While many federal funding commitments ended on March 31, one Northwest Territories organization says what comes next is still being decided.

The YWCA N.W.T. had federal funding from Indigenous Services Canada sunset at the end of March.

Its executive director, Hawa Dumbuya-Sesay, says they are still waiting to hear if their in-house mental wellness program will continue to be funded.

Federal funding has supported the YWCA’s housing program for women and children fleeing violence, as well as the mental wellness program.

Dumbuya-Sesay said the current funding for their housing program remains in place through March 31, 2027 but that funding for the mental wellness program has not been confirmed this fiscal year.

Dumbuya-Sesay said they do not have an alternate funding source to sustain their program even though the next fiscal year has begun.

“This uncertainty makes it extremely difficult for us to plan and maintain continuity of services for women and children who rely on this support,” she said.

The federal government’s grants and contributions page shows many N.W.T. organizations had funding sunset at the end of March. That includes The Native Women’s Association of the N.W.T. which received around $4.5 million in funding commitments from 2021 to 2026.

Melinda Laboucan of the K’asho Got’ine First Nation from Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., started the Edmonton-based non-profit organization, Goba Care in 2021. The organization provides free support to patients from the North who are in Edmonton for medical treatment. The group offers advocacy, end of life care, and cultural connection.

Laboucan said the reality of the situation at hand is that year to year or short-term funding makes it difficult for community organizations to operate sustainably.

“It makes it tough to plan ahead, keep staff, and offer consistent support to medical travel patients who rely on us.”

She added that that many groups who support northerners are in this position and the path forward is stability for how organizations are funded.

She added that funding for this fiscal year is still not a guarantee for her organization and they’re currently looking at other avenues and searching for funding to keep services going.

The N.W.T. has already seen impacts of funding ending from the federal government’s past commitments, including funding sunsetting for the the Public Prosecution Service of Canada to support victims of sexual violence in all three territories. 

Budget 2025 emphasized importance on cutting costs across sectors, which include ISC and CIRNAC being cut by more than $2 billion dollars. However, at the end of March the federal government announced over $2 billion in new funding to address essential programs for Indigenous people that were set to end this spring. 

Some funding secure until 2030

At the territorial level, the Family Information Liaison Unit is available to support families of missing and murdered Indigenous people in the territory. That includes providing help navigating justice and social systems.

The unit is funded by the federal government through Justice Canada with the current agreement being in place until 2030.

“Future funding beyond that timeframe is determined by the government of Canada,” wrote Beau Stobbs, senior communications officer with the Department of Finance.

Stobbs added that discussions are ongoing with Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) about the next five-year funding agreement under the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. Funds from WAGE flow to the N.W.T.’s Gender Equity Division, which works with Status of Women, Native Women’s Association, Northern Mosaic Network and shelter networks.

WAGE is planning spending reductions of $8 million each year, beginning in 2026-27 and continuing into 2028-29.

“The objective is to maintain continuity of support and avoid impacts to the territory as current funding agreements conclude,” wrote Stobbs.

Stobbs said the Family Information Liaison Unit can help families in accessing information related to RCMP investigations and court records. The unit may also be able to provide funding to support travel to other jurisdictions if needed, or related to search efforts and memorial gatherings.