Today's announcement includes:
Indigenous and Local Communities and Partnership Program (ILCEPP)
Transport Canada announced $16 million to 34 Indigenous communities and organizations, through the Indigenous and Local Communities Engagement and Partnership Program, to hire marine coordinators.
Marine coordinators will be responsible for building relationships and integrating Indigenous Knowledge in proposed federal policies, programs, processes, directives, regulations, or legislation concerning marine safety and environmental protection. Additionally, the coordinators will help establish partnerships to better support the cooperative management of coasts and waterways.
Communities and organizations benefiting from today's announcement are located in:
- Ontario (2)
- Quebec (6)
- Prairies and Northern Region (7)
- Atlantic Region (8)
- Pacific Region (11)
Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness Program (EMSA)
Up to $109 million to expand the Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness (EMSA) Initiative, building on the success of the first five years of EMSA. It includes:
- nearly $25 million to work with and support the existing 13 Indigenous partner communities to continue to participate in the EMSA Initiative, including grants and contributions to provide on-going capacity building; and
- funding to operate the EMSA system, engage Indigenous communities and other maritime stakeholders to customize the system, and expand it, and to make it available to more Indigenous and coastal communities and users across Canada.
EMSA is a user-friendly web-based tool that helps communities improve maritime awareness and monitoring, plan vessel routes, improve community safety on the water and on the ice, including search and rescue activities, identify sensitive areas, and protect the local environment.
To date, over 980 EMSA system licenses have been issued to Indigenous partners, coastal communities, and stakeholders across Canada and the software is being used in 85 unique Indigenous communities across the country.
The thirteen partner communities and organizations who co-developed the EMSA system are:
Pacific Region
- The T'Sou-ke Nation;
- The Pacheedaht Nation;
- The Council of the Haida Nation;
- The Gitga'at Nation;
- The Scia'new First Nation;
- The Malahat First Nation; and
- Tseycum First Nation
Québec Region
- The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke;
- The Essipit Innu First Nation Council.
Arctic Region
- The Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committee;
- The Ekaluktutiak Hunters and Trappers Organization;
- The Nunatsiavut Government.
Atlantic Region
- The Maritime Aboriginal Peoples Council.
