Iqaluit girls group home to temporarily shut down as service contract expires

Nunavut's only girls grouphome is set to shut its doors next week, at least temporarily.

The Government of Nunavut'sDepartment of Family Services says theIllagiitugutgroup home in Iqaluit which the department says holds three residents doesn't have a contract in place for someone to run it.

No one was available for an interview, but in a statement, the department saidthe three-year contract with the current service provider expires next Friday.

"The department has made the decision to temporarily suspend services at the Illagiitugut Group Homewhile the process to secure a new provider is completed," the statement reads. "Services at the Illagiitugut Group Home are anticipated to resume within the next 4-6 months."

The statement also said the GN put out a request for proposals this summer to find a new service provider, but it didn't turn up any candidates. A new request closed earlier this month, and the GN says it's in the process of reviewing the proposals.

As for the home's three current residents, the statement only said "alternate residential arrangements have been made in consultation with the current residents," adding those accommodations would be in-territory and would have the same level of care and services.

Nunavut'srepresentative for children and youth said her office didn't yet have all the facts and couldn't comment on the implications of the closure.

"We have reached out to the Department of Family Services to ask for more information to help us understand what is happening," Sherry McNeil-Mulak said in a statement.

"Based on our work over the past year, it is clear that services for children and youth in Nunavut are lacking. Therefore, the potential closure of this facility is concerning."

Not the first time its closed

The home used to be a children's group home, but controversially closed in 2014 and was converted into its current group home.

At the time, city councillors and territorial ministersargued for the home's childrento stay within the territory and go to foster homes, fearing that some children would be sent south.