Ottawa, ON – Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, in partnership with the National Association of Friendship Centres, today announced support for 13 organizations in Quebec through the Urban Partnerships Program.

Through the National Association of Friendship Centres, the Government of Canada is making strategic community investments designed to enhance the participation of urban Aboriginal people in their local economies.

A number of organizations across Canada are receiving support for projects that aim to promote skills and training, entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Minister Valcourt congratulated the Quebec organizations' efforts to target approximately $1 million in funding. This funding will help the organizations improve partnerships that address the issues facing urban Aboriginal populations, while working to encourage growth in numbers of Aboriginal people in the workforce and increase the number of trained, skilled urban Aboriginal people

The improved Urban Aboriginal Strategy results in more funding being available to support community organizations and projects. This new approach recognizes the important role urban Aboriginal organizations play, and further helps to promote community engagement, planning and partnerships with the goal of increasing the participation of urban Aboriginal people in the Canadian economy.

Quick facts

• Through the Urban Partnerships program, 13 organizations in Quebec will receive approximately $1 million in funding as part of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada's improved Urban Aboriginal Strategy.
• These organizations were selected through an adjudicated call for proposals process that was administered by the Regroupement des centres d'amitié autochtones du Québec.
• According to 2011 Census data, 56 per cent of all Aboriginal people in Canada live in urban areas.
• Cities with the largest Aboriginal populations were Winnipeg (78,420), Edmonton (61,765), Vancouver (52,375), Toronto (36,995), Calgary (33,370), Ottawa-Gatineau (30,570), Montreal (26,280), Saskatoon (23,895), and Regina (19,785).

Quotes

"Our Government is delivering results for Canadians and supporting measures that will help create jobs and opportunities for urban Aboriginal people. Aboriginal participation in the economy is key to a more prosperous and vibrant Canada. Congratulations to the 13 organizations in Quebec that received funding."

- Bernard Valcourt,
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

"This announcement is the result of our renewed partnership with the Government of Canada. For over half a century, Friendship Centres have been addressing the needs of urban Aboriginal people through our unique wrap-around service delivery model and we welcome these organizations into the network of service delivery under the Urban Aboriginal Strategy."

- Nelson Mayer,
President, National Association of Friendship Centres