Sault Ste. Marie — The province is backing its Indigenous and First Nations partners in an effort to create community-led mental health and addictions supports.
The Ford government said Friday it would be spending more than $36 million, helping to ensure culturally appropriate and trauma-informed supports are readily available for residential school survivors and their families.
"Focusing on Indigenous-led initiatives that are community driven, that use holistic approach and draw on the rich and powerful history that I've seen first-hand in Indigenous communities," said Greg Rickford, Indigenous Affairs minister.
A total of $20 million will go to residential school survivors, while an additional $16 million annually will fund culturally adapted child and youth mental health services, Indigenous-specific victim services and development of an Indigenous-driven opioid strategy.
"We will need to know what decisions-based allocations are meant for First Nations, so we look forward to discussions with your ministry on how these funds will be distributed and accessed," said Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare.
"I only hope that we do carry on how we've been working, from here forward, because again, the people that we represent are watching and listening to us."
