Canada backs Indigenous-led growth in Prairie forest sectors

On October 24, 2025, the Honourable Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a total investment of $5.44 million for 28 projects in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta that will accelerate Indigenous participation and leadership in the sector, create good jobs and promote the use of Canadian wood in green construction.  

Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI)

The IFI program seeks to advance reconciliation in the forest sector by supporting Indigenous-identified priorities to accelerate Indigenous awareness, influence, inclusion and leadership. The IFI provides financial support to Indigenous-led activities in the forest sector, such as gathering, developing, using and protecting Indigenous knowledge, science and leadership in forest stewardship. It also funds projects focused on the identification, consideration and pursuit of economic development opportunities in the sector.

The investment announced today includes $3.5 million in funding for 26 projects under the IFI.

Project Name: Mee-Toos Bioenergy Conversion Project
Recipient: Mee-Toos Forest Products Ltd.
Location: Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount: $14,250
Project Summary: This project will support engineering, technical, human resources and feedstock studies for Me-Toos Forest Products’ Me-Toos Bioenergy Conversion Project, which will convert propane heating systems to wood biomass at two First Nation high schools in northern Saskatchewan.

Project Name: Shoal Lake Cree Nation Indigenous Forestry Summit 2023
Recipient: Shoal Lake Cree Nation
Location: Pakwaw Lake, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to host a two-and-a-half-day forestry summit with regional First Nations and establish a preliminary Terms of Reference and Guiding Principles for the development of the Sipanok Indigenous Forest Management Area.

Project Name: Red River Métis Forest Management Support
Recipient: Manitoba Métis Federation
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to engage over three years with citizenship of the Manitoba Métis Federation to gather input regarding forest management planning. 

Project Name: Nekoté Forest Sector Opportunities – Phase 2
Recipient: Nekoté
Location: Easterville, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount: $47,498
Project Summary: This project will increase the participation of the Nekoté-member First Nations communities in the forestry sector through the identification of economic opportunities with the Nisokapawino Forest Management Corporation.

Project Name: Boreal Heartland Capacity Project
Recipient: Keewatin Community Development Association
Location: La Ronge, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount: $175,625
Project Summary: This project will support the Boreal Heartland team to meet operational goals for the marketing, sales, product development and processing of non-timber forest products.

Project Name: Shoal Lake Cree Nation Community Forestry Strategy Development Process
Recipient: Shoal Lake Cree Nation
Location: Pakwaw Lake, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount: $75,000
Project Summary: This project will develop a community forestry strategy to guide Shoal Lake Cree Nation’s long-term forestry interests.

Project Name: Cross Lake Band of Indians Forest Products Facility Consolidation Project
Recipient: Cross Lake Band of Indians
Location: Cross Lake, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount: $465,000
Project Summary: This project will increase the efficiency of forestry operations and forest products manufacturing to supply the community’s housing and infrastructure programs.

Project Name: Woodland Cree Forest Management
Recipient: Kitsaki Management Limited Partnership
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount: $90,000
Project Summary: The proponent will complete an operating plan for a Term Supply Licence (TSL) and hire a registered professional forester to manage activities within the TSL.

Project Name: KFN Forestry Initiative
Recipient: Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation
Location: Dallas, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount: $45,500
Project Summary: The proponent will hire and work with a project manager to conduct community consultation and complete a feasibility study of potential forestry opportunities.

Project Name: MMF Green Initiatives
Recipient: Manitoba Métis Federation
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount: $150,000
Project Summary: The proponent will hire a project coordinator to oversee the MMF’s Green Initiatives program, which includes planning for the development of a tree nursery and greenhouse, which will provide good jobs and skills training and economic development opportunity for the Red River Métis.

Project Name: Manitoba Forest Development Agreement – Phase 2
Recipient: FML #1 Consortium Inc.
Location: Pine Falls, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount: $345,800
Project Summary: This project will support the acquisition of a Forest Development Agreement in Manitoba by four partnered First Nations.

Project Name: Manitoba Forest Development Agreement – Phase 1
Recipient: 10040629 Manitoba Ltd.
Location: O’Hanley, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount: $150,000
Project Summary: This project will work in partnership with industry and the Province of Manitoba to secure the sustainability, ecological integrity and economic opportunities associated with Manitoba’s east-side Forestry Management Licence FML1. 

Project Name: CLFN Forestry Resource Opportunity
Recipient: Cold Lake First Nations
Location: Cold Lake First Nations, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $129,500
Project Summary: This project seeks to expand the community’s salvage timber operations by purchasing, installing and commissioning a firewood splitter. 

Project Name: Twister II C175 Equipment Purchase
Recipient: Little Red River Equipment Rental LP
Location: High Level, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $119,500
Project Summary: This project will purchase two mulchers in order to increase the participation of Little Red River First Nation in the forest sector.

Project Name: Tiny Homes Feasibility Study 
Recipient: Lubicon Lake Band #453 
Location: St. Isidore, Alberta 
NRCan Funding Amount: $20,000 
Project Summary: This project will complete an analysis of logging manufacturing and residual forestry opportunities. The proponent is completing feasibility studies for the benefits of owning a forest products facility, a tiny-house building business and other forest sector opportunities.

Project Name: The Awasaakwaa Project – Beyond the Woods
Recipient: Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve 292
Location: Shortdale, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount: $63,500
Project Summary: The proponent will complete a feasibility study and business plan that will guide the development of a community-based logging service company. It will engage with key industry stakeholders with the goal of signing an MOU for future services.

Project Name: Boreal Heartland Capacity Project
Recipient: Keewatin Community Development Association
Location: La Ronge, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount: $30,870
Project Summary: The proponent will complete a feasibility study and business plan to guide the development of Boreal Heartland as a non-timber forest products business line for the Keewatin Community Development Association. 

Project Name: Swan River Tree Nursery
Recipient: First Indigenous Workforce Services Inc.
Location: Kinuso, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $80,000
Project Summary: This project will increase Indigenous participation in forestry by establishing an outdoor nursery to grow and process cuttings on agricultural land to supply biomass markets. 

Project Name: Feasibility of Wood Harvesting, Transportation, Processing and Distribution to Support Widespread Deployment of Wood Heating in Fort Chipewyan
Recipient: Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
Location: Fort Chipewyan, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: This project will conduct a feasibility study to determine if the widespread use of wood fuel for residential, commercial and municipal heating in Fort Chipewyan can become a viable business venture.

Project Name: Swan River Tree Nursery
Recipient: First Indigenous Biomass Future Inc.
Location: Kinuso, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $70,000
Project Summary: The proponent will complete a business plan, which will include a feasibility study and a carbon market plan, to guide the nursery’s future operational and capital requirements. The proponent will also complete a third harvest of the decommissioned Canadian Wood Fibre Centre site Ellerslie hybrid willows, store the stock and plant it in the next planting season.

Project Name: Tsuut’ina Nation Forestry Economic Development Program
Recipient: Tsuu T’ina Nation
Location: Tsuu T’ina, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $105,720
Project Summary: This project will provide tangible, transferable, future-facing, forest-based economic and skills development opportunities for members of the TsuuT’ina Nation.

Project Name: Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation Elder Engagement in Forestry Planning Activities
Recipient: Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation (MSFN)
Location: Loon Lake, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: This project will support MSFN’s capacity to engage Elders in the duty-to-consult process and prepare community submissions for activities pertaining to forest management in the study area.

Project Name: Swan River Bioenergy Project
Recipient: First Indigenous Energy Services Inc.
Location: Enoch, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $350,000
Project Summary: This project will support the community of Swan River First Nation (SRFN) to provide enough heat and power for SRFN homes, community buildings and projects such as a greenhouse to produce cost-effective organic foods.

Project Name: Tri-Settlement Forestry Initiative
Recipient: Metis Settlements General Council
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $250,000
Project Summary: This project will determine the feasibility of forestry activities in the High Prairie Region.

Project Name: Forging Relationships for the Creation of the Sipanok Indigenous Forest Management Area
Recipient: Shoal Lake Cree Nation
Location: Pakwaw Lake, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount: $415,000
Project Summary: The project’s objective is to revive the Sipanok Agreement and exercise rapprochement between the Shoal Lake Cree Nation and industry licence-holders and to establish more equitable, innovative and reconciliatory Indigenous-led forest management in the Pasquia Porcupine Forest Management Area.

Project Name: Siksika Cultural Knowledge and Forest Stewardship Project
Recipient: Siksika Nation
Location: Calgary, Alberta
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: This project will document Siksika’s traditional land uses, cultural and heritage resources and knowledge systems related to forest ecosystems to help inform community responses to government and industry regarding land use and forest-management planning and policy development. The project will provide the membership with training to collect and incorporate community values into forest-management planning processes. 

Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program

The GCWood program encourages the use of innovative wood-based building systems and technologies in construction projects. These projects help decarbonize buildings within the built environment while accelerating the adoption of innovative building technologies and systems and leveraging sustainable Canadian forestry.

The investment announced today includes over $1.9 million in funding for two projects under the GCWood program. 
 
Project Name: City Centre School
Recipient: The Board of Education of the Saskatoon Public School Division No. 13 of Saskatchewan
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $997,500
Project Summary: The project will build a three-storey school using new and regionally salvaged mass timber materials in the Treaty 6 Territory of the Métis Nation. It will demonstrate the use of mass timber for educational facilities in the Prairie region by using both new and reclaimed mass timber (salvaged from derelict grain elevators) as the primary building material for the structural systems, roof, stair and elevator shafts, and walls. The new school facility will serve the King George, Pleasant Hill and Princess Alexandra school communities and provide an innovative and culturally inspired education environment for up to 400 students, as well as creating a healing-centred educational environment for Indigenous youth. 

Project Name: Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn (“It Is Visible”)
Recipient: Southern Chiefs’ Organization Inc.
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $1,000,000
Project Summary:  The project aims to repurpose the iconic Hudson’s Bay building at 450 Portage Avenue into the Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn multi-use facility, incorporating 373 residential units including 200 affordable housing units for First Nations citizens and veterans, along with office and retail space to foster First Nation entrepreneurship, and public spaces. The project will install an innovative wood-based system to support the six-storey atrium roof and wood-cladding panels as part of a larger retrofit project. The project will serve as a model for economic reconciliation, architects, builders and developers for the incorporation of wood and advanced bio-based products in large-scale, high-profile projects.