Yellowknife 2010 Posting Handbook
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Joint Task Force North & North of 60 MFRC Posting Handbook Location: Yellowknife Last updated: Apr 2019 1 JTFN Contact Information Joint Task Force North Box 6666, Station Main Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R3 Commissionaire 867-873-0700 Ext. 0 JTFN Duty Officer 867-765-8607 Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/FOIN.JTFN Twitter: @JointTaskForceN North of 60 MFRC Information North of 60 Military Family Resource Centre 5124 54th Street Box 6666, Station Main Yellowknife NT X1A 2R3 Telephone # 873-0700 ext. 6859 Fax# 867-766-6815 Email: [email protected] Facebook Page: North of 60 MFRC Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm The North of 60 MFRC serves military personnel and their families in: Yellowknife, Whitehorse and Iqaluit. Centre Staff Executive Director Information & Referral Coordinator Ext. 6998 Ext. 6859 [email protected] [email protected] Support Counsellor (Bilingual) Administrative Assistant Ext. 6844 Ext. 6859 [email protected] [email protected] Social Worker Outreach Ext. 6845 [email protected] 2 Joint Task Force North Command Team Welcome Congratulations on your upcoming posting to Canada’s North. Joint Task Force North is a family of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and DND civilian (Public and non-Public) personnel and their families across the three Territories. We exist to plan, conduct, and support operations and exercises in the largest CAF Region in Canada. You will soon realize that there are a wide variety of opportunities that come with service north of the 60th parallel. Joint Task Force (North) HQ (JTFN- HQ) is the command element and is located in Yellowknife, NT. To stay connected with other defense and security partners and with the other territorial governments, there are small JTFN-HQ detachments in both Whitehorse and Iqaluit. We refer to all CAF / DND elements in the North as “Team North” and we are extremely proud of our motto: Custos Borealis, or Guardians of the North. Beyond HQ JTFN, “Team North” is also comprised of the following Yellowknife based members; the Area Support Unit North (ASU (N)), the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 440 Transport Squadron (home of the Vampires), and the headquarters of the Canadian Army’s 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1CRPG), which exercises command and control over 1800 Rangers divided into patrols across 60 northern communities. 1CRPG also supports well as over 1600 Junior Canadian Rangers. Finally, we are home to the Army Reserve’s Loyal Edmonton Regiment (LER) as well as Cadet Corps in a number of locales. A posting to Canada’s north can be both rewarding and challenging. Expect the cost of living to be a bit higher than what you have previously experienced, and the quality of housing to be slightly lower than you may have had in the past. However, both of these facts are far outweighed by the opportunity to work and experience life in the most beautiful part(s) of our great country. For those that are moving to either Detachment Whitehorse, or Detachment Iqaluit, your experience will be unique, and your will find yourselves part of wider federal employee community in your respective territorial capitals. As a member “Team North” stationed in Yellowknife, you will have an opportunity and experience few members of the CAF are afforded. Not unlike other postings, a tour “north of 60” will be what you make of it. That said, there will many things you may not have expected; JTFN led Operations take place year round in either planning or execution phases. This, combined with an active support system through the MFRC and PSP staff, can make a tour in the north very rewarding and challenging. Additionally, you will find a very active Mess calendar and there will be a multitude of social opportunities for all ages. For those who enjoy the outdoors your tour with JTFN will prove one of your most memorable; the experience in the NWT should be exactly as the moto emblazoned on the NWT licence plate states, – SPECTACULAR! Have a safe and adventurous move to the north, and we look forward to meeting you and your family members once you are settled. Custos Borealis BGen Patrick Carpentier – Commander JTFN CWO Sherri Forward – Formation CWO 3 North of 60 MFRC Executive Director’s Welcome The Advisory Committee and Staff at the North of 60 MFRC extend, to you and your family, a warm welcome to the North. One of our goals is to assist military families with their transition to their new home and their Northern adventure. This handbook is just one tool to assist with this transition. Our friendly staff members are here to assist you and your family with accessing information within and about your new community. Upon request, a welcome package will be sent to you with additional local information on programs and services available to you. To get a sense of the goings on in Yellowknife and the North of 60 MFRC we encourage you to visit our website at www.cafconnection.ca/Yellowknife or by following us on Facebook at North of 60 MFRC. A few considerations for those of you posting in with children; it is advisable to look for childcare spaces immediately as it sometimes takes time to secure childcare for children under two years of age. A list of licensed daycares and day homes can be found here https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/en/childcare. Please note that the North of 60 MFRC does not offer childcare services. Before school care is not offered in schools and is scarce within the community, some day home providers offer this service at an additional cost. Securing after school care is also challenging and should be looked into as soon as you’ve received your posting message. Registration for summer camps and fall recreation programs occurs early therefore it would be advisable to register for activities as soon as you receive your posting message or registration opens. Your North of 60 MFRC staff members are available to assist you with your individual family needs. We are available to answer any questions you may have about living in the North and a posting to Yellowknife. I encourage you and your family to contact us, with any questions you may have, at [email protected] or 873-0700 ext. 6859. Don’t be shy! We look forward serving you and your family! Rose Jasmin Executive Director 4 Table of Contents Commander’s Welcome Page 3 Executive Director’s Welcome Page 4 About Yellowknife Page 7 About Joint Task Force North Pages 8 - 24 Units Pages 8 - 16 1. Joint task Force North (JTFN) Page 8 2. Area Support Unit (ASU) Page 9 3. First Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1CRPG) Pages 10 - 13 4. 440 (Transport) Squadron Page 14 5. LER Page 15 6. North of 60 MFRC Page 16 Accommodations Pages 17 - 18 Messes and Institutions Page 18 LTS (Long Term Storage) Page 19 Finances and Benefits Pages 19 - 21 Screening and Your Posting to an Isolated Location Pages 21 - 22 CAF Relocation Coordinator Page 22 CAF Medical Services Page 23 Chaplain Services Page 23 ADM(IE) Pages 23 – 24 Military Police (MP) Page 24 Driving to Yellowknife Page 24 Licensed Day Care / Day homes Page 25 Schools Pages 25 - 27 Post Secondary Education Pages 27 - 28 After School Programs Page 28 Health Care Pages 28 - 31 Health Care coverage Page 28 - 29 Clinics Pages 29 Chiropractors Page 29 Dental Page 29 Optomotrists Page 30 Pharmacies Page 30 Public Health Page 30 Vision Services Page 30 - 31 Mental Health Services Page 31 Family Violence and Safe Homes Pages 32 - 33 Self Help Page 33 Services for People with Disabilities Page 33 Services Pour les Francophones à Yellowknife Pages 34 - 35 Local Information for Newcomers Pages 35 - 50 Air Transportation Page 35 Animal Care Pages 35 - 36 Banks Pages 36 - 37 5 Barbers & Hairdressers Page 37 Cable Providers Page 37 Cell Phone Providers Page 37 City Bus Services Page 38 Driver’s License & Vehicle Registration Page 39 Dry Cleaners Page 39 Family Care Planning Page 39 Fishing in the NWT Page 39 Garbage Pick-up Page 39 Gasoline Discount Page 40 Grocers Page 40 Groups Pages 40 - 41 Highway & Ferry Information Page 41 Hunting (Big Game) Page 41 Insurance Page 41 Internet Pages 41 – 42 Job Search Page 42 Legion Page 42 Library Page 42 Local Newspapers Page 43 Northern Arts & Cultural Centre Page 43 NWT Teacher’s Association Page 43 Passports and Other Federal Services Page 43 Places of Worship Pages 43 - 45 Programming Page 45 Post Offices Page 45 PSP Community Recreation Association Pages 45 - 46 Realtors Page 46 Recycling Page 46 Rental Agencies Page 47 School Bus Passes Page 47 Second Hand Clothes, Household Items, Books, etc. Page 47 Shopping Page 48 Statutory Holidays, March Break & Summer Camps Page 49 Swimming & Skating Page 49 Traffic Page 49 Utilities Page 50 Places to See Pages 50 - 51 Sports & Recreation Pages 51 – 52 Helpful Links Page 52 Annex A: Government Housing in the North Pages 54 – 55 Annex B: Application for DND Housing Page 56 Annex C: Acceptance of Offer for DND Housing Page 57 Annex D: Pictures of DND Housing Pages 59 – 62 Annex E: CFHA Calculation of Housing Household Income Page 63 Annex F: 90 Day Health Care Application Waiver Page 64 6 About Yellowknife Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories, is a young, vibrant and growing city with a population of 20,500. Yellowknife is located on the North Arm of Great Slave Lake, 512 km south of the Arctic Circle, 965 kilometers by air and 1,500 kilometers by road from Edmonton, the main supply point for the area.