Grants and Contributions

The Arctic Summit 2026 is envisioned as a major international platform that showcases the voices, perspectives, and leadership of the North. Its primary goal is to strengthen Canada’s sovereignty and security in the Arctic while accelerating investment in key sectors such as infrastructure, critical minerals, clean energy, and digital resilience.

Over three days, the Summit will feature strategic programming, including keynote addresses, panel discussions, interactive sessions, and a public exhibition — the Arctic Expo — highlighting northern innovation, culture, and technology. The project actively supports the participation of communities from Canada’s North and Arctic, as well as partners from across the circumpolar region, with particular emphasis on elevating Indigenous leadership and engagement.

Aurora 2.0 is a youth-focused initiative designed to empower over 40 Canadian participants—especially those from Arctic and northern communities—through immersive international experiences, mentorship, and leadership development. The project includes three core programs: the Emerging Leaders Program, which offers a seven-day leadership and policy engagement experience in Northern Norway for 4–5 youth annually; the Emerging Leaders Alumni Network, which sustains and expands youth involvement through mentoring, digital events, and year-round Arctic policy engagement; and the Student Forum Program, which supports 4–5 upper-level undergraduate and master’s students each year in interdisciplinary collaboration and international presentation at the Arctic Frontiers Student Forum.

The Arctic Youth Futures Workshop supports the participation of approximately 12 Arctic and Indigenous youth from across the circumpolar region, including up to 5 Canadian youth. Participants are selected to ensure diverse representation, with a focus on youth from Arctic and northern communities.

The workshop’s activities include pre-departure preparation, a two-day in-person event in Reykjavik, and ongoing engagement through the Arctic Mayors’ Forum and international platforms such as the Arctic Circle Assembly.

This project aims to increase the engagement and influence of Arctic and Indigenous youth in shaping policies and initiatives related to mental health and well-being across Arctic states.

This project funds EntrepreNorth's Empowering Innovation Spirit Conference, which is an initiative that focuses on empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses and livelihoods across Northern Canada. By creating space for Northern and Indigenous voices to lead dialogue on Arctic development, business innovation, and policy, this initiative complements Canada’s efforts to promote Indigenous leadership in international Arctic forums, elevate youth perspectives, and strengthen cross-border cooperation rooted in shared values and local realities.

The project aims to increase the contributions by Athabaskan People in international Arctic research, discussions and events and increase consideration of Athabaskan People and interests in international decision-making by strengthening the ability of Athabaskan Peoples to engage in International Arctic Research discussions and events; increasing the capacity of AAC to do research; enhancing the engagement by AAC in Arctic Council Working Groups and other fora; and increasing commitment by stakeholders in Arctic fora to reflect interests of Athabaskan Peoples in votes and declarations. To do so, the project builds internal capacity for growth and progress; establishes an Elders Advisory Circle and Youth Advisory; implements a new outreach and communications strategy; and carries out Indigenous-led research, collaboration and diplomacy in fora including the Arctic Council’s Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group, the Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group, and the Arctic Risk Management Network.

This project will improve database interoperability of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program by working with Indigenous organizations and communities to foster co-production of knowledge that will improve reporting of Arctic biodiversity change.

NCGC is proposing to host an UNLEASH Canada Regional Innovation Lab, a 7-day innovation in-person conference that would bring together global talent from across the circumpolar north for events that aim to build capacity and generate innovative solutions.

Lab participants would be youth aged 18 to 35. It will benefit up to 200 Canadian youth, including 100 from the Territories and northern Canada, and 100 from Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark, including Faroe Islands and Greenland), for a total of 300 youth.

The UNLEASH Regional Innovation Labs are ongoing events (in average every 2 years), and the next one will take place in Canada