The Nunavut Department of Health expanded its wellness services on March 19, 2026, to include all residents over the age of 65 in Arviat, Nunavut. This change means that seniors in the community will now receive regular phone calls and scheduled home visits from local health staff to check on their well-being.
The initiative is an expansion of the territory’s Home and Community Care (HCC) program, which aims to provide a consistent connection to the health system for Arviat elders. This is especially important for those living alone in the community of 2,864 people, where medical services are often only accessible by air. Funding for the expansion is provided by Health Canada through the Canada-Nunavut Aging with Dignity bilateral agreement, part of a broader goal to help residents age closer to home.
Health staff visiting seniors’ homes will offer services such as nursing care, personal care, and help with daily chores. These proactive visits are intended to reduce the number of residents who must travel outside of the territory for medical care. Currently, 70 people from across Nunavut are receiving long-term care in other parts of Canada because of a lack of local resources.
In addition to these new home visits, Arviat is home to the Andy Aulatjut Centre, which is an eight-bed facility that provides assisted-living care. The new wellness checks will work alongside existing programs to support seniors who wish to remain in their own houses for as long as possible. This initiative is part of a territory-wide effort to address the high costs of healthcare in remote Arctic regions by focusing on preventative care.
