Executive Council
April 19, 2016
Supporting Aboriginal Communities
Provincial Government Announces New Labrador Aboriginal Nutritional and Artistic Assistance Program
Through Budget 2016, a new Labrador Aboriginal Nutritional and Artistic Assistance Program has been created with $50,000 being provided to promote nutritional and artistic endeavours.
“The new program will put funding directly into the hands of Aboriginal governments and organizations and provide for culturally appropriate program delivery. Supporting food security and the arts continues to be a priority for our government.”
- The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier and Minister for Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
The funding will be distributed with $20,000 being provided to the Nunatsiavut Government, $20,000 to the NunatuKavut Community Council and $10,000 to the Innu Nation. The Aboriginal governments will administer the funding for activities such as nutritional programs, community freezer programs, food banks and promotion of artists and artistic endeavours.
The Labrador Aboriginal Nutritional and Artistic Assistance Program is a new program created following the elimination of the Air Foodlift Subsidy.
"While the Air Foodlift Subsidy was useful in the past, as communities have become more accessible through improved transportation networks, fewer communities had been using the service. In addition, concerns had been raised as to whether the Air Foodlift Subsidy was actually being passed along to the consumer. We feel that the new program, being administered directly by the Aboriginal governments and organizations, will provide for more efficiency and the funding will be maximized to a greater extent for Aboriginal residents."
- Premier Ball
This funding is going directly to the Aboriginal governments and organizations as the previous Air Foodlift Subsidy was predominantly used in Labrador coastal communities in approximately equal amounts for the north and south coasts. Previously, Natuashish was the only Innu community that could avail of the Air Foodlift Subsidy.
QUICK FACTS
- Through Budget 2016, a new Labrador Aboriginal Nutritional and Artistic Assistance Program was created with $50,000 being provided to promote nutritional and artistic endeavours.
- The funding will be distributed with $20,000 being provided to the Nunatsiavut Government, $20,000 to the NunatuKavut Community Council and $10,000 to the Innu Nation.
- The Aboriginal governments and organizations will administer the funding for activities such as nutritional programs, community freezer programs, food banks and promotion of artists and artistic endeavors.
- This funding is going directly to the Aboriginal governments and organizations as the previous Air Foodlift Subsidy was predominantly used in Labrador coastal communities in approximately equal amounts for the north and south coasts. Previously, Natuashish was the only Innu community that could avail of the Air Foodlift Subsidy.
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Media contacts:
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Nancy O’Connor Director of Communications Office of the Premier 709-689-1825 nancyoconnor@gov.nl.ca |
Erin Curran Communications Specialist Office of the Premier 709-725-9231 ErinCurran@gov.nl.ca |
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Kevin Guest Director of Communications Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs 709-729-1495 kevinjguest@gov.nl.ca |
2016 04 19 2:45 p.m.