Aboriginal Community Capital Grants Program

This program invests in the development of facilities that provide Aboriginal community services and encourage business activity.These facilities foster healthy lifestyles and skills development, especially among Aboriginal children and youth.

Program Administration

The Program is delivered and administered by the Ministry.

Eligible Applicants

First Nations, Aboriginal non-profit incorporated groups and Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Charter Communities sponsored by that Secretariat.

Eligible Projects

Projects involving construction, acquisition, renovation and expansion of community, friendship and small business centres, and feasibility studies leading to the development of each, are all eligible.

An eligible applicant community can obtain one-time infrastructure funds for each of:

Community / friendship centre
Small business centre

to a maximum of $500,000 (not to exceed 90 per cent of the total eligible project costs).

For remote, fly-in communities, a maximum of $750,000 will be considered on a case-by-case basis (within the 90 per cent maximum cap).

An eligible applicant community can obtain funding for a feasibility study for each type of infrastructure project to a maximum of $50,000 per project (not to exceed 90 per cent of the total eligible project costs).

The program is comprised of two program components.

The Ontario Native Community Infrastructure Projects component helps develop community and friendship centres that contribute to a healthy social base in Aboriginal communities. These facilities provide essential community services and activities.
The Native Small Business Centres component helps develop small business centres that support entrepreneurial activities and provide opportunities for business development in Aboriginal communities. These facilities support early stage growth of small businesses by providing rental space, shared services and business counselling assistance.

What We've Done

Aboriginal Community Capital Grants Program projects approved since October 2003:

BEARSKIN LAKE FIRST NATION received grant approval for $450,810 in September 2004 for a community centre.
BIINJITIWAABIK ZAAGING ANISHINAABEK (ROCKY BAY)received grant approval for $33,000 in September 2004 for a small business centre feasibility study.
FORT ALBANY FIRST NATION received grant approval of $33,750 in December 2003 for a small business centre feasibility study.
KINGFISHER LAKE FIRST NATION received grant approval of $320,663 in September 2004 for a community centre.
LAC SEUL FIRST NATION received grant approval of $3,750 in December 2003 for a small business centre feasibility study.
LONG LAKE #58 FIRST NATION received grant approval of $26,625 in July 2004 for a community centre feasibility study.
MISSANABIE CREE FIRST NATION received grant approval of $207,900 in August 2004 for a small business centre.
MOHAWK COUNCIL OF AKWESASNE received grant approval of $300,000 in August 2004 for a community centre.
NORTH SPIRIT LAKE FIRST NATION received grant approval of $23,250 in September 2004 for a small business centre feasibility study.

For more information contact:

Tim Sim, Aboriginal Program Advisor
Ontario Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
Email: tim.sim@ontario.ca
Phone: 416-314-7217