Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has approved the 2023/2024 Six Nations Infrastructure Investment Plan (FNIIP) for submission to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). The plan included all infrastructure projects or funding that Six Nations will be applying for the next 5 years.

FINIIP is a tool used by ISC to assess infrastructure needs and strategically plan infrastructure investments in First nations communities across Canada. Six Nations have identified 358 infrastructure projects with a cumulative cost totaling $1,636,444,533.50 for the 2023/2024 fiscal year.

During the SNEC finance meeting on December 19, Six Nations Director of Public Works, Michael Montour detailed what the investment plan would include and the other organizations within the Six Nations community participating. The include Six Nations Polytechnic, Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT), Ganokwasra, and Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation.

Montour says that the investment plan could be submitted to the ISC until Jan 2023.

Coun. Nathan Wright spoke of his hopes to have SNEC improve operations when seeking funding for infrastructure projects. This includes utilizing political and strategic plans as well as ISC’s 10-year grant.

Wright said, “this is where a few political aspects from my perspective need to come in. You guys know I’ve made disparaging comments and I’m not the biggest fan of the 10-year grant, but the 10-year grant does provide some useful tools for us to consider on the political side.”

SNEC CEO Darrin Jamieson spoke on the 10-year grant and some of the other options Six Nations will consider for infrastructure funding.

“The 10-year grant is a tool, it’s a possible option to consider but I think Six Nations being as large as it is, this FNIIP is a really strong leverage tool to fuel that advocacy that we’re talking about here.”

SNEC moved and accepted the 2023/2024 Six Nations Infrastructure Investment Plan for submission to ISC.

Andrew Dow has the full CJKS story below: