The NWT’s On The Land Collaborative says it has provided $1 million to projects across the territory for the third year in a row.
More than a dozen groups – ranging from the GNWT and Indigenous governments to banks, diamond mines, and charities – form the collaborative, which has existed since 2015.
This year, 55 projects are being funded. Each is designed to connect NWT residents with their land, culture, and community.
Steve Ellis of collaborative member MakeWay, formerly Tides Canada, said the funding was intended to “make on-the-land funding accessible with as little red tape as possible.”
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Grants this year range from $2,500 to $60,000. Recipients are mostly Indigenous governments, schools, and charities.
Examples provided by the collaborative include students from Tulita’s Chief Albert Wright School and Elders gathering traditional medicines together, and a rabbit-snaring program run by Setsi’e Frederick Daycare in Hay River.
Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchokǫ̀ will organize two rite-of-passage camps, while the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation will use the money to host a regional on-the-land literacy camp and the Dehcho First Nations will stage a youth canoe trip.
