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23. Services and Infrastructure

 Services and infrastructure in the Province are required to meet a wide range of human needs. This chapter examines services and infrastructure, including transportation, utilities, communication, water supply and waste disposal, housing, health, social, safety and security, education, culture and recreation, and commercial services and infrastructure, and the potential environmental effects of the Project on such services and infrastructure in five regions of Labrador - Labrador North Coast, Upper Lake Melville, Western Labrador, Eastern Labrador and Labrador Straits—and the Province as a whole.


23.1 Existing Environment - Labrador North Coast

 Providing services and facilities has always been expensive and difficult in Newfoundland, where a small population is spread along thousands of kilometres of coastline. The problem is more pronounced on the Labrador coast, where a much smaller population, lack of roads, and a five to six month shipping season impose logistical difficulties and a high cost of living. Conditions are especially difficult in northern Labrador, where distances between communities are great, environmental conditions severe and the marine shipping season short. In addition, social and economic problems in these communities place additional demands on limited services and infrastructure. As a result, the North Coast communities generally have a lower level and standard of infrastructure and service provision than communities elsewhere in the Province.

Despite these difficulties, the people of the Labrador North Coast have made their homes in this region for 6,000 years living off the land and the sea (Chapter 20). This region is the traditional harvesting area of the Aboriginal population of the Labrador North Coast—the Labrador Inuit and Innu. The resources of the land and sea have provided the North Coast people with food, clothing and shelter, and in more recent years have allowed them to participate in the wage economy.


23.1.1 Environmental Assessment Boundaries

 Capitalized terms used (such as Landscape Region and VBNC Claim Block) may be defined in other chapters. Some terms and phrases used may have different definitions in other chapters depending upon the context in which they are used; for example, the Assessment Area.

Project employment and spending may affect the demand for and supply of services and infrastructure within the Labrador North Coast and other areas of Labrador and Newfoundland. The first half of this chapter (Sections 23.1 to 23.3) concludes with predictions of the residual environmental effects for the Labrador North Coast. The Labrador North Coast area, as defined for this assessment, includes the Town of Nain, and the communities of Utshimassits, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville, Rigolet and Sheshatshiu (Figure 21.1). While geographically Sheshatshiu is in Upper Lake Melville and, as such, is discussed together with Happy Valley-Goose Bay, North West River and Mud Lake, it is also considered in some parts of the discussion of the North Coast. This is due to the fact that the community has a predominantly Innu population and will be one of the communities subject to Impact and Benefits Agreement (IBA) provisions. The intent of this dual coverage is to ensure a coherent consideration of the issues with respect to Labrador's Aboriginal population.


23.1.1.1 Administrative Boundaries

 There are no administrative boundaries that directly affect the assessment of services and infrastructure. Those not under municipal jurisdiction are administered by a wide range of departments and agencies with differing boundaries (e.g., school boards, health care boards, and provincial and federal agencies). These are described, where appropriate, throughout the discussion of existing conditions in the North Coast communities and the following assessment of effects.

Agreements put in place in the 1990s by the federal and provincial governments provide funding to supplement the services available from existing agencies: programs such as adult and teacher education, provision of supplementary teachers, curriculum development, and construction of water and sewer systems. In addition, councils in the seven designated communities receive core funding to help cover the cost of services like recreation programs, fire protection, housing construction and cultural programs (Tanner et al. 1994). From 1990 to 1994, a federal contribution of $24.5 million was matched by a provincial contribution of $11.7 million (allowing for contributions in kind, such as the salaries of administrative personnel) (Tanner et al. 1994).

In the fiscal years 1996-97 and 1997-98, funding agreements for the Labrador Inuit communities totaled $10,491,595 and $10,785,921, respectively, about 70 percent of which came from the federal government. The current agreement will expire in 1998 and no agreement is yet in place for the following year (Flynn, E. pers. comm.).

For the Innu communities, the federal government contributed $17.5 million and the Province $1.9 million to an agreement from 1991 to 1996 (Tanner et al. 1994). The agreement for the Innu communities expired in 1995-96 and no new agreement was put in place. The Innu now receive direct federal funding (Flynn, E. pers. comm.).

The following federal-provincial programs were in place as of 1994 (Tanner et al. 1994): In addition to these joint federal-provincial arrangements, the federal government provides the following:

23.1.1.2 Technical Boundaries

 Information on services and infrastructure are drawn from a range of federal, provincial, municipal and Aboriginal sources. Both 1991 and 1996 Census of Canada data are used in the discussion of housing. The Labrador North Coast region includes Census Subdivision E, and the area south to Rigolet. Deficiencies in Statistics Canada data for the North Coast were addressed through community surveys conducted by the LIA, Innu Nation and VBNC to gather additional socioeconomic data. Additional information was also gathered from other sources, including local contacts, in order to address such gaps.

Other data sources also presented concerns. Municipal plans for a number of these communities are dated and there is poor documentation with respect to existing social services offered in the North Coast communities. Again, where possible, local and provincial government contacts were used to obtain current information.


23.1.2 Methods

 Assessing the Project environmental effects on services and infrastructure in the Labrador North Coast communities involved examining existing conditions, including the capacity to respond to changes in demand, and analyzing how the proposed Project will affect them.

Baseline data for the analysis were gathered from a variety of sources, including literature and data from Statistics Canada and various other federal and provincial departments and agencies, material from LIA and the Innu Nation, and interviews with key individuals in various agencies to update information and fill gaps in the data from other sources. Where possible, information was collected on:
The intention was to estimate the ability of existing services and infrastructure to accommodate future demands. However, many of these demands are to a large degree a function of population growth and to a lesser extent the spatial distribution of Project employment. Unfortunately, as is discussed in Chapter 21, existing data make it difficult to project normal population growth rates in North Coast communities and the commute system being used by the Project make it difficult to estimate where employees will choose to live. Accordingly, it is not possible to forecast demographic change or location of Project-related employment with any accuracy.

The assessment also made extensive use of the information obtained through VBNC's issues scoping exercise to establish concerns of community residents. In addition, community surveys were conducted in each of the five Inuit communities to obtain current socioeconomic data for these communities. The results of these surveys were incorporated into the discussion of existing services and infrastructure.

Estimates of Project effects are primarily of a qualitative nature, reflecting the nature, availability and quality of data, and the uncertainty as to demographic change and the distribution of Project employment. The assessment of environmental effects uses capacity-based analyses, where possible. That is, Project-related demands on infrastructure and services are weighed against their capacity to absorb additional demands.


23.1.3 Existing Environment

 "All of the communities . . . compared what they regarded as the desperate infrastructure needs of their communities to the financial resources which will go into the infrastructure at the mine. . . . Accordingly many of the focus groups identified the need for improving community infrastructure . . . as the priority for receiving benefits from a mine operation at Voisey's Bay" (Williamson, 1996:12).

The following discussion provides an overview of services and infrastructure of the Labrador North Coast, including municipal, provincial and federal government administration, transportation, utilities, communication, potable water supply and waste disposal, housing, health care, social services, protection and emergency response, education, culture and recreation, and commercial. Since there is a great deal of similarity from one community to another, most services and infrastructure are discussed collectively. Where appropriate, details of individual communities are highlighted.


23.1.3.1 Municipal, Provincial and Federal Government Administration

 All of the North Coast communities, except Utshimassits, are incorporated. Hopedale was incorporated in 1969, Nain, Makkovik and Postville in 1970 and Rigolet in 1977. Each of the incorporated communities has a town clerk, and is administered by a mayor and community council that serves a four year term. Utshimassits is administered by a Band Council comprised of a chief, assistant chief and several councillors. The Mushuau Innu Renewal Committee, a committee of the band council, is directing the relocation from Utshimassits to Natuashish.

Nain's municipal plan is under review, with a draft plan for 1997-2007 awaiting final approval by the town and Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Mushuau Innu are in the process of finalizing a plan for Natuashish. Hopedale's municipal plan, covering the planning period of 1993-2003, was approved in 1993. Rigolet's Municipal Plan covers the planning period of 1994-2004 and was approved in 1994 (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1993; 1994; 1997). Municipal plans for Makkovik and Postville have not been updated since 1980.

Nain has 15 permanent staff: a town manager, treasurer, town clerk, secretary, translator (part time), recreation director, superintendent of works, municipal service worker, equipment repairperson, two truck drivers, janitor, dog catcher and two labourers (Town Council of Nain 1997a). The other North Coast communities have a smaller staff typically including a town clerk and various service workers.

LIA has its head office and the offices of several subsidiary organizations in Nain. Either directly or through its affiliates (Torngâsok Cultural Centre, Labrador Inuit Health Commission (LIHC), Labrador Inuit Development Corporation (LIDC) and Torngat Regional Housing Association) LIA handles issues pertaining to Aboriginal rights, land claims, culture, health, economic development, and housing in the Labrador Inuit communities.

The Innu Nation, which handles issues pertaining to Aboriginal rights, land claims, culture and health for the Innu, has offices in Utshimassits and Sheshatshiu. In Utshimassits, staff include the president, executive director, communications officer, self-government negotiator, an administrative assistant, receptionist, two fisheries guardians, four socioeconomic research staff, and a janitor (Innu Nation 1997).

A variety of federal departments and agencies offer services in the North Coast communities. They include the federal departments of Canadian Heritage, Fisheries and Oceans, Health, Human Resources Development, Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and Transport Canada, as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada Post Corporation and CMHC, which provides grants for housing construction. The provincial departments of Education, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Health, Justice, Municipal and Provincial Affairs, Human Resources and Employment, and Works, Services and Transportation also offer some services, either from local offices or through regional offices in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.


23.1.3.2 Transportation

 There are no roads between the North Coast communities. They are accessible by boat from about June to November, by snowmobile during the winter and by air year-round.

"There will be all the modern conveniences at Voisey's Bay, but Nain is still struggling with an inadequate water and sewage and a dangerous airstrip" (LIHC staff quoted in Williamson, 1996:74).

Each community has a gravel airstrip owned and operated by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador through the Department of Works, Services and Transportation. The airstrips handle small single and twin-engine aircraft; the largest commonly handled is a Twin Otter. Navigation aids at the airstrips are limited to a non-directional beam which indicates the aircraft location relative to the airstrip (McCarthy, F. pers. comm.). All six airstrips have a building which is used primarily for equipment storage, but also offer a small room for waiting passengers. A front-end loader used for airstrip maintenance at each airstrip can also be fitted with a plow for snow clearing (Ryland, K. pers. comm.).

Nain, the largest and busiest community, has the smallest and least equipped airstrip. It is 610 m long compared to airstrips in the other five communities that are all 762 m long. The others all have lights, allowing night landings; Nain's does not (Ryland, K. pers. comm.). The Nain airstrip is also subject to cross-winds making landings and takeoffs difficult (Williamson 1996).

One airline (Air Labrador) currently provides scheduled air service between coastal Labrador and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. In addition, a number of fixed-wing and helicopter charter companies also provide service to the area. Poor weather conditions frequently interfere with scheduled air services along the coast.

"We were born in tents. And I never say my grandfather depend on snowmobile or anything that was run by engine. I never saw him in a car or a helicopter or an airplane or an outboard motor. He made his own canoe. He cut his own materials for the canoe from the forest….We spent all the years in the country and we'd only go into the coast in the summer" (Pastichi 1997).

Each year since 1992, Air Labrador has had an increase in the volume of passengers and freight transported to the North Coast communities. The greatest increase in passenger and freights transported to the North Coast occurred in 1996 when there was a 27 percent increase in volumes over that transported in 1995. In Nain, the greatest increase occurred in 1995 when there was a 52 percent increase over 1994. Passenger and freight volumes have since declined. Through October 1997, there had been an increase of 3 percent in the volume of passenger and freight between the North Coast and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Nain has experienced an 8 percent increase in passenger and freight volumes in 1997 (Mitchelmore, G. pers. comm.).

Marine Atlantic operates a coastal boat service carrying freight and passengers between Lewisporte, St. Anthony, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and the coastal communities during the ice-free season, typically July to November. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador now owns the vessels and will assume responsibility for operations in 1998. This service is the primary means of delivering supplies and transporting passengers during the ice-free season. Vessels use the government wharf in each community. There is no clear measure of the capacity for the coastal boat service, since vessels are picking up and dropping off varying volumes of freight and passengers at different locations. However, vessels can be made available as required (Bond, J. pers. comm.).

Typical coastal boat passenger and freight volumes for the North Coast communities are shown in Appendix 23A, Table 1. Passenger and freight volumes are highest in Nain. Total volumes transported peaked in 1995, with 1,452 passengers and 7,813 tonnes of freight being handled. This peak is attributed to the high volume of exploration activity that occurred during that year. Uthsimassits, Hopedale and Postville passenger volumes have declined continuously since 1993, while the volume of passengers to and from Makkovik increased in 1994 and 1995. Freight volumes fluctuate for all communities.

Travel within each community is commonly by foot in summer and snowmobile in winter. Apart from snowmobiles, pickup trucks and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are the most common vehicles in these communities. All six communities have gravel roads: typically one main road and several small side roads. Primary problems with the roads relate to the poor structural base for the road and the fact that houses closely border the roads hindering maintenance and upgrading. The poor quality of the roads poses a hazard for vehicles, particularly during periods of heavy runoff. Road upgrading is included in Nain's proposed five-year capital works plan (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997).


23.1.3.3 Utilities

Wood and oil are common domestic heating fuels used by North Coast residents. Results of the surveys conducted in the five Labrador Inuit communities show that 73.2 percent of respondents used wood and 67.4 percent used oil to heat their houses. Electricity is less commonly used for heating houses and other buildings in these communities. Only 4.4 percent of respondents used electricity for heating their homes (CRS 1997).

Overall, there is a substantial supply of firewood on the Labrador North Coast. However, Nain and Hopedale residents have to travel a considerable distance outside the community to gather wood. For the other communities, there is a supply of firewood close by.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro provides electricity for the Labrador North Coast, using three or four generators in each community. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro maintains twice the required generating capacity in each community, to provide for servicing and emergency back-up (Barrett, D. pers. comm.). Fuel for the generators is shipped to the communities at the start and close of each shipping season. Each community has storage capacity for a winter supply of fuel.

While Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro has no definite plans to upgrade the current system in Nain, it is monitoring the demand closely. Load forecasts for Nain, taking into consideration any development in Nain as a result of the Project, indicate a 7 percent to 7.5 percent increase in demand by the year 2000 (Barrett, D pers. comm.).


23.1.3.4 Communication

 Through a microwave network, NewTel Communications provides a full range of telephone services in all communities except Postville and Rigolet, which do not yet have direct dial systems (Keats, G. pers. comm.).

Cable Labrador provides 15 television channels to all six communities. These include CBC North and Television Northern Canada (TVNC) which includes limited but regular programming produced in Inuktitut and English by the OKalaKatiget Society. This programming is distributed to 40 communities in Labrador, the Northwest Territories and northern Quebec.

Radio service available on the North Coast includes CBC Radio (AM station) and CITN (a local FM station which broadcasts about 36 hours a week in English and Inuktitut). The OKalaKatiget Society broadcasts approximately 20 hours of radio programming each week in Inuktitut and English to communities along the Labrador coast.

The Labradorian, a weekly newspaper produced on the island and assembled in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, is circulated in the North Coast communities. Voisey's Bay News, also produced on the island, is distributed free by mail to all Canada Post mailboxes in the North Coast communities. The Examiner, an Upper Lake Melville, newspaper is available by subscription to North Coast residents. The OKalaKatiget Society has resumed publishing the K.I. (kinatuinamut Ilingajuk) magazine on a quarterly basis. This publication is now Air Labrador's official in-flight magazine. LIA produces a monthly newsletter which is widely distributed in the North Coast communities and Upper Lake Melville.


23.1.3.5 Potable Water Supply and Waste Disposal

 As described below, the overall quality of water supply and waste disposal services in the North Coast communities is not currently at satisfactory levels. In an Environmental Health Study of the five Inuit communities, garbage, sewage systems and landfills were the most commonly cited environmental problems (Lampe et al. 1997).

Nain, the largest of the North Coast communities, has the best piped water supply and sewer systems in the region. Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet also have piped water supply and sewer systems serving most of the community. The systems in Hopedale are limited to a portion of the community and Utshimassits does not have a piped water supply or sewer system. Wells and septic or honey bucket systems are common in these two communities. The majority of respondents to the community surveys indicated that they had piped water (85.3 percent in summer, 82.3 percent in winter) and sewer services (85.1 percent). Of those whose houses were not connected to local sewer system, 78.3 percent did not have a working flush toilet (CRS 1997).

In 1992, dwellings in Postville (97 percent) were most likely to have running water year-round compared to Makkovik (92 percent), Nain (79 percent), Rigolet (18 percent) and Hopedale (5 percent, but increased since 1992). The percentage of dwellings with flush toilets that function year-round was the same as those with running water in Postville, Makkovik and Hopedale. In Rigolet, 27 percent of houses had flush toilets that function year-round. Data on operational flush toilets for Nain were not provided (Baikie 1992).

Nain

From about 1778 until 1960 the Moravian Missionary in Nain used hollowed-out spruce logs to pipe water to the mission house. The manual auger used to drill the holes, and the contract for manufacturing the pipes was given to Amos Voisey: "We used to do three a day. Bore right through the heart of a stick. Oh t'was hard work boy. A lot of water will run through a three inch hole." Ed Voisey in Them Days 1997 Vol. 22 No. 2, p142.

A gravity-feed system pipes water from Nain Brook to all but four houses in the town. In addition, 13 houses within the water supply area are not connected to the system. Of the respondents to the community surveys, 89.6 percent (summer) and 87.6 (winter) used the main water supply (CRS 1997). The current system is operating at capacity and requires upgrading in several areas of the town (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997). Water quality is a concern in Nain, in particular during the spring run off when the water is often brown in colour, has a high sediment content and contains worms (Lampe et al. 1997).

Any further growth in the town will require an additional source. Trouser Pond has been identified as a future potable water supply source for the town. However, servicing a new housing area from this source will require an expensive pumping system, because the available land is too high for a gravity feed system (Williams, V. pers. comm.). While no plans have been made to address these issues, the town has recognized the need for an infrastructure study in its five-year Capital Works Plan (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997).

The town's gravity-feed sewer system serves most houses: 91.9 percent of survey respondents lived in houses served by the main sewer system. Of the houses contacted during the community survey, 81.5 percent of these not connected to the sewer system did not have a working flush toilet (CRS 1997). Untreated sewage is discharged into Nain Bay. The untreated sewage often ends up on local beaches and harbours posing a concern for people who fish in these areas (Lampe et al. 1997). Portions of the sewer system require upgrading. This is recognized in the town's commitment to an infrastructure study, but no plans are in place for addressing these problems.

The town's landfill, located north of the airstrip, requires improvements and the town has recognized the need for a solid waste study (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997). Currently, VBNC and other mineral exploration companies deposit solid waste and/or incineration residue at the landfill (Town Council of Nain 1997b). VBNC has a permit, as required by the town, for using the landfill.

Utshimassits

Utshimassits does not have piped municipal water and sewer systems. The provincial government tried in 1978 and again in 1991 to develop a public water supply for Utshimassits from drilled wells, but both attempts failed (Mushuau Innu Band Council 1997). Residents currently obtain water from community holding tanks refilled on a weekly basis. Most houses (58 percent) rely on the community tanks or streams for their water supply. Elders have their water delivered (Davis Engineering and Associates 1995). Wells provide an adequate water supply to some houses; however, most of these are occupied by non-Innu. Poor soil conditions limit the use of wells in the areas where most Innu-occupied houses are located (Mushuau Innu Band Council 1997).

As of 1995, 27 percent of the community's houses and most public buildings had proper sewage disposal systems, while other residents used community collection bins. Like the water supply tanks, the sewage bins are serviced weekly (Davis Engineering and Associates 1995). Some residents who do not have septic systems or access to the community collection system usually dispose of their sewage and grey water in ditches by the roadside or near their houses. This practice contaminates yards, roadways and ditches, as well as surface water flowing through the community (Alton Mackey 1995).

The Band Council regularly collects garbage for disposal, but most households do not have proper storage containers for their garbage prior to collection.

Postville

Houses in Postville are connected to the piped, gravity-feed water supply system, except for a few that continue to rely on wells. In the winter, if the system freezes, water is pumped to the community (Gear, D. pers. comm.). The situation is similar for the piped sewer system with most houses being connected to the system and only a few relying on a septic system. Outfalls discharge untreated sewage into the ocean. As a result, Postville, like Nain, has a problem with sewage on local beaches and in the harbour (Lampe et al. 1997). The community's landfill is in good condition, but a new incinerator is needed (Poniuk, S. pers. comm.). Community garbage is collected three times each week and buried in the summer and burned during the winter (Gear, D. pers. comm.).

Hopedale

The piped water supply and sewer systems in Hopedale are limited to the newer part of the community. Topography and the poor layout of the older portion of the community restrict where water and sewer infrastructure can be placed (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1993). Untreated sewage is disposed of in the ocean. Like other piped water supply and sewer systems in the North Coast communities, Hopedale's systems are subject to freezing in the winter.

Results of the community surveys indicate that about half of the houses in the community are connected to the main water and sewer system (CRS 1997). Residents are more likely to have their water delivered (61.4 percent in winter, 32.5 in summer). In contrast, in the other Inuit communities zero to seven percent of respondents indicated that they had water delivered. Of the five Inuit communities, houses in Hopedale are least likely to be connected to the local sewer system (53.0 percent). Of these not connected, 85.4 percent did not have a working flush toilet.

Makkovik

Like Postville, Makkovik has a piped water supply and sewer system serving most of the community. Of the respondents to the community surveys, 91.1 percent had houses connected to the main water supply and 88.6 were connected to the main sewer system (CRS 1997). Of those houses not connected to the main sewer system, 80.0 percent did not have a working flush toilet. As in the other communities, untreated sewage is discharged in the ocean and the systems are subject to freezing during the winter.

Rigolet

About 90 percent of Rigolet's houses are connected to the piped, gravity-feed water supply and sewer systems. The remainder cannot be connected due to topographical constraints. Residents whose houses are not connected to the municipal systems have their water delivered by the community council and have private septic systems (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1994). Findings from the community surveys are consistent with this information: 94.9 percent of houses were connected to the main water supply and 90.9 percent were connected to sewer systems (CRS 1997). Houses in Rigolet, not connected to the sewer system, were most likely to have working flush toilets (only 33.3 percent of such houses did not have working flush toilets (CRS 1997).

As in the other communities, the piped systems are subject to freezing during the winter and untreated sewage is discharged into the harbour. Wastes from the private septic systems are disposed of in the municipal landfill site (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1994).

The community council collects solid waste regularly using a dump truck in summer and a snowmobile in the winter. A municipal landfill site is located to the west of the community.


23.1.3.6 Housing

 Single-detached, owner-occupied dwellings are the most common housing type in the six North Coast communities (Appendix 23A, Tables 2 to 7). The Torngat Regional Housing Association provides low income housing for LIA members, as well as housing for teachers, in the five Labrador Inuit communities. Houses are built by the housing association and transferred to families who pay a small mortgage payment. Owners then become responsible for maintenance. In 1996, 16 new low income housing units were built in the North Coast communities: Nain and Hopedale (4 each), Postville and Rigolet (3 each) and two in Makkovik. The greatest need for low income housing is in Nain and Hopedale (Penney, J. pers. comm.). Torngat Regional Housing also delivers housing programs for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. Housing in Utshimassits is built and owned by the Band Council, and funded through the Labrador Native Agreement (Penashue, G. pers. comm.).

Nain

Between 1981 and 1996, the number of households in Nain increased by 21.6 percent. This brought about a decline in density, with the number of persons per household decreasing from 5.0 in 1981 to 4.5 in 1991 (Appendix 23A, Table 2). The estimated household size in 1997 was 4.2 (Town Council of Nain 1997a). In 1996, 62.2 percent of Nain households had four or more persons and 26.7 percent had 6 or more persons (Appendix 23A, Table 2).

"Nain... has been the staging area for many of the explorations companies. The heavy usage of the airstrip, dock, storage space, the town dump, the community road and housing has placed great strain on the community infrastructure, exacerbated the shortage of serviced land and housing and caused house rentals to inflate to a level which local people cannot afford" (Williamson, 1996:13).

Although housing in Nain has improved in recent years, much of it is crowded (Baikie 1992). In 1991, houses in Nain had an average of 0.9 persons per room and about 45 percent required major repairs. The average number of persons per room is almost double that for Labrador and the Province (0.5 persons per room) (Statistics Canada 1994). Currently, an estimated 50 families in Nain need new houses (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997).

The town has provided eight to ten new building lots annually for the past ten years, and expects to provide at least 80 to 100 lots more by 2007 (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997). In the fall of 1996, all available lots in the town were used or allocated (Williams, V. pers. comm.). The area in the southwestern part of the town, near the water supply, has been designated for future residential development. Preliminary engineering studies indicate that 60 to 80 new building lots could be developed in this area, but this would mean relocating the water supply upstream to Trouser Pond. The need for housing development is recognized in the town's five year Capital Works Plan (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997). The landfill buffer zone prohibits residential development to the north of the town.

Utshimassits

According to Statistics Canada, the number of private households in Utshimassits increased by 77.8 percent between 1981 and 1996 (Appendix 23A, Table 3). A 1992 survey of community infrastructure indicated there were 84 single-detached houses, two duplexes with four apartments, two mobile homes, two sheds occupied as homes, and one residence at the bath house/family centre (Terpstra and Associates 1992). The Mushuau Innu Band Council (1997) notes that there were 80 houses in 1992, 86 in 1993 and 94 in 1994. In 1991, about 73 percent of the houses in Uthsimassits required major repairs (Statistics Canada 1994).

In 1996, 56.3 percent of Utshimassits households had four or more persons, while 37.5 percent had 6 or more (Appendix 23A, Table 3). In 1991, houses in Utshimassits had an average of 1.2 persons per room (or 6 persons per house) compared to a provincial and Labrador rate of 0.5 persons per room (Statistics Canada 1994). Compared to Statistics Canada's standard (i.e. a house is overcrowded if there is an excess of one person per room), housing in Utshimassits was overcrowded in 1991 and remains so. In 1997, household size ranged from 1 to 17 with a median of 7 persons per house. With an average house size of 80.4 m2, this translates to 10.7 m2 of space per person. Comparison with CMHC's standard of 22.0 m2 per person, gives further indication that housing in Utshimassits is overcrowded (Mushuau Innu Band Council 1997).
Housing in Utshimassits is generally in poor condition. Terpstra and Associates (1992) found a total of 69 percent (87 percent of houses occupied by Innu) were in poor to fair condition. Houses were considered to be poor if they had substandard foundations, resulting in the seasonal movement of walls and floors, leaky roofs, poorly fitting doors with missing or damaged hardware, broken windows, hazardous wiring, wood stoves and chimneys that did not meet code requirements, and lacked kitchen and bathroom facilities (23 houses). Houses were considered to be in fair condition if some of the above deficiencies were less severe (30 houses). Houses were said to be in good repair if only minor deficiencies existed (15 homes). Houses were considered in excellent repair (nine houses) if they met code requirements and if all main components such as the roof, walls, windows, doors, bathrooms, kitchens, heating system were complete and functioning without significant visual damages. Extensive renovations have since been carried out on most Innu-owned houses (Davis Engineering and Associates 1995).

Hopedale

Between 1981 and 1996, the number of private households in Hopedale increased from 85 to 145, an increase of 70.6 percent. This coincided with a decline in average household size from 5.1 persons in 1981 to 4.5 in 1991. In 1996, 55.2 percent of Hopedale households had four or more persons, while 27.6 percent had six or more persons (Appendix 23A, Table 4). As of 1991, overcrowding was also a concern in Hopedale where there was an average of 0.9 persons per room (Statistics Canada 1994).

Declining household size and natural population increase are expected to generate demand for additional housing in the 1993-2003 planning period. In addition, a number of houses are required to replace substandard homes in the community (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1993). In 1991, 48 percent of dwellings in Hopedale required major repairs (Statistics Canada 1994).

Meeting this demand poses concern since there is limited land available for residential development in or near Hopedale. A new subdivision west of the community will not be able to accommodate all of the projected growth. Redeveloping older areas of the community is seen as one approach to accommodate new growth (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1993).

Makkovik

Between 1981 and 1996, the number of private households in Makkovik increased from 75 to 105, an increase of 40 percent. Average household size declined from 4.6 to 3.7 persons between 1981 an 1991. In 1996, 57.1 percent of Makkovik residents lived in households with four or more persons, while 14.3 percent lived in households with six or more persons (Appendix 23A, Table 5). In 1991, houses in Makkovik had an average of 0.6 persons per room which is comparable to the provincial and Labrador rate of 0.5 persons per room (Statistics Canada 1994).

Demand for housing in Makkovik is high as in other communities due to an increasing population, declining household size and the need to replace substandard housing. In 1991, 45 percent of the houses in Makkovik required major repairs (Statistics Canada 1994). Also, Makkovik has a seasonal housing demand due to people coming into town to work in the fishery during the summer.

Postville

Between 1981 and 1996 the number of private households increased from 50 to 65, an increase of 30.0 percent (Appendix 23A, Table 6). In 1996, 38.5 percent of Postville households had four or more persons, a decline from 53.8 percent in 1991. In contrast to the other North Coast communities, in 1996 Postville had no houses with six or more persons, a marked decline from 15.4 percent in 1991. Like Makkovik, the average number of persons per room in Postville (0.7) is lower than that for the three most northern communities (Statistics Canada 1994).

The majority of houses in Postville are classified as low income housing and are provided by the Torngat Regional Housing Association. Families living in these units pay rent of $50 to $60 each month (Gear, D. pers. comm.). Housing in Postville is generally good (Poniuk, S. pers. comm.). In 1991, only 15.4 percent required major repairs (Statistics Canada 1994). However, there is limited housing available and only a small supply of land (Poniuk, S. pers. comm.).

Rigolet

The number of private households in Rigolet increased from 65 to 85 (an increase of 30.8 percent) between 1981 and 1991, but declined to 75 in 1996 (Appendix 23A, Table 7). In 1996, 47 percent of residents lived in households with four or more persons, while 13 percent lived in households of six or more. Average household size in Rigolet declined from 4.3 persons in 1981 to 3.8 in 1991. However, the average number of persons per room was relatively high at 0.8 (Statistics Canada 1994).

In 1994, there were more than 21 families waiting for low income or government-funded housing, and another 22 families waiting for major renovations and repairs to their houses (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1994). As of 1991, approximately 53 percent of houses in Rigolet required major repairs (Statistics Canada 1994).


23.1.3.7 Health Care

 Health care services and infrastructure on the Labrador North Coast are provided jointly by the Health Labrador Corporation, LIHC and Utshimassits Innu Health Commission. The Sheshatshiu Innu Health Commission provides health services to the community of Sheshatshiu. These arrangements for service provision emerged as a result of demands for more autonomy over health care in Labrador.

The Health Labrador Corporation, originally named the Labrador Health Services Board, was formed in 1994 when the provincial government began reforming and regionalizing health care services. This board assumed responsibility for health care in most of Labrador, except for the coastal areas south of Black Tickle which remained under the administration of Grenfell Regional Health Services (GRHS) based in St. Anthony. The GRHS had previously administered health care services in all of Labrador. The GRHS was originally known as the International Grenfell Association, an international charity established in 1912 by Dr. Wilfred Grenfell. This association assumed responsibility for all health and medical services that Dr. Grenfell had established in Labrador and northern Newfoundland since 1892 (Health Labrador Corporation 1996). Prior to Dr. Grenfell's arrival in 1892, the Moravian Missionaries had provided basic medical care since their arrival in Labrador in the 1770s (Baikie 1992).

Health Labrador Corporation is responsible for all provincially-funded health services and programs in the North Coast communities, including acute care, community health, home care, public health, long term and continuing care, dental care, addictions and mental health. Dental services are provided free to North Coast residents by Health Labrador Corporation.

"The health care delivery system is a small part of health. Better health lies not in high technology breakthroughs and better equipped hospitals but in health education, community involvement and consultation" (Baikie 1992:30).

Community health is a relatively new concept for health service delivery in the Province, although a longstanding tenet of the International Grenfell Association. It focuses on health determinants that affect the entire population as opposed to one individual, and emphasizes collaboration with other departments such as education, employment and social services. Health determinants include:
Unlike other areas of the Province, which have separate regional boards for community health, community health services in Labrador are administered by the health boards. Health Labrador Corporation administers community health services for the North Coast from the Melville Hospital. These services focus on health promotion and rehabilitation and support services. Programs include home care, personal and respite care, counseling, occupational therapy, community nutrition, additions services and public health (Turner, G. pers. comm.). The latter includes pre and post-natal care, child health clinics, child health care, pre-school health checks, school health programs and communicable disease programs.

LIHC was formed in 1985 as a special committee of the LIA to address health-related matters for the Inuit in Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet. It provides a number of medical services not covered by MCP, as well as alcohol and drug treatment, community health workers and other community-based initiatives (Baikie 1992). Health Labrador Corporation and LIHC are currently negotiating the transfer of responsibility for public health programs in the Inuit communities. It is expected that the LIHC will eventually assume responsibility for the acute care services offered by the nursing stations on the North Coast. (Sansford, K. pers. comm.).

In 1996, the two Innu Health Commissions assumed responsibility for health care services and programs in their respective communities. The Innu want an integrated approach to health care that would have physicians, public health specialists, alcohol and substance abuse councilors, and social workers sharing the same facility and regularly consulting each other (Tanner et al. 1994). Since 1992, the Innu have received funding for a number of healing services including abuse counseling, suicide prevention, substance abuse counseling, and support for addicted individuals and their families.

Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services, LIHC and Utshimassits Innu Health Commission are involved in addiction counseling and treatment in the North Coast communities. Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services provides literature and education on addictions issues, and offers counseling and prevention services. The LIHC, and Utshimassits and Sheshatshiu Innu Health Commissions offer community-based counseling and healing services. LIHC has an alcohol and drug abuse program and operates a residential addictions treatment program in North West River. The Innu Health Commissions offer country-based healing programs and support Innu who attend residential treatment in other parts of Canada. There are also alcohol counseling centres in Utshimassits and Sheshatshiu.

There are nursing stations in all six of the North Coast communities. These provide primary care which consists of basic curative, restorative, chronic and preventive care, as well as essential health counseling and education. Each of the stations has holding beds, one or more cribs, and basic trauma and resuscitation equipment. There is no cardiac monitor or defibrillator at any of the nursing stations (Health Labrador Corporation 1996).

The nursing station in Nain has four holding beds, two cribs and an incubator. Stations in Hopedale and Makkovik each have three holding beds and one crib, and the nursing stations in Utshimassits, Postville and Rigolet each have one holding bed and a crib. These clinics handle general physical and mental health problems, maternity care, emergency admissions and transport to regional hospitals, and transport to specialist clinics at the Melville Hospital in Happy Valley-Goose Bay or Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital in St. Anthony (Health Labrador Corporation 1996).

Nain is the only North Coast community with a resident physician. A family practice physician from Melville Hospital visits the other five communities each month. The nursing staff at the clinics regularly consult with physicians at the Melville Hospital, as well as fill pharmacist, laboratory technician, and Nurse Practitioner roles. A dentist from Happy Valley-Goose Bay visits each community about once every six weeks. However, demand is high and waiting lists are long (Health Labrador Corporation 1997). A speech/language pathologist, also from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, travels to the coastal communities as needed. Community health representatives, interpreters and addictions workers from various organizations are also important members of the health care team (Health Labrador Corporation 1996).

In addition to a physician, the nursing station in Nain has six nurses, a public health nurse, six personal care attendants, a maintenance worker, a part-time interpreter and a secretary. Hopedale and Makkovik health care staff include two nurses, two personal care attendants, a nurse's aide and a maintenance person. Utshimassits has three nurses, a personal care attendant and a maintenance worker. Staff in Utshimassits also visit the Innu bush camps in the spring and fall. The nursing stations in Postville and Rigolet have a nurse, a personal care attendant, a maintenance person and a nurse's aide. The public health nurse in Hopedale visits Utshimassits for about two weeks each month, while the public health nurse in Makkovik spends one week of each month in Postville and Rigolet (Health Labrador Corporation 1996; Reid, J. pers. comm.).

The LIHC employs five community health workers (one in each of the five Inuit communities), three nurses, a dental therapist, a home support worker, and two interpreters/translators. The community health workers deliver parenting, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) education, safety and personal health programs.

Average monthly outpatient visits to these North Coast nursing stations range from 202 (0.9 visits per person) in Makkovik to 892 in Nain (0.7 visits per person). Average outpatient visits in the other communities are: Utshimassits (572 or 1.1 visits per person); Hopedale (469 or 0.8 visits per person); Postville (315 or 0.9 visits per person); and Rigolet (347 or 1.3 visits per person) (Health Labrador Corporation 1996). In 1992-93, residents of the Inuit and Innu communities on the Labrador coast accounted for 50.4 percent of all admissions at the Melville Hospital (William Nycum and Associates Limited 1994).

The physician-population ratio for Nain is about 1:1,000 when using Statistics Canada's 1996 population data for Nain. However, using the population of 1,209, determined through the community survey conducted in 1996 (Town Council of Nain 1997a), gives a physician-population ratio of about 1:1,200. In this case, the physician-population ratio for Nain is less than half the provincial ratio (1:500), but comparable to northern regions between 55° and 59° latitude (1:1,100) and non-urban areas (1:1,200) in Canada (Statistics Canada 1997c).

Determining a physician-population ratio for the Labrador North Coast is not possible since physicians serving the other communities in the region are based in Upper Lake Melville and serve a much larger area. The physician-population ratio for the region served by the Melville Hospital (Labrador North Coast, Upper Lake Melville, Cartwright, Black Tickle and Paradise River) is about 1:700. This ratio includes the physician in Nain and 19 physicians in Upper Lake Melville, and is based on 1996 population data for all communities, except Black Tickle and Paradise River where 1991 population data are used. Again, this ratio is less than that for the Province (1:500) and for areas between 50° and 54° latitude (1:500), but better than that for non-urban areas in Canada (Statistics Canada 1997c).

Ensuring adequate year-round staffing (physicians and other health care professionals) for the North Coast clinics is an issue being addressed by the Health Labrador Corporation (Health Labrador Corporation 1997). There is a high turnover of physicians in rural areas of the Province and difficulty in getting physicians to practice in rural areas. As of October 1997, there were about 1,000 physicians in the Province (approximately 500 family physicians) and about 80 vacant positions. Incentives, such as bonuses, have not solved the problem of getting physicians to practice in rural areas of the Province (Sweet 1997). Many of the physicians who relocate to small communities are on short term placements and are not often familiar with the local culture (McNaughton 1993). Also, regular travel to the North Coast communities is an issue for physicians serving at the Melville Hospital.

The provincial government, through the GRHS, provides a 24-hour air ambulance service for North Coast residents. Patients requiring treatment or diagnostic services not available at the local nursing station are flown to the Melville Hospital in Happy Valley-Goose Bay or the Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital in St. Anthony or, if necessary, to larger tertiary care facilities such as those in St. John's. GRHS has a Turbo Commander based in St. Anthony and a standing contract with Air Labrador for transporting emergency and elective patients within the service region. Other airline and helicopter services are used when necessary. Between October 1996 and September 1997, the GRHS air ambulance made 258 trips transporting 1,424 patients between their communities and hospitals in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and St. Anthony. This represents an average of 21.5 trips and 119 patients carried each month (Saunders, D. pers. comm.).


23.1.3.8 Social Services

 In comparison to non-aboriginal communities of similar size and location, the Inuit and Innu communities of Labrador receive a higher level of social service provision and funding (Tanner et al. 1994). The principle issues with respect to the provision of social services in Labrador are low resources, high caseloads and difficulty recruiting social workers. Additional mental health and family counseling services are necessary. Most services are crisis-oriented rather than being geared toward long-term solutions (Gray, K . pers. comm.).

Libra House and the Women's Centre, in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, provide support programs and services for women in the North Coast communities. Libra House has provided shelter for women and children from the coast and Upper Lake Melville since 1986. These facilities are discussed in greater detail in Section 23.4.3.1. Nain, Utshimassits and Hopedale have safehouses that provide emergency shelter for women and children until they can be moved to Libra House, as well as women's centres. A key issue with the shelters in Nain and Hopedale is funding. Both are run by volunteers (Wolfrey 1997). The Tongamiut Inuit Anniat, which is funded by the LIA, represents Inuit women in coastal Labrador. The seven-member Hopedale Status of Women Council is affiliated with this organization.

Labrador Legal Services provides support, information and assistance. There are four Aboriginal courtworkers: one each located in Happy Valley-Goose Bay (also serving Nain), North West River (also serving Rigolet and Postville), Sheshatshiu (also serving Utshimassits) and Hopedale (also serving Makkovik). The courtworker program is funded jointly by the federal Department of Justice and the Province. Labrador Legal Services also has a Prison Liaison Program with one Inuk worker who provides services to inmates at the Labrador Correctional Centre. Other programs include: anti-violence initiatives such as education and awareness workshops; the Sex Offenders Intervention Group; Peaceable Homes, an educational program for violent offenders; mediation training; and cross-cultural awareness training.

There is one Group Home in Nain for young offenders, operated by a twelve-member local board. This group home has the capacity to provide short-term detention.

There are a number of community organizations on the North Coast providing a variety of services for women and youth. In Nain, for example, the Nain Women's Group operates the Paivitsiak Day Care Centre at the Women's Centre. This centre is typically filled to capacity (Wolfrey 1997). The LIHC also operates a play school there. The women's centre in Utshimassits operates a playschool and the youth council organizes activities for local youth. Daycare or childcare services are not available in Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet (Wolfrey 1197). Service organizations in Postville include a women's group, Boys and Girls Club, and a children's development group.

In April 1997, the provincial Department of Human Resources and Employment assumed responsibility for social services programs previously administered by the former Department of Social Services, as well as the employment and labour market programs formerly provided by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal. The department has four divisions: income support services; labor market development; child welfare and community corrections services; and family and rehabilitative services. Specific services include: income support for individuals and families unable to maintain a reasonable standard of living; human resource development; employment support and labor market programming; child welfare services including child protection, residential placement and support; family support services; adoption and post-adoption services; community corrections services; education and training; home support services; licensing and inspecting day care facilities; and administering the Neglected Adults Act.

In April 1998, programs dealing with child welfare, community corrections, and family and rehabilitative services will be transferred to the Department of Health and integrated with Community Health Services. Programs dealing with income support and labour will be transferred to the Department of Environment and Labour (Hayden 1997).

The provincial Department of Human Resources and Employment has four offices providing social services on the North Coast, at Nain, Utshimassits, Hopedale and Makkovik, which also provides services to Postville. Social services in Rigolet are provided by the office in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

For the North Coast, the delivery of social services is broken down by cultural groups. Human Resources and Employment offices in Sheshatshiu and Utshimassits serve the Innu population from a district office in Sheshatshiu. Offices in Nain and Hopedale and three satellite offices (one each in Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet) provide services to the Inuit. There is one social worker and financial worker based in each of the four main offices: Nain, Utshimassits, Hopedale and Sheshatshiu. Five of the offices have community services workers: Nain (5), Utshimassits (3), Hopedale (1), Makkovik (1) and Sheshatshiu (5). There is also a suicide crisis response team in Nain (Gray, K. pers. comm.).

Community service workers handle general protection, foster care, relative care, child welfare allowance and adoptions. The social workers are responsible for youth offenders and office management. Current community service worker caseloads for the Labrador North Coast are well above the optimum of 25 to 30 cases per worker recommended by the Child Welfare League of America (Gray, K. pers. comm.).

The youth corrections caseload for the Labrador North Coast is within the optimum level identified by the Child Welfare League of America. There are 20 to 30 youth corrections cases being handled by one social worker in Nain, 25 cases in Utshimassits, 5 cases in Hopedale and the three satellite communities, and 25 cases in Sheshatshiu (Gray, K. pers. comm.).


23.1.3.9 Safety and Security

 Policing and Justice

The RCMP has detachments in Nain and Hopedale. Nain detachment staff include a sergeant, corporal, three constables and several special constables. The seven RCMP officers in Hopedale also provide policing services to Utshimassits, Postville and Makkovik. At least two officers from Hopedale are posted at the RCMP station in Utshimassits at any given time, with officers rotating about every 10 days. Officers from Hopedale visit Postville and Makkovik about every six weeks. Policing services in Rigolet are provided by the Happy Valley-Goose Bay detachment.

New policing arrangements are being discussed for Utshimassits. Following the eviction of a provincial court and RCMP from Utshimassits in December 1993, the Government of Canada committed to negotiating a self-government agreement with the Innu Nation and its communities and, where appropriate, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador (Alton Mackey 1995). With negotiations ongoing, the RCMP and the Mushuau Innu reached an agreement in March 1995 to establish an interim policing arrangement that would provide more effective and culturally appropriate policing in Utshimassits (Alton Mackey 1995). More culturally appropriate forms of criminal justice administration are being explored by the Task Force on Justice Alternatives for the Innu. Currently, in addition to the regular RCMP officers from Hopedale, there are about five Supernumerary Constables serving Utshimassits. These officers comprise the Utshimassits Tribal Police and are provided under the RCMP's Aboriginal Policing Program. They act under the guidance of the RCMP (Hobbs, G. pers. comm.).

Based on 1991 census data, the police-population ratio for Labrador was 1:528 and 1:494 for Happy Valley-Goose Bay (Skanes, J. pers. comm.). Based on the 1996 population data and the staff numbers listed above, the police-population ratio for Nain is about 1:240 (not including the special constables) and about 1:225 for the Hopedale detachment policing district. The RCMP does not have a current standard resourcing formula for determining the number of officers that should be stationed in a community or for determining whether an area is adequately policed. In the past, a formula call Standards Assisting Resource Planning in Law Enforcement (SARPLE) has been used by the RCMP, but this formula has not been updated recently.

Distance and travel time are issues with respect to policing communities within this detachment district. Many residents consider the lack of permanent policing services in Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet as a problem and note that it is a key reason why much crime goes unreported in the community (Pauktuutit 1996). Not accounting for weather conditions, the minimum police response times to these communities are: Makkovik (2 to 2.5 hours), Postville (2 to 3 hours) and Rigolet (1.75 hours). Instead of contacting the RCMP, residents of Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet often rely on other local residents, such as the community or mental health representatives, addictions workers, nurses, clergy, family members or other respected community members, for assistance or protection (Pauktuutit 1996).

In Nain and Hopedale, the RCMP coordinate the local Ground Search and Rescue Teams, which are comprised of local volunteers who assist in locating lost and missing persons. Saputjigiajet (the Nain Foot Patrol), is a group of local volunteers in Nain who provide crime prevention services in the community including foot patrols, liaison with RCMP, public relations activities, and awareness programs. Hopedale also has a crime prevention committee.

Justice services for the Labrador North Coast are administered through the provincial court in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. A judge, three prosecutors, and three legal aid counselors based in Happy Valley-Goose Bay serve the North Coast communities through a circuit court system. On average, the circuit court visits Nain about six times per year, Utshimassits about four times per year, and about three times per year for the remaining communities. However, the number and length of visits vary according to demand. There are also two lawyers in private practice in Happy Valley-Goose Bay that offer legal services to North Coast residents (Blake, J. pers. comm.).

Fire Protection

Each of the six communities has a volunteer fire department. Typical fire fighting equipment includes a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, trailer, portable pump and hoses, breathing apparatus and protective clothing for the volunteer fire fighters. Nain, Hopedale and Postville also have pumper trucks, and Nain, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet have fire hydrants.

Emergency Response

Emergency response measures in the Nain area are under review (Munn, E. pers. comm.). The Newfoundland and Labrador Emergency Measures Organization (NLEMO) is helping the town develop an emergency response plan. While this plan will focus on emergencies within the municipal boundaries, there is also discussion of whether the town's resources could be used to respond to emergencies elsewhere, including the Project site (Town Council of Nain 1997b). NLEMO recognizes that the Nain area does not have the resources to handle a major incident and that the Province would have to assist (Munn, E. pers. comm.).

Air and marine emergency response for the Province is coordinated jointly by the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Department of National Defence (DND) under the federal Search and Rescue Program. In Atlantic Canada, the Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax or the Marine Rescue Sub-Centre in St. John's handle response operations.


23.1.3.10 Education

 The Labrador School Board, based in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, is responsible for all primary, elementary and secondary schools on the North Coast. There is one all-grade school in each community offering grades Kindergarten to Level Four (Level Four refers to students who have attended senior high school for at least three years).

In March 1997, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced plans to construct new schools in Hopedale and Rigolet, and to build an extension to the school in Nain. The school in Utshimassits is overcrowded and an additional four classrooms are necessary to meet current demands (Mushuau Innu Band Council 1997).

Overall, school enrollment in the Labrador North Coast is increasing. Between 1991-1992 and 1997-1998, there was an overall 16 percent increase in enrollment (Appendix 23A, Table 8). The greatest increase in enrollment (50 percent) occurred in Hopedale. School enrollments in the other North Coast communities ranged from a decline of 11 percent in Rigolet to an increase of 15 percent in Nain. School enrollments in the other communities are increasing: Utshimassits (13 percent), Makkovik (9 percent) and Postville (9 percent).

As is the case with physicians, finding and retaining qualified teachers is a difficulty experienced by many rural schools in the Province. Obtaining qualified Aboriginal teachers is more difficult.

The teacher-student ratio for the Labrador North Coast as of September 1997 was 1:11.8. The ratios are highest in Utshimassits (1:13.4) and Nain (1:12.4) and lowest in Postville (1:9.7) and Rigolet (1:9.3) (Appendix 23A, Table 9). In addition to the certified teachers, each of the North Coast schools also has a number of local student teachers: Nain (5), Utshimassits (6), Hopedale (5), Makkovik (2), Postville (2) and Rigolet (3). Schools in Nain and Postville also have an Inuit Liaison Officer (Fleet, C. pers. comm.).

The student teachers are Aboriginal students who assist in the school while pursuing teacher certification under Memorial University of Newfoundland's (MUN) Teacher Education Program for Labrador (TEPL). The TEPL is a university certificate program developed in 1978 by MUN primarily for Aboriginal people wishing to pursue teacher training. This 20 course university program includes study of Aboriginal languages and culture, and practical experience in Aboriginal schools. In 1989, MUN approved a second program, a Bachelor of Education (Native and Northern Education) that requires students to complete 50 courses and pursue a concentration of study in either primary, elementary or secondary education (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador 1992).

In addition to the regular curriculum, some of the schools also offer instruction in Inuktitut for some grades and a Life Skills Program in which a local instructor provides training in traditional skills. Jens Haven Memorial in Nain has six Inuit life skills instructors. Inuktitut immersion is offered from kindergarten to grade 4, taught as a subject up to grade 9 and offered as a credit course option in Levels I to III. Northern Lights Academy in Rigolet has two Inuit life skills instructors (Fleet, C. pers. comm.).

Likewise, Nukum Mani Shan has a number of Innu life skills instructors. The Innu Curriculum Development Centre at Peenamin Mackenzie in Sheshatshiu also provides translation in Innu-eimun for Innu schools. However, its mandate also includes curriculum development, but it has not fulfilled this role to date (Innu Nation 1997). In addition, the school board staff in Happy Valley-Goose Bay includes an educational psychologist, a speech-language pathologist, six program specialists and an Inuit Coordinator of Inuit Studies (Fleet, C. pers. comm.).

The Nain School Council is a ten-member committee elected by local parents. It acts as a liaison between the school, school board and community, and helps the school board administer and maintain the school. It also assists in forming policies and ensures that policies adopted by the school board are followed. Jens Haven Memorial School has a gymnasium, various sports activities, music programs, drama and a student council.

The College of the North Atlantic provides post-secondary education through its learning centres, (satellites of the Happy Valley-Goose Bay campus) in Nain, Utshimassits, Hopedale, Makkovik and Rigolet. As of October 1997, Adult Basic Education programs were being taught at the learning centres in Nain, Hopedale, Utshimassits and Rigolet with 10 students enrolled at each location (Montague, K. pers. comm.). The Hopedale learning centre also offers Early Childhood Education to 14 students through a funding arrangement with LIHC's Inuit Childcare Initiative. The program focuses on language, culture and traditions such as crafts and using country foods (Tuglavina, S. pers. comm.). Fifteen students are enrolled in the Inuit Access program being offered at the Nain learning centre and 15 students are enrolled in the business studies program at the Makkovik learning centre. Other programs can be offered on a contractual basis (Montague, K. pers. comm.). The Torngâsok Cultural Centre also offers a two year training program and occasional specialized courses in translation and interpretation.


23.1.3.11 Culture and Recreation

 "I was about four years old when I seen my grandfather, 1931. He was an old man then. . . . He was blind and he used to dance with a fiddle behind his back. Play the fiddle the same time, I never forgot that. That what he did, old Sam Broomfield" (Saunders 1997:128).

Common recreational activities on the North Coast are skating, hockey, skiing, snowmobiling, ice-fishing and dog-team racing in the winter, and softball, hiking, berry-picking, fishing and boating in the summer. Floor hockey, volleyball and table tennis are common indoor sports. Local community halls frequently hold card games, bingo and dances. Local sports teams travel to other communities for competitions, such as the Labrador Winter Games which were held in Happy Valley-Goose Bay in 1997. The games, which are held every three years, combine mainstream sporting events with traditional Inuit and Innu games.

Recreational facilities are limited in these communities, with typical facilities including a community hall or recreation centre, an outdoor ice rink and a softball field. The school gymnasium is commonly used for sports and other events. The youth centre in Utshimassits, constructed in 1994, provides space for indoor recreational activities and dances.

Some communities have recreation committees. For example, the Ujagakutit Recreation Committee in Hopedale oversees sporting activities and events in the community. The seven-member Nain Recreation Commission is responsible for providing recreational programs, chiefly at the Community Hall and Sportsplex. The commission is appointed by the town council which employs a Recreation Director to assist it. The after-school youth program, for children aged six to twelve years, is held at the Sportsplex. The school library is also opened to the public. Costs for improvements to the sportsplex, and constructing a sports field, youth centre and firing range are included in the town's five year Capital Works Plan (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997).


23.1.3.12 Commercial

 Common commercial services and infrastructure in the North Coast communities include a public wharf, oil storage facilities, post office, grocery stores, convenience stores, a hotel, motel, boarding house or guest house, restaurant and a snack bar or take-out restaurant. There is an art and craft dealer in Hopedale, craft shops in Nain, Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet, and bakeries in Nain and Makkovik.

Nain, the largest community, has the widest variety of commercial infrastructure. Businesses in Nain include two retail stores, one snack bar, a bakery, a convenience store, a video store, a snowmobile and outboard motor dealer, a 26-room hotel with dining room and bar, several boarding houses, a gift shop, a diving company and numerous small contractors. These offer home office services, construction, heavy equipment, heating, plumbing, electrical, trucking and longliner charters. Canada Post operates a postal outlet and the community's first bank was established in 1996. VBNC and some other mining companies also have offices in Nain. There is also a small museum, day care centre, Labradorite workshop and a craft centre.

The LIDC, which has its headquarters in Nain, manages the anorthrosite quarry at Ten Mile Bay, near Nain, which exports dimension stone to Europe (Chapter 22). It also owns a caribou processing plant (currently closed), rents an office building to the LIA and rents space in the old school building to various organizations and government departments. The Mushuau Innu have a band council office in Utshimassits.

As discussed in Chapter 22, the Torngat Fish Producers Cooperative operates the fish plant in Nain, processing Arctic charr, Atlantic salmon, turbot, grenadier and scallop. It also operates fish plants in Makkovik and Postville, and a fish-buying station in Utshimassits. In Rigolet, the cooperative has an ice-making facility and several buildings at the government wharf for storing fish (primarily salmon) prior to shipment. Nain also has a slipway for hauling up boats and the town plans to build a breakwater and marine service centre (Urban and Rural Planning Division 1997). Postville has a marine centre (Poniuk, S. pers. comm.).

The Moravian Mission in Hopedale has been designated a National Historic Site and is maintained by the Agvituk Historical Society. There is a small museum at the site which focuses on the history of the Moravian Mission. The local museum in Makkovik focuses on the history of the Moravian Church in the area.

The CCG maintains a communications tower and storage shed in Rigolet. Post Mill Lumber has recently proposed and received funding to build and operate a sawmill in Postville. The primary market for the company's products is Torngat Regional Housing Association.


23.1.3.13 Natuashish

 The community plan for Natuashish addresses many of the problems related to municipal services and infrastructure which have plagued Utshimassits (JWEL 1995; Mushuau Innu Band Council 1997). Natuashish is located at the head of Sango Bay about 15 km west of Utshimassits.

A 762m x 23m airstrip/heliport, capable of handling Twin Otter aircraft, will be built about 4 km west of the community. A community wharf will be built at Daniel Rattle, about 4 km north. The 18.6 km of roads planned for the new community includes the road running between the airstrip and wharf, and roads within the community. The community will have appropriate road-clearing equipment and a garage for storing equipment. Plans also include a firehall (Mushuau Innu Band Council 1997).

Electricity and heat will be supplied by a diesel or oil-fired co-generation plant. Electricity will be produced by three 250 kW generators with a firm generating capacity of 500 kW. This system is expected to meet the community's power needs until 2001, when a fourth generator will be added. A fifth generator will be added to the system in 2031. Heat recovery units added to the diesel generators will form a community-wide heating system (Mushuau Innu Band Council 1997).

"The people can't wait to start the move. People have sobered up and have been working towards relocation" (Cajetan Rich quoted in The Labradorian 1997).

New housing is a key feature of the community plan. Care is being taken to provide housing that meets the needs of the residents, as well as building and safety codes. The town is designed to accommodate a population of 2,000, so there will be adequate space for new housing. All homes will be connected to piped, gravity-feed water supply and sewer systems.

The water supply will consist of an intake from Sango Brook, two submersible low-lift pumps, a treatment plant, a storage reservoir and an insulated heat-traced water mains of 150 mm and 200 mm. The sewage collection system will consist of an insulated (but not heat traced) sewer line buried to a depth of 2 m and 4 m, five pumping stations and a 17 ha two-cell sewage lagoon south of the townsite. The water supply and sewer systems will have the capacity to meet the community's requirements for 20 years. A 7.1 ha landfill site to be developed about 0.5 km north of the town will have a life span of about 44 years (Mushuau Innu Band Council 1997). The youth centre and recreational facilities will be continued at Natuashish.


23.1.4 Likely Future Conditions

 Given that the Labrador North Coast economy is not expected to improve substantially without the Project (Chapter 22), improvement in the quality and quantity of services and infrastructure will be minimal for all communities, except Utshimassits. The Mushuau Innu of Utshimassits will experience the greatest improvement in services and infrastructure. The planned move from Utshimassits to Natuashish will provide municipal services and infrastructure not previously available. Designed to accommodate a population of 2,000, the new community will meet the demands of an increasing population.

Population growth in the North Coast communities, especially Nain, Utshimassits and Hopedale, will lead to increased pressure on existing services and infrastructure, especially housing, health care, social services and education. The trend toward smaller household size and the need to replace substandard homes will add to this demand. This demand will lead to some improvements in services and infrastructure as agencies accommodate increased demand.

A continued poor economy and limited housing will lead to some out-migration, particularly among youth, that will offset some population growth and ease demand for services and infrastructure. In-migration will not be a factor in these communities. A few jobs in each community, like those of teachers and nurses, are typically filled by people from other areas. However, the number of these will remain low and subject to normal staff rotation. Also, as education levels improve, more local people will qualify for such positions.

Without the Project, there will be no change in transportation and communication services and infrastructure. While population growth will create additional demand, the systems currently in place will be able to accommodate any new growth. The coastal passenger and freight service, as well as air service providers, can increase service to meet new demand. There will be increased demand for utilities as a result of population growth. Again, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro can provide additional capacity to meet demand. Also, the Kamistastin (Mistastin) River hydroelectric development, if it proceeds, will improve the supply of electricity to Nain and Natuashish.

The devolution of responsibility for additional health care services and programs to the LIHC, and the Utshimassits and Sheshatshiu Innu Health Commissions will lead to changes in the provision of health care services for the North Coast. Both the Inuit and Innu will have greater responsibility and control over health care. The provincial government's commitment to expand the school in Nain and build new schools in Hopedale and Rigolet will improve education infrastructure for these three communities.

Demands on social services and facilities will continue. Population growth combined with continued poor economic conditions (Chapter 22), means that dependence on social assistance will remain high and that many social problems will continue (Chapter 24). Some demands will be addressed or alleviated by the devolution of various health care programs, as well as by arrangements made in land claim settlements.

While the land claims for the Labrador Inuit and Innu have not yet been finalized, it is expected that they will contain provisions similar to those of previous land claim settlements elsewhere in Canada. As a result, both the Inuit and Innu will have the means for improving their communities and overall quality of life, as well as addressing demand for services and infrastructure.


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