District of Muskoka authorizes $15,000 in funding for community initiatives
The District of Muskoka authorized $15,000 in funding for community initiatives through the Muskoka Area Indigenous Leadership Table (MAILT), March 18, 2023, Council meeting.
In 2019 the District established the MAILT to support relations with the Indigenous.
According to a report by Program Manager for Continuous Improvement, Tina Kilbourne, MAILT was established “with a mandate to strengthen Indigenous-Municipality relations in Muskoka and address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.”
Kilbourne indicated that MAILT was recently approached with the opportunity to support two initiatives.
The first one is to fund $10,000 to the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce for See Through Our Eyes. A Powwow that brings the community together with events such as Summer Solstice, Indigenous Awareness Month, Multi-culturalism Day, and Canada Day.
The goal of this initiative is to establish positive relationships between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous groups. The whole community is welcome to join these events.
The second initiative is to provide $5,000 in funding to the Muskoka Community Foundation (MCF) to support their new Building Bridges to Reconciliation Fund.
The MCF was established in 2007 and helps donors reach goals and promotes charity’s efforts in Muskoka.
According to the staff report, “Currently the MCF administers $2 million across 20 funds.”
It adds that they have also given over $1 million in grants to registered charities within and surrounding Muskoka.
The MCF established the Building Bridges fund last month to support reconciliation, provide grants, and to give donors opportunity to support reconciliation, and raise awareness.
This fund will distribute grants to programs that impact the community.
Kilbourne said, “Being able to support this is ongoing and continues to be important.”
Councillor, Rick Maloney, expressed appreciation for the work going into both initiatives and that the Muskoka River plays an important role having been the traditional trading route for the Indigenous.
He added that there is a lot of interest in the community to participate in the events.
