Healing fund not reaching the North

Noting a dearth of applications for indigenous healing fund projects in the North, Esther Wesley, General Synod’s healing fund co-ordinator, said she plans to travel to these areas to encourage aboriginal groups to take advantage of the fund, which aims to help native people address personal and social problems arising from their residential schools experiences.

Ms. Wesley noted that since the fund began distributing grants in 1992, funding has been “very scattered.” Two provinces – British Columbia and Ontario – had the most projects at 89 and 91, respectively. “They have the (largest) number because they have the infrastructure, they have very active groups like the Indian Residential School Survivors’ Society,” said Ms. Wesley.

On the other hand, Northern territories had the fewest: Yukon has had only seven projects so far, and Nunavut has had five. Last year, the healing fund issued grants to 34 projects, totaling more than $320,000. The fund has dispensed more than $1 million since it was established in 1991.