Kuujjuaq’s former elders’ home to be repurposed as homeless shelter

Kuujjuaq’s shuttered elders’ home is set to become a temporary homeless shelter weeks after the facility’s former residents were relocated to a long-term care home in Montreal.

A one-year agreement between the municipality, Nunavik Housing Bureau, Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services and Ungava Tulattavik Health Center will allow the former Tusaajiapik Elders Home building to be used as a homeless shelter until October 2027, deputy Mayor Claude Gadbois said Friday in an interview.

The arrangement comes as the municipality looks for a permanent solution for people who experience homelessness.

Kuujjuaq’s previous homeless shelter closed in September because of its poor condition, including a leaking roof, mould in some areas and recurring leaks caused by problems such as frozen pipes, Gadbois said.

Those who used the shelter have been staying in tents set up behind the building.

“It’s been deteriorating for many years. We kept up with it, but it’s getting to the point where it’s not feasible anymore,” Gadbois said.

Meanwhile, Nunavik health officials announced in April there were technical issues with Tusaajiapik’s heating system and other “major technical components.” Another statement in September announced residents would be moved to a facility in Pointe-Claire, Que., and that the home would close afterward.

Representatives with the Nunavik Housing Bureau, which owns the building, did not respond to questions about whether the heating issues have been fixed or if the building was suitable for use as a temporary homeless shelter.

Nunatsiaq News has also asked the health board and health centre for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Gadbois said he did not believe the heating issues were the main reason for the facility’s closure.

“The issue is because there’s no sprinkler system. And the building does need renovation. But it’s suitable for us to use as our own shelter for that one year as an emergency measure,” he said.

Following a 2014 fire at an elder’s home in L’Isle Verte that killed 32 people, Quebec passed a law that required automatic sprinklers at all seniors’ homes that house 10 or more residents.

The deadline for facilities to be up to date was extended to December 2027. It’s unclear why the seniors were moved more than one year before this deadline.

Gadbois said the municipality is working to secure funding for a permanent shelter.

A proposal developed with the Quebec Housing Corp. four years ago would have provided funding for a nine-bed shelter, which the municipality considered too small.

“On any given day, we are between 15 and 25 people that need shelter,” Gadbois said, adding that this figure does not include people staying with relatives or couch surfing.

This means that number may be higher.

The municipality wants a 25-bed facility, potentially built on or near the existing shelter site once the old building is demolished.

“We can’t wait until October next year to make a plan,” Gadbois said.