Canada’s Partnership with Indigenous Peoples on Climate

The Canada’s Partnership with Indigenous Peoples on Climate webpage includes a box titled “Funding for Indigenous Peoples.”

Indigenous Climate Funding

The link found above via the “Find funding program” button takes the user to the Indigenous Climate Funding webpage. Through this webpage, the user can filter through the various funding programs by distinction, type of program, ongoing intake, and topic.

Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships (nrcan.gc.ca)

Description:

The Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships (INRP) Program aims to increase the economic participation of Indigenous communities and organizations in the development of natural resource projects that support the transition to a clean energy future.

INRP has $80 million in Contributions funding for projects that:

• increase the capacity of Indigenous communities to engage in, benefit from, actively participate in and/or capitalize on economic development opportunities in the natural resource sectors;
• increase the investment and/or collaboration between Indigenous Peoples and other natural resource development stakeholders, including governments, industry, and non-governmental organizations.

Priority will be given to projects that:

• result in benefits to multiple Indigenous communities and/or organizations
• support community capacity to transition to and participate in projects that contribute to Canada’s net-zero objectives and shift to clean energy (including critical minerals development).

Deadlines: NRCan is accepting an ongoing intake of applications for the INRP program. All projects must be completed by March 31, 2027.

For a complete list of assessment considerations, please refer to the INRP Program Guide (available on the NRCAN Website).

Please contact Debora Stone at inrp-prna@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca for more information or to discuss your project idea.

Eligible Activities

Examples could include:

• Studies, plans, evaluations, assessments or related activities to identify or develop economic or business opportunities
• Strategic, business, human resources, marketing and financial planning or community economic development planning
• Identification of opportunities, application and development of agreements or licenses
• Development or expansion of Indigenous joint ventures, partnerships or businesses
• Capacity development and training
• Development of tools, technology, products, services and systems
• Engineering design, environmental planning and permitting or other project design activities
• Site development, facility construction and commissioning, and business start-up and expansion operations

Budget 2022 allocated $100 million over five years starting in 2022-23, to renew and expand the Indigenous Partnerships Office (IPO) and the INRP Program to make it a national natural resource sector-wide program. At least $25 million of this funding is to be dedicated to early engagement and Indigenous communities’ capacity building to support their participation in the Critical Minerals Strategy.

Please visit NRCAN Website for more information: https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/our-natural-resources/indigenous-natural-resources/indigenous-natural-resource-partnerships/22197.

Indigenous Guardians – Canada.ca

Description: Indigenous Guardians funding provides Indigenous Peoples with a greater opportunity to exercise responsibility in stewardship of their traditional lands, waters, and ice. Funding for Guardians initiatives supports Indigenous rights and responsibilities in protecting and conserving ecosystems, developing and maintaining sustainable economies, and continuing the profound connections between natural landscapes and Indigenous cultures.

Eligible Organizations: Indigenous communities, Indigenous Nations, governments, and representative organizations are eligible for funding under Indigenous Guardians.

Application process: An application process will be open for First Nations Guardians Initiatives (Tiers 1, 2 and 3) in 2023-2024 in two streams to provide continuity in funding for existing First Nations Guardians recipients, while providing the opportunity for new or returning applicants to apply.

To learn more, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-funding/indigenous-guardians.html.

Clean Energy in Indigenous, Rural, and Remote Communities

Deadline: None (applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis)

Description: This federal funding focuses on Indigenous, rural, and remote communities using diesel or fossil fuels for heat or power. It supports all project stages and a variety of technology types. Indigenous-owned or led projects, or projects with community partnerships, are prioritized.

Website: Clean Energy in Indigenous, Rural, and Remote Communities

Contact: nrcan.remoteenergy-energieadistance.rncan@canada.ca

Climate Action and Awareness Fund –Advancing Climate Change Science and Technology Request for Proposals

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Climate Action and Awareness Fund (CAAF) has opened a request for proposals (RFP) for Advancing Climate Change Science and Technology Research. The RFP will fund up to $59M for projects that will strengthen Canada’s science capacity to understand, identify, accelerate, and evaluate actions towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Please visit the CAAF website for more information.

Information from: Climate Action and Awareness Fund, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada.

Harvesters Support Grant

Description: The Harvesters Support Grant is a new addition to the Nutrition North Canada program. It was developed in direct collaboration with Indigenous partners to increase their access to traditional foods by reducing the high costs associated with traditional hunting and harvesting. The grant supports the complete range of harvesting activities and traditions, from community decision making to ceremony and celebration of the harvest. It respects the inherent hunting and harvesting rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

It provides $40 million over 5 years, and $8 million per year ongoing, to Indigenous governments and organizations representing eligible Nutrition North Canada communities.

How does the grant work?

The Harvesters Support Grant relies on a distinctions-based design to maximize Indigenous control and decision-making. Because each community has unique harvesting needs and priorities, dedicated grant agreements have been developed to ensure that Indigenous governments and organizations can decide how best to support their own communities. The grant is supporting a wide range of harvesting activities such as:

• transportation and related capital investments
• maintenance of equipment
• harvesting equipment
• temporary shelter and outdoor clothing
• safety and rescue equipment
• training, certification and education
• traditional knowledge, practices and techniques
• processing, food preparation and storage such as community freezers
• maintenance of harvesting sites
• innovation in harvesting
• community, research, culture, and food sharing initiatives

There are 2 funding streams:

Stream 1 – Land claim organization and self-government stream

For communities with settled land claims, grant funding is being provided to land claim organizations. These organizations will decide how the grant is spent and how harvesting support programs are administered.

Stream 2 – Communities stream

For communities without a settled land claim, an Indigenous organization representing the community will receive and administer the grant. With input from community leaders, the organization will develop the program within their region.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the Harvesters Support Grant, a community must:

• lack year-round surface transportation (no permanent road, rail or marine access)
• be reliant on air transportation for more than 8 months each year
• meet the territorial or provincial definition of a northern community
• have an airport, post office, or grocery store
• have a year-round population according to the national census

Eight communities eligible for the retail subsidy are not reliant on air transportation for more than 8 months each year, and are not eligible for the Harvesters Support Grant as a result. These communities are all on the Quebec North Shore:

• Pakuashipi
• La Tabatiere
• Mutton Bay
• Tête-à-la-Baleine
• Harrington Harbour
• Chevery
• La Romaine
• Port Menier

Source: Information obtained from Government of Canada website. For more information on this funding opportunity, click here.