Nunavut’s only youth and women’s jail have merged management
Move to make facilities more efficient, Justice Department spokesperson says
Nunavut’s women’s and young offenders jails have merged management, as of April 1. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
On April 1, the Nunavut Women’s Correctional Centre and Isumaqsunngittukkuvik Young Offenders Facility, which are located in the same building on Sivumugiaq Street in Iqaluit, merged their staff.
“This will enhance staffing available to provide programming, counselling and case management,” said Stephen Shaddock, the territorial government’s director of policy and planning, in an email Monday.
The female and youth inmates continue to live separately, but they now share the same pool of employees, warden and deputy warden, he said.
In total the two facilities will have 24 employees.
“A distinct advantage will be the ability to deploy integrated staff to either unit where they are needed,” Shaddock said.
A low number of prisoners in both facilities over the past few years led to the decision. In 2024, the women’s jail admitted 31 clients, while the youth facility had seven, according to the the corrections division’s 2024-25 report.
That’s compared to the 352 inmates admitted into the men’s jail, in Iqaluit, and the 50 admitted into Rankin Inlet’s jail, in 2024.
The merger will be particularly beneficial for the women’s facility, Shaddock said, as it will increase programming to “successfully prepare female clients for their eventual release.”
The change comes when the women’s facility has suffered from a programming “shortfall” in recent years, said Kim Cholette, Nunavut’s chief investigations officer.
Cholette’s job is to make sure that Nunavut’s jails obey the law and don’t infringe on inmates’ rights.
Last year, the women’s jail ran 10 programs, which included sewing, seal skinning and an alcoholics anonymous group. The men’s jail, meanwhile, had 37 programs.
Having two separate staff for such a small number of clients “is not an effective use of resources,” Cholette said, adding that the merger is unlikely to have a negative impact on the clients’ day-to-day lives.
“It’s more of a management decision,” she said.
Only in today’s world could this women’s jail be considered to have a shortfall of programming.
10 programs for 31 female inmates = 1 program for every 3.1 inmates.
37 programs for 352 male inmates = 1 program for every 9.5 inmates.
You should see the list of ‘programs’. A lot of exaggerated, embellished and made up non sense. Surprised the investigations officer hasn’t figured that out yet.
Only makes sense, youth JAIL has no kids 99% of the time.