TORONTO — Ontario’s premier and Indigenous affairs minister say support for mental health in First Nations is not tied to signing resource development deals.
Doug Ford and Greg Rickford were among those on hand at Queen’s Park on Oct. 29 to sign a new partnership agreement with Webequie First Nation that will see the remote community submit its provincial environmental assessment for a long-planned road from its airport to the Ring of Fire area in January 2026.
The deal also provides Webequie with up to $39.5 million — about one third of which Rickford told a news conference was “immediate.” That, he said, included $1.5 million for mental health supports and “community well-being activities” Webequie reportedly asked for during negotiations.
Taking questions from reporters after the announcement, Ford was asked whether — given many First Nations have been lobbying for more mental health supports — agreeing to Ring of Fire development was the way to get them.
“No, we’re doing it already, not just here,” he said before passing the question to Rickford.
“Look, there’s no question that there will be an ongoing need for mental health and addiction support for communities across northern Ontario, particularly the several dozen that are isolated and remote,” Rickford said.
“They provide certain challenges that communities connected to roads in other cities like Thunder Bay and Kenora … can support.”
Rickford went on to say that his ministry, two different ministers of mental health and addictions and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation “have put significant resources in, not just the communities, (but also) innovative technologies that use internet platforms to connect with real (counselling) support.”
“That, then, can turn into face-to-face meetings and face-to-face support.”
Investments in land-based healing initiatives have also flowed to First Nations, he said.
In Webequie, part of the partnership agreement funding is slated to go towards the construction of a new multipurpose space, including an indoor arena — a project the community has been working at for years.
In August, Webequie Coun. Tyler Shewaybick, who has also worked as a crisis worker in the First Nation, told Newswatch an indoor recreation facility would help with both mental and physical health.
“The youth will come out more if they have an indoor place to go to,” he said at the time. “They’ll be more physically active, it’ll help with their mental health.”
“No question that there’s more work to be done,” Rickford said, adding that Webequie officials told the province during negotiations that “this needed to be tailored to … Webequie First Nation with an eye towards community well-being.”
“And job preparedness for the economic surge that Webequie First Nation is about to embark on.”
