Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) has welcomed the appointment of Virginia Mearns as Canada’s new Arctic Ambassador, announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney during the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee meeting in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The ambassadorial role is a central part of Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy, launched in December 2024. ITK looks forward to collaborating with Mearns […]

The Safe Haven Foundation, a Calgary-based non-profit, has opened a new facility to support women and girls at risk of homelessness. The Safe Haven Community Hub and Haven Harbour Residences, located in southwest Calgary, combines transitional housing with wellness programming and life-skills support. It expands the organization’s capacity by 150%, offering more than 3,285 supported

Federal housing advocate Marie-Josée Houle has expressed serious concerns about plans to clear a long-standing homeless encampment at 100 Victoria Street N. in Kitchener, near the train station. The encampment, occupied since early 2022, is set to be cleared by Dec. 1 under a new bylaw to allow construction of a transit hub. Houle’s open

London City Council approved several key decisions affecting urban development, emergency services, and affordable housing. Most notably, the council voted 9-5 to approve a controversial plan to build 4,000 homes on farmland at 6309 Pack Rd. in southwest London, potentially housing 7,000 people. The development includes single-family homes, townhouses, and apartment buildings up to 16

The MobileCare Clinic is a 38-foot travelling health van serving rural southwestern Ontario communities, offering free medical and mental health care without requiring health cards, appointments, or payment. Operated mainly by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and community partners, it aims to overcome traditional barriers to healthcare, such as transportation issues or hesitancy to

Dr. James Makokis, a two-spirit Plains Cree physician from Saddle Lake Cree Nation, leads the Humble Lodge near Pigeon Lake, Alberta—a safe, inclusive space offering two-spirit and trans Indigenous youth ceremonies that celebrate their identities. The Humble Lodge hosts an annual two-spirit fasting camp, a rite of passage ceremony traditionally held at puberty but adapted

A National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) report confirms that Indigenous communities experience house fire death rates about five times higher than non-Indigenous communities. Commissioned by the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council (NIFSC), the report analyzed fire data from 2005 to 2021 to highlight fire risks and data gaps in Indigenous areas. Arnold Lazare, NIFSC

The Southern First Nations Secretariat (SFNS) in Bothwell, Ontario, is hosting pop-up booths across southwestern Ontario to help Indigenous peoples apply for or renew their Secured Certificate of Indian Status (SCIS) cards. These mobile clinics are set up at various locations such as school campuses, public parks, and pow wows to make the process easier

In response to the toxic drug crisis, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) launched Parents Like Us: An Unofficial Guide to Caring for a Young Person Who Uses Substances, a resource designed to offer hope and practical advice for caregivers. Unveiled in June, this free handbook combines evidence-based information with personal stories, artwork, and

Long Ago Peoples Place, an outdoor museum in the Yukon, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Founded by Harold Johnson and Meta Williams, the museum showcases Southern Tutchone culture through a collection of traditional dwellings, tools, and practices. Located on Champagne and Aishihik First Nations land, the site draws 5,000 to 10,000 visitors annually, with