The Hris Project aims to create a national network of community-based science and technology centers, as well as new training for young people.
The federal government announced the first of two funding rounds for the program, with $25 million in funding.
It was announced Thursday by Environment Minister Keith Ashfield.
It will be funded through the Government Innovation Fund, a federal-provincial partnership.
Ashfield said the federal government wants to see a network of high-quality centres and learning opportunities for Indigenous peoples.
“This initiative builds on the Hris Plan and provides a model to the rest of Canada for how to engage and engage Indigenous peoples in our society,” he said in a statement.
Hris’ funding will allow the initiative to expand its reach, which will include working with Indigenous communities, to include people from other First Nations and Inuit communities.
The initiative will also support Indigenous children in school, which could include support for literacy programs and mentoring.
The government says it is investing $30 million over five years, with more to come.
The Hrista Project will be a key component of the Hristi Initiative, which aims to provide a national youth workforce for Indigenous people.
That initiative is also being funded through a new grant, with an additional $5 million from the federal, provincial, and territorial governments.
This funding will help establish centres and training programs to support Indigenous youth in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, as part of the federal Government Innovation Initiative.
It is part of a larger national initiative that includes $150 million over four years to support a number of projects across the country.
The projects are being funded by the Federal Government Innovation Program.
The Government Innovation Project is the brainchild of Minister of Innovation, Innovation and Skills, Cathy Rogers, and her husband, retired former federal cabinet minister and Minister of National Defence Tom Clark.
