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Nunavut Harvesters Support Program under Review

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Vice-President James Eetoolook today announced the Nunavut Harvesters Support Program will not be offered in 2014 in order to provide time to review the future of the program.

The decision is in keeping with direction from the Nunavut Hunters Income Support Trustees, who recommended there be no distribution and program delivery in 2014. The recommendation also requires NTI and RIA staff to complete a five-year plan and strategy for the delivery of the NHSP. This plan and strategy will be submitted to the NTI Board of Directors for review in Oct. 2014.

“It is very important to NTI that we do everything we can to keep the NHSP functioning. The decision was made to ensure the funds in the Trust would not be exhausted within five years. The review that is now underway will explore means to extend the life of the Trust beyond five years,” said Eetoolook.

The NHSP was established in 1993 by the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut to provide financial assistance to Inuit to acquire equipment for traditional harvesting activities. The partners each contributed $15 million to the fund, for a total of $30 million. The money was invested by the Nunavut Hunters Income Support Trust, enabling the program to continue to be funded for the last several years. There is currently $13 million left in the fund.

For further information:
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
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