Rankin Inlet is going to see two major construction projects get under way in as many years beginning this fall.
Work on Rankin's highly-anticipated 24-bed long-term care facility is expected to start in September, according to Paul Currie, project manager for the Department of Community and Government Services.
It is expected that project will not be complete until the fall of 2024.
Meanwhile the long-awaited replacement of the community's oldest utilidor system is scheduled to start in June of 2022 and will wrap up by October of the same year.
The budget for the long-term care facility is $47.5 million while the replacement of the water infrastructure is expected to cost around $7 million.
According to an email from Currie the long-term care facility will create several years worth of jobs in the Kivalliq's largest community.
Some of the opportunities include short-term construction jobs for heavy equipment operators, labourers and skilled trades workers.
Once construction is complete there will also be full-time positions to run the facility. Among the positions that will need to be filled are healthcare workers, janitorial support staff and administrators.
The long-term care facility will not only offer employment opportunities, it will also fill a much needed gap in Elder care for Nunavut.
The facility will service residents in the Kivalliq region with the possibility of other regions using it too.
“The LTCF in Rankin Inlet will allow Nunavummiut requiring long-term care to remain in Nunavut close to family and friends instead of having to relocate to a long-term care facility in southern Canada,” wrote Currie.
45-year-old utilidor to be repaired
When work gets underway on the utilidor there will be similar short-term construction job opportunities for the five months the work is expected to take to complete.
The current utilidor system, which is part of the water and sewage infrastructure for Rankin's core area and Area 1 is more than 45 years old and has been in need of replacement for years.
According to Currie sections of sewage piping in the older core area and Area 1 in the Hamlet are experiencing low water pressure due to blockages in the water piping and capacity issues with the sewage flows to Johnston Cove Sewage Pumping Station.
These issues have been exacerbated by the unprecedented residential and commercial growth.
“The water and sewage mains in these areas no longer meet capacity and water flow requirements,” wrote Currie.
The replacement of water mains, larger diameter sewage mains, a couple of access vaults and upgrades to Johnston Cove Sewage Pumping Station are required to resolve these issues.