Baie-D’Urfé, April 8^th, 2020 – As COVID-19 is making its appearance in Nunavik, Ilagiisaq (Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec) is relaying safety instructions of its cooperative members. Many of these guidelines are changing the purchasing habits of members.

“We can no longer shop as before” says Ilagiisaq’s President, Mrs. Mary Johannes, highlighting how important it is that this message gets passed on. The Nunavik cooperative movement is multiplying its communications with its thousands of members so that they may make their own contribution in the face of this pandemic.

For the past couple weeks, members have been asked to send only one family member to the store to do their shopping, as well as purchase enough to last a few days. The objective is to limit the amount of people in the stores. Children must remain outside as much as possible and the elderly are asked to designate someone to do their shopping for them. One person regulates traffic at the buildings’ entrance.  “Since the appearance of this pandemic in Québec, there’s been a great collaboration between members and co-op teams. We are confident that it will continue” underlines Mrs. Johannes.

We are being extra vigilant in order to maintain the supply chain

The confinement orders imposed on the 14 communities of Nunavik by regional authorities has few impact on Ilagiisaq’s ability to supply the cooperatives. Cargo transport is still permitted and the federation continues to use all its means to provide for members.

In conformity with the recommendations of health authorities, the cooperatives put in place many initiatives in order to protect the health of their members and employees: lines on the floor to encourage social distancing, hand washing stations at the entrance, more frequent cleanings, etc. These efforts are maintained to contain the propagation of the virus.

 “We are doing all of this for the health of our members, but also and especially for that of our employees as, without them, the cooperatives cannot maintain this essential service” explains Mrs. Johannes. The federation Ilagiisaq is currently sending protective panels for cash registers and other counters at the cooperatives, if they are not yet equipped with this material. Individual protective visors are also being distributed. In the federation warehouses, non-contact thermometers have been made available, allowing for each employee to know their temperature before starting their shift.

About Ilagiisaq-FCNQ

Founded and managed by Nunavimmiut since 1959, the 14 cooperatives of Nunavik offer a multitude of services to the community: general store, hotel, gas station and fuel distribution, post office, cable TV, restaurant, etc.

Created in 1967 to supply the Nunavik cooperative movement with effective means of ensuring its growth, the federation, Ilagiisaq, supports its member cooperative through: purchasing, training, mechanical maintenance, technical and management support. It is also active in various economic sectors such as marketing of Inuit art, tourism, logistics management, construction, energy and transport.

The Nunavik cooperative movement is made up of over 11 000 members and 1 100 employees, of which 800 work in the North.

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Information :

Caroline Mailloux
Communications and Public Relations
Ilagiisaq – Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec
caroline.mailloux@fcnq.ca
514 457-9371 ext. 436

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