Indigenous-led environmental stewardship programs receive $27M in federal funding

The federal government has provided more than $27 million in funding for 80 Indigenous-led environmental stewardship initiatives.

The funding was announced Friday at a media event in Thunder Bay. It will be independently controlled and allocated by the First Nations National Guardians Network (NGN).

"It is unusual for the federal government not to be in control," said Environment and Climate Change MinisterSteven Guilbeault. "But I think if there's one area wherewe should, and we have a responsibility to, let go, it is for projects like this one."

"Indigenous people have been stewards of these lands and waters, and ice when we go up north, for thousands and thousands of years," he said. "So it's entirely appropriate to let them decide which projects should be moving forward, andnot be up to us to to decide."

Guilbeault said overall, the federal government has committed $100 million in funding for guardians projects.

"I think my heart is full of love, happiness, triumph," said JaimeeGaunce, NGN executive director. "[Friday] was a historical day. We were able to make history and move First Nations people forward."

"We were able to be recognized for the guardianship and the land caretaking that we do as First Nations people. And to have so many people come and celebrate this with us, including the ministers, is incredible."

Gaunce said there are still may guardians projects that are in need of funding.

"We have over 200 guardians programs on the ground right now across Canada," she said. "I think it's incredibly important that we move forward and look to ensure we support the remaining guardians programs that are running right now, and the nations that want to start guardians programs in the future."

"We need that financial support, we need the federal support and clearly we have the ministers support. So I think we're we're moving in the right direction, and time will tell."

In a media release, the government said NGN is the world's Indigenous-led national stewardship network.

In northern Ontario, the funded projects include Matawa First Nations Management's Four Rivers Regional Guardians Network, a two-year initiative that "focuses on environmental stewardship and capacity-building in nine Matawa First Nations," which received about $389,000.

Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishnaabek Rocky Bay First Nation also received $350,000 for its community guardians program, another two-year project that will "implement sturgeon and mining site protocols, conduct environmental monitoring analysis, map the Lake Nipigon basin, and integrate the data into a geographic information system database."

A full list of funded initiatives can be found on the Environment and Climate Change Canada website.