BRITISH COLUMBIA — This week, the federal government announced funding to give Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people more opportunities to participate in sports and physical activities.
Announced on Monday, 10 provincial and territorial Indigenous sports bodies will carry out projects that respond to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) with the allocation of $2.5 million.
The MMIWG calls for more support into the health and wellness of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people, among other recommendations.
Funded projects will focus on Indigenous-led prevention initiatives in the areas of health and community awareness, using sports as a tool for social development.
The announcement was made by Adam van Koeverden, parliamentary secretary to the ministers of health and sport, at the Songhees Wellness Centre in Esquimalt, B.C.
On Monday, van Koeverden also announced renewed funding for Indigenous youth in sports with a $20-million federal investment over five years, starting in 2022-23.
Corinne McKay, president of the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council hopes the funding will benefit her team’s efforts to make sports more accessible and welcoming to Indigenous women, girls, and those who identify as part of the 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
