Grants and Contributions

The project supports the presence of up to 7 Indigenous artists from various Arctic countries and northern Canada to participate in the exhibition opening and related events at Qillaniq – Circumpolar Art Exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada. Activities include artists’ participation in exhibition opening activities, meet and present artwork, network and exchange around shared themes or practices, and meet the public at talks and sessions.

The project aims to strengthen the meaningful participation of Arctic youth, particularly Indigenous youth, in Arctic governance and policy dialogues. The project addresses key financial, structural, and systemic barriers that limit underrepresented youth from engaging in high level international forums, notably the Arctic Circle Assembly.
The initiative supports youth participation at the 2026 Assembly through funded travel and registration for eight Arctic youth, and enhanced on site youth support, including the Youth Lounge. Together, these components aim to amplify Indigenous and youth voices, foster leadership and capacity building, and promote inclusive and sustained participation in Arctic decision making spaces.

This project represents Canada’s voluntary contribution to the effective functioning of the Arctic Council Secretariat for the 2026 calendar year, including administration, coordination, and communications.

Through the Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat of the Arctic Council, this project seeks to increase meaningful participation of the Permanent Participants of the Arctic Council in relevant Arctic events and organize Indigenous youth initiatives and activities. Activities include support for Permanent Participants to participate in international Arctic conferences, meetings and working groups; leading youth engagement initiatives and activities of the Permanent Participants youth network.

The project supports the presence of Northern Indigenous youth at the 2026 Arctic360 annual conference to create an opportunity to discuss and network with Northern entrepreneurs and political leaders on issues in the Arctic. Activities include hosting the annual fireside chat with a youth panel and organizational specifics to enable youth travel and support to participate in the conference.

The project supports the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Secretariat, an Arctic Council Working Group, to implement several of its key initiatives including developing the Arctic Council’s Actions for Arctic Biodiversity 2025-2035 Strategic Plan, support Indigenous Knowledge holders participation at a Climate Change Feedbacks project knowledge generation workshop, further consider Actions for Arctic Biodiversity 2025-2035 contributions to the UN Global Biodiversity Framework, and harvest data under the Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative.

The Northern Leaders in Arctic Engagement and Policy program is designed to actively engage Arctic and Northern Canadian. Through targeted learning, capacity building, and direct participation opportunities, the program strengthens youth understanding of international Arctic policy while amplifying Northern and Arctic youth voices in global policy spaces.

The program is delivered through three complementary components:

1) Arctic Policy Cohorts
The program will implement a series of Arctic Policy Cohorts that engage Arctic and Northern Canadian youth through interactive virtual workshops. These cohorts provide foundational and advanced learning on Canadian and international Arctic policy, governance structures, and diplomacy. Youth will build policy literacy, strengthen leadership skills, and connect with experts and peers across the North, creating a pathway into meaningful policy engagement.
2) Youth Policy Delegations to International Arctic Forums
The program will support alumni who have already been introduced to Arctic policy by enabling them to apply their knowledge in practice at international Arctic policy conferences and forums. By supporting youth participation as policy delegates, the program ensures Northern and Arctic perspectives are reflected in global discussions while building long term capacity and leadership among emerging youth leaders.
3) Arctic Expedition – 30th Anniversary of the Arctic Council
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Arctic Council, SOI delivers a landmark expedition, traveling from Ottawa to Greenland, Nunatsiavut, and Nunavut. The expedition convenes up to 100 participants, including youth (up to 20 Northern youth supported by this project), Indigenous leaders, educators, and Arctic policy experts. Through experiential learning and engagement with Arctic Council practitioners, participants explore Arctic governance, climate change, and sustainable development. Pre expedition virtual workshops and a global communications campaign amplify youth voices during and after the expedition.

This project advances inclusive and meaningful participation at the Canadian Arctic Symposium by amplifying Indigenous, Northern, and youth voices. It supports the active engagement of 20 youth through a preparatory workshop that fosters dialogue with Senior Arctic Officials, equipping young leaders with the context, confidence, and tools needed to participate meaningfully in high level Arctic policy discussions.
In parallel, the project strengthens Indigenous and Northern representation at the Symposium by providing comprehensive logistical and participation support for speakers.
Together, these activities ensure equitable access, amplify the perspectives of people living in the North, and contribute to more inclusive and informed Arctic dialogue.

Collège Nordique Francophone hosts its first Forum international sur la vitalité des langues minoritaires et autochtones dans le Nord circumpolaire from February 3 to 5, 2026, as part of the development of a thematic network focused on promoting minority and Indigenous languages. This event aims to encourage the sharing of best practices and bring together experts from northern regions to explore innovative solutions to support linguistic vitality. It is part of a process leading to the submission of a request for recognition of the network by the University of the Arctic. The primary beneficiaries are educators, researchers, and community leaders working to sustain minority or Indigenous languages, as well as students and others interested in this field.

This project supports the Arctic Youth Conference 2027 as well as the Kingdom of Denmark’s Arctic Council Chairship Youth Committee by creating a platform dedicated to meaningful youth engagement in Arctic governance.
It promotes the active participation of Youth Committee members through the organization of an in person meeting and facilitates the participation of Canadian Northern and Arctic youth in the Arctic Youth Conference. These activities aim to strengthen youth leadership, foster knowledge exchange, and ensure diverse representation of Northern and Arctic perspectives.