Women’s shelters getting more money

Ed Picco, the minister of health and social services, confirmed last week that the 2002-3 Nunavut budget contains the first funding increase that women’s shelters have received from a territorial government since 1992.

In response to questions from Nattilikmeot MLA Uriash Puqiqnaq, Picco said budgets for womens’ shelters will likely go up by eight to 10 per cent.

The money is conditional on the legislative assembly passing his department’s new mental health strategy, Picco said.

Puqiqnak said the small shelter in Taloyoak, one of the two communities he represents, hasn’t seen a budget increase since it started up eight years ago.

Picco said the money handed over to women’s shelters in Nunavut is “unconditional,” and that each shelter may apply the extra money as they see fit — toward salaries and benefits, or to other things.

“With that increase to the family violence shelters across Nunavut, those shelters have the opportunity of using that money for wages, benefits or indeed other O&M expenses,” Picco said.