Eight Cariboo First Nations will be supported so they can complete well-being and poverty reduction plans and projects in their communities through the Province’s First Nations Well Being Fund.
The First Nations Well Being Fund is administered by the First Nations Public Service Secretariat, in partnership with the First Nations Leadership Council, and will support First Nations and Tribal Councils in their efforts to promote well-being, improve quality of life for community members on and off reserve, and reduce poverty at the community or Nation Level.
“Numerous studies have shown that Indigenous peoples experience the highest levels of poverty, with a shocking 25% of Indigenous people in Canada living in poverty,” said Cheryl Casimer, political executive, First Nations Summit. “This poverty reduction initiative was created to assist B.C. First Nations to increase well-being within their communities and membership. This welcome program is a modest step toward addressing the disproportionally high rates of poverty for First Nations’ citizens in B.C. The program was very oversubscribed, which clearly shows there is a high demand for much-needed funding for these types of important community projects. We hope that the success of this initiative will lead to greater poverty reduction funding opportunities for our communities in the future.”
Cariboo Projects receiving funding include:
- ?Esdilagh First Nation – $35,000 to provide its members with training in stream keeping and monitoring fish waterways.
- LhTako Dene Nation – $35,000 to deliver a cultural camp for its members focusing on food security for the community.
- Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation – $25,000, including technical support, to deliver planning sessions to further develop a community wellness plan.
- Tsideldel First Nation – $24,635 to deliver leadership workshops that will help develop and build a community wellness plan.
- Williams Lake First Nation – $35,000 to develop a culture and knowledge exchange between elders and youth, and to build garden beds, a root cellar and a greenhouse for the community.
The Stswecem’c Xgat’tem, Tl’esqox, Tsidelel, and Yunesit’in will also be receiving funding for planning projects.
Provincewide, more than $2-million in grants has been provided to 62 First Nation communities.