The Honourable Greg Rickford made a funding announcement recently.  

On Tuesday, September 20, 2022, Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs, MPP for the Kenora-Rainy River District, and Chair of the Northern Ontario Heritage Corporation (NOHFC) announced that the NOHFC has provided the Kenora Chiefs Advisory Youth and Family Wellness Camp with $476,833 to invest into a commercial kitchen, laundry room, bathroom and showers.   

The Youth and Family Wellness Camp is located on 327 acres of beautiful land and hosts a variety of programming such as the Binesi Waziswan Youth Mental Wellness Service, traditional event grounds and space for retreats or events.  

The camp is capable of hosting thousands of people at a time so building a commercial kitchen and dining area was crucial to the success of hosting larger-scale events.  

The camp is also home to the Binesi Waziswan Youth Mental Wellness Service which provides youth with opportunities to live on the property while connecting with their culture and receiving teachings from community elders. The camp’s laundry, bathroom and shower facilities were a much-needed addition for the program’s 

The announcement was opened with prayers from Randy White, before moving into words from Minister Rickford and Chief of Northwest Angle 33 First Nation, Darlene Comegan. 

“It’s a beautiful setting – and as we have already seen, larger-scale events can be held here. The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, that I chair, feels really good about what the Camp represents, the promise that it can be a great place for families and youth but also for larger-scale events,” said Rickford.  

“I envision seeing a number of different kinds of events out here that bring us all together. I think that it is part of reconciliation and that there couldn’t be a better setting for it.”  

“We are very grateful for the chance to continue the work we are doing out at the Ogimaawabiitong Youth and Family Wellness Camp and continue to grow the partnerships that have helped us get to this point,” explained Joe Barnes, Executive Director of KCA.  

“The progress we have been able to make to date, with the support of our partners and both levels of government has been incredible. This property has already made an impact within its first few years of operation, in terms of accessibility to programs and service delivery and now, with the new commercial kitchen, we will be able to take this phase of our project to the next level.” 

Kenora Chiefs Advisory would like to extend their appreciation the Minister Rickford and the NOHFC for their continued support and encouragement.