Funding for two projects in Nunavut under the Drug Treatment Funding Program and the Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund

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News Release: Government of Canada Works with Nunavut to Help Prevent Young People from Taking Illicit Drugs

Today's announcement falls under the Government's National Anti-Drug Strategy. Under the Treatment Action Plan of the National Anti-Drug Strategy, the Government of Canada announced $100 million over five years in new funding to treat people with drug addictions. Of this new funding, $52.4 million over five years was allocated to Health Canada for critical drug treatment initiatives for provinces and territories.

The new National Anti-Drug Strategy funding is in addition to Health Canada's existing $69.5 million for drug treatment, for a total of $121.9 million. The Government of Nunavut is receiving funding for the Substance Use Youth Outreach/Counsellors in Three Communities in Nunavut project under the Drug Treatment Funding Program of the Treatment Action Plan.

Under the Prevention Action Plan of the Strategy, the Government of Canada approved approximately $50 million in contribution funding for Health Canada's Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund to help communities tackle the increasing challenge of illicit drug use by young people. The Whale Cove Youth Engagement Program is being funded under the Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund of the Prevention Action Plan.

Substance Use Youth Outreach/Counsellors in Three Communities in Nunavut project

The purpose of this project is to hire, train and place a youth outreach/counsellor in three key Nunavut communities (Kugluktuk, Rankin Inlet and Clyde River) in order to address addiction problems for at-risk Inuit youth between the ages of 12-24. Special emphasis will be placed on pregnant women, youth in foster care and youth who have dropped out of school.

The services that the youth workers will provide are in the areas of outreach, education, support, continuing contact and referral to both traditional activities and mental health services. Youth-friendly pamphlets, as well as strategies to assist in de-normalizing the use of cannabis and alcohol, will be distributed to interested communities.

Funding for this project:

• 2010-11 -- $ 469,370
• 2011-12 -- $ 576,820
• 2011-13 -- $ 569,210
• Total: $ 1,615,400

Whale Cove Youth Engagement Program

The Whale Cove Youth Engagement Program will educate community members about the risk of drug use and drug prevention through media such as local radio and posters, as well as engage at-risk youth in activities that will foster coping to avoid illicit drug use.

Youth will participate in a series of leadership training activities including hip hop classes and kite skiing. Inuit culture is a key component of this project and will be interwoven into activities which include oral learning from Elders and field trips to connect youth with Inuit tradition and culture.

Funding for this project:

• 2010-11 -- $ 135,650
• 2011-12 -- $ 103,500
• Total: $ 239,150

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