The outcomes of on the land programming are as numerous as they are varied, but one thing is certain: they support the health and wellbeing of communities, families, and individuals, and are vital to healthy ecosystems and economies in the North. This year, the NWT On The Land Collaborative (the Collaborative) distributed 935,000 dollars in grants to 53 projects across the territory that connect NWT residents with land, culture, and community.
“Covid has proposed many challenges to on the land programming, however, the hurdles that northerners have had to overcome to support their health and wellness has proven why the need for on the land programs is so great. As we have seen, many indigenous (and non) have returned to the land as a place of safety. Here, northerners can connect and re-connect to Land, Culture and Language. With an influx of funding, land-based programming has dramatically increased and a need to support these vital programs and projects is in demand. The NWT On the Land Collaborative has been critical in supporting northerners in their traditional ways of living and being.” says Inuvialuit Region Community Advisor Jimmy Ruttan, who has been with the Collaborative since 2018.
Since it was founded in 2015, the Collaborative has distributed more than five and a half million dollars to 324 projects in every region of the NWT. These projects have made numerous meaningful impacts, including but not limited to:
Revitalizing and strengthening relations between participants and the land;
Connecting community members across generations, creating opportunities for knowledge transmission and mentorship;
Creating diverse opportunities for community members, but especially youth, to learn land-based skills and practice their way of life;
Fostering self-esteem, confidence, perseverance, and leadership;
Nurturing healthy and resilient individuals, families, and communities;
Supporting access to the healing that being on the land provides
Supporting the stewardship role of Indigenous peoples in their homelands; and
Providing communities with vital resources like traditional food and firewood.
In addition to financial support, funded projects may also receive equipment, training, and program support.
This year, the NWT On the Land Collaborative was proud to receive the Partnership Award from the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association. The Partnership Award is given to sector partners (organizations/corporations/governments) whose collaboration, creativity, and innovation, enrich individual health and community well-being and enhance Canada’s parks and recreation community.
Visit the NWT On the Land Collaborative's website to see a full list of grant recipients.
The NWTRPA is a proud member of the NWT On The Land Collaborative. In addition to offering program and training support to grant recipients, our On the Land Programs Consultant is a member of the Administrative Team and is the Communications Lead. We also partner with other organizations and lend our support to initiatives that get NWT residents out on the land.
For more information about the NWTRPA’s on the land training, advocacy, and networking opportunities, please contact the On the Land Programs Consultant, David Brinston at dbrinston@nwtrpa.org.