tishosum, qathet Regional District, British Columbia, ɬaʔamɩn Nation traditional territory – The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, joined Hegus (Chief) John Hackett of the ɬaʔamɩn (Tla’amin) Nation, a self-governing Modern Treaty Nation, to mark major investments in community infrastructure. The funding will support ɬaʔamɩn Nation’s infrastructure goals across its water and sewer systems, drainage, roads, bridges, and community buildings. The Government of Canada is providing a total of $7.3 million towards the projects through the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund (ICIF).
The ICIF, announced in Budget 2021, provides recipients with the flexibility to design and deliver infrastructure projects that make the most sense for their communities. For Indigenous Self-Governing and Modern Treaty partners, some of these projects are expected to include upgrades to water systems, the construction of cultural and community facilities, and the building of new homes for current residents and future growth.
The ICIF builds on allocations from the Gaps-Closing Infrastructure Fund announced in Budget 2018. The ɬaʔamɩn Nation applied approximately $2.5 million towards a 10-unit multiplex housing facility and has leveraged the remaining funds of approximately $1 million to construct a child development resource centre. To date, $94.2 million over four years has been dedicated to British Columbia-based Self-Governing and Modern Treaty Nations.
The Government of Canada is working to reduce social and economic inequities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and is making immediate, long-term investments to help close critical infrastructure gaps.
“Tla’amin Nation has recently created a Community Infrastructure Service Plan which provides a strategic framework for managing all of Tla’amin Nation’s community infrastructure services. This 30-year plan addresses water, sewer, drainage, roads, bridges, and all community buildings. The ICIF funding will provide an important contribution towards meeting the goals of our Community Infrastructure Service Plan.”
Hegus (Chief) John Hackett
ɬaʔamɩn Nation
Quick facts
- Budget 2021 proposes distinctions-based investments of $6 billion over five years, starting in 2021-22, with $388.9 million ongoing, to support infrastructure in Indigenous communities, including:
- $4.3 billion over four years, starting in 2021–22, for the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund, a distinctions-based fund to support immediate demands, as prioritized by Indigenous partners, with shovel-ready infrastructure projects in First Nations, including with Modern Treaty and Self-governing First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation communities.
- $1.7 billion over five years, starting in 2021–22, with $388.9 million ongoing, to support the operation and maintenance of First Nations community infrastructure on reserve.
