A childcare facility planned for Sanirajak has moved a step closer to becoming reality after Kakivak Association and NCC Development Ltd. announced Tuesday that construction will begin this fall. “This project is more than just a building; it’s about laying the groundwork for our children’s future,” Jeremy Tunraluk, who chairs Kakivak’s board of directors, said in a news release.
The budget for construction will be $11 million. The centre is expected to be completed by January 2026. The Qikiqtani Inuit Association approved a resolution in 2023 to invest in the childcare facility.
Funding for the work will come from QIA’s Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund and through Kakivak’s early learning funding received from the federal government. The facility will be 502 square metres in size, which is slightly larger than the size of a basketball court. It will have an attached deck that is 191 square metres and be used as a play area for children.
The facility is expected to be able to accommodate 44 children in the community of about 900 residents. There will be two classrooms for 16 pre-schoolers each, an infant activity area and an infant sleep area for 12 infants. Both the classrooms and the activity area will have washrooms, and the activity area will also have a changeroom.
There will be a central hub with a kitchen and space for staff. Before construction starts, there will be a pre-trades program to train residents of Sanirajak to help build the facility. .
