How did Qavvivik come about?

The need for health and social services for Inuit living in the south is not new. Reports going back more than 20 years have made this case. We have been working on the creation of an Inuit-specific service and clinic since late 2021. 

Qavvivik was registered as a non-profit organization in September 2022. In May 2023 we secured a location in the Verdun neighbourhood of Montreal for our administrative offices. Our Board of Directors adopted our by-laws in June 2023. 

Our plan is to start with a modest location that is accessible by public transit. This site would work with the frontline services offered by Projets Autochtone du Québec, Médecins du monde, Chez Doris and others while also welcoming families and individuals from across the city. In a second phase, a second site, probably on the West Island, would be developed, in conjunction with other organizations to serve the large number of Inuit there. The services are organized around a social determinants approach to health. This means we focus on improving the conditions that lead to health, like access to country food, well-baby clinics, disease prevention, education and family support, as well as frontline clinical services.