DATE ISSUED: May 5th, 2021
EVENT: QIA’s Emergency Grocery Vouchers for Elders

The Qikiqtani Inuit Association’s initiative to help Elders impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will be reopened thanks to new funds made available through the Indigenous Communities Support Fund.

The Emergency Grocery Vouchers for Elders is now available from May 11 to June 22. This initiative also supports Qikiqtani Inuit who are 60 or older living outside Nunavut.

This initiative is designed to provide short-term financial support to Qikiqtani Inuit Elders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

QIA is delivering this program through Arctic Co-op stores in your community. In Iqaluit, the program is running through Arctic Ventures. In Clyde River, the program is running through Ilisaqsivik and will be delivered as food hampers to eligible Elders.

Here is how this works:

• Under this program, a Qikiqtani Inuit Elder is an Inuk 60 years and older, from the Qikiqtani Region, and registered with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
• Each voucher is worth $250
• You get the voucher as a grocery card
• Each Qikiqtani Elder can get four vouchers for a total of $1,000
• You can go to the Co-op store in your community to pick up a grocery card
• The cards can be picked on the following dates:
• May 11
• May 25
• June 8
• June 22

IN COMMUNITIES WITH ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 (IQALUIT AND KINNGAIT)

QIA will work with the stores to ensure that distribution of vouchers occurs in a way that protects both Elders and staff and complies with orders from CPHO. Details of this will follow in a PSA later this week.

Additionally, QIA will be reoffering the Emergency Land Access Initiative to assist Qikiqtani Inuit in affected communities to self isolate with their families on the land. Details of this program will be released shortly.

Qikiqtani Inuit who are 60 or older living outside Nunavut will receive this initiative as a one-time payment of $500 in form of a cheque which will be mailed in mid-May.

All Qikiqtani Elders, registered with Nunavut Tunngavik, are automatically eligible.

This emergency support is for Qikiqtani Inuit aged 60 and older as of June 30, 2021.

QIA has asked the stores and Ilisaqsivik society NOT to give out cards or hampers to someone who is not on the list.

For more information on this program, you can e-mail: COVID-19@qia.ca or
call: 1-867-975-8383.

Please visit the QIA website at qia.ca for more information and daily updates.

You can also get the latest news and updates from QIA’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

For more information, please contact:
Will Hopkins, Acting Director of Communications,
Qikiqtani Inuit Association
whopkins@qia.ca
867.975.8413 or
1.800.667.2742