New Friendship Centre coming to Elliot Lake
By Leslie Knibbs
ELLIOT LAKE— Elizabeth Richer, the Director of Indigenous Friendship Centres under the North Shore Tribal Council Niigaaniin Program (servicing eight First Nations in the Robinson Huron Treaty traditional territory), is pleased to see the opening of an Indigenous Friendship Centre in Elliot Lake in the not-too-distant future.
Presently, there are two centres servicing the eight First Nations, one in Sault Ste. Marie and another in Sudbury. The new centre will service First Nations from Massey to Thessalon along the North Shore of Lake Huron.
Niigaamiin is an active social assistance program offering unwavering support in a holistic manner, providing First Nations with financial support, employment assistance, and addiction services.
“Colonial approaches to Indigenous services. Urban versus rural, on versus off-reserve, are barriers to service and place indigenous people in the middle of the provincial and federal governments and who picks up the tab,” says Richer when asked what the impetus was for the initiative. “We know Indigenous people are forced to leave their communities to go to municipalities for work and education by no fault of their own, it shouldn’t limit the types of support their home community can offer them.”
Core programming includes services for children and youth, education and employment, ending violence, homelessness and housing, justice, and urban programming for Indigenous people as well as addictions services.
The Elliot Lake Indigenous Friendship Centre is a joint effort between the North Shore Tribal Council (NSTC), Niigaaniin Services, Serpent River First Nation (SRFN), and the city of Elliot Lake.
Both the Mayor of Elliot Lake and the Chief of SRFN attended a family BBQ and membership drive on Aug. 22; Richer and her assistant were also in attendance as well as representatives from SRFN.
According to a press release, “In the spirit of reconciliation Serpent River First Nation, and the Municipality of Elliot Lake are working together on opportunities to deliver services to Indigenous people in the area with a holistic model, that will better serve and connect the on and off-reserve Indigenous population. As a result of the membership drive, there are now 160 members signed up including 100 signed up before the BBQ.”
According to Richer, the Elliot Lake initiative has received formal letters of support from the Board of Directors for the Friendship Centres in Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury.
Referring to what members can expect from the new Elliot Lake Indigenous Friendship Centre, Richer said, “A different social service experience based on respect for one another and holistic wrap-around services. We will not present a medical model where folks come with one issue at a time but rather of a full spectrum of supports that the people show a need for.”
Statistics Canada reports the Indigenous population in Elliot Lake is made up of, “Indigenous demographics in Elliot Lake according to Statistics Canada: ‘The largest Aboriginal population is that of the Métis, making up 51.24 per cent of the total Aboriginal population. At 465 people, the second largest Aboriginal population is the First Nations. Inuit follow with 1.49 per cent of the total Aboriginal population in Elliot Lake. Elliot Lake population (2020): population at 10,741 people.’”
The Elliot Lake Indigenous Friendship Centre is slated to open with a tentative date of October 1 this year.