Federal funding boost means better college facility in Iqaluit

The new Nunavut Arctic College facility planned for Iqaluit got a $10 million boost from the federal government Wednesday.

The dean of the college says the money is going to mean a bigger and better facility.

"[It]has a tremendous impact on the scope of the project and our ability to start construction next spring," saidEric Corneau.

The new 2,500 square metre facility is on track to open in 2019.

In announcing the funding, the federal minister of small business and tourism, BardishChagger,said it will result in a better spacefor training and research.

"Our youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, they're the leaders of today and this provides them the opportunity todiscover and innovate and do the great work that we need them to do."

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Inuit Language and Culture Centre of Excellence

The new facilitywill be linked to the current building. It's set to house many of the classes that were held at the Old Residence building, which was ruined by a fire last year.

Nunavut'sminister responsible forNunavutArctic College, Paul Quassa, said theexpansionwill help speed the move toward a public service that is representative of the territory's population. Inuit make up about 82 per cent of the population but onlyabout 50 per cent of the public service.

Quassaalso said the new building will be home to the Inuit Language and Culture Centre of Excellence,a place for students to learn about their heritage.

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