COVID-19 Impacted Community Support Initiative – Sanikiluaq
$410,000 IN GROCERY CARDS AND FOOD HAMPERS for Qikiqtani Inuit families living in Sanikiluaq. $100,000 FOR THE SANIKILUAQ HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS ASSOCIATION TO SUPPORT LOCAL FOOD SOVEREIGNTY.
Qikiqtani School Food Initiative
QIA allocated over $300,000 in healthy food for Qikiqtani Students. The funding went to Qikiqtani community District Education Authorities and schools. This funding supplemented the already existing food programs in Qikiqtani schools.
Qikiqtani Family Support Initiative
QIA allocated $2.65 million to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on Qikiqtani families with each eligible household receiving $1,000. A total of 2,660 Qikiqtani families in need of support benefited from this program.
Emergency Elders Grocery Vouchers Round 1
QIA provided $3 million in financial support to help Qikiqtani Inuit Elders access healthy food and necessary supplies. Elders were provided a $250 grocery voucher and were eligible to receive four additional vouchers for a total of $1,000/Elder.
Emergency Elders Grocery Vouchers Round 2
Working in partnership with Arctic Co-operatives Limited, QIA allocated an additional $1.8 million as Phase 2 funding to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Qikiqtani Inuit Elders. The funds were distributed as $250 vouchers every other week for a total of six vouchers per Elder or $1,500/Elder.
QIA’s COVID-19 Mental Wellness Initiative
QIA provided over $1.8 million to community non-profits and hamlets to help with mental wellness initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding was used to support the Ilisaqsivik Society, the YWCA Agvik, the Uqutaq Society, the Tukisigiarvik Society, Qikiqtani Hamlet recreation departments as well as the Qikiqtani Family Support Initiative.
Computers for Students Initiative
QIA distributed 105 Google Pixelbook Go 13.3 inch laptops to help eligible students whose education was disrupted by COVID-19. Initially 65 laptops were funded from the Mastercard Foundation and the Federal Government. The initiative was later expanded with a contribution of 40 additional laptops from Actua. Any Inuit student between the ages of 8 and 18 who lives in one of the Qikiqtani communities was eligible for the program.
NTI & QIA’s Community Hunt Funds to all the Hunters and Trappers Organizations
Inuit organizations provided $10,000 to Hunters and Trappers Organizations in Nunavut to assist with community hunts and help minimize the impacts of COVID-19 on Inuit facing economic hardship and food insecurity.
Kakivak’s Qikiqtani COVID-19 Emergency Wage Subsidy Program
With support from QIA, Kakivak Association allocated $1.5 million to create two new temporary COVID-19 programs which helped address the needs of the smallest, most vulnerable Inuit- owned businesses in the Qikiqtani Region, and helped ensure that Inuit remained employed.
The $1 million Qikiqtani COVID-19 Emergency Wage Subsidy Program provided urgent wage subsidies to assist struggling businesses in the Qikiqtani Region avoid the lay-off of Inuit employees.
The $500,000 Qikiqtani COVID-19 Business Relief Program provided small Inuit-owned businesses in the Region direct support for operating expenses to enable them to survive the negative impacts of the pandemic.
Kakivak’s Qikiqtani Covid-19 Business Relief and Emergency Wage Subsidy
Kakivak’s Qikiqtani COVID-19 Business Relief and Emergency Wage Subsidy programs were extended to the end of September 2020. The extension allowed more Inuit-owned businesses to access the emergency supports and retain their Inuit employees during the pandemic. With assistance from QIA, Kakivak Association allocated $1.5 million to this initiative.
Kakivak’s Inuit Post-Secondary Education Student Relief Program
With support from QIA, Kakivak Association allocated $263,000 to create the Inuit Post-Secondary Education Student Relief Program. This program was created to provide short-term financial assistance to help address critical needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic for Qikiqtani Inuit students.
