Fonds d'initiatives nordiques - More than $2.8 million for twenty Nord-du-Québec projects

CHIBOUGAMAU, QC, June 16, 2026 /CNW/ - Denis Lamothe, Government Assistant for the Nord-du-Québec region and Member for Ungava, on behalf of Kateri Champagne Jourdain, Minister of Natural Resources and Forests and Minister Responsible for the Société du Plan Nord, is pleased to announce investments of more than $2.8 million in support of twenty promising projects in the Nord-du-Québec region.

Major investments in the Nord-du-Québec region
The projects selected in the region cover a wide range of sectors, including tourism infrastructure development, support for youth and families, as well as economic development and knowledge acquisition in the North. The funding is provided through the Fonds d'initiatives nordiques (FIN), and projects benefiting from it address priority needs identified by Nord-du-Québec communities. This represents a total investment of $13.2 million in regional development.

A real economic lever for Northern Quebec
Since December 2020, the Fonds d'initiatives nordiques has propelled 308 projects undertaken by local and regional partners, generating investments of more than $100 million north of the 49th parallel, including 102 in the Nord-du-Québec region. This new contribution reinforces the Gouvernement du Québec's commitment to sustainable development and northern prosperity.

Quote:

"Development in the North requires ambitious, community-based initiatives. By supporting these projects, our government is taking concrete action through the Société du Plan Nord, which provides real economic and strategic leverage to turn this ambition into tangible results."

Kateri Champagne Jourdain, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and Minister responsible for the Société du Plan Nord

"The diversity of the projects submitted speaks to the vitality of Nord-du-Québec stakeholders. The selected initiatives will help improve living environments and support the region's economic and social development."

Denis Lamothe, Parliamentary Assistant for the Nord-du-Québec region and Member of Parliament for Ungava

Faits saillants :

Voici la liste des initiatives :

• Tukisivallirutitsanut Parnaitiit will establish an audiovisual archive centre in Puvirnituq and Rouyn-Noranda to preserve and disseminate the living memory and knowledge of the Inuit of Nunavik. ($100,000)
• Ville de Chapais will prepare the plans and specifications for the new Chapais sports and community centre, which will include an arena, a community hall, a swimming pool and a curling centre. ($100,000)
• Makivvik Corporation will create design plans and set up an Inuit cultural exhibition in its future offices in Kuujjuaq and Inukjuak. ($100,000)
• The Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre will establish the Katsipitaaq centre in Kuujjuaq to host cultural, traditional and therapeutic activities for its residents and the local community. ($500,000)
• Club Quad Eeyou Istchee Baie-James will implement a resource-sharing model in Chapais, Chibougamau, Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Waswanipi and Oujé-Bougoumou to ensure a stronger safety presence on the trails. ($27,000)
• The Villebois recreational tourism site, Mont Fenouillet à Cheval, will install a solar panel system to support an ecological transition for its camping facilities and the sustainability of its activities. ($18,863)
• Énergie Biomasse Nord will establish a regional biomass energy expertise centre in Matagami to collaboratively develop resilient energy solutions tailored to local realities. ($100,000)
• Heritage Lab will create an automatic speech recognition system in Inuktitut that will transcribe and translate recordings while respecting the dialects of the Ungava Bay and Hudson Bay. ($100,000)
• The Cree Native Arts and Crafts Association will conduct strategic planning to prepare Cree communities for the establishment of infrastructure and services dedicated to Cree art. ($100,000)
• BoréA DécouVERTE will develop indoor and outdoor tourism infrastructure in Chapais inspired by the economuseum concept to showcase regional expertise. ($100,000)
• The Wiichihiiwewin Centre in Waskaganish will install two yurts to provide mental health, addiction, family support and wellness services. ($263,000)
• The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) will map underwater habitats and assess key commercial species in Ungava Bay, including scallops and sea cucumbers, while integrating Inuit knowledge. ($100,000)
• Nurrait | Jeunes Karibus will have two cabins built in Ivujivik and Quaqtaq by local youth to develop their carpentry and woodworking skills and professional abilities. These cabins, which will be open to the entire community, will promote access to the territory. ($470,000)
• Ville de Chibougamau will install a 20-foot bird observation tower and a safe walking trail at the site of the wastewater treatment facility in the industrial sector. ($100,000)
• FaunENord will assess a site along the mechanically cleared firebreak of Lebel-sur-Quévillon and develop a layout plan to create an agro-tourism park featuring nectar-rich flowers for bees from local hives. ($97,305)
• Makivvik Corporation, through its subsidiary Northern Delights, will install pre-electrified containers and drying equipment for harvesting plants and berries, benefiting four Nunavik communities: Kuujjuarapik, Kangiqsualujjuaq, Umiujaq and Inukjuak. ($100,000)
• The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) will develop a hybrid educational module on territorial ethics, which will be integrated into the training programs of the Centre de formation professionnelle (CFP) de la Baie-James. ($100,000)
• The Festival du Doré-James will implement a seasonal water park on Lake Opémiska, capable of accommodating up to 75 visitors at a time. ($90,667)
• Makivvik Corporation will deploy automated monitoring technologies to ensure continuous and reliable data collection at the Kuujjuarusiq fish passage, while minimizing the need for on-site personnel. ($92,000)
• The Fondation Cégep de Saint-Félicien will renovate a building in Chibougamau to provide affordable housing for its students. ($180,000)

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Naomy Martin, Media relations officer, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Cell. 367 977-7465, [email protected]; Information: Laurie Richard, Communications adviser, Société du Plan Nord, Tel: [phone], ext. 66455