Salluit fire hall renovation nearly done but others still need work, KRG told

The building that houses the Kuujjuaq fire department is in unsafe condition, Kativik Regional Government councillors heard this week. (File photo by Cedric Gallant)

Renovations at Salluit’s fire hall are expected to be completed in the coming weeks, Kativik Regional Government councillors learned this week.

Craig Lingard, civil security director for KRG, gave updates on improvements made or being planned for firefighting services across Nunavik Monday during a council meeting.

Seven Nunavik communities — Kuujjuaq, Tasiujaq, Aupaluk, Kangirsuk, Kangiqsujuaq, Quaqtaq and Akulivik — received new fire trucks this year by sealift. Salluit does not require new trucks because its existing vehicles are up to standard, Lingard said in an interview Wednesday.

Other communities that didn’t receive new trucks require proper halls to house them. Ivujivik and Umiujaq are the department’s top priority, Lingard told councillors.

A request for additional funding to purchase fire trucks and for fire hall construction in the two communities has been sent to Quebec’s Ministry of Public Security.

“They have these small, fast rescue trucks that we put in most communities back in 1990 but they need to have a more robust and appropriate vehicle,” Lingard said in the interview.

Renovations were completed last year at fire halls in Puvirnituq, Inukjuak, Aupaluk, Akulivik, Kangirsuk, Tasiujuaq, Quaqtaq and Kangiqsujuaq.

Kuujjuaq’s fire hall still needs to be renovated.

The municipality has been borrowing use of the building, which is owned by Transport Canada, for about 26 years to house fire department and other municipal service vehicles.

But the building’s condition is not considered safe, Lingard told councillors.

“We’ve had terms of imminent danger and contamination and [presence of] carcinogens,” he said.

“The building has to be either evacuated, dismantled and remediation done to the soil or an incredible amount of work to be done to bring it back to a safe manner.”

In the past year, the municipality and the landholding corporation couldn’t reach an agreement on what to do with the building, causing a further delay.

Lingard told councillors the organizations last met with KRG in October.

Another meeting between the municipality, landholding corporation, KRG and Transport Canada is planned for early next year to discuss what to do with the building.

“In the meantime, we will continue to negotiate with [the public security ministry] for additional funding to do the best we can for a new building or renovation of that building,” Lingard said.