The federal government says it wants to support Indigenous participation in mineral development projects in Manitoba.

 

Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal made the 3.75 million dollar announcement in Churchill yesterday.

 

Vandal says the Manitoba Indigenous Critical Minerals Partnerships Initiative will fund projects in three areas: workforce development, capacity building, as well as business development and entrepreneurship related to mineral development.

 

Over the next three years the initiative, delivered by PrairiesCan, is to engage and partner with communities, create partnerships, fund projects, and leverage more than 8.25 million dollars in additional funding.

 

The Thompson YWCA, Thompson Community Development Corporation, and BGC Thompson are among the over 400 recipients of the province’s Building Sustainable Communities grant program.

 

The Thompson BGC is getting nearly 32, 000 dollars for a building addition and facility upgrades, while the YWCA is getting almost 45, 000 dollars for facility improvements.

 

Over 38, 000 dollars has been allocated to the CDC for tourism development.

 

Additionally, the City of Thompson is receiving 60, 000 thousand dollars for a development plan and zoning by-law.

 

This year, the provincial government invested over 25 million dollars for community projects across Manitoba.