What GN services are open and what’s closed over the holidays

Government of Nunavut offices are preparing to close for the holidays, but many services will remain open at full or reduced capacity.

All GN offices close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 23 and won’t reopen until 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 2, except for designated facilities that must stay open, the GN announced in a news release this week.

Facilities that will continue offering services are:

Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit will continue to have full inpatient, pharmacy and emergency services. Other city health services will be offered at reduced capacity, such as ambulatory care clinics, rehabilitation and laboratory services, home and community care service, and surgical services for emergencies only.

Qikiqtani, Kivalliq and Kitikmeot Region community health centres will still provide 24-7 on-call services for urgent and emergency care.

Prenatal clinics for high-risk clients, urgent and emergency appointments, and medical travel services at community health centres will remain open. Continuing care centres and elders’ facilities will be fully operational during the holiday period.

Tuberculosis care delivery will function at full capacity.

While Kivalliq and Qikiqtaaluk laboratory and diagnostic imaging services will remain fully operational, the same services in the Kitikmeot Region remain open for urgent and necessary testing requirements only.

Medical travel and boarding homes in Churchill, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Yellowknife and Iqaluit will continue to operate at full capacity.

The Department of Family Services family wellness division will have on-call services available in all three regions.

The Department of Community and Government Services will operate at reduced capacity and on an emergency basis, such as the safety services division and facilities management.

Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet beer and wine stores will be closed from Dec. 25 to 27 and Jan. 1 and 2. Liquor import permits and community orders will not be processed from Dec. 23 to Jan 2.

The Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Commission will continue selling low-alcohol content products through its Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet stores during the holiday closures, but with reduced hours.

The employee and family assistance program will be available by phone throughout the holidays.

The Nunavut Court of Justice and community justice offices will be closed, but legal registries will remain open except on Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1.

Emergency protection orders will be available by calling 1-844-534-1038 or contacting local RCMP detachments.

All correctional facilities in Nunavut will remain open.

Emergency wildlife and emergency spill response will be available 24 hours per day.

All airports in the territory will remain open, but the Nunavut Airports Division will be open for emergencies only.

Qulliq Energy Corp.’s customer care and employee offices will be closed Dec. 23 to Jan. 2, but essential service staff will continue delivering power supply.

Nunavut Housing Corp. can be contacted for emergencies.

Most Nunavut Arctic College buildings will be closed including the Kitikmeot Campus in Cambridge Bay, the Kivalliq Hall Offices in Rankin Inlet, the Sanatuliqsarvik Trades Training Centre in Rankin Inlet, the Nunatta Main Campus in Iqaluit and the Nunavut Research Institute.

However, Nunavut Arctic College family housing and some student residences will remain open in Cambridge Bay, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit.

For the complete list of what GN services will remain open during the holidays, visit the GN website.