Mamisarvik Healing Centre to close temporarily, reopen in summer after $1.3M funding boost

An Ottawa healing centre for Inuit across the country says it will close temporarily and re-open this summer after the federal government announced $1.3 million in funding.

The Mamisarvik Healing Centre provides culturally relevant residential treatment programs for men and women dealing withaddiction and trauma.

In February, the organizationTungasuvvingat Inuit, which helps fund the centre, said its operational model is "unsustainable" and that it would close March 31 to determine how to manage itself sustainably.

On Friday, the federal Liberals announced $1.3 million in funding for the centre, made possible"through a partnership between Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and Health Canada," according to a media release.

ButTungasuvvingatInuit said in a statement Friday thatit still plans to close temporarilyto review its operational model.

"We will continue our plans to pause operations at [the centre]as of March 31,to allow us time to reconstitute our operational model for the program," the group said.

"During this hiatus, we will be referring clients to other local support groups and services. In the coming weeks, [we]will be working closely with the Government of Canada and other partners to develop a plan for improving the centre's operations. We expect to reopen in the summer of 2016, when we will be able to resume our services in a position of financial stability and longterm sustainability."