While in Saskatchewan, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources announced the federal government was proving the Prince Albert Grand Council with almost $525,000 dollars for the Indigenous Wildfire Stewards Pilot Program.

There is a two-year Training Pilot project currently in the works which will focus on providing support to Indigenous communities and organizations to train firefighters.

A total of 320 existing wildland fire practitioners will participate in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) training with Elder advisors, as well as train 125 Indigenous fire stewards through fire camps and fire guardian programs. The project will result in 445 participants receiving training, increasing the number of trained personnel that provinces, territories and Indigenous communities can leverage to respond to wildfire.

In a news release Grand Chief of the Grand Council, Brian Hardlotte, said that the Indigenous Wildfire Stewards Pilot program acknowledges the extensive knowledge of fire preparedness, response and management possessed by First Nations communities in northern Saskatchewan.

Jonathan Wilkinson was in the province on the weekend to announce the new funds for development of small modular reactors. Up to $74 million dollars will be provided in a project lead by SaskPower for potential deployment in Saskatchewan by the mid-2030’s.

In regards to the Indigenous Wildfire Stewards Pilot Program Parks Canada, the Prince Albert Grand Council and the Prince Albert Model Forest have also contributed funding:

-Parks Canada: $57,878

-Prince Albert Grand Council: $30,000

-Prince Albert Model Forest: $57,878