Matawa First Nations seeking $25M to reopen its schools

Matawa First Nations in Ontario has estimated that it will cost an additional $25M to safely reopen its schools after months of living under restrictions and has called on the Government of Ontario to provide funds. The Northern Ontario, James Bay, Cree, and Ojibway nations first expressed concern about the amount of money made available by the province in early July, and with students arriving in little over a month, the chiefs say urgent supplementary funding is needed to provide services during this time. “There is no way around it, resources are needed to ensure the safety of our students,” said Constance Lake First Nation Chief Rick Allen. “Time is running out for First Nations, there is only one and a half months left to the start of school.” APTN News | APTN News (Statement) (ON)