REGINA - Nine communities have been announced as receiving funding from the Grey Cup Festival Legacy Program.
Over $277,000 in funding is going to these grant recipients, chosen from the over 200 who applied to the grant program, which focused on programs aimed at youth and their physical and mental wellness. It’s part of the $750,000 total from the Legacy Program.
The nine winning projects, as listed in their news release, are as follows:
Sturgeon Lake First Nation
The funding will support the Sturgeon Lake First Nation Skating Rink Asphalt project, allowing for all season outdoor recreational activities and increasing utilization during school and after school.
Battlefords & Area Sexual Assault Centre (BASAC)
This will support the School Based Prevention Education program, focusing on promoting a strong sense of self and healthy communities.
City of Prince Albert
This will support further development of a youth baseball facility in the city.
Prairie Harm Reduction, Saskatoon
This will go to a new, youth-led legacy of safer and healthier communities by providing youth with access to hands-on mentorship, services, and culturally appropriate support.
Kawacatoose First Nation
This supports their Kawacatoose Outdoor Rink revitalization, which will mean opportunities for recreation and play, spaces for leisure and recreation programs, amateur sport, personal and group fitness, and secure spaces for safe programs for children and youth.
Broncs Parents Association/Town of Indian Head
This supports the town of Indian Head and the next phase of the McCall Field Improvement Project. That will accommodate track & field, outdoor education, cross country running, community soccer, and football.
Northern Lights School Division #113
This will support the school division which supports a large geographical area and will assist in providing Mental Health First Aid First Nations training to staff.
First Nations University of Canada – Indigenous Continuing Education Centre
The funding supports a scholarship program for students currently studying in the areas of Health Sciences at the First Nations University of Canada.
mâmawêyatitân centre (Regina, SK)
For development of a “land-based learning” space consisting of native prairie grasses and plants, traditional indigenous medicinal plants, where being outdoors together naturally extends the meaning of mâmawêyatitân, which is Cree for “let’s be all together.”
Saskatchewan Roughriders CEO Craig Reynolds explains why it was important to give back to a diverse group of recipients.
“It’s extremely important when you host a festival like the Grey Cup, that’s one of the first things that comes to mind is the opportunity as a result of hosting that game and that festival to give back,” said Reynolds. “It’s important for us to give back not only as a community-owned team but province-wide as well.”
Reynolds said it was important that Indigenous communities be recipients of funding.
“We made a commitment to Truth and Reconciliation in the years past and now, and this is part of that,” said Reynolds. “Part of that is making sure that when we have Indigenous involvement in some of these grants opportunities, that we provide funding directly to Indigenous communities for things that are important to Indigenous people in this province.”
The announcement was made at mâmawêyatitân centre adjoining Scott Collegiate, one of the grant recipients. Students from Scott Collegiate explained why the funding was important.
David Crowe, Grade 10 student, said it would “open up some more doors for opportunities. I think there will be a lot more productivity within the students getting the chance to learn outside.”
Rashawn Taniskishaynew, a Grade 11 student, said “it’s going to benefit us as students, just as a community to grow and just have something to look forward to.”
The Grey Cup Festival Legacy Grant Program was funded through the Grey Cup Festival Foundation 50/50. Along with these nine grant recipients, $150,000 was awarded to six communities in 2022 for the Richardson Pioneer Rider Nation Community Celebration. Another $338,000 (with recipients to be announced later) will go to amateur sport and to Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation programs.
