Upcoming Funding Dates

The Urban Parks Funding Stream was a one-year collaboration between Indigenous Youth Roots and Parks Canada. There are no current plans to run this stream again.

Description

The Urban Parks Stream will provide small grants of up to $7,500 to Indigenous youth-led initiatives and events happening in cities where candidate national urban parks are being explored. Projects must be based around land-based activities and/or governance-based activities that could directly inform the development of the national urban parks program. Projects must be led by 2+ Indigenous youth (ages 15-29). Youth leaders (grantees) will receive innovative mentorship, training and capacity-building opportunities throughout the project. 

Projects should be linked to one of the following areas:   

  • Greater Victoria, BC 
  • Edmonton region, AB 
  • Saskatoon region, SK 
  • Winnipeg, MB 
  • Windsor, ON 
  • Halifax, NS 
  • Montreal, QC

Focus Areas

Funded projects will focus on engaging youth in land-based programming and/or governance activities in one of the areas listed above. Below are some possible examples of eligible projects. These examples do not include every type of project that we would fund.  

  • Running an Indigenous youth-centered consultation around access to land in urban spaces 
  • Planning of conservation initiatives for urban land 
  • Hosting land-based programming for Indigenous youth 
  • Running food sovereignty initiatives in urban park spaces (such as learning traditional medicines, revitalizing traditional food systems, engaging in food sustainability practices) 
  • Starting a youth-led stewardship program (such as youth guardian programs) 
  • Harvesting foods or medicines 
  • Holding ceremony and teachings on the land

Eligibility

Funding in this stream will only fund grassroots Indigenous youth groups consisting of a minimum of 2 youth. Please note: for the purpose of this program, CRE defines Indigenous as status and non-status First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, living both on and off reserve. 

Eligible groups and projects include: 

  • Unincorporated/grassroots youth groups/collectives/councils comprised primarily of Indigenous youth  
  • Emerging, incorporated youth groups
  • Projects must serve primarily Indigenous youth 
  • Projects must be taking place in area’s listed above.  

Ineligible groups and projects: 

  • Individuals and/or projects that are not led by 2+ Indigenous youth 
  • Projects that are not youth-led (or where the majority of leadership is 30+) 
  • Non-Indigenous groups and organizations 
  • Projects taking place outside of Canada 
  • For profit corporations 
  • Project not taking place in one of the areas listed above 

Examples of Funded Projects

Learn about some projects that have been funded in this stream:

Learning by Doing – Camp Migizi is a land-based learning camp for Indigenous youth in the Windsor area. Youth will build elevated garden planters, where they will plant a berry garden, as well as learn about and plant a pollinator garden using Indigenous plants. They learn about teaching lodges and build a model lodge. Knowledge keepers and language speakers (Anishinaabemowin and Onkwehonwe) will be included throughout the project to share foundational teachings. The project leads will be documenting the process and their learnings to share what they learn with others. This project will reach 7 youth and 90 community members.

Caring for the Barrens Kjipuktuk will provide urban Indigenous youth with opportunities to learn teachings on the land, to preserve culture and to gain field skills that can be applied to future career pathways in tourism, conservation and/or sciences. This project is inspired by Indigenous Guardianship programs, with the goal of giving youth the skills to monitor and protect Halifax’s natural landscapes, and to provide them with knowledge of Mi’kmaw history of the region. As part of the project, Caring for the Barrens Kjipuktuk would also like to offer youth the option to obtain either an aquatic field technician certificication or a hiking field leader certification, to boost their resumes and to give them an idea of some of the skills used in environmental job sectors like conservation and tourism. This project will reach 20 youth.  

Niihaawin: Indigenous Youth Land Stewardship is an Indigenous youth-led land stewardship program focused on engaging Indigenous youth in land-based programming and governance activities within Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg. The project aims to promote environmental conservation and cultural preservation, and contribute to the development of Assiniboine Park as a National Urban Park. This project will provide opportunities for Indigenous youth to connect with the land, learn traditional ecological knowledge, and actively participate in the development and stewardship of the park. The project will empower youth leaders by offering mentorship, training, and capacity-building opportunities. The aim of the project is revitalizing and protecting Assiniboine Park, and the land, animals, medicines and traditional plants within it. This project will reach 185 youth and 10 community members.  
 

Stream Specific FAQ

See the general FAQ here

You need at least two Indigenous youth who are leading your project. If you have more youth leading and/or also have adults supporting, that’s fine too!  

Parks Canada is providing support for this stream as a part of a larger initiative to create a network of National Urban Parks. Six candidate sites have been identified and are at different stages of development with local partners. Parks Canada is looking to designate 15 national urban parks by 2030. 

Parks Canada partnered with IYR to support Indigenous youth-led projects happening in candidate site communities as a pathway for youth to start thinking about how they want to use, govern and steward those spaces. 
 

Stream Impact & Reports

IYR has run one round of the Urban Parks Funding Stream. In total $73,200 in funding has been given to 10 projects. Funded projects have reached 389 Indigenous youth. What excited us about this stream is that it’s an opportunity for youth to guide the development of stewardship practices for the National Urban Parks sites, and ensure that Indigenous youth voices are centered in their governance.

Past Urban Parks Stream Funding Guides

2023

August View English Guide | View French Guide

Grant Contact Name and Pronouns

Alyssa Luttenberger

(she/her)

Director of Impact, Development and Granting