May 27, 2026 – Ottawa, Ontario
The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Board of Directors met May 26 in Ottawa and voted to allocate $27 million over five years in Tuberculosis Elimination funding announced by the federal government earlier this year. The funding will flow to the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the Nunatsiavut Government and the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, as well as ITK, according to a funding formula meant to recognize both population and TB disease and infection status in each region, as well as national coordination needs.
In 2018, Inuit and the federal government jointly committed to eliminating tuberculosis in Inuit Nunangat by 2030, and to cut the rate in half by 2025. The latter deadline passed without the requisite funding to meet the commitment. ITK has advocated for $131 million in funding and coordinated action between Inuit and the federal government to address the social determinants of Inuit health across the regions to eliminate TB. Funding announced in the spring economic statement did not meet that need but will sustain the momentum for strengthening TB programs in each region.
Board members also discussed plans for a two-day, Inuit-led sovereignty, defence and security conference that will allow Inuit leadership to develop a unified national position on Arctic security in a rapidly changing federal space. ITK is hosting the conference in Ottawa in June, with one day dedicated to discussion among Inuit organizations, and a second day for invited federal partners, academics and members of civil society.
The Board heard updates on work to co-develop a long-term, Inuit-led replacement for the Inuit Child First Initiative. Restrictive eligibility rules and administrative challenges have left significant federal funds for Inuit children unspent.
