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The federal government says it has provided a total of $15 million to 27 Indigenous governments and organizations in the NWT for expenses related to 2023’s wildfires.
MP Michael McLeod announced the one-time funding on Tuesday afternoon in Yellowknife on behalf of Dan Vandal, the minister of northern affairs.
“I think we’re all aware that wildfires have been front and centre for the last while and certainly they are a brutal reminder of the effects of climate change, especially here in the North and in our Indigenous communities,” McLeod said.
He said the new money addresses spending that does not qualify for reimbursement under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program, which helps provinces and territories cover disaster spending, or the Emergency Management Assistance program, which provides funding to First Nations communities on reserve.
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McLeod said costs covered by the new money include temporary lodging, food, and locating members who had evacuated and returning them to the NWT.
“Indigenous governments and organizations led the way in supporting their community members in ways that made sense for them,” he said.
The 2023 wildfire season was the NWT’s worst on record. Fires burned more than 4.1 million hectares across the territory and displaced nearly 70 percent of its population.
The funding announced on Tuesday was allocated as follows:
- Tłı̨chǫ Government – $5,317,330
- Fort Good Hope First Nation – $1,527,062
- Salt River First Nation – $1,364,483
- Délı̨nę Got’ı̨nę Government – $1,229,518
- Yellowknives Dene First Nation – $1,046,552
- Tulita Dene Band – $827,587
- Łútsël K’é Dene First Nation – $548,380
- Northwest Territory Métis Nation – $384,691
- West Point First Nation – $285,220
- Gwich’in Tribal Council – $283,000
- Fort Smith Métis Local – $274,890
- North Slave Métis Alliance – $259,127
- Jean Marie River First Nation – $233,433
- Yamoga Land Corporation – $160,945
- Dehcho First Nations – $181,400
- Dene Nation – $101,950
- Nahanni Butte First Nation – $100,000
- Deh Gah Gotie Dene Council -$100,000
- Sambaa K’e First Nation – $100,000
- Acho Dene Koe First Nation – $100,000
- Hay River and Area Métis Local 51 – $100,000
- Pedzeh Ki First Nation – $99,920
- Deninu Kue First Nation – $99,068
- Hay River Métis Council – $98,137
- Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government – $90,000
- Fort Norman Métis – $50,660
- Inuvialuit Regional Corporation – $36,647
McLeod said the federal government plans to work with Indigenous partners and the NWT government to develop long-term strategies that address gaps in culturally appropriate emergency management in the North.
“We’re here to listen and to learn and to reduce the risk of future wildfires, to improve our collective response, and better provide support during these emergency measures and extreme emergencies,” he said.
