City of Iqaluit awaiting information on food voucher program extension
Inuit Child First Initiative extended to 2026, but city’s agreement with federal government expires at end of March
The City of Iqaluit says its food voucher program is still set to expire March 31, and it is waiting to find out what’s next now that the Inuit Child First Initiative has been extended to the end of March 2026. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Now that the Inuit Child First Initiative has been extended, the City of Iqaluit is asking the public to be patient as it figures out what’s next for its food voucher program.
The city has provided food vouchers since November to families with Inuit children using funding from the initiative.
Eligible families with children under the age of 18 can receive $500 per child monthly to spend on food. Families with children under four years of age can receive an additional $250 per child for items like diapers, wipes and baby formula.
The initiative, funded by Indigenous Services Canada, was due to expire at the end of March. But on Saturday, Gary Anandasangaree, the Crown-Indigenous relations minister, announced funding has been extended for one year, to March 31, 2026.
Territorial leaders and children’s health advocates welcomed the news.
However, the city’s $5.4-million funding agreement with Indigenous Services Canada still expires this coming March 31 — the original expiry date for the federal program.
“We are awaiting further details on how the renewed funding may affect our program, including potential changes to the application process,” a news release issued Wednesday by the City of Iqaluit said.
“We appreciate the value this initiative brings to Iqaluit families and will provide updates as soon as more information becomes available.”
Several other Nunavut communities have also signed onto the Inuit Child First Initiative food voucher fund.
Mean while in Iqaluit they are a lot of job open and yet no parents out there looking for one due to many hand outs from the government
Time to go back to the 90s work save up and buy ur own food and stuff
You can thank trudeau for that. He was the king of hand-outs, which has had the complete opposite effect of leading a people towards self-determination. Ivan Pavlov made this clear through classic conditioning experiments.
Woof
They think they are entitled to high paying job right away
Your comment is very concerning. As a hard working Inuk who pulls my weight plus some in our team, it’s very discouraging to see comments like this. It is because of people like you who assume things about Inuit that many Inuit with high potential are held back in certain positions when they are very capable of moving up.
Would you like to fill out hurt feelings report ?
They are a lot of capable parents that can work but chose not to because it will affect their income support which they live comfortably with
I have been to many Nunavut communities and yes I’m an Inuk I’ve seen it and lived it
Work?!!!😱😱😱😱
OMG!! Emotional damage.
With a Rebel Yell, we cry, “MORE!! MORE!!! MORE!!”🤘🤯
People who post on hand outs is stupid as 101% ,
They get paid well and not have to support a bigger support on grown-up family relatives who ends up supported ,
This Government has no clue seeing our struggles,
Yeah right oncevand a blue moon fuel grant total BS as city taxes us home owners or other businesses hike up our bills always every year ,
My kids and grandchildren will or cannot afford to build a new house ever anymore or ever ,
Thank you future as I came with nothing and I will leave with nothing and tried to help as much and just be a memories from the past ..
David