SLFNHA operated hostels in Sioux Lookout
2 Meno Ya Win Way
3 Sturgeon River Road
2 Sturgeon River Road
History of Jeremiah McKay Kabayshewekamik
Following the establishment of SLFNHA’s Client Services Department in 1995, a 39-bed hostel was opened on 7th Avenue.
In response to growing demand for hostel services, the Sioux Lookout area Chiefs and SLFNHA began planning for a new hostel in 1997.
In June 2006, the hostel on 7th Avenue was closed due to health and safety concerns. During that time, clients stayed at locals hotels. Several years of planning saw construction begin in 2008.
The vision for the Jeremiah McKay Kabayshewekamik hostel is to create a warm, welcoming and secure place for clients traveling to Sioux Lookout for medical appointments. The vision and design of the facility was determined through input from a large number of stakeholders, including First Nation members, Chiefs, Health Canada and the Government of Canada, Elders, youth, hostel staff, families, the Municipality of Sioux Lookout and the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre.
Hostel Information
To ensure a comfortable stay at Jeremiah McKay Kabayshewekamik (JMK) guests are required to conduct themselves in a respectful, responsible manner and must not act in any way which may disturb other guests or cause damage to the JMK hostel(s).
If you have safety concerns, please speak with someone at the security team desk (located next to the reception area) or by dialing ‘0’ on the landline in the client room. In urgent situations, please dial 911.
If you have a concern or complaint related to your stay or are unhappy with the service provided, please fill out the client satisfaction form located at the reception area. All complaints received are confidential. The Client Services Representative is also available on site if you would like to discuss matters in person.
1. Visiting hours are between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. However, visiting is currently not permitted due to COVID.
2. Visiting is restricted to the family lounge and/or dining area. No visitors are permitted in guest rooms.
3. Loud noise is not permitted at any time.
4. No alcohol, cannabis (including edibles) or illegal drugs are permitted on hostel property.
5. No smoking or vaping anywhere inside the hostel(s) will be tolerated; a designated outdoor smoking area is available onsite.
6. Housekeeping services are provided daily, and clients must allow housekeepers to access their rooms.
7. Escorts are always responsible for the clients they travel with. This includes medical appointments, translating services, etc.
8. Clients must be cooperative when security personnel perform routine safety and wellbeing checks.
9. Please keep the room clean and tidy; do not place any articles and/or food on the heating/cooling system.
10. Prescriptions must be safeguarded; if refrigeration is required, please contact accommodations.
11. The hostel is not responsible for lost or damaged private property. Any theft incidents will be reported to the police.
12. Any abuse of any type (physical, verbal, sexual) will not be tolerated.
JMK hostels are staffed 24/7 with security personnel. The security office is located on the main floor near reception. The Security team ensures the safety of all clients, escorts, and employees. Security monitors that the hostel rules, including policies for drugs and alcohol are being respected. Failure to follow the hostel rules could result in being dismissed from the hostel, and police being called for unruly guests.
We remind clients and escorts that JMK is an accommodation facility for medical clients who may be going through many different health issues. Please respect the premises and know that staff here are working to provide a clean, and comfortable home-away-from home.
Three meals per day are provided to clients. Meals are served in the dining area next to the main reception. Mealtime for breakfast is 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Lunch is served from 12 noon to 2 p.m., and dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Clients being accommodated at a local hotel will have food delivered to the support worker location for pick up. Clients staying at hotels can call the hostel staff to arrange for transportation during mealtimes should they choose to eat at JMK.
A family lounge is on the main floor near reception. The lounge is an ideal place for hostel guests to meet with visitors, as visitors are not permitted in guest rooms. The lounge is equipped with a television and a variety of reading materials.
The Activity Coordinator is located on the second-floor mezzanine at JMK1 and the main floor at JMK2, close to the family lounge. The office is open during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 4:30 p.m.
The Activity Coordinator plans and coordinates social and recreational programming for hostel guests. These activities include arts and crafts, beading, fun bingo, karaoke, movie nights, card, and board games, supply magazines and games for guests to use in the family lounge.
The hostel has wi-fi throughout for guests to connect to the Internet on your personal computers and mobile devices. During your stay, if you have technical issues please call the front desk.
While our housekeeping staff will handle cleaning of all hostel linens, guests are responsible for their own personal laundry here at the hostel. A client laundry room, with coin operated machines, is available in the upper west side of the mezzanine. Guests are asked to clean up after use and respect other guests’ laundry and belongings.
Guests can access the neighboring hospital directly through the connecting corridor. The corridor is located on the main level, west wing. After-hours access to the link is available and we remind guests to speak to the front desk or security if they need assistance.
When the fire alarm sounds, all hostel guests must vacate guest rooms and common areas using the nearest fire exit. Do not use elevators when the alarm sounds. Exit the building and report to the hostel parking lot at the east end of the building. Employees will meet guests at the parking lot to conduct a roll call and ensure everyone is safe. Guests and employees will re-enter the building after given approval by the fire marshal.
Guests at the hostel are most often sent through their doctor from their home community, coming to Sioux Lookout for medical appointment(s), surgery or prenatal care. Your travel is arranged through Non-Insured Health Benefits, a federal program run through Health Canada. Some guests are approved to have an escort with them, so as to assist on their trip and/or translation and communication. Non-Insured therefore covers the patient and their escort, and this covers their flight, accommodations at the hostel and ground transportation. If a patient travels with an escort, child, spouse or other person who has not been prior approved, this can cause issues with travel and space at the hostel.
We remind guests to work with their physician and Non-Insured ahead of time to ensure their trip is covered and accommodations are arranged.
If you need to contact Non-Insured directly, please contact:
General NIHB Inquiries Toll-free: 1 (800) 640-0642 Fax: (613) 952-7054
Dental Toll free: 1 (888) 283-8885
