Services & Resources

Social Services

Written by Fort William First Nation - December 7, 2011

Social Services:

Fort William First Nation Social Services delivers temporary financial support to individuals residing in the community of Fort William First Nation and Chippewa Trailer Park. Any community member that is in need of financial assistance can make an appointment with a case worker in the Social Assistance department and the Case Worker will assist him/her with the intake process.

Employment Services:

We are presently working toward full Ontario Works delivery. Full Ontario Works will include the Employment Support Program. The Employment part of Ontario Works will assist Ontario Works clients through the possible barriers to employment. We presently assist Ontario Works recipients with employment start-up costs which may include items such as safety boots, hard hats etc.

Home Makers:

A Special Services worker will come into a client’s home to assess eligibility for home-making services. The home making services will be discussed with the client and a home support worker will be assigned to the client’s home based on the medical and financial eligibility of the individual.

Emergency Food Services:

A program offered to families with children that are recipients of Ontario Works or low income individuals is eligible to receive the once a month food hamper. Presently food hampers are delivered to homes of eligible individuals. (Note; this program will be dependent on temporary funds from the NCB program)

FWFN Lands Department

The Fort William First Nation Lands Department provides a broad scope of land and environmental management activities on reserve.

Effective Land Management provides the foundation for virtually all activity on reserve, including housing, infrastructure, environmental management, community health, education, economic development and addition to reserve lands.

Fort William First Nation is registered under the Reserve Lands and Environment Management Program which includes an integrated approach to training and will allow FWFN to assume new responsibilities as we progress through the program.

Community Lond use Plonning will integrate the goals of sustainable development, sound governance and economic viability.

Management of Reserve Land and Natural Resources will involve activities with land transactions, registration and approval processes for reserve lands registered in the Indian Lands Registry, pursuant to sections ofthe Indian Act.

Environmental Management will involve identifying and assessing the environmental implications of land use policies, addressing potential issues, and adopting sound environmental practices; and, Compliance with Policy and Legislative Framework which includes conforming to the regulations and enforceable provisions of the Indian Act.

Within the very near future, FWFN will have greater control over its reserve lands and resources. We are building new competencies that will enable us to assume these new roles, be self reliant and sustainable.

Culture and Recreation

Looking eastward across Thunder Bay from our community lies Nanabosho, forming the picturesque and world famous Sleeping Giant. Nanabosho is the fIrst Anishinaabe, a term by which our people call themselves. Thunder Mountain (also known as Mount McKay) is home to the Fort William First Nation. Historically our community was the centre of cultural activity for the Anishinaabe, the largest indigenous nation north of Mexico. In times past our people travelled from the farthest reaches of the four directions to practice their traditional way of life at this sacred mountain.

We seek to revitalize our community as the heart of Anishinaabe traditions and customs. We have therefore established a new Culture and Recreation division as part our structure. For us, culture includes Anishinaabe identity, our language, history, and our customs and values rooted in traditional way of life. Recreation means social activities designed by the people for the enjoyment, amusement and pleasure of our community and to share these activities with our neighbours of Thunder Bay and surrounding municipalities. But the overriding importance of combining culture and recreation is to begin now to build on our glorious past as the foundation of a healthy community for our children, men, ‘women and elders.