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- calendar_today November 10, 2026
Federal Budget Delivers Major Support for Dechinta Centre
The Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, is set to receive a significant boost with $10 million in new federal funding allocated through 2031. Announced in the 2026 federal budget, this funding marks a crucial step in supporting Dechinta’s accredited postsecondary land-based education and research programs.
Years of Advocacy Lead to Funding Success
The announcement comes after years of concerted efforts by Dechinta's staff and elders, who visited Ottawa to advocate for long-term support from the federal government. Kyla LeSage, Dechinta's director of community engagement, emphasized the dedication that went into these efforts. "We've had elders down in Ottawa meeting politicians and civil servants," LeSage said, reflecting on the importance of this accomplishment.
Strengthening and Expanding Northern Programs
The new funding will enable Dechinta to continue broadening its reach throughout the three northern territories. The institution's annual federal allocation, its largest funding source, will grow from $2 million to $3 million per year. This represents an expansion from previous two-year extensions and provides a four-year window for Dechinta to scale up its programs.
LeSage explained that while securing long-term funding remains the goal, the current multi-year investment will help the centre reach more students and communities across the North. This funding follows a pattern of growth that has previously allowed Dechinta to move from a Yellowknife-only model to a presence in communities from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, to Kaska Dena territory in Yukon.
Impact of Land-Based and Indigenous Learning
As an alumna and now staff member, LeSage has firsthand experience of the value of learning on the land with elders. She credits Dechinta with enabling her to reconnect with her Vuntut Gwitchin and Anishinaabe heritage. "I got to reconnect with my culture that I wasn't able to grow up with," LeSage noted, adding that she sees similar impacts on other students involved in the programs.
Dechinta continues to dream big about what is next, building on steady growth over the past eight years and now fortified by new federal funds.
Collaboration with Camp Connections and Community Engagement
The Dechinta Centre’s community engagement includes partnerships with local organizations such as the Camp Connections site, managed by Zain Ali. This site, situated outside Yellowknife and operated by the Foster Family Coalition of the N.W.T., will host Dechinta’s winter programming for a third time this year.
Ali called the new funding "good news for the N.W.T. and the North in general," recognizing how the partnership supports healing and education on the land. He emphasized that whether joining for recreation or educational purposes, participants benefit from personal and cultural healing through the environment and programming offered.
Looking Ahead for Dechinta Centre
With secure multi-year federal funding, Dechinta Centre is set to continue expanding land-based, culturally enriching educational opportunities for students across Northern Canada. This funding is expected to strengthen the institution’s capacity for community engagement, postsecondary education, and Indigenous cultural reconnection for years to come.
Related coverage
Source: cbc.ca.
