding for community-based programs in three areas - mental wellness and addictions, healthy living and youth development, and disease-prevention - are now provided through a single agreement.

The new approach, effective April 1, reduces reporting requirements and gives communities more flexibility, said both the federal and territorial health ministers, in Iqaluit on April 17. From now on, communities will submit one health plan to address their priorities as opposed to separate project and/or program proposals. Reporting paperwork requirements will be reduced to 15 pages from 125 pages.

Organizations delivering front-line programs had been spending most of their time applying for a number of programs, according to federal Health Minister and Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq. If a community wants to deliver healthy pregnancy pre-natal programs and cover the subjects of diabetes or the harm of tobacco, Aglukkaq explained, she said the community organization would apply four or five times as the programs were disease-specific.

"(Now) you apply once to deliver a number of programs defined by the community as what those health priorities may be ... then they apply once to a program and report once. So their focus then becomes on delivering programs and achieving as opposed to focusing on applying and reporting," she said.

"So the shift in priority is delivering and achieving results. This has been in the works for a long time."

The agreement will provide the territorial government $83.9 million funding over five years, with $11 million this year.

Keith Peterson, the territorial health minister, said the agreement is "fantastic news."

"This has the intent of lessening the administrative burden on communities," he said. "I know mayors and SAOs will be very appreciative and also the staff. That is great."

He added, as a former mayor of Cambridge Bay, he is aware of the struggles the communities face when delivering programs.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.