November, 14th, 2018

Today, Yvonne Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, and Member of Parliament for Labrador, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Status of Women, Catherine McKenna, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, and Francois-Phillipe Champange, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, will announce various funding projects that will increase women’s economic security and help mitigate the negative effects of climate change.

In total, Ms. Jones is pleased to announce over $2,225,000 in funding for projects and intiatives across Labrador including:

• $236,880 in funding for the Mokami Status of Women Council’s, “Pathways to economic prosperity for women in transition” project which will address the institutional barriers and other factors that limit local efforts to advance the economic security and prosperity of women who are fleeing domestic violence.
• $465,000 in funding for the NunatuKavut Community Council’s, “Pathways to Economic Security for Indigenous Women in NunatuKavut” project which will address systemic barriers that prevent indigenous women from securing meaningful work, specifically in the mining sector of Labrador.
• $134,332 for the NunatuKavut Community Council’s, the Voices of NunatuKavut – Southern Inuit Knowledge and the Recovery of Terrestrial Species at Risk project, which will target six Species at Risk Act-listed species, three of which are priority species: Boreal Caribou (Threatened, priority species), Polar Bear (Special Concern), Red Knot (rufa subspecies, Endangered), Ivory Gull (Endangered), two species of bats (Little Brown Myotis and Northern Myotis, both Endangered and priority species). Species occurrence information will be collected using an online monitoring application that is being developed to electronically collect information on the six target species at risk to help in identification of important or critical habitat and assist in recovery initiatives.
• $80,000 for the Innu Nation’s Atiku Project which will focus on capacity building and engagement of Innu in conservation and recovery efforts of the priority Species at Risk Woodland Boreal Caribou and their habitats in Nitassinan (within Labrador).
• $200,000 for the Innu Nation’s Environmental Guardians Program which will expand Guardian activities in Innu protected areas across Nitassinan.
• $60,862 for the Nunatsiavut Government Species at Risk Stewardship Program, which willencourage stewardship and traditional Inuit values to be incorporated into conservation and management of the harvest of Species at Risk Act-listed Boreal Woodland Caribou (Threatened) in two regional priority areas.
• $300,000 for the Nunatsiavut Government’sKangidluasuk Student Program (KSP). The KSP was originally created as a not-for-profit organization which provided, facilitated and supported experiential work and learning opportunities for youth in fields of Inuit culture, Arctic Science, and outdoor adventure and recreation. The last year the program operated was in Summer 2018—but this new funding will reinvigorate this program and allow youth to learn from Guardians about existing environmental stressors, observed changes to the natural environment and actions to conserve their traditional territory.
• $500,000 in funding in support of Nunatsiavut Government’s Torngat Mountains Base Camp Research Centre, which will support the maintenance of the Torngat Mountains Base Camp Research Centre to ensure cost-effective research support is available for scientific activities in the region.
• $273,534 in funding for the community of Hopedale for sewer and wastewater infrastructure upgrades.

Over the past three years, our Government has been working closely with our Provincial and Municipal partners in Newfoundland and Labrador to deliver on our commitment to make historic investment in infrastructure, so far totaling over $810 million dollars, because we know prosperity and success start with inclusive communities where people have the opportunities to grow, learn and thrive. We also know that we must do more to ensure that women across Labrador have the opportunity to secure financial and economic prosperity. Lastly, we acknowledge the threat climate change possess on the environment and resources of the Big Land and we’re committed to building capacity to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and to leave a better world for our children and grandchildren. The future of Labrador is bright. We will continue to capitalize on historic levels of funding to ensure that all Labradorians are able to live in vibrant, healthy, inclusive and thriving communities.