REATY 1 TERRITORY, WINNIPEG, MB, April 21, 2022
TREATY 1 TERRITORY, WINNIPEG, MB, April 21, 2022 /CNW/ – Culturally relevant and culturally safe wellness programming is a critical component of supporting the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples—no matter where they live.
Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc. has been providing a variety of programs and services for Indigenous Peoples in downtown Winnipeg since 2001. These programs include a day care; cultural and social leadership development activities for Indigenous girls and Two-Spirit youth; prevention mentorship for boys aged 12 and younger who are at risk of conflicting with the law; and a healing program that focuses on the effects of trauma, cultural identity, empowerment, strengths and more for Indigenous women. Like many urban settings across the country, populations continue to grow, and the demand for services has quickly surpassed capacity.
Today, Patty Hajdu, the Federal Minister of Indigenous Services, announced that Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc. will receive $1.8 million to support the construction of the Ka Ni Kanichihk Cultural and Wellness Centre. This investment is made available through the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples funding stream. This expansion project will double the number of people who can access wellness, education and training programs each year and will create unique spaces and new opportunities for people to heal, learn and train for jobs, all centred in culture.
Along with the investment from the Government of Canada, the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg and private-sector donors have also made contributions to this critical expansion. Construction on the project is ready to begin and is scheduled to be completed by June 2023.
This financial support from the Government of Canada for the Ka Ni Kanichihk Cultural and Wellness Centre project is part of a larger commitment to address the critical need for culturally safe spaces in cities and urban settings across the country. This responds to the call for action to prevent the loss of culture, tradition and language highlighted in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan—Urban Path to Reclaiming Power and Place, Regardless of Residency.
