Engaging Indigenous Peoples
There are many First Nations and Métis communities in the Great Lakes basin. Indigenous Peoples in the basin have a spiritual and cultural relationship to the Great Lakes and contribute to the protection of water quality and ecosystem health through the wise use and management of land and water.
Through the Freshwater Action Plan, we are committed to fostering our relationship with Indigenous Peoples and supporting their participation in Great Lakes governance, decision-making, community-based science and stewardship activities. In recognition of the diversity of Indigenous cultures and priorities around the basin, a distinctions-based approach is used to provide funding to support capacity building within Indigenous communities and organizations to engage in governance processes, as well as implement on-the-ground projects that address Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health issues of importance to Indigenous Peoples.