Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories have been granted $21.6 million to support the conservation of lands and water in the region. The Our Land for the Future trust announced the allocation of funds to 20 Indigenous governments that were part of the November 2024 agreement.
The grant aims to facilitate research, planning, and management of protected areas, species monitoring, and language camp support. Specific projects set to receive funding in this round are yet to be disclosed by the trust.
Chair of the Our Land for the Future Trust, Danny Yakeleya, highlighted the importance of creating local employment opportunities and involving elders in managing protected areas based on Indigenous principles. The funding, part of a $375 million initiative from the federal government and private contributions, will be distributed over a decade.
Dahti Tsetso, CEO of the trust, emphasized that communities’ funding levels will be determined by their project goals and achievements. The delay in disbursing funds last year was attributed to the federal election.
The trust is implementing a monitoring framework for Indigenous governments to report on fund utilization and project progress. Additionally, more staff will be hired this year to support the conservation efforts.
Tsetso expressed her personal connection to the initiative, expressing her desire to pave the way for future generations within the Dene community to engage in stewardship roles.