Nunavut, federal governments pledge $2M over 4 years for sports funding

The federal and Nunavut governments are putting more than $2 million toward athletesas part of a bilateral agreement on sport participation.

Carla Qualtrough, federal minister of Sport and Persons with a Disability, and Joe Savikataaq, Nunavut's minister of Community and Government Services, signed the agreement Friday in Iqaluit.

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The announcement came during Qualtrough's visit to the 2016 Arctic Winter Games hockey competition in Iqaluit, where she handed outmedals. The hockey competition was being held in Iqaluitbecause Nuuk, Greenland, host city of the 2016 Arctic Winter Games, has no arena.

The agreement means that over the next four years,the federal government will contribute up to $1,006,900to develop sport in Nunavut. The funding is to be matched by the Government of Nunavut.

"Wereally appreciate whatever we can get," said Savikataaq.

"It's a big deal for us although it's just a drop in the bucket for the federal government."

He said the money willsupport participation and skills development for regional sports teams and someis earmarked to help with travel costs for the 2017 North American Indigenous Games in Toronto.

As a formerParalympic athlete who competed in swimming in Barcelona and Korea, Qualtrough said sheis happy some of the funds will go help Nunavutpara-athletes.

"Giving anyone with a disability the opportunity to participate in sport, perhaps excel in sports, it builds confidence, it creates life skills that you can then transfer into other areas of your lifewhether it be employment or other pursuits," she said.

Inclusion Cafe visit

Qualtrough is Canada's first minister responsible for people with disabilitiesand took the opportunity to visit Iqaluit's Inclusion Cafe, an initiative that gives people with disabilities work cooking and baking.

"We're working on a national disability legislation, so an accessibility legislation that creates standards, or creates expectations on communities, businesses, services, programs around levels of access," she said.

Qualtrough said a lot of work needs to be done to bring Nunavut up to par with other Canadian provinces and territories.

"Many people with disabilities are housebound, most of the buildings are not accessible. It will take a lot of money to retrofit existing buildings.

"You have to start one building at a time, one program at the time," she said.