FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION – Fort William First Nation members have voted overwhelmingly to designate a portion of reserve land for a proposed First Nations-led elder care facility.
Nearly 95 per cent of voters in Saturday’s referendum favoured the designation, roughly equivalent to a long-term lease of reserve land.
The vote passed with 159 in favour and 9 against, marking a less than 10 per cent turnout for the First Nation, which has well over 2,000 members.
The 96-bed facility, which still requires confirmation of additional funding to proceed, would be operated by Dilico Anishnabek Family Care and prioritize beds for elders from Fort William First Nation (FWFN) and 12 other Robinson-Superior First Nations.
FWFN Chief Peter Collins welcomed Saturday’s decisive margin, hoping it would bolster efforts to secure federal funding of about $10-$12 million, about one third of the total estimated construction cost. The remainder would be financed by the First Nations and provincial commitments.
“I hope it brings more attention,” he said. “The message is loud and clear that the people of this community want to see this project get off the ground.”
Collins credited Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski for working to identify possible funding opportunities for the project, but said discussions with the office of Indigenous Services minister Marc Miller had so far failed to move it forward.
Powlowski has indicated the ministry usually refrains from funding long-term care facilities on First Nations.
“Indigenous Affairs keeps telling us there’s no actual funding pot for this,” Collins related. “But you hear the Prime Minister talk about creating jobs in Canada – this is an opportunity to fund a project in a First Nations community that will create sustainable jobs – quite a few. We’re hoping they fund it and look at this project as a real one, because we’re ready to go.”
Collins argued the project would benefit northwestern Ontario as a whole, providing employment and offering badly needed LTC capacity.
Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro had phoned to convey his support for the project, Collins added.
The chief was hopeful funding could be secured in time to begin construction on the project in spring 2021. Construction is expected to take approximately two years.
