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National Indigenous News July 9 · National Indigenous Newscasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: This is a look at your National Indigenous News.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Daryl Stranger.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Whitehorse City Council has committed itself to considering more mineral exploration in the copper belt.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: On Tuesday night, a majority of council members voted to send the issue through the bylaw process.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Gladiator Metals continues to lobby the city to allow it to search for high-grade copper in the municipality's western fringe.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: To do that, the company proposed amending the official community plan.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: The three tracks the company has identified are currently designated as green space under the land use policy.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: This would mean converting them to what the city calls future planning areas.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: To allow for limited mineral exploration, the municipality would also need to create a new policy.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Most of the 12 delegates who spoke at the meeting are opposed to the proposal.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: A common denominator among them is that the city should follow the existing official community plan, which took years to develop and rounds of at times intense public consultation.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: The sites in question, the delegates said, are green space for a reason, and they need to remain that way, protected.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: Residents said these areas help sustain vital habitat for fish and wildlife, including caribou, who they say are finally returning to the area.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Another central focus for delegates who spoke Tuesday was the city's proposed mineral framework, which pitches a tiered system that would place checks and balances on mining activities.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: That includes setting time limits, remediation standards, and inspections.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: The last time the Copper Belt saw an operating mine was in the early 1980s.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: The framework could be adopted by council as soon as this fall, and in November, the city will decide whether to amend the official community plan.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: In southern Alberta, the Sutina Nation will be collaborating with home development company Qualico Communities Calgary to develop 971 hectares of land north of the community.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: According to a news release, the former site of Elbow View Lands, which is located along Highway 8 west of Calgary, will establish a new community and expand housing opportunities in and around the 283 square kilometer reserve.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: If completed, the project would also connect surrounding communities on Soutina Land as well as establish a premier destination for residential and economic growth.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: The project aims to not only provide more housing, but allow more room for business and cultural opportunities in the area.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: This is far from Soutina Nation's first venture of this nature.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: It also developed the Redwood Meadows, which was the first indigenous-operated town site to be recognized by the province of Alberta in 2020.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Sutena Nation also developed Taza, another mixed-use community located on the land, which stands as one of the largest and most progressive First Nation real estate developments in North America, according to the nation.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: The project is in its initial stages and will begin community engagement sessions with members of the nation, as well as those in surrounding communities, over the next few weeks.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Officials in Timmins, Ontario say homelessness across the region has more than doubled since 2023, with nearly 500 people at the end of 2025 experiencing homelessness.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: Community members are now working to address the issue.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: The recently created community leadership table, led by Mushkegawak Council, includes First Nations leaders, municipal representatives, and regional service providers working to address homelessness, housing instability, and wellness.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: The initiative follows Mushkegawak Council's declaration of a state of emergency last November.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Deputy Grand Chief Natasha Martin said the partnership is focused on Indigenous leadership while working alongside municipalities in the region.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: The goal is to move beyond fragmented responses and create a regional plan that reflects how people access housing and services across the district.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: The coalition will continue its work through the summer, with leaders expected to meet again in the fall following the municipal election to map out long term solutions.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: That's a look at your National Indigenous News.