Nunavut Long-Term Care Facilities: Beds, Locations, and Admission

The Territory's Facility Landscape

Nunavut has fewer than 80 publicly funded continuing care beds spread across seven operational facilities — for a territory larger than Western Europe. Understanding exactly where beds exist and what care levels each facility provides is the starting point for any placement conversation.

Elders' Homes (Level 3 care):

• Arviat Elders' Home — Kivalliq Region, operating at maximum capacity
• Baker Lake Elders' Home (Martha Taliruq Centre) — Kivalliq Region, operating at maximum capacity
• Iqaluit Elders' Home — Qikiqtaaluk Region, operating at maximum capacity

These three facilities are contracted to non-profit societies or local hamlets, funded by the Department of Health. They provide Level 3 care — assisted living with personal support, meals, and supervision, but not complex nursing care.

Continuing Care Centres (Levels 3–4):

• Igloolik Continuing Care Centre — 10 beds, Qikiqtaaluk Region
• Gjoa Haven Continuing Care Centre — 10 beds, Kitikmeot Region
• Kitikmeot Regional Health Centre Long-Term Care Unit, Cambridge Bay — 8 beds

These government-operated facilities provide both Level 3 and Level 4 care, meaning they can handle more complex nursing needs, wound care, and ongoing clinical monitoring.

Kivalliq Long-Term Care Centre, Rankin Inlet (Levels 3–5): This 24-bed facility opened in May 2025, jointly operated by Sakku Investments Corp. and Embassy West Senior Living under a 10-year, $150-million contract. It is the first facility in Nunavut to provide Level 5 secure dementia care, meaning some elders who would previously have been sent to Ottawa can now receive specialized care in-territory.

Planned facilities:

• Kitikmeot Long-Term Care Home, Cambridge Bay — 24 beds, projected opening 2028
• Iqaluit Long-Term Care Home — 48 beds, currently in design phase

How Admission Works

Admission to any facility requires a formal clinical assessment showing Level 3 or higher care needs. The process follows a defined sequence:

1. Clinical assessment at your parent's home determines their care level using the RAI/MAPLe evaluation
2. Referral to Single Entry Access — if Level 4 or 5, the file goes to the regional care team
3. Waitlist prioritization — the Territorial Continuing Care Coordinator assigns a priority tier based on clinical urgency, not chronological waiting time
4. Placement offer — when a bed opens, the Department of Health contacts your family with a 48- to 72-hour acceptance window

Priority 1 (crisis) covers acute situations: a parent occupying a hospital bed as an Alternate Level of Care patient because community supports cannot safely support discharge, a caregiver who can no longer function, or a facility closure. Priority 2 covers urgent needs within three months, including spousal reunification and language-specific placement. Priority 3 covers stable cases where the current care arrangement can continue without immediate risk.

When the Bed Isn't Where You Expected

Because capacity is so constrained, the offered bed may not be in your parent's home community. A family in Iqaluit may be offered a bed in Gjoa Haven. A family in Arviat may be offered a spot in Rankin Inlet. For Level 5 care needs that exceed in-territory capacity, the offer may be at Embassy West Senior Living in Ottawa — far from home.

If you refuse a placement, your parent may be moved to the bottom of the regional waitlist or temporarily removed from active consideration. To contest the decision, you must request a reassessment by demonstrating a material change in your parent's condition.

There are no resident charges for any publicly funded facility bed in Nunavut, whether in-territory or at Embassy West. Room, board, and care are fully covered by the territorial government.

The Nunavut Elder Care Guide maps every facility's capacity and care levels, and walks through how to advocate for placement in your parent's preferred community.

See more Nunavut guides →