Nipissing First Nation

Nipissing First Nation
Type	First Nation government

Nipissing First Nation is an Anishinabek First Nation.

In Anishinabek News

• March 2013: The community is led by Chief Marianna Couchie.
• April 2013: The community hosted a gathering of Anishinaabe artists and musicians at Nbisiing Secondary School on February 23, 2013. Proceeds from a draw held during the arts event supported the 25th annual pow-wow for Nipissing First Nation.
• April 2013: Elder Lorraine Liberty is from this community.
• April 2013: Citizens of this First Nation participated in the Fruit Loops Kids Camp to learn about nutrition and holistic health. Families from this community sought ways to balance modern lifestyles with healthy food choices.
• April 2013: The community hosted an unveiling ceremony for a new monument honoring Indian Residential Schools survivors on March 25, 2013. It is the location of the Union of Ontario Indians head office.
• April 2013: The community is the home of Jody Cotter, Maddison Cotter, and Mackenzie Couchie, who developed the Be Safer Game. A new animated billboard promoting HIV and Hepatitis C testing was installed on Highway 17 West at this community.
• April 2013: Nipissing First Nation is the location where the Anishinabek Nation Economic Development Coordinator is based.
• April 2013: Village Chrysler Dodge Jeep provides vehicle delivery services to this community.
• April 2013: The community hosted a Welcoming Babies ceremony in April 2013 to honour approximately 20 new infants. The First Nation provides community support to new parents through its health services department. The community has seen families moving back to the area, with older children also participating in local celebrations.
• May 2013: The Nipissing First Nation Employment & Training department helped Delaine Fricker graduate from Canadore College and start an apprenticeship.
• June 2013: Peter Beaucage served as a youth and addiction worker in this community for seven years. The community is the home of the respected Elder who retired from Canadore College in 2013.
• June 2013: The Union of Ontario Indians head office is located within this community. A group of Unity Walkers visited this location on June 7, 2013.
• June 2013: George Couchie is a member of this community and was recognized for his volunteer efforts there in 2013.
• July 2013: The community will host the Anishinabek Eshkeniijig Engagement 2013 youth event at Beaucage Park.
• July 2013: The community sponsored hole signs for the 15th Annual Anishinabek Veterans Memorial Golf Tournament.
• July 2013: Artist Donald Chretien, who worked on the Nokiidaa Trail project, is a citizen of this First Nation.
• August 2013: Nipissing First Nation is the site of the Union of Ontario Indians offices. A monument dedicated to the resilience of the Anishinabek people is located at Nipissing First Nation.
• August 2013: Nipissing First Nation has operated a successful Good Food Box program for its members in Garden Village for at least ten years as of August 2013.
• September 2013: The community served as the location for the Anishinabek Educational Institute convocation on August 24, 2013.
• September 2013: The health centre at this community received walking poles from the Diabetes Prevention Project in 2013. Community members can contact their local health centre to learn more about Nordic pole walking.
• September 2013: The community hosted the Anishinabek Eshkeniijig Engagement 2013 youth event. As of September 2013, members of this community advocated for incorporating culture into mainstream schools to reduce stereotypes.
• September 2013: The community enacted a new Financial Administration Law to enhance governance and financial accountability. In recent years, the nation has passed its own laws regarding land codes, fisheries, and matrimonial real property. The leadership aims to support a politically and economically independent and culturally strong nation.
• October 2013: The Union of Ontario Indians issued a statement from its offices in Nipissing First Nation on October 9, 2013.
• October 2013: The Union of Ontario Indians issued a response to the federal Speech from the Throne from its offices in this community in October 2013.
• October 2013: The community was selected to participate in the first year of the saveONenergy Aboriginal Conservation Program in 2013.
• October 2013: The community scheduled a ratification vote for its constitution on December 6, 2013. The nation's development committee included staff members and a member who had the language.
• October 2013: Artist Donald Chretien is a citizen of this community.
• October 2013: The Union of Ontario Indians released a statement from its offices in this community on October 25, 2013.
• November 2013: Bob Watts worked at the Union of Ontario Indians office in this community during the 1990s.
• November 2013: The Anishinabek Nation issued a statement from its offices in this community in November 2013.
• November 2013: The community provides the location for the headquarters of Young Forestry Services in its industrial park. Hydro One recently contracted brush clearing along a transmission line located within the community.
• November 2013: The community scheduled a ratification vote for its new constitution to conclude in January 2014. Leadership held several consultation sessions to discuss the Gichi-Naaknigewin with citizens and students. The administration used social media and newsletters to share information about the governance document with its members.
• November 2013: The Union of Ontario Indians operates offices from this community.
• November 2013: The community is a member of Regional Education Council #4. The Nbisiing Secondary School is located within this First Nation.
• November 2013: The community hosted a Special Assembly on Education in November 2013. The assembly at this location was organized to review fiscal offers from Canada regarding the Anishinabek Education System.
• November 2013: Nipissing First Nation hosted a workshop focused on nutrition and balanced living for Ontario Works Program clients in 2013. Staff members at Nipissing First Nation participated in the event by trying green smoothies during their afternoon break.
• November 2013: A meeting regarding the rejection of the First Nations Education Act was reported from this community in November 2013.
• November 2013: The Anishinabek Nation issued a statement regarding youth addiction prevention from its offices in this community in 2013.
• December 2013: The community held Remembrance Day ceremonies where Beatrice Whiteduck served as the Silver Cross Mother. It was the home community of Beatrice Whiteduck.
• December 2013: Nipissing First Nation hosted the Special Assembly on Education in November 2013.
• December 2013: This community hosted the Special Assembly on Education in November 2013. Fran Couchie served as the Director of Education for this First Nation as of December 2013.
• December 2013: The community's complex in Garden Village hosted the assembly where the First Nations Education Act was rejected. The assembly held at this location included presentations from the Education Working Group.
• January 2014: Citizens of Nipissing First Nation voted to ratify a community constitution in a referendum ending January 10, 2014. The community used a blue bingo dabber to mark ballots during the count to ensure visibility for those watching the results via a webcast. Nipissing First Nation is the first of the 39 member communities of the Anishinabek Nation to formally adopt its own law-making authority.
• January 2014: The community was the site of a special Assembly on Education held in November 2013. During the assembly, Chiefs unanimously endorsed a resolution to move forward with the Anishinabek Education System.
• January 2014: The community passed a constitution with a vote of 319 to 56 in January 2014. The document is believed to be the only First Nations constitution in Ontario.
• January 2014: As of January 2014, Nipissing First Nation recently passed its own constitution.
• January 2014: Nipissing First Nation is home to one of the campuses of the Anishinabek Educational Institute.
• January 2014: As of January 2014, this community had ratified its own constitution. The nation completed the process of drafting and ratifying its supreme law.
• February 2014: As of February 2014, Andree Cazabon and Faith McKay were touring the Nipissing region to screen a film and discuss upcoming projects.
• February 2014: Medicine man Henri Anishinabie is from this community.
• February 2014: This community is the home of hockey player Nathaniel McLeod.
• February 2014: Glenna Beaucage is a member of this First Nation.
• March 2014: The Anishinabek News is produced by staff working at the Union of Ontario Indians office in this community.
• March 2014: The community is the home of figure skater Andrea Goulais and former provincial champion Matthew Penasse. It is the location of the Jocko Point pow-wow.
• March 2014: Ian Campeau, a member of the musical group A Tribe Called Red, is a citizen of this community.
• March 2014: The community partnered with educational institutions to stage a symposium on treaty learning in 2014.
• April 2014: Nipissing First Nation hosted a major education symposium at Nbisiing Secondary School in April 2014.
• April 2014: The community hosted an education symposium at Nbisiing Secondary School in April 2014. The Anishinabek Nation head office in this community held a technical briefing for leaders and educators on April 22, 2014.
• April 2014: Nipissing First Nation members ratified a constitution in January 2014. The community was the first member of the Anishinabek Nation to ratify a local constitution.
• May 2014: Nipissing First Nation hosted a two-day education symposium at Nbisiing Secondary School in 2014.
• May 2014: The Union of Ontario Indians released a statement from Nipissing First Nation on May 6, 2014, regarding Bill C-33.
• May 2014: Nipissing First Nation hosted participants for an education gathering in April 2014. The community is the location of Nbisiing Secondary School.
• May 2014: The Union of Ontario Indians maintained offices at Nipissing First Nation in May 2014.
• May 2014: Nipissing First Nation is the location of Nbisiing Secondary School.
• May 2014: The Union of Ontario Indians released a statement from this location on May 29, 2014, regarding the federal education budget.
• June 2014: The Anishinabek Nation issued its statement regarding the 2014 provincial election from its offices at Nipissing First Nation.
• June 2014: This community ratified its constitution in January 2014.
• June 2014: The Union of Ontario Indians issued a statement from its offices in this community regarding the Wiikwemkoong GChi Naaknigewin in June 2014.
• June 2014: The Union of Ontario Indians offices are located within Nipissing First Nation.
• July 2014: The community is the home nation of Bob Goulais.
• July 2014: The announcement regarding the new bioeconomy partnership was made from the Union of Ontario Indians office at this location in 2014.
• July 2014: The community employed Ephrem Commanda in resource management, fish, and wildlife starting in 1982. Ephrem Commanda was born in a log cabin at Laronde Creek within this First Nation.
• August 2014: Nipissing First Nation manages its post-secondary funding by having students submit invoices directly to the community to avoid university administrative fees.
• August 2014: The Anishinabek Nation issued a call for a national inquiry from its offices located in this community in August 2014.
• September 2014: The community partnered with Nicole Latulippe for research regarding its fishery and governance systems.
• September 2014: The community is a partner in dissertation research regarding the Lake Nipissing fishery. Research in this community explores Indigenous knowledge, governance systems, and the treaty relationship.
• September 2014: Nipissing First Nation collaborated with Nicole Latulippe to study Indigenous knowledge and governance systems related to the Lake Nipissing fishery.
• September 2014: The community was cited as a successful example of a First Nation that has ratified its own constitution.
• September 2014: The community's traditional territory was the site of a 2014 royal visit involving the Countess of Wessex. The nation is associated with the Robinson Huron Treaty.
• September 2014: In 1985, the provincial government used helicopters and hidden cameras to monitor fishermen within Nipissing First Nation. Community meetings in Nipissing First Nation were patrolled by helicopters during a period of heightened enforcement by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
• October 2014: Nipissing First Nation is the home community of artist Donald Chretien. The region around Nipissing First Nation is known for the Woodland Style of art.
• November 2014: Nipissing First Nation is the home community of Crystal Head, a 2014 Heroes of Our Time scholarship recipient.
• November 2014: The community funded the majority of a new fire hall and purchased three used fire trucks to improve local emergency services. By operating its own fire hall in Duchesnay, the First Nation expects to save $74,000 annually by ending its service contract with North Bay.
• December 2014: On December 3, 2014, Nipissing First Nation hosted an integrated diabetes clinic involving ten service providers. The community received funding in 2012 to develop a service delivery model in partnership with Dokis First Nation and Temagami First Nation. The deer is used in the project logo to symbolically represent Nipissing First Nation.
• December 2014: The community provided funding and support for Gail Lafleur during her doctoral studies. Fran Couchie serves as the Director of Education for the community.
• January 2015: As of January 2015, the community had a ratified First Nation Constitution.
• January 2015: The Union of Ontario Indians head office located here served as the collection point for the Blanket of Hope project. Staff at the head office here began assembling a memorial for murdered and missing Indigenous women in January 2015.
• February 2015: The community welcomed Susan Aglukark for a presentation at the local secondary school in 2015. Students from this community are participating in the Tuyuuti Teen Writing Group mentorship project.
• February 2015: The community library was established in the early 1980s. The library provides citizens with access to literacy outreach, cultural sensitivity training, and regional resources through the PALS program.
• February 2015: A team from Nipissing First Nation won a midget championship at the Little Native Hockey League in 2014.
• February 2015: The Union of Ontario Indians released its position on the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015 from its offices located in Nipissing First Nation.
• February 2015: The Anishinabek Nation issued a statement from its offices in this community on February 27, 2015.
• February 2015: The Anishinabek Nation issued a statement from their offices in this community on February 27, 2015.
• March 2015: Retired Ontario Provincial Police officer George Couchie is from this community.
• March 2015: The community is the home of Mary Beaucage, who was scheduled for a kidney transplant in 2015.
• March 2015: Students from this community participated in a two-day science and technology field trip to Toronto in March 2015.
• March 2015: Nipissing First Nation has ratified its community constitution. The elements of the community's constitution are consistent with the self-government agreements.
• April 2015: The community hosted a meeting between the Law Society of Upper Canada and Anishinabek Nation leaders in 2015. Chief Marianna Couchie and her senior staff participated in discussions regarding legal supports and community concerns.
• April 2015: The communications officer for Nipissing First Nation participated in the Working Together, Sharing Together Conference in 2015.
• May 2015: The Union of Ontario Indians issued a statement regarding education funding from its offices in this community in 2015.
• May 2015: Presley Young and Mickey George represented the community on the Ontario rosters at the 2015 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.
• May 2015: The head offices of the Union of Ontario Indians are located within this community.
• May 2015: A Silver Lamprey was caught in the South River located within the traditional territory of this First Nation in 2015.
• June 2015: Community members participated in a solidarity walk that ended at the Nipissing 10 territory. The community hosted a ceremony and reflection at its Residential School Monument.
• June 2015: The organization Aanmitaagzi works to carry forward the traditional and life stories of Nipissing.
• June 2015: The community sent a delegation including the orator Onaganonitak and their leader Ouboutchik to Montreal. Delegates expressed concerns regarding their reduced hunting territories and the treatment they received from creditors. No representative from this nation placed a totem on the final Great Peace of Montreal document.
• June 2015: The head office of the Union of Ontario Indians is situated on this First Nation territory along Highway 17 West. The community hosts a monument featuring plaques that educate the public and honour families affected by the Indian Residential School system.
• June 2015: The community's flag was raised at the North Bay city hall on June 19, 2015. Leadership expressed a desire to have the community flag fly permanently at the city hall to represent their status as the Original Peoples. A National Aboriginal Day celebration was held in the community's Garden Village in June 2015.
• June 2015: This community is noted as one of the regional First Nations that has enacted its own Land Code.
• June 2015: This is the home community of Kris Noakes, who moved from the First Nation to Mississauga at the age of fourteen.
• July 2015: The community is the home base for the Aanmitaagzi arts collective and the Big Medicine Studio. The Aanmitaagzi Summer Arts Program takes place within this community on the shores of Lake Nipissing.
• July 2015: The Anishinabek Educational Institute hosted its 2015 graduation ceremonies at its campus located in this community.
• July 2015: The community was granted intervenor status by the National Energy Board regarding the Energy East pipeline application. The nation settled a land claim for $123.9 million, resulting in a per capita distribution of $20,000 to its members. The community implemented its own constitution, known as Gichi Naaknigewin, in January 2014 to protect its treaty rights.
• August 2015: The offices of the Union of Ontario Indians are located within this community.
• August 2015: The community provided educational funding to Aylan Couchie through its band office. Aylan Couchie credits the support of the First Nation for allowing her to complete her studies at Georgian College.
• August 2015: Traditional teachers from this community influenced the spiritual practices and knowledge of Tim Yearington.
• August 2015: The community hosted a stop on the Rez Tour 2015 featuring a workshop and a concert in Garden Village. Ian Campeau noted the significant development and progress the community has made over the years.
• September 2015: The community hosted a free musical performance by A Tribe Called Red on August 29, 2015. It is the lifelong home of musician Josh Stevens, who expressed pride in the community's musical talent.
• September 2015: The community hosted an information day for elders to share findings from The Archeology Project in 2015. Leadership expressed interest in establishing a permanent facility to house and display artifacts found on their lands. The community's Natural Resources department worked with the Youth Rangers program to provide field experience for students.
• September 2015: Since ratifying its land code, Nipissing First Nation has seen over fifty businesses establish within the community. The community transitioned from the band being the primary employer to private businesses becoming the major employer.
• September 2015: The community has utilized fish from Lake Nipissing for sustenance and spiritual purposes for thousands of years. The newly elected Chief and council took immediate action in 2015 to address concerns regarding the health of the local fishery. The leadership is implementing a management plan that includes a temporary halt on commercial fishing and the creation of a fish hatchery.
• September 2015: The head offices of the Union of Ontario Indians are located within this community.
• September 2015: The Union of Ontario Indians head office is located within this community.
• September 2015: Community member Laura Liberty followed the progress of Brad Firth as he ran through the region in 2015.
• September 2015: The community was reunited within a single electoral district for the 2015 federal election after being split between two ridings since 2004. Members of the community faced persistent errors when attempting to use the Elections Canada website to register to vote in 2015. The administration planned information sessions to help residents navigate registration glitches caused by issues with local postal codes.
• October 2015: The community was commended by Perry Bellegarde for its strategic economic development plans. Staff from the First Nation participated in a dialogue about how local leadership can help close the socio-economic gap.
• October 2015: The community hosted an electoral discussion for candidates of the Nipissing-Timiskaming district on October 5, 2015. The event was held at Nbisiing Secondary School to address issues such as self-government and environmental stewardship.
• October 2015: The community recently ratified its own constitution as a step toward self-government. Citizens expressed frustration that federal and provincial governments do not always recognize the community's local fishery laws. The community aims to use its constitution to manage the depleted fishery in Lake Nipissing.
• October 2015: Citizens of the community participated in a discussion regarding environmental stewardship and energy projects on October 5, 2015. The community was commended for its efforts in constructing an environmental energy house. The candidates' debate took place at Nbisiing Secondary School within the community.
• October 2015: The community hosted a federal election discussion at Nbisiing Secondary School in October 2015. Anthony Rota cited his respectful working relationship with the community's Chief and Council during his time as a Member of Parliament.
• October 2015: The community hosted a performance of the theatrical project A Side of Dreams in 2015. The production was held at the Big Medicine Studio located within the First Nation.
• October 2015: The Union of Ontario Indians head office is located within this community.
• November 2015: The community is recognized by Marco Lachance as being part of the local community. Members of this First Nation from Garden Village work at Marco Polo Pizzeria and helped the owner acquire an Anishinabek Nation Flag.
• November 2015: The community was recognized for ratifying its community constitution.
• November 2015: The Anishinabek Nation maintains offices at this location.
• November 2015: The community was the site of an Indigenous architecture project built in the summer of 2014. This project is being documented in a booklet alongside Weypiskosiweywin III.
• December 2015: The Anishinabek Educational Institute maintains a campus location within this community.
• December 2015: The Anishinabek Nation head office, where the response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report was issued, is located in this community.
• January 2016: The community's health services department employs Lisa Beaucage as a receptionist and coordinator. The health center serves as a hub for medical appointments, traditional healing, and community trips to Niagara Falls.
• January 2016: Brenda Restoule performs her professional work within this community.
• January 2016: The community experienced a traumatic double murder and kidnapping incident in April 2006. As of January 2016, community members are participating in discussions regarding the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
• January 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians issued a statement from its offices in this community on January 25, 2016.
• February 2016: The community's leadership is seeking political action from the federal government to address funding gaps for children and families. The Chief of the community noted that child welfare on reserves has historically been severely underfunded.
• March 2016: The community serves as the location for the offices of the Union of Ontario Indians.
• March 2016: The community hosted the fourth annual Nipissing First Nation Artist Gathering and Art Show in 2016. The First Nation is home to many talented artists and musicians who use the annual gathering to share their work with other communities.
• March 2016: The community is the site of the Union of Ontario Indians head office.
• March 2016: Former Chief Phil Goulais attended the 2016 Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention to advocate for resource revenue sharing.
• March 2016: The offices of the Union of Ontario Indians are located within this community.
• March 2016: Members of the community, including Glenna Beaucage and Delores Chum, performed drumming for a cultural event at Mother St. Bride Elementary School.
• March 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians maintains its offices within this community.
• March 2016: The community secured the Midget A championship title during the 2016 Little Native Hockey League Tournament.
• March 2016: The community is hosting meetings to inform members about the potential impacts of the Energy East Pipeline. Leadership expressed concerns that a pipeline breach could contaminate Duchesnay Creek and the Little Sturgeon River. The nation has previously implemented green energy projects, such as installing solar panels on the Nbisiing Secondary School.
• March 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians maintains offices within this community.
• March 2016: The community signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry on March 10, 2016. The leadership closed the commercial walleye fishery early in August 2015 after data indicated that safe harvest levels were exceeded. The community uses its Chi-Naaknigewin to strengthen local regulations and management plans for natural resources.
• April 2016: The community signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry on March 10, 2016, regarding fisheries management. The First Nation implemented its own Fisheries Law and management plans to ensure the sustainable recovery of the walleye population in Lake Nipissing. In August 2015, the community leadership closed the commercial fishery early after data indicated that safe harvest levels were exceeded.
• April 2016: The community's geographic proximity to North Bay is credited with fostering a better understanding of Indigenous issues in the local area. The Governor General witnessed strong ties between this community and the academy at Nipissing University.
• April 2016: Representatives from this community were among the participants at the 2016 Lake Sturgeon Symposium.
• April 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians maintains its offices within this community.
• April 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians maintains offices within this community.
• May 2016: Players Lily George and Cailen Hanzlik represented this community on the Ontario girls' hockey team.
• May 2016: Women from the community led an event in May 2016 to protect water from potential pipeline impacts. Members including Dolores Chum and Sara-Vi Lerouz performed the Water Song at a local town hall meeting.
• May 2016: The community hosted the start of the Red Ride Tour 2016 at Big Medicine Studio.
• May 2016: The community administration and education department provided funding and support for Shayla Brunet during her post-secondary studies. The First Nation employs Shayla Brunet as a Communications Officer to handle newsletters, electronic signage, and social services pamphlets.
• May 2016: The Anishinabek Nation maintained offices at this location in May 2016.
• May 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians offices located in this community hosted a meeting on mineral sector partnerships in May 2016.
• June 2016: The community is the home of Kaitlyn Restoule and her great-grandmother Catherine Couchie Restoule. Members of this nation shared their family history of residential school experiences for a 2016 heritage project.
• June 2016: Members residing in urban centers were encouraged to review the fiscal arrangements of the Anishinabek Education System.
• June 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians head offices are located within this community.
• June 2016: The community hosted a visit from Elizabeth Dowdeswell at its local secondary school in June 2016. Leadership from the community, including the Chief and Deputy Chief, participated in the 20th anniversary celebrations of Nbisiing Secondary School.
• June 2016: Citizens of the community gathered at Nbisiing Secondary School for an information session about the Anishinabek Education System. Leadership from the community expressed support for the proposed education system to better serve their students.
• June 2016: The community celebrated the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day by raising its flag at the North Bay city hall. Leadership from the nation is working with the City of North Bay to establish a permanent location for their flag to fly within the city. The nation asserts that North Bay is situated on its traditional territory which it has occupied since time immemorial.
• June 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians offices are located within this community.
• July 2016: The community hosted a cultural workshop where participants crafted hand drums from deer hide. Local educators emphasized the importance of the drum in prayer and ceremonies within the community.
• July 2016: This community is the home of country musician Josh Stevens.
• July 2016: The community hosted a large celebration for National Aboriginal Day at Nbisiing Secondary School in 2016. The First Nation has organized annual events for the national holiday for twenty years. As of July 2016, the Lands department is looking at land use restrictions to protect plants used for traditional medicine like sweet grass.
• July 2016: The community is home to The New Duchesnay Store, which marked a decade of operations in 2016. Local residents are frequently employed at the gas bar throughout their high school and college years.
• July 2016: The community hosted the Anishinabek Educational Institute graduation ceremony on June 25, 2016. It is the location of an Anishinabek Educational Institute campus.
• July 2016: The community is home to the Eagle's Nest Chip Stand & Gas Bar located on Migizii Miikan Road. It is situated along TransCanada Highway 17, where local businesses serve travelers.
• July 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians maintains offices in this community.
• July 2016: The community is the site of the Ojibway Women's Lodge, a secure access residence for women in crisis. Citizen Donna Couchie creates handmade quilts at her home on Jocko Point to support local initiatives.
• August 2016: The offices of the Union of Ontario Indians are located within this community.
• August 2016: The community hosted the premiere of Waasejigan Tails at Big Medicine Studio. Several local youth, including Cole Stevens, participated in the Aanmitaagzi Summer Arts Program held there.
• August 2016: The community hosted a meeting between provincial officials and the Union of Ontario Indians in 2016. Its leadership raised grievances regarding hydro lines trespassing on traditional territory without compensation.
• September 2016: The head offices of the Union of Ontario Indians are located within this community.
• September 2016: The community hosted its 28th annual Labour Day weekend pow-wow in September 2016. The gathering featured approximately 100 dancers and nine drum groups under the arbour. During the event, Scott McLeod was presented with a traditional headdress based on a historical design.
• September 2016: The leadership of this community requested a temporary closure of the winter recreational walleye fishery for the 2016-2017 season. The community closed its own commercial fishery on August 31, 2016, to maintain safe harvest levels and has maintained a spring moratorium since 2004. The nation manages its own resources through the Nipissing First Nation Fisheries Law and Chi-Naaknigewin.
• September 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians issued a statement from its offices located in this community on September 13, 2016.
• September 2016: The community enacted a community-supported Fisheries Law in 2006 to manage and monitor their fishery for future generations. They have become a model for other communities seeking to manage their own fisheries. The First Nation made difficult decisions to implement actions aimed at ensuring the recovery of fish stocks in Lake Nipissing.
• September 2016: Members residing in the Sudbury area were invited to learn about the Anishinabek Education System on September 19, 2016.
• September 2016: The community leadership sought to shut down the ice fishing season in 2016 to protect the local fishery from depletion. The First Nation employs natural resource representatives who work alongside the Ministry of Natural Resources to enforce community fishing laws. Leadership emphasized that the community never relinquished sovereignty or resource ownership when signing its Treaty.
• October 2016: It is the home community of artist Aylan Couchie.
• October 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians issued a statement from its offices in this community on October 19, 2016.
• October 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians offices where the citizenship announcement was made are located in this community.
• October 2016: Members of the community joined a rally at the North Bay waterfront to advocate for water protection. Former Chief Marianna Couchie spoke at the event to declare the nation's support for the Standing Rock Sioux Nation.
• November 2016: The community hosted an information session and early voting opportunity regarding the Anishinabek Education System in late 2016. Historical ties exist between this community and Lake Nipigon, where members stayed for a generation to escape the Iroquois. The community's Chief and Council are noted as policy makers and supporters of local education.
• November 2016: The community is the home of writer Cole Forrest Stevens-Goulais. It is the location of the Big Medicine Studio.
• November 2016: The community is the home of author Kiley M. George.
• November 2016: The community was a creative partner in establishing the RBC Treaty Reconciliation Centre in North Bay.
• December 2016: Teacher Tory Fisher is from this community. The territory of this nation is the location where Lauree Linklater-Pizzale produces her Anishinaabemowin signage.
• December 2016: The announcement regarding the progress of the Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement was issued from this location on December 3, 2016.
• December 2016: The community is the location of the Union of Ontario Indians head office. Jacob DiGirolamo stopped in the community for directions while traveling from Standing Rock back to the United States.
• December 2016: The community hosted its annual meeting, Maawjidwin Nji-Wiidooktaadyang, at Nbisiing Secondary School. It is the home community of author Jenny Kay Dupuis and her grandmother Irene Couchie Dupuis.
• December 2016: The Anishinabek Police Service serves as a community organization during local events to foster relationships with residents. Ken Dokis noted that domestic and family violence has decreased significantly within the community over his career.
• December 2016: The community hosted the December 2016 announcement regarding federal and provincial investments in the Northern Ontario Bioeconomy Strategy.
• December 2016: The community's leadership expressed concern in 2016 over the declining health of the walleye fishery in Lake Nipissing.
• December 2016: The community called for the closure of the winter walleye season in 2016 to protect declining fish stocks in Lake Nipissing. Its fisheries department collaborated with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to provide data for an external scientific review. The First Nation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the provincial government in November 2015 to improve fishery management and compliance.
• December 2016: The community is the home of artist Donald Chrétien, who designed new eyeglass frames for AYA Eyewear.
• December 2016: The Union of Ontario Indians offices located in this community issued the announcement regarding the death of Albert Peltier in December 2016.
• December 2016: It is one of the seven participating communities in the Waabnoong Bemjiwang Child Well-Being Agency Development Project.
• January 2017: Members of the community identified and challenged a discriminatory business advertisement that excluded status card users. The community holds Treaty rights that provide fishing opportunities on Lake Nipissing.
• January 2017: George Couchie resides on this territory and is a member of the Red-tailed Hawk or Gibwanasii Clan. The community was the site where George Couchie began his cultural journey while policing there. Eagle feathers for ceremonial use are found on the islands of Lake Nipissing near this area.
• January 2017: The community leadership addressed a discriminatory ice fishing hut advertisement that targeted Indian Status Card users. Members of the community used social media to bring attention to the exclusion of Indigenous people from local businesses.
• January 2017: The community is the home of artists Penny Couchie and Meg Paulin.
• January 2017: The community hosts the head office of the Union of Ontario Indians.
• January 2017: The community submitted a Band Council Resolution indicating readiness to move forward with the Anishinabek Nation Child Well-Being Law.
• January 2017: Community members from this First Nation acted in the third season of Hard Rock Medical. The television production used various locations within the community for filming. Local artists from the community served as Aboriginal consultants for the show's storylines.
• January 2017: It is the home community of Bob Goulais, who served as a master of ceremonies in 2017. The community is the base for the firm Nbisiing Consulting.
• January 2017: The Union of Ontario Indians head office, where the flag was lowered for Arnelda Jacobs, is located in this community.
• February 2017: The community hosts the head office of the Union of Ontario Indians.
• February 2017: The community did not relinquish its rights to self-governance when it entered into treaties. Laws enacted by the community pursuant to its own constitution may not always be agreed upon by Ontario or Canada.
• February 2017: The community's leadership supported a series of public cultural teachings held in North Bay. As of February 2017, women from the community provided traditional drumming and songs during a Truth and Reconciliation event.
• February 2017: Archaeological data indicates that the community has been organized for at least 10,000 years. The community's history and its relationship with settler populations were discussed during the Kina maawi gdoo-wiikendaasmin – We Are Learning Together sessions.
• March 2017: The Union of Ontario Indians issued their statement of support for the national healing ceremony from their offices located in this community.
• March 2017: The community saw the historic birth of a child at a local midwifery clinic in March 2017. The K'Tigaaning Midwifery Clinic was established on the reserve to support the growth of the community.
• March 2017: The Union of Ontario Indians offices where the announcement of Jody Randall Waddilove's death was issued are located in this community.
• March 2017: The community partnered with local school boards to host a four-week series of Truth and Reconciliation learning opportunities in 2017. A learning event on Indian Residential Schools was held on the traditional territory of this First Nation.
• March 2017: Trainer George Couchie is a member of this First Nation.
• March 2017: The community won the Midget competitive and Midget recreational titles at the 2017 Little Native Hockey League tournament. The nation's Tyke team was defeated 18-0 by the Chippewas-Muncey-Oneida Riverhawks in the opening round.
• March 2017: The offices of the Anishinabek Nation are located within this community.
• March 2017: The Union of Ontario Indians head office is located within this community. A response to the 2017 federal budget was issued from this location on March 23, 2017.
• March 2017: The community is home to video producer Sara Cornthwaite and Elder John Sawyer. The Anishinabek Educational Institute operates a campus within this community.
• March 2017: The community hosted the premiere of a documentary about the Nipissing Warriors at the Garden Village Community Centre. The First Nation supported a culture and heritage project to preserve its history through film and an upcoming book. Former Chief Marianna Couchie was consulted during the research process for the community's historical projects.
• March 2017: The community hosted a documentary screening to honour the history and legacy of the Nipissing Warriors hockey team. Local leadership in the community historically supported inclusive membership for residents regardless of their legal status under the government.
• April 2017: It is the home community of musician Ian Campeau. The Anishinabek Nation maintains offices at this location.
• April 2017: The Sturgeon Falls Mill owners historically sought access to this community's lands and pushed for a railway to be built through it. Historical records of possible correspondence between this community and the local mill were destroyed during the 2002 closure.
• April 2017: The community partnered with the city of North Bay and local school boards to deliver a truth and reconciliation education series in 2017. Chief Scott McLeod represented the nation during the sessions to share insights on reconciliation and community healing.
• April 2017: The community is the location of the Anishinabek Nation head office.
• April 2017: Chief Scott McLeod noted that the Kina maamwigdoo-wiikendaasmin sessions had a ripple effect with people talking about them in the community.
• April 2017: The community is represented by players Will Michaud and Emile Cyr on the 2017 Ontario hockey team.
• April 2017: The community was a partner in organizing the Four Colours of Reconciliation Conference.
• April 2017: The community is the home of hockey players Cailen Hanzlik and Lily George. Two athletes from this First Nation were named to the Ontario girls' roster for the 2017 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.
• May 2017: The community was represented by players Will Michaud, Emile Cyr, Lily George, and Cailen Hanzlik at the 2017 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.
• May 2017: The community submitted a band council resolution to move forward with the Master Education Agreement as of May 2017.
• May 2017: The Anishinabek Nation head office is located in this community.
• June 2017: The community partnered with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Union Gas, and Aecon to bring natural gas to its members. A pilot project in Duchesnay during 2015 saw over 90 percent of homeowners connect to the natural gas utility. The expansion aims to service 250 homes across communities including Jocko Point, Beaucage, and Yellek.
• June 2017: The screening of Awake, a Dream from Standing Rock took place on the traditional territory of this nation. Members of this community joined with other local groups to view the documentary in North Bay.
• June 2017: The community hosted the 2017 Nbisiing Secondary School graduation ceremony. The First Nation is scheduled to sign the Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement and the Master Education Agreement on August 16, 2017.
• June 2017: The community hosted a two-day Regional Education Council meeting in June 2017. The meeting took place at Nbisiing Secondary School within the community.
• June 2017: The community is led by Chief Scott McLeod.
• July 2017: The community hosted a celebration for National Aboriginal Day in 2017 to share Indigenous culture with neighbouring residents. Staff from the community's culture and heritage department organized various teaching booths and traditional food demonstrations during the summer solstice event.
• July 2017: The community's leadership has been active in asserting Anishinaabe Law. Its Chief, Scott McLeod, provided a message to non-Indigenous Canadians regarding the 150th anniversary of Canada.
• July 2017: The community hosted a graduation ceremony for the Anishinabek Educational Institute on June 24, 2017. The event took place at Nbisiing Secondary School within the First Nation.
• July 2017: The community's leader, Scott McLeod, took part in the Eagle Staff Ceremony at the Maamwi Kindaaswin Festival.
• July 2017: The community is the site of the K'Tigaaning Midwives clinic, which focuses on bringing birth back to Indigenous lands. Scott McLeod serves as the Chief of the community and addressed the gathering at the clinic's grand opening.
• July 2017: A councillor from this community participated in the Child Well-Being Working Group meeting in 2017.
• July 2017: The community hosts a pow-wow at Jocko Point that Janine Williams hoped to attend in September 2017.
• July 2017: The community successfully bid to house the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body within its territory in July 2017. It was one of 14 nations that voted to ratify the Anishinabek Education System in late 2016. The nation will provide temporary office space in an existing facility until a dedicated building is completed, anticipated for the fall of 2018.
• July 2017: The community won the bid to house the head office of the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body. A new facility will be constructed in the community to serve as the administrative hub for the Anishinabek Education System.
• July 2017: The head office of the Anishinabek Nation is situated within this community.
• August 2017: Elder Evelyn McLeod from this community offered prayers during a ceremony for the Canadian Canoe Pilgrimage in North Bay.
• August 2017: Youth from the nation, including Rolan Bergeon, participated in the first cohort of the land-based internship launched in 2017.
• August 2017: The city of North Bay is located on the traditional territory of this community. The First Nation maintains a strong relationship with the municipal government regarding the renaming of the Civic Holiday. As of August 2017, the community has lacked a visible presence in the downtown and waterfront areas of North Bay.
• August 2017: The community ratified the Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement with 96 percent support in the initial voting round.
• September 2017: The mural at the WKP Kennedy Gallery was designed to represent the relationship and healing between this community and North Bay. Artists Cole Forrest and Katie Samara Couchie are associated with this First Nation.
• September 2017: Participants in the Biidaaban: Welcome to Community Transition Program took a community bus tour through the First Nation territory.
• September 2017: The community had a population of approximately 250 people in 1970 when its hockey team defeated much larger First Nations. The nation's Culture and Heritage Manager co-produced a documentary film about the local hockey history. The community is seeking historical photos of the Homemakers Club to recognize their support for local athletes.
• September 2017: Elder Carol Guppy is a citizen of this community. The dialect of Anishnaabemwin from this nation is used to name the Enji Giigdoyang centre at Nipissing University.
• September 2017: The Anishinabek Nation Child Well-Being Law Working Group held a meeting in this community on September 20-21, 2017.
• October 2017: The community was the location of reporting regarding efforts to keep Indigenous women and girls safe in 2017.
• October 2017: Councillor Jason Laronde represented the community at the Orange Shirt Day event in North Bay.
• October 2017: The Anishinabek Nation head office is situated within this community.
• October 2017: The community's Council meetings include giving thanks in the Anishinaabe language led by Muriel Sawyer and June Commanda. The community oversees local education through the Nipissing First Nation Education Committee.
• October 2017: The community's history and local events are documented through the Nipissing First Nation Voices social media page. As of October 2017, a moratorium on commercial fishing was a subject of local advocacy within the community. The community maintains an official administrative Facebook page separate from the Nipissing First Nation Voices group.
• October 2017: The community's leadership and artists participated in reconciliation events held in North Bay in 2017.
• October 2017: The community's ancestral homelands are the site where Northern Secondary School was built. Chief Scott McLeod supported the school's decision to remove the Indigenous sports mascot. The First Nation was included in the consultation process regarding the removal of the Braves emblem.
• November 2017: The community is establishing a Youth Council to involve young people in political decision-making and leadership training. An election for the inaugural Youth Chief, Deputy Chief, and Secretary is scheduled for November 17, 2017. Candidates and voters for the new youth positions must be between the ages of 13 and 22 and attending school.
• November 2017: The Anishinabek Nation head office is situated in this community.
• November 2017: Illustrator Don Chrétien is a citizen of this community.
• November 2017: It is the First Nation of artist Josephine Beaucage.
• November 2017: The head office of the Anishinabek Nation is located within this community.
• December 2017: The community serves as the headquarters where the announcement regarding the Royal Assent of Bill C-61 was made.
• December 2017: The community has approximately 2,600 members. The community leadership expressed apprehension regarding the social impacts and policing requirements of upcoming cannabis legalization.
• December 2017: The community hosts the office for the Anishinabek Education System.
• December 2017: The community is the site of the Anishinabek Nation head office.
• January 2018: Kerri Kaboni, the mother of Clinton Kaboni, is a member of this First Nation.
• January 2018: The First Nation administers the True Self program through its offices and delivers services within the city of North Bay. Chief Executive Officer Dwayne Nashkawa attended the 2018 holiday feast.
• January 2018: This community was mentioned as an example of a First Nation with multiple settlements on its territory.
• January 2018: The community hosted the 2018 Memorial Round Dance at Nbisiing Secondary School.
• January 2018: The community is the home of midwife Carol Couchie and the K'Tigaaning Midwives clinic. The K'Tigaaning Midwives Birthing Centre was established on this territory in 2016.
• February 2018: The 2018 Lands and Resources Forum took place on the traditional territory of this community. The community hosted representatives from 40 member nations of the Anishinabek Nation.
• February 2018: The community hosted a presentation on human trafficking at Nbisiing Secondary School. Community members and elders gathered to discuss strategies for identifying and preventing sexual exploitation in the area.
• February 2018: The head office of the Union of Ontario Indians is located in this community.
• February 2018: The community's territory was the site of a workshop led by Mary Pheasant in February 2018.
• February 2018: Members of the community and its leadership organized a candlelight vigil in North Bay to support the family of Colten Boushie. Many citizens attended the event alongside urban Indigenous people and local supporters.
• February 2018: The 2018 Anishinabek Nation Lands and Resources Forum was held on the traditional lands of this community.
• February 2018: The nation utilizes its Gchi-Naaknigewin as a supreme law to guide all community programs and decisions. Leadership asserted inherent rights by developing a Fisheries Law in 2004 and establishing a memorandum of understanding with the provincial government. The community partnered with Miller Paving to create local employment opportunities through land leasing and business deals.
• February 2018: The community's traditional land served as the host location for the 2018 Anishinabek News Lands and Resources Forum.
• February 2018: Members of the community gathered with residents of North Bay for a vigil following the acquittal of Gerald Stanley. The community has experienced ongoing tensions with non-Indigenous fishers regarding conservation on Lake Nipissing.
• February 2018: The Anishinabek Nation head office is located in this community.
• February 2018: The vigil for Tina Fontaine took place on the traditional lands of this community in North Bay. The community's leadership expressed that the legal verdict reflected passive racism within the justice system.
• March 2018: The community hosted its fifth annual Anishnaabe Art Show in March 2018. The event showcased authentic art and crafts created by Anishinabek artists for local patrons.
• March 2018: The head office of the Anishinabek Nation is located in this community.
• March 2018: The community received a gold award for leadership in efforts to heal the walleye population in Lake Nipissing. Leadership signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to recognize the rights and interests of both governments. The Chief and Council voted to close the commercial fishing season early in 2015.
• March 2018: The community was announced as the host for the 2020 Little Native Hockey League tournament.
• March 2018: The community leadership and trust fund supported the construction of a new state-of-the-art outdoor rink in Garden Village. The administration, facilities, and recreation departments hosted a grand opening event for the new rink in March 2018. The community is described as a hockey community with the sport being passed down through generations.
• March 2018: The community elected Summer Fisher as its Youth Chief around March 2018. The community's Youth Council includes a deputy chief and a secretary.
• March 2018: On March 10, 2016, this community signed a memorandum of understanding with Ontario to manage Lake Nipissing fisheries. The community works with provincial partners to enforce the Nipissing First Nation Fisheries Law and conduct joint lake patrols. The community and the province received a gold award from The Institute of Public Administration of Canada for their collaborative leadership and impact.
• March 2018: The community is working with Waabnoong Bemjiwang Child Well-Being to replace external child welfare providers with an Indigenous-led model.
• April 2018: The community hosted the 2018 Round Dance on March 24 at Nbisiing Secondary School. The First Nation sponsored the hand drum competitions and invited singer Junior Ottawa to the event.
• April 2018: The Kinoomaadziwin Education Body operates an office within this community.
• April 2018: The Chief and Council of Nipissing First Nation passed a motion on March 20, 2018, to prohibit business licenses for cannabis sale and production. The community plans to consult its citizens, the Debendaagziwaad, regarding the sale of cannabis within its territory. The administration is reviewing how federal and provincial cannabis laws will interact with Nipissing First Nation law. The community has historically prohibited the sale of alcohol except for special occasion permits.
• April 2018: The community's Chief, Scott McLeod, criticized the decision of Pope Francis to withhold an apology for the Indian Residential School system.
• April 2018: The community's midget hockey team won a gold medal at the 2018 Little Native Hockey League tournament. It is the home community of hockey player Brett Shawana.
• April 2018: The Anishinabek Nation head office is located on the traditional territory of this community. Community member Lily Armstrong created a piece for the new Eagle Staff.
• May 2018: A youth from this community wrote an editorial in May 2018 regarding the medical nature of addiction.
• May 2018: The community is widely considered to be a leader in Indigenous fisheries. Members maintain a strong inherent presence and authority on Lake Nipissing despite external pressures and internal policy changes. The community adheres to its own governance and laws for the fishery rather than provincial regulations.
• May 2018: The community served as the location for an Arbour Week celebration involving local students and Hydro One. Nbisiing Secondary School is situated within this First Nation.
• June 2018: The community participated in the Fish-WIKS project to explore how Indigenous knowledge can sustain local fisheries. It is developing The Culture and Language Strategic Plan to re-establish traditional links and language among its members. The nation established a Memorandum of Understanding that includes cultural training for provincial conservation staff. As of June 2018, its highest community populations are found in Beaucage Subdivision, Beaucage Village, Duchesnay, Garden Village, and Jocko Point.
• June 2018: The community is led by Scott McLeod, who took on an interim regional leadership role for the Anishinabek Nation in 2018.
• June 2018: The community participated in the five-year Fish-WIKS research project to study Indigenous and Western knowledge in fishery management. Leadership implemented specific measures to protect immature fish and prevent the imminent collapse of the Lake Nipissing fishery. The community is working to return to the sovereign government and clan governance systems that existed prior to the Robinson Huron Treaty.
• June 2018: The community partnered with other regional nations to create the North Bay Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Team in 2018. Its health department transitioned to federal transfer arrangements in 1997 to manage community health programs. The nation aims to protect inherent rights and promote social and economic independence for its members.
• June 2018: The community hosted annuity payment events in Garden Village and Duchesney Village in May 2018. Members of the nation receive annual payments as part of the Robinson Huron Treaty. The community's police service, the Anishinabek Police Service, provides security during the distribution of treaty funds.
• June 2018: Community member Dustin Primeau played for the Power Edge Pro hockey team in 2018. The First Nation was represented in the Tyke division of the 2018 Little Native Hockey League tournament.
• June 2018: This community is the home of Mike Restoule, the plaintiff in the treaty annuity litigation. It is one of the 21 First Nations participating in the legal challenge against Canada and Ontario.
• June 2018: George Couchie is a citizen of this community and resides there with his family. As of June 2018, George Couchie noted that the community had historically been impacted by issues of alcoholism.
• June 2018: The Maamwi Kindaaswin pow wow was held on the traditional territory of this First Nation in June 2018.
• June 2018: The community hosted the 44th annual All Ontario Chiefs Conference in June 2018.
• June 2018: Donald Chrétien, who designed a new collection for AYA Optical, is an Anishinabe artist from this First Nation.
• June 2018: The community's traditional land served as the site for a 2018 pow-wow hosted in North Bay. Chief Scott McLeod represented the nation during the event's opening.
• June 2018: Clinton Kaboni and Connor Kaboni are members of this First Nation.
• July 2018: The community hosted the 2018 graduation ceremony for the Anishinabek Educational Institute.
• July 2018: The community hosted a gathering for Kevin Redsky at Jocko Point during his national walk for mental health. Youth from the community met with walkers at a gathering at Jocko Point Fish and Chips.
• July 2018: The community's Youth Chief, Summer Fisher, visited a local school to educate students about traditional regalia.
• July 2018: The Kinoomaadziwin Education Body is establishing its head office within this community.
• August 2018: The community is the home of Laura Liberty, who represented the nation at the Masters Indigenous Games.
• August 2018: The community supported Karen Commanda by funding her travel to various golf competitions. Five men from the community and Karen Commanda participated in the 2018 Masters Indigenous Games.
• August 2018: The community hosted a federal funding announcement for the Aanmitaagzi Summer Theatre Arts Program in July 2018. Local artists and youth from the nation participated in a summer arts intensive at Big Medicine Studio.
• September 2018: The community hosted the Anishinabek Educational Institute Music Festival Fundraiser at its outdoor rink facility. The local administration waived the fees for the use of the venue to support the educational fundraiser. The community is the home of several performers and organizers involved in the 2018 music event.
• September 2018: The community hosted its 30th annual traditional pow wow at Jocko Point in 2018. The First Nation historically hosted large gatherings at Beaucage Bay that were documented in the 1600s. Community members and leadership worked with corporate sponsors and donors to organize the 2018 celebration.
• September 2018: The community hosted its 30th annual traditional pow wow in 2018. Community leadership and the pow wow committee select individuals to fulfill specific ceremonial and organizational roles for the gathering. The nation's youth are reportedly driving a renewed interest in traditional names, clans, and regalia among their families.
• September 2018: The community was the site of the Wahniigaaniiwat Youth Summit held in August 2018.
• September 2018: The community scheduled the closure of its 2018 commercial fishing season for September 15 to protect the walleye population. Members retain treaty-protected rights for subsistence and ceremonial fishing provided they notify the fisheries office of their intent to harvest. The First Nation enforces its own Fisheries Law and Gichi-Naaknigewin to manage local natural resources sustainably.
• September 2018: John Bobiwash and James Deurloo met in this community before continuing their journey to the eastern provinces.
• September 2018: The community was represented by Chief Scott McLeod at a local educational gathering in September 2018. Several citizens of the nation participated in the Canadore-Nipissing Welcome Pow Wow as dancers and elders.
• October 2018: The community hosted the official launch of the Anishinabek Education System on October 2, 2018. It is the site of the newly-constructed head office for the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body. The community of Duchesnay within the First Nation hosted a feast at Nbisiing Secondary School during the launch celebrations.
• October 2018: The community is the home of citizen and traditional helper Perry McLeod-Shabogesic.
• October 2018: The First Nation put federal cannabis legislation on hold to ensure the health and safety of its members. Leadership expressed a commitment to preventing unregulated sales to ensure product quality and community protection.
• October 2018: The community is exploring the creation of its own cannabis law to manage safety and quality control on its lands. Leadership asserts that provincial cannabis regulations do not have jurisdiction on its territory. The First Nation may use a memorandum of understanding similar to its existing fishery agreement to coordinate with the province.
• October 2018: The Chief of this community participated in a discussion regarding the meaning of victory in treaty litigation.
• November 2018: The community's leadership participated in treaty education events held at the Harris Learning Library in 2018.
• November 2018: This community is a founding partner of the North Bay Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Team. The new health team travels directly to the community to provide primary care services on-reserve.
• November 2018: The community hosted meetings for the Ngamwag Shkinweg youth music initiative at Big Medicine Studio. It served as the filming location for the documentary My Grandfather was a Big Drum. As of November 2018, the community is planned to host a full music event and a Music Monday celebration in the spring.
• December 2018: The community's Chief, Scott McLeod, serves as the Lake Huron Region Chair for the Anishinabek Nation.
• December 2018: The community's Chief heralded a 2018 court verdict regarding the Robinson Huron and Superior treaties. As of December 2018, the community is led by Chief Scott McLeod.
• January 2019: The community operates a Culture and Heritage Department where language preservation work is conducted. The nation has implemented Anishinaabemowin signage throughout the community and hosts language classes in Duchesnay and at a church basement. Leadership including Muriel Sawyer and June Commanda are fluent speakers of the local dialect.
• February 2019: The community is scheduled to host the 2020 Little Native Hockey League tournament in Mississauga.
• February 2019: The community is located on land covered by the Robinson Huron Treaty. In 1764, the nation received strings of wampum from Sir William Johnson to meet in Niagara. A history class from Nipissing University held its first session at Nbisiing High School in Duchesnay Village within this community.
• February 2019: The community used the Indigenous Culture Fund to support a project based on the 13 Moons Governance System. Local projects focused on traditional harvesting of medicines, fish, and spruce roots to restore relationships with the land. Research in the community has centered on food sovereignty, including the study of seeds and wild foods.
• March 2019: The community's water infrastructure includes a main plant and nine smaller systems. The local water plant was constructed in the late 1980s and received upgrades in 2007. The community utilizes an Asset Management Program to track maintenance and preventative care for its infrastructure assets.
• March 2019: The community was designated as the host for the 2020 Little Native Hockey League tournament. Chief Scott McLeod accepted the tournament's Eagle Staff during the 2019 opening ceremonies.
• March 2019: The community is the location of Big Medicine Studio, which hosted a writing workshop in 2019. The workshop concluded with an open mic event featuring budding poets.
• March 2019: The community's traditional lands are the site of Nipissing University.
• March 2019: The community's Chief, Scott McLeod, spoke at a public film screening about the importance of local leadership in reconciliation. Several community members, including Jason Harris and Lisa Beaucage, contributed to the production of Cultural Mindfulness: Everyone Has A Story.
• March 2019: Artist Donald Chretien is from this First Nation.
• March 2019: The community's language committee and leadership supported the translation of I Am Not a Number into the local dialect. Several members, including Muriel Sawyer and Geraldine McLeod, worked to preserve the community's history through this literary project.
• March 2019: The community's Director of Education, Nancy Allaire, commented on transitional opportunities for Indigenous students.
• April 2019: The community hosted a Spring Forward Ceremony at its complex in Garden Village to celebrate the launch of Niijaansinaanik. Chief Scott McLeod described the restoration of child welfare jurisdiction as a form of truth and reconciliation in action.
• April 2019: It is located approximately a 90-minute drive from where the Sudbury Lady Wolves practice and play home games.
• May 2019: The community hosts the head office of the Anishinabek Nation. A meeting between the Anishinabek Nation 7th Generation Charity and Enterprise took place here on May 7, 2019.
• May 2019: The administration issued an emergency call for support on May 9, 2019, to assist with flood relief efforts. The community coordinated sandbagging stations at the fire hall and near the pow wow grounds to protect residences from rising water.
• May 2019: Chief Scott McLeod stated that while the community has its own school, off-reserve citizens would be affected by provincial education cuts. The community library provides high-speed internet access, which Scott McLeod noted is a resource many other Indigenous communities lack for mandatory e-learning.
• May 2019: Artist Wayne Kodje is a member of this First Nation.
• June 2019: The community passed the Nipissing First Nation Cannabis Law to regulate the sale and distribution of cannabis within its territory. Leadership sought to negotiate a memorandum of understanding with other governments to recognize their jurisdiction over the industry. The First Nation previously demonstrated its regulatory capacity through the implementation of its own fishery laws on Lake Nipissing.
• June 2019: The community's leadership described the draft governance agreement as a necessary step toward moving beyond the Indian Act.
• June 2019: The community offers employment and training services in the North Bay area.
• June 2019: The community is a founding partner of the North Bay Indigenous Hub and as of June 2019 hosts its job postings. Its communications officer is assisting the new health hub in developing a public awareness and social media strategy.
• June 2019: Community members Samantha Mianskum and Brooklyn Sawyer participated in the 2019 Maamwi Kindaaswin Pow-Wow. The community is home to Tracey Larochelle and Dan Commanda, who create traditional regalia for their family.
• June 2019: The community is the home nation of Penny Couchie. The people of this nation are also referred to as the Nbisiing or Big Medicine People.
• July 2019: Artist and mentor Aylan Couchie is a member of this First Nation.
• July 2019: Tabatha Bull, the Chief Operating Officer for the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, is a member of this community.
• July 2019: The community's Anishinabek Educational Institute campus held its 2019 graduation ceremony on June 22. The event took place at the Best Western in North Bay.
• July 2019: Residents of this community have the highest percentage of post-secondary levels of education in the area at 58.9%.
• August 2019: The community is managing multiple construction projects in 2019, including a major bridge replacement and new housing for seniors. A partnership was formed with Miller Group Ltd. to build capacity and create local employment opportunities in the construction trades. New assisted living units are planned for the Garden Village, Duchesnay, and Yellek areas to support local elders.
• August 2019: Bryan Bellefeuille is a member of this community.
• August 2019: The community is home to artist Dan Commanda, who began initiating Indigenous programming there around 1979. It hosts the Nipissing First Nation Annual Artists Gathering and Art Show at Nbisiing Secondary School. The community's traditional pow wow sound technician is Dave Miner.
• August 2019: The community is the site of Green Medicine, a wellness store located in the village of Duchesnay. Scott McLeod serves as the Chief of the community and participated in a local business ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2019.
• September 2019: The community hosted its 31st annual traditional pow wow in 2019. The First Nation moved its 2019 celebration to Garden Village because the usual grounds were flooded. Chief Scott McLeod welcomed visitors to the ancestral lands of the Nbisiing Anishnaabe during the event.
• September 2019: The community encourages its youth to learn archaeology to protect ancestral artifacts. Citizens of the nation gathered in August 2019 to celebrate the findings of local student archaeologists. The nation utilizes trained youth as liaisons for archaeological work within their territory.
• September 2019: The community hosted the Nipissing Warrior Days Slo-Pitch Tournament in August 2019. A local host committee from the community worked to raise funds for the upcoming Little Native Hockey League tournament.
• September 2019: The community is starting a greenhouse initiative to supply fresh greens to all Twiggs Coffee Roasters stores. The First Nation has provided business ideas and support to the coffee company, which is owned by a citizen of the community.
• September 2019: The community served as a filming location for the television series The Trickster starting in September 2019. Production activities occurred on Sweetgrass Miikaan within the Garden Village area of the nation. The community hosted its 31st Annual Traditional Nipissing First Nation Pow Wow where casting for the show was promoted.
• September 2019: The community held consultations in 2019 regarding a proposed indoor cannabis grow operation and a retail store in the Bineshii Business Park. The First Nation developed its own Nipissing First Nation Cannabis Law to regulate the industry on its territory. Leadership sought a bilateral agreement with the federal government to ensure legal supply and public safety resources.
• September 2019: The community served as the location for the provincial announcement of the Reciprocal Education Approach in 2019. The Kinoomaadziwin Education Body maintains an office within this community.
• September 2019: The community operates the Gtigewin Community Garden to enhance food security and wellness for its citizens. Produce from the garden is distributed at sites including Nbisiing Secondary School and the Garden Village Senior's Complex. The First Nation aims to strengthen the connection to the land and revitalize traditional gardening practices.
• October 2019: Jennifer Twigg, the founder of Twiggs Coffee Roasters, is a member of this community.
• October 2019: Kelsey Borgford, a student at Canadore College, is a citizen of this nation.
• October 2019: The community hosted a university history course that explored its land, water, and people through shared stories. Community members and knowledge keepers served as guest speakers to share sacred, origin, and everyday stories directly with students. The community is described as having strong family connections that influenced the learning experience of participants.
• October 2019: The community is the home of Lorraine Whiteduck-Liberty, who provided traditional teachings for a housing project in North Bay.
• October 2019: The community's leadership expressed disappointment with the Liberal government's unilateral approach to the proposed Indigenous Rights Framework. Its Chief noted that federal candidates in the local riding often lacked knowledge regarding the Robinson Huron annuities trial.
• October 2019: Mike Restoule is a member of this community.
• October 2019: The community's traditional lands served as the site for the Anishinabek Nation forum in October 2019. Deputy Chief Muriel Sawyer welcomed delegates to the event.
• November 2019: It is the home community of retired officer and author George Couchie.
• November 2019: The community hosts the head office of the Union of Ontario Indians. It is the site of one of the campuses for the Anishinabek Educational Institute.
• November 2019: The community has seen a resurgence in traditional culture with many young people participating in beading. Many members of the community served as soldiers during historical wars. The community has a Cultural Centre where traditional crafts are taught to the youth.
• November 2019: The community unveiled a new cenotaph in Garden Village during a Remembrance Day ceremony in 2019. The monument lists 80 members who served in the First World War, Second World War, and Korean War. Five members of the community were killed in action during the Second World War.
• December 2019: The community is the location from which reports on the Anishinabek Nation governance delegation were issued.
• December 2019: The community's leadership and members participated in the 2019 Spirit of Giving event. It is the location of the Ojibway Women's Lodge, which serves women and children in the Duchesnay area.
• January 2020: The community has been operating in the four governance areas addressed by the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement without waiting for formal federal deals. As of January 2020, the community finances its own move away from the Indian Act using its own resources.
• February 2020: The community government offered commercial space to home-based small businesses. The First Nation developed the Bineshii Small Business Centre located along Highway 17W.
• February 2020: The community is a primary partner in a research project aimed at decolonizing history and repatriating cultural items. Representatives from the nation attended a research showcase to discuss building partnerships with regional museums.
• February 2020: Citizens and leaders from this community expressed support for the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement in February 2020.
• February 2020: The community hosts the head office of the Anishinabek Nation. Protesters were allowed into the head office building in the community to warm up during a February 2020 rally.
• February 2020: The community is the home of vendor Joyce Lavigne.
• February 2020: The community served as the host for the 49th annual Little Native Hockey League tournament in 2020. Leadership worked alongside Hydro One to organize the Win As One Team contest for participating youth hockey players. The community is located in Garden Village, where the countdown to the 2020 tournament was marked.
• February 2020: The community is the home nation of advocate Ian Campeau. It is the location where Blair Beaucage provides language lessons in Anishinaabemowin.
• February 2020: The community amended its Cannabis Law to allow individuals aged 19 and older to work in retail stores. Leadership is seeking to negotiate with the Ministry of the Attorney General to improve economic opportunities for local retailers. The government maintains a minimum age of 21 for purchasing cannabis products within its jurisdiction.
• February 2020: The community is the site of the first legally licensed Indigenous cannabis establishment in Ontario. The local government established 21 as the legal age for cannabis use within the territory.
• February 2020: Community members organized a solidarity fire to support the Wet'suwet'en during a period of national conflict over land rights. The leadership of the First Nation advocated for the inherent right of Indigenous peoples to govern their own territories without external interference. The community implemented a media policy for their event that prioritized Indigenous journalists to ensure accurate reporting.
• March 2020: The community is the host of the 2020 Little Native Hockey League tournament. This marks the second time the First Nation has hosted the event, having previously done so in 1995. Approximately 80 to 100 members of the community are volunteering to support the tournament operations.
• March 2020: A youth member of this community was selected for an international volunteer internship in 2019.
• March 2020: The community served as the host for the 2020 Little Native Hockey League tournament. Leadership took precautions to inform coaches and participants about preventive health measures prior to the event.
• March 2020: The community served as the host for the 2020 Little Native Hockey League tournament. Leadership from the community collaborated with tournament executives to cancel the 2020 event to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to First Nation communities. Scott McLeod represented the community in announcing the cancellation on March 12, 2020.
• March 2020: This First Nation is a partner in the North Bay Indigenous Hub.
• March 2020: The community opened the first legal First Nation cannabis dispensary. Local cannabis laws were developed through extensive community consultation and exceeded provincial standards. The community's approach to cannabis cultivation and sales was driven by citizens rather than just the Chief and Council.
• March 2020: The community developed an integrated service program to assess and support individuals dealing with opioid misuse. The community's leadership views drug misuse as a social issue rooted in trauma.
• March 2020: The community hosted the 10th annual Minweyaang Round Dance at its local secondary school. The First Nation acts as a partner in organizing the annual cultural event for patients and the public.
• April 2020: The community was awarded the hosting rights for the 2021 Little Native Hockey League after the 2020 event was cancelled. A host committee from the community had already completed significant groundwork and preparation for the 2020 tournament. Many donors and sponsors for the community's hosting efforts agreed to apply their contributions toward the rescheduled 2021 event.
• April 2020: The community's Chief, Scott McLeod, used digital platforms to provide entertainment and inspiration to members during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• April 2020: The community provided traditional arts programming where Amanda Bellefeuille learned beading, sewing, and leather work. It is the home community of artist Amanda Bellefeuille.
• May 2020: Clinton Kaboni and his mother Kerri are members of this First Nation.
• May 2020: The community is the site where Ever Cool Icecream began its operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is home to Green Medicine, a business located in the Duchesnay area of the First Nation.
• May 2020: The head office of the Union of Ontario Indians is located in this community. Staff at this location were transitioned to remote work arrangements in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• June 2020: The report regarding the Anishinabek Nation mental wellness session originated from this territory.
• June 2020: The discussion regarding mental wellness and the COVID-19 pandemic was reported from this territory.
• July 2020: The Anishinabek Educational Institute, where the students initiated their renaming campaign, is located in this community.
• July 2020: The community is the home territory of Ava Couchie, who identifies as Oji-Cree. Families in the community have participated in Indigenous culture for generations.
• July 2020: The community began seeking jurisdiction over its own lands from the Department of Indian Affairs in 1982. In 2003, the community passed the Nipissing Land Codes, which allowed for self-governance outside of the Indian Act. As of July 2020, a virtual exhibition of historical and cultural artifacts was being considered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• August 2020: The community's Director of Lands and Natural Resources is Cameron Welch. Sarah Hazell is a member of this First Nation.
• August 2020: Priscilla Goulais, who achieved a rare hole-in-one in Sudbury in 2020, is a citizen of this First Nation.
• August 2020: The community has been working to implement its own Indigenous laws, known as the Nipissing Gichi-Naaknigewin. Leadership from this nation expressed frustration that the Anishinabek Police Service would only enforce provincial and federal laws.
• August 2020: The community was the starting point for a donation drive to support people at the Ipperwash camp in 1995. Its Chief Executive Officer, Dwayne Nashkawa, reflected on the 25th anniversary of the shooting of Dudley George.
• August 2020: The community is a partner of the North Bay Indigenous Hub. The First Nation implemented its own support programs for members during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• August 2020: The community hosted the production of the television series Trickster for three months in 2019. Local residents participated as extras during scenes filmed at the community bingo hall.
• September 2020: The community is the home of student Brooklyn Sawyer-Gingras.
• October 2020: The community is expanding its commercial park to foster regional economic growth and job creation. The First Nation manages the Bineshii Business Park, which hosts both Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses. Infrastructure development in the community is being supported by a $1 million federal investment through FedNor.
• October 2020: The Kinoomaadziwin Education Body issued an announcement from this community in October 2020.
• October 2020: The community serves as the primary setting and subject for the documentary film Nbisiing. Filmmaker Cole Forrest returned to this territory in June 2020 after being isolated in Toronto during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• October 2020: Perry McLeod-Shabogesic is a member and Elder of this community.
• November 2020: The community was the designated host for the 2021 Little Native Hockey League tournament before its cancellation. Leadership expressed regret over the cancellation but prioritized the health of citizens during the second wave of the pandemic. The local council plans to discuss the possibility of hosting the hockey tournament in 2022.
• November 2020: The fishing nets of community members have been intentionally and mysteriously cut. The community is cited as an example of Indigenous people facing interference while exercising their rights.
• November 2020: Lily Armstrong is a member of this nation.
• December 2020: The community is preparing for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to its residents and members. Leadership raised concerns about how to provide vaccinations to members living away from the community in cities like Ottawa or Toronto.
• December 2020: The community is the home of Mike Restoule, who chairs the trust responsible for the Robinson Huron Treaty litigation.
• December 2020: The community hosted Samuel de Champlain for two days in 1615, providing him with a welcoming reception and banquets. The people maintained an economy based on fishing, hunting, and trading merchandise for peltry with inland groups. They utilized a river flowing from the northwest, identified as the Sturgeon River, as a travel route to barter goods.
• January 2021: Nipissing University is situated on the traditional territory of this community. The university maintains vital relationships with this and other surrounding communities.
• January 2021: The community leadership advised the public of potential high-risk COVID-19 exposure at a local business in January 2021. Its health department coordinated with the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit to contact individuals affected by the exposure.
• January 2021: The community is the first on Turtle Island to have wastewater tested for the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus was detected in a sample collected from the local wastewater system on January 18, 2021. Leadership implemented curbside service at on-reserve businesses to help manage the spread of COVID-19 after a confirmed case.
• February 2021: The community mourned the loss of its Deputy Chief, Muriel Sawyer, in February 2021. The nation was one of the signatories to the Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement.
• February 2021: As of February 2021, citizens of this community were voting on the proposed Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement.
• March 2021: Tabatha Bull, the leader of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, is a citizen of this First Nation.
• March 2021: The community was the site of the 5th Annual Lands, Resources and Economic Development Forum in March 2021. Leadership from the community called for better educational resources and broadband for youth.
• March 2021: The report regarding the environmental challenges of Aamjiwnaang First Nation was filed from this location.
• March 2021: Lacrosse players Connor Kaboni and Clinton Kaboni are members of this First Nation through their mother. The brothers were born in North Bay.
• April 2021: The community is receiving $2,187,878 in funding for a VLA Water Plant Replacement project. A feasibility study determined that the pumphouse in the Veterans' Lane area requires replacement with a full water treatment system. The nation identified a new well to service residents and businesses as part of infrastructure enhancements.
• April 2021: This is the home community of retired police officer George Couchie.
• April 2021: The community is a member of the Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations implementing a new digital asset management system. An asset management plan was developed for the community using data from the new digital platform.
• May 2021: The community recently ratified the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement to secure funding for language and governance priorities. Its constitution recognizes Anishinaabemowin as the primary language of the community. Several members and educators from the community participated in a panel discussion about their personal journeys to acquire their ancestral language.
• May 2021: The community was the site of the Laidlaw lumber mill during the 1960s. It is the home community of author George Couchie and contributor Dan Couchie.
• May 2021: The announcement regarding David C. Nahwegahbow receiving the Award of Justice was issued from this community in May 2021.
• June 2021: The Anishinabek Nation head office is located in this community. A monument dedicated to Indian Residential Schools is situated at the head office in this community.
• June 2021: The Kinoomaadziwin Education Body issued an announcement from this community regarding a new staff appointment in June 2021.
• June 2021: The community was the site for the traditional Pipe and Blanket Ceremonies and Oath of Office for Glen Hare in June 2021.
• June 2021: The community partnered with CENGN and Leepfrog Telecom to improve high-performance broadband access for its residents. The project focuses on five residential areas including Garden Village, Jocko Point, Meadowside, Beaucage, and Yellek. Chief Scott McLeod stated the project provides essential infrastructure while maintaining a minimal footprint on the land.
• June 2021: Eight commercial fishermen from this community were among 54 individuals charged with violating fishing and hunting laws. The court case addressed the violation of this community's commercial fishing regulations. Historical accounts from 1615 note that Samuel De Champlain visited a village belonging to this group.
• July 2021: Members of this community, including George Couchie and Peter Beaucage, took part in a healing ceremony in North Bay in July 2021. As of July 2021, the community had lost ten youths to drugs and alcohol within the previous two years.
• July 2021: The community partnered with Dokis First Nation and Nipissing University for a large-scale beading project. Members of the nation use beading as a way to express identity, clans, and spiritual connections to the land. The nation's culture and heritage department helps document the history of Nbisiing lands and waterways.
• July 2021: Community members provided food and moral support to participants of The Blinding Light Walk – Tiger Lily as they passed through the territory in July 2021. Local residents hosted a fish dinner for the walkers during their journey toward Ottawa.
• August 2021: The community is the home of artist and writer Kelsey Borgford. Local residents like Doreen Couchie Miller are remembered for their impact on the community.
• August 2021: The community's Economic Development Department assisted Charlie Avery in establishing new businesses through a land lottery and financing paperwork. The First Nation is home to the Bineshii Commercial & Light Industrial Park. The community is situated on the shores of Lake Nipissing.
• August 2021: The community hosted first-year Northern Ontario School of Medicine students for cultural mindfulness training in 2021. Training sessions in the community focused on Indigenous history, ceremonies, and the importance of traditional medicines. Local leaders and residents shared personal stories and professional expertise to help students understand Indigenous healthcare needs.
• August 2021: The community held a controlling interest in the joint venture to construct the new Duchesnay Creek Bridge. Leadership noted that the project provided essential skills development and job creation for members who have historically been excluded from infrastructure projects. As of August 2021, the First Nation continues to provide a shuttle service for residents traveling into North Bay.
• October 2021: The community is the designated host for the 49th annual Little Native Hockey League tournament in 2022. Staff and volunteers from the nation are collaborating with the tournament executive to plan the event in Mississauga. The First Nation was originally set to host the tournament in 2020 and 2021 before pandemic-related cancellations.
• October 2021: This community was among the Ontario First Nations that welcomed the tribute bike riders during their journey to Ottawa.
• October 2021: Multiple families from the community offered to billet Dalyn Wakely when he signed with the North Bay Battalion. Community member Lorie Young hosted Dalyn Wakely and coordinated cultural training for his hockey team.
• October 2021: This community is the home of Clint Couchie and his daughter Waaseyaa Couchie.
• October 2021: Language keepers from the community translated the book I Am Not a Number into the local dialect. The community is the home nation of author Jenny Kay Dupuis.
• October 2021: Bryan Bellefeuille is a member of this community.
• November 2021: The Anishinabek Nation reported on the progress of its health initiatives from this community in November 2021.
• November 2021: The announcement regarding new land-based youth programming funding was issued from Nipissing First Nation in November 2021.
• November 2021: The community's former Deputy Chief, Muriel Sawyer, was a driving force behind the preservation of the Anishinaabemowin language. As of November 2021, leaders include Chief Scott McLeod and Deputy Chief Michael Sawyer. The community is the site of Nbisiing Secondary School.
• December 2021: The community is mentioned in relation to the Anishinabek Education System gathering.
• December 2021: The community established a dedicated fund in June 2021 to support local survivors of Indian Residential Schools. An ad hoc committee will be formed to determine the best ways to use these funds for survivors. The nation hosted a donation ceremony on December 3, 2021, involving local business owners and community leadership.
• December 2021: Nipissing First Nation is the location from which the report on the Township of McKellar road renaming was filed.
• December 2021: Youth and families from the community attended the North Bay Battalion game as part of a special outreach event in December 2021. Several businesses from the First Nation, including First North Enterprise and Necessities, donated tickets for the event. The community's leadership and citizens helped coordinate the inaugural Indigenous Youth Day at North Bay Memorial Gardens.
• January 2022: The principles of the Ngo Dwe Waangizid are on display at the head office located here.
• January 2022: The community served as the host for the 2022 Little Native Hockey League tournament before its cancellation. Leadership decided to cancel the event to protect Ontario First Nations from the spread of the Omicron variant. Staff from the community had been dedicated to planning the hockey event since 2019.
• January 2022: The Anishinabek Nation flag was lowered to half-mast at the head office in this community in January 2022.
• January 2022: The community has been attempting to host the Little Native Hockey League tournament since 2020. Officials from the nation must decide by the spring of 2022 if they will exercise their right of first refusal to host the 2023 event. As of January 2022, volunteers and committee members from the nation are managing the logistics of cancelling arena bookings and sponsor agreements for the 2022 tournament.
• January 2022: The community is the home of author Juliana Armstrong. The book This Is What I've Been Told – Mii Yi Gaa-Bi-Wiindmaagooyann is sold locally at a shop called Supplies for the Soul.
• February 2022: The community operates the True Self – Debwewendizwin program to provide outreach and support services in the North Bay area. Its outreach services have shifted to focus more on direct community engagement to assist the high percentage of Indigenous people facing homelessness.
• February 2022: Tabatha Bull, a guest judge on Bears' Lair, is from this First Nation.
• March 2022: The community is participating in the transition process to implement the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement.
• March 2022: The first legal Indigenous cannabis dispensary in Ontario was established in this community. All five business partners of Kana Leaf are members of this First Nation. The local dispensary prioritizes hiring community members and as of March 2022 has a staff that is 50 percent First Nations.
• March 2022: The community will serve as the host for the 2023 Little Native Hockey League tournament. Leadership decided to cancel the 2022 event to protect the health of participating First Nations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The nation is working with the Little Native Hockey League executive team to organize the 2023 competition.
• March 2022: The announcement regarding provincial funding for Anishinabek Nation residential school initiatives was issued from this community on March 30, 2022.
• April 2022: Journalist Christian Allaire is from this community.
• April 2022: Tabatha Bull is a member of this First Nation.
• April 2022: The community joined the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement to remove itself from specific sections of the Indian Act. Leadership noted the agreement provides tools to protect their elections, language, and internal management.
• April 2022: Elder John Sawyer from this community opened a 2022 presentation at Nipissing University.
• April 2022: The community hosts a campus for the Anishinabek Educational Institute where nursing and personal support worker programs are offered.
• April 2022: The community is the home of University of New Brunswick hockey player Lily George.
• May 2022: The community's leadership is consulting on the renaming of public spaces to reflect Indigenous history. Ancestors of the community used the Lake Nipissing shoreline for campsites and outposts for millennia. The nation is working to develop curriculum so youth can learn about their ancestors and family lineages.
• May 2022: The community hosts a pow wow that serves as a gathering place for families and friends. A mural by artist Don Chretien depicting a wampum belt is located at the community's pow wow grounds.
• May 2022: Councillor June Commanda noted that the word B'Maakonigan was new to her during the naming process.
• June 2022: The community is part of the Robinson Huron Treaty. Members of the community, including Lorraine Whiteduck Liberty, provided spiritual guidance and blessings during the Moose Hide Campaign event.
• June 2022: The community hosted a feast and ceremony to commemorate the first Anishinaabe Giizhigad in June 2022.
• June 2022: The community launched Nbisiing Power to foster sovereign wealth and reduce reliance on government funding. It partnered with Composite Power to create business opportunities for its members within its own territory. The nation previously engaged in similar economic ventures such as Nipissing Miller.
• June 2022: Ava Couchie was the community's delegate for the 2022 Miss North Ontario event.
• June 2022: The community fought for decades to protect its commercial and sustenance fishing rights on Lake Nipissing. It established its own fisheries department and ratified its own fisheries law in 2004 to manage resources sustainably. In 2015, the nation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ontario to address the potential collapse of the pickerel fishery.
• June 2022: The community viewed the passage of Bill S-10 as a step toward becoming fully self-governing. Leadership expressed satisfaction with the unanimous support the bill received in Parliament.
• July 2022: The community is situated on Lake Nipissing. The nation's leadership sent an e-letter to the Premier of Ontario regarding a treaty annuities settlement.
• August 2022: The community is a signatory to the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Act passed in June 2022.
• September 2022: The community partnered with Nipissing University and Dokis First Nation to develop the Lake Nipissing Beading Project. The project aims to honor Nbisiing Nishinaabeg cultural traditions and histories.
• September 2022: Members of this community receive health and wellness services from the North Bay Indigenous Hub.
• September 2022: Members of the community contributed beaded tiles representing local history, including the Residential School at Beaucage Point. The nation partnered with Nipissing University and Dokis First Nation to lead the Lake Nipissing Beading Project.
• September 2022: This community co-hosted the 2022 Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 Treaty Gathering at its teaching lodge and the Home of the Nipissing Warriors rink. The community's leadership noted the importance of teaching younger generations about the true meaning of their relationship with the land and the Crown.
• September 2022: The community hosted its 34th Annual Traditional Pow Wow in September 2022 after a two-year break from in-person gatherings. The event was held at the Garden Village baseball field and focused on the theme of medicine that connects people. Community members and leaders emphasized the event's role in reviving traditions and engaging youth in Anishinaabe culture.
• September 2022: Community member Laura Mallinson graduated from a professional water treatment internship in September 2022.
• October 2022: The community is one of the signatories that will now manage its own elections, language, and operations outside of the Indian Act.
• October 2022: The community hosted a gathering of leaders to celebrate the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement in October 2022. It is one of the five signatory nations that approved the agreement through a community vote.
• October 2022: The community is one of the five original signatories where the agreement came into effect on October 1, 2022.
• November 2022: The community is the home nation of Patrick Stevens, who serves as an advisor to the Canadian Armed Forces. A community member was presented with an Eagle Feather during a local pow wow.
• November 2022: The community's leader, Scott McLeod, advocated for reforms to the Addition to Reserve process during a 2022 gathering.
• December 2022: The community's Education and Training Department provided support for Michèle J. Chrétien during her studies. Michèle J. Chrétien is a resident and member of this First Nation.
• December 2022: The community established Mnogin Greenhouse to produce sustainable, soil-less greens for its members and the surrounding region. Leadership views the project as a way to address food sovereignty and high produce prices in the north. The First Nation plans to use the facility as a training hub for other Indigenous communities interested in hydroponic farming.
• December 2022: The community's leadership participated in the historic December 2022 treaty meeting. Its Chief, Scott McLeod, advocated for using traditional protocols to settle obligations set down in 1850.
• December 2022: This community is the home of Xavier Beaucage, a young hockey player who moved to southern Ontario to play for the Blyth Academy Bruins.
• December 2022: The community is developing the Mnogin Greenhouse to improve food security and sovereignty for its members. Its traditional territory includes the land where the city of North Bay is situated.
• January 2023: The community is the site of economic growth through new film and cannabis business ventures. Local businesses in the community benefit from the film industry's spending on supplies and services. The First Nation's economic development department collaborated to find space for film production.
• January 2023: The community hosted the Little NHL youth hockey tournament in March 2023. Community member Dan Frawley is one of the athletes featured in the NHL First Peoples Rookie Cards collection.
• January 2023: Author Jenny Kay Dupuis is a member of this First Nation.
• January 2023: The community is the host for the 2023 Little Native Hockey League tournament. A meeting of the tournament executive was held in this community on January 14, 2023.
• January 2023: The community is led by Scott McLeod, who participated in emergency meetings regarding treaty litigation in 2023.
• February 2023: The founders of Anishwe are from this First Nation, specifically the communities of Duchesnay and Garden Village.
• February 2023: Leslie McGregor considered applying for a governance coordinator position with this community in the summer of 2022.
• February 2023: The community hosted the Anishinabek Nation Economic Development, Lands and Resources Forum in February 2023. As of February 2023, a large portion of the nation's 54,000-hectare land-base is involved in the federal Additions to Reserve process. The nation amended its election code to allow members living on unsold surrendered lands to run for leadership positions.
• February 2023: The community is the official host for the 2023 Little Native Hockey League tournament. A committee of approximately 10 members from the community is responsible for ensuring the 2023 event runs smoothly. The First Nation was originally set to host the tournament in 2020, 2021, and 2022 before those events were cancelled.
• March 2023: The community's leadership participated in the Economic Development, Lands and Resources Forum to discuss natural law and economic balance.
• March 2023: The Gen7 Fuel station at Jocko Point donated $10,000 to community elders for their 2023 holiday party. The local station also raised $5,000 for the Ojibwe Women's Lodge through a T-shirt campaign.
• March 2023: The community acted as the host for the 2023 Little Native Hockey League tournament held in Mississauga. Former National Hockey League player Dan Frawley is a member of this First Nation.
• March 2023: The community served as the host for the 2023 Little Native Hockey League tournament held in Mississauga. The First Nation hosted the event's opening ceremonies on March 12, 2023.
• March 2023: Fran Couchie served as the Director of Education for this community for almost 20 years.
• March 2023: Author Jenny Kay Dupuis is a member of this community. The community's members were impacted by Indian Act policies that stripped women of their status if they married non-Indigenous men.
• April 2023: The community hosted the 2023 Little Native Hockey League tournament in Mississauga. It welcomed Indigenous Tourism Ontario to facilitate the ITO All Stars Cup for youth participants.
• April 2023: This community is the home of Cailen Hanzlik, the inaugural Gimaa Kwe of the Anishinabek Education System Youth Council.
• May 2023: The community hosted the 2023 Little NHL hockey tournament. It was the subject of the documentary film Biidaajwan, Force of Water, which focused on local subjects and Elders. The community held the Nipissing First Nation Virtual Pow Wow in 2020 and 2021.
• May 2023: The community's Deputy Chief supported the establishment of the Mshibizhiwgamig teaching lodge to provide cultural space for students. The Canadore College campus is situated within the traditional territory of this nation, also known as Nbisiing Anishinabek.
• May 2023: Citizen Justin Thompson received the John Wesley Beaver Memorial Scholarship while studying law in 2023.
• May 2023: The community is the site of a new commercial development featuring the first Tim Hortons on its territory. The First Nation government supports local entrepreneurs by creating environments of opportunity and managing its own land administration. The Nipissing First Nation Lands Department assisted in the approval process for the new business build.
• May 2023: The artist Don Chretien, who illustrated educational materials for the Anishinabek Nation, is from this community.
• June 2023: The community hosted the 2023 Maanjidiwaad Annual Meeting of First Nation Public Libraries in Ontario. The name Maanjidiwaad, meaning those who gather or gathering people, was chosen by this community to replace the previous name of the librarians' meeting.
• June 2023: Community member Alexander Hummel served as a Firekeeper at a regional gathering in 2023.
• June 2023: The community manages 90 on-reserve businesses and has grown to employ over 200 staff members. As of June 2023, the First Nation generates between $27 million and $32 million in annual revenue. The First Nation operates several ventures including Nbisiing Power and the Mnogin Greenhouse project. The community has installed four electric vehicle charging stations at administrative buildings and offers a residential charger subsidy program.
• June 2023: It is the home community of Dan Frawley.
• July 2023: The community supported the Residential School Desk Project through the involvement of its members and leadership. A traditional stone memorial for children who attended Indian Residential Schools is located within the community. Several artists from this nation contributed their work to a 2023 museum exhibit.
• July 2023: Two students from this community represented their high school at a provincial athletic championship in 2023. Breydon Solomon and Tessa Tuulos are students from this First Nation who won medals in Kingston.
• July 2023: Educator Tory Fisher and graduate Jade Goulais are both members of this community.
• July 2023: The community hosts a campus of the Anishinabek Educational Institute.
• August 2023: The community is the home of artist Donald Chrétien.
• August 2023: Actor Jonathon LeRose is from this community.
• September 2023: Performers from this community participated in the Fusion Fest event in 2023.
• September 2023: The community hosted its 35th annual traditional pow wow in Garden Village during September 2023. Community leaders and members used the 2023 gathering to promote themes of healthy living and recovery from trauma. The 2023 event saw a significant increase in attendance and vendors compared to the previous year.
• October 2023: The community's health director, Kimberly Lalonde, was honoured for two decades of service to its citizens. Health services in the community were advanced under the leadership of Kimberly Lalonde.
• October 2023: Councillor Jane B. Commanda welcomed delegates to the community's territory during the 2023 Anishinabek Health Conference. Community member Kimberly Lalonde was recognized for her twenty years of service with the local health department.
• November 2023: Tabatha Bull, the president and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, is a member of this community.
• December 2023: The Enkiitmajig Wii-Aabiziitoong Anishinaabemowin committee met in this community for a language revitalization conference in November 2023.
• December 2023: Former Director of Education Fran Couchie participated in a panel discussion for the Anishinabek Nation Health Transformation Team.
• December 2023: The former chief executive officer of this community, Dwayne Nashkawa, commented on the emergence of phishing scams targeting treaty beneficiaries.
• December 2023: The community hosted a stop on a promotional art tour for Max-Wear in late 2023. The Anishinabek Nation maintains an office within this community.
• January 2024: Elder Perry McLeod-Shabogesic is a member of this community.
• January 2024: The community is home to the Ojibway Women's Lodge, which serves both Indigenous and non-Indigenous women. Local business owners and a photographer from the community collaborated on a fundraising calendar to support a local women's shelter.
• March 2024: The community was represented by Shaelyn Laronde during a panel on diabetes management.
• March 2024: Community member Dan Frawley was recognized as a 2024 inductee into the Little NHL Hall of Fame.
• March 2024: The community is the home of Lily George, a standout athlete competing in university hockey.
• March 2024: The community entered two separate squads in the boys' Under-11 recreational division of the Little Native Hockey League in 2024. The community's teams, known as the Nipissing Warriors, were formed primarily from local interest with only a few outside players.
• March 2024: The community is the home of authors Kelsey Borgford and Cole Forrest. Life within this First Nation is the subject of the poetry book Once the Smudge is Lit.
• March 2024: The community provided the space at Nbiising Secondary School to host the Minweyaang Round Dance. Community member Dan Commanda noted the event helps fill a seasonal void for local gatherings.
• April 2024: The community is the home of author Kelsey Borgford, who served as Miss Nipissing First Nation from 2019 to 2022. The traditional lands of the community include Duchesnay Falls.
• April 2024: The community is working with Dokis First Nation to establish a nation-to-nation stewardship agreement for the Lake Nipissing Beading Project. Members of the nation contributed squares to the map that include dodemaag symbols and references to the history of Beaucage School. The nation recorded 127 Residential School survivors, a fact commemorated on the beaded map with an orange shirt symbol.
• April 2024: The community shares and benefits from traditional territory alongside Dokis First Nation.
• April 2024: The community maintains a historical timeline dating back to the ice age and features 50 heritage information panels. Archaeological sites within the territory, such as Beaucage Park, contain pottery pieces estimated to be 5,000 years old. The community's name, Gchi Nibiinssing, translates to 'big little water place' according to translator June Commanda.
• April 2024: The community hosts the Ziigwan/Spring Handmade Artist Market at the Nbisiing Secondary School in Duchesnay. Local entrepreneurs Savannah Mcleod and Brooklyn Penasse grew up in the Garden Village area of the nation. The community band office assists in coordinating spaces for local artist markets and economic development events.
• May 2024: The community is the home of multimedia artist Michael Couchie.
• May 2024: The community is the home nation of archaeologist Sarah Hazell. It is the location of the Nipissing First Nation Archaeological Summer School which teaches local youth to be archaeological monitors.
• June 2024: The community is the site of a new custom-built facility for Niijaansinaanik Child and Family Services. The new office building features the first elevator to be installed on the First Nation.
• July 2024: Author Jenny Kay Dupuis is a member of this First Nation.
• July 2024: The community territory hosted the 30th anniversary celebrations for the Anishinabek Educational Institute near Shabogesic Beach. The Anishinabek Educational Institute is situated on this territory.
• July 2024: Community Elders Mike Couchie and Evelyn McLeod provided traditional teachings during a conference in 2024.
• July 2024: Trustees noted that proper consultation with the community's Chief and Elders had not occurred regarding the renaming of Chippewa Secondary School. The community is one of the primary First Nations whose students funnel into the secondary school in North Bay.
• August 2024: Midwife Carol Couchie is a citizen of this community.
• August 2024: The community's Culture and Language Department produces Anishinaabemowin instructional videos for YouTube. As of August 2024, leadership noted a significant decline in the number of fluent speakers within the community. The First Nation utilized funding from the Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Act to expand its language programming.
• September 2024: This community is the home of author Kelsey Borgford.
• September 2024: Several members of this community, including a Regional Chief and a Knowledge Keeper, participated in the Mooz Maawanjiding – Moose Symposium.
• September 2024: The community is the site of a new Tim Hortons and Wolves Den Canco Gas Bar located on Beaucage Road. Local artists from the community contributed carvings and artwork to the new business complex opened by Lorie Young.
• September 2024: The community hosted a meeting between Saskatchewan governance representatives and the Anishinabek Nation in August 2024. The meeting took place at the Anishinabek Nation Elders Hall located within the community.
• September 2024: The community hosted the 36th annual traditional pow wow with a theme focused on moving forward with the language. The event served as a gathering for community members to reconnect with relatives and discover family members. As of September 2024, the First Nation crowned a new community representative during the festivities.
• October 2024: The community has inhabited its traditional territory for over 10,000 years. Leadership from the nation welcomed students to the 19th Annual Welcome Back Powwow in September 2024. The nation maintains an ongoing partnership with Nipissing University and Canadore College.
• October 2024: Community members Judy Couchie and Chantal Larocque participated in the 2024 Orange Shirt Day events. The community is associated with Nbisiing Secondary School.
• October 2024: The community is the location from which concerns about artificial intelligence and fraudulent Anishinaabemowin resources were reported in October 2024.
• October 2024: The community is home to the Lawrence Commanda Health Centre.
• October 2024: The community hosted the announcement of new education funding for the Anishinabek Education System on October 25, 2024.
• November 2024: The community is the site of the Anishinabek Nation Indian Residential School Commemoration Monument. It is the home community of Axel Penasse and his father, Randy Penasse.
• November 2024: The virtual language courses offered by the Near North District School Board utilize the specific dialect from this First Nation.
• December 2024: The community hosted a series of Anishinaabemowin immersion workshops at the Anishinabek Nation head office starting in late 2024. Participants in the language program visited the Minadoodiswan in Garden Village for a sweat lodge ceremony.
• December 2024: The community is the home of language instructor Falcon McLeod. It is the location of Nbisiing Secondary School, where local students can study the Ojibwe language.
• January 2025: A historical chimney associated with a fur trading post is located at Dokis Point within this community.
• February 2025: It is the community where artist Quentin Commanda grew up playing football.
• February 2025: The community's territory includes the lands where Canadore College is located. The First Nation's leader, Cathy Bellefeuille-Stevens, welcomed guests to the 35th annual pow wow. The Juniper Singers from this community participated as one of the drum groups at the celebration.
• February 2025: The community operates the Mnogin Greenhouse, which provides fresh produce and herbs to local establishments. Gimaa Cathy Stevens represented the community on the leadership panel at the 2025 forum.
• February 2025: Community member Evelyn McLeod provided traditional opening words for the 2025 Lands and Resources Forum.
• March 2025: The community is the home nation of former National Hockey League player Dan Frawley.
• March 2025: The community is conducting a $97,000 research project to investigate PFAS contamination in its traditional territory and local subwatersheds. The Environment Department is using land use and occupancy maps to identify critical harvesting sites for testing water and fish samples. The First Nation is collaborating with Toronto Metropolitan University to analyze samples for toxic forever chemicals.
• March 2025: The community is conducting a study to measure methylmercury levels in fish species and local lakes. The environment department is using land use and occupancy data to identify which areas and species are most commonly used by members. The research aims to establish baseline data to monitor the impacts of mining and environmental changes on the traditional territory.
• June 2025: Anthony Laforge, a board member of Shwe Miikaan, is a member of this community.
• June 2025: The community's history of recovery from colonial hardships and the growth of its 81 businesses are documented in a new book by Les Couchi. Hockey served as a major unifying force for the community starting in the early 1950s, leading to the creation of the Warriors team. As of June 2025, the community is encouraged to establish a museum to preserve its cultural artifacts and knowledge.
• June 2025: The community is the home nation of Tabatha Bull, the head of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business.
• June 2025: A presentation titled GAA Bi Kidwaad Maa Nbiising focused on the original people of Lake Nipissing during the 2025 research gathering.
• July 2025: The community opened a new 10-bed assisted living facility for Elders in Duchesnay on June 30, 2025. Leadership and staff worked since the 1970s to establish local housing to prevent seniors from being sent to distant facilities. The First Nation received $6.85 million from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to fund the construction of two lodges.
• July 2025: The community is home to K'tigaaning Midwives, which is featured in the series Spirit of Birth.
• August 2025: The community established the Wiidooktaagyang program over a decade ago to provide integrated social and health supports. Its representatives recognized a need for specialized programming to help members with complex requirements that impact the broader community.
• August 2025: The community held a rally at a local politician's office to oppose the annual provincial spraying of glyphosate. The First Nation previously successfully lobbied Hydro One to stop aerial spraying and switch to manual clearing methods for power lines. Community members are concerned that chemical spraying destroys traditional medicines.
• September 2025: The community hosted its 37th annual powwow in September 2025 at Garden Village. A new Eagle Staff featuring the deer insignia of the First Nation was introduced during the event. The gathering included participation from community Elders, youth, and visitors from other nations.
• September 2025: Community members presented research on moose health and environmental management at the Anishinabek Nation Mooz Maawanjiding. The community is developing an Environmental Management Plan to promote safe and responsible harvesting. The nation successfully challenged provincial jurisdiction in court by creating its own fisheries law.
• September 2025: The community is the site of the Pickle's Pumps business venture located along Highway 17B. Local entrepreneurs in the community developed the gas station to create employment opportunities for the next generation.
• October 2025: The community is one of the locations where treaty gatherings have been held in past years.
• November 2025: The community is the home of Mike Restoule.
• November 2025: The Anishinabek Police Service reported on its new website initiatives from Nipissing First Nation in November 2025.
• December 2025: The community is partnering with Dokis First Nation to preserve and research the stories embedded in the Lake Nipissing Beading Project. Community members and leaders contributed dozens of beaded tiles to the project to represent their history and Doodemaag. The First Nation hosted a celebratory gathering for the project's fifth year at the Nipissing University Student Union Student Centre.
• January 2026: Owen Head is a member of this First Nation. The community of Garden Village is located within this First Nation.
• March 2026: The community is the home nation of Bob Goulais, the master of ceremonies for the Indigenous Language Conference.
• March 2026: The community is the location of the Anishinabek Educational Institute Nipissing Campus. It served as the site for a meeting between Anishinabek Nation leaders and a federal representative in March 2026.
• March 2026: The community organized a bus of supporters to travel to Ottawa to witness a ceremony honoring member Ellie Penasse. The First Nation was represented by the Nipissing Warriors during the inaugural Little Native Hockey League event.
• March 2026: Bob Goulais is a member of this community.
• March 2026: The community is one of the locations where the Anishinabek Educational Institute delivers its community-based programming.
• April 2026: The Anishinabek Educational Institute held its annual spring medicine camp at Nipissing First Nation in March 2026. The community served as the location for land-based activities such as harvesting sap and gathering traditional medicines.
• May 2026: Danika Bellissimo is a citizen of this First Nation. The community is the location of the business Lavender and Lacquer.
• May 2026: The community is the site of Nipissing Thrift, a new business located near Duchesnay Falls. Members of the community have been encouraged to vote for Ursula Ullrich to help her reach the Pow Wow Pitch grand finale.
• May 2026: Community member Perry McLeod-Shabogesic provided interpretations of the udjibbom and its role in the physical and spirit worlds.
• May 2026: The community was represented at the Moose Hide Campaign Day by Elder Perry McLeod-Shabogesic and emcee Bob Goulais.
• May 2026: The community is the home nation of cinematographer Sara Cornthwaite. Sara Cornthwaite collaborates with the community on documentary and camera projects.
• June 2026: The community is the home of filmmakers Cole Forrest and Kile M. George. Cole Forrest stated that the Nbisiing Naadziwin, or way of life from this community, remains a constant influence on their art.
• July 2026: As of July 2026, the community has established its first walk-in clinic to serve residents in the Garden Village area. Leadership prioritized the clinic to address long wait times and physician shortages at regional hospitals. The First Nation partnered with the North Bay Indigenous Hub to secure medical staffing for the new service.
• July 2026: The community is the site of a campus for the Anishinabek Educational Institute. An external review panel toured the campus facilities in the community, including a nursing lab and student gathering spaces, on June 23, 2026.
• July 2026: Tabatha Bull, a prominent business leader and engineer, is a member of this First Nation.
• July 2026: The community held the Zaagidwan Community Walk on July 5, 2026, to take a stand against drug dealers and promote healing. Leadership signed a memorandum of understanding with Crimestoppers in January 2026 to offer rewards for information on drug trafficking. The First Nation provides resources and programs to help members recognize symptoms of drug use and support those in recovery.
• July 2026: The community developed a land-based wellness camp to support the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being of its members. The First Nation aims to address the global crisis of drug addiction and mental health through local, culturally grounded programming. Leadership expressed a commitment to securing long-term resources to sustain the program beyond the initial pilot phase ending in March 2028.
• July 2026: The community is the home of artist Donald Chrétien.
• August 2026: The signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding between the Anishinabek Nation and the Office of the Chief Coroner took place here. The community served as the location for the August 11, 2026, gathering of leadership and special guests.
• September 2026: The community hosted a pow wow on September 5, 2026, in Garden Village. Kirk McDonald planned to display his paintings at the community's gathering.
• September 2026: Leaders from this community have expressed offense at the library naming issue, citing a history of insulting actions by Mike Harris. The community's leadership reminded the university president that the institution bears their community's name.
• September 2026: The community is the focus of language revitalization efforts through the work of Falcon McLeod. Local oral history includes stories of serpents living in Lake Nipissing near the Manitou Islands.
• September 2026: The community serves as a primary location for the Anishinabek Educational Institute.
• September 2026: The community hosted the 38th Annual Traditional Dewegigewaad Pow Wow in Garden Village on September 5-6, 2026. Leadership and Elders used the event to promote cultural revitalization and education for both members and visitors. The gathering featured a Woodland Welcoming Grand Entry to celebrate the return of woodland style dance and song to the community.
• October 2026: The Education Centre and the Welcome Pow Wow are located on the traditional territory of this First Nation. Community leaders and members participated in the 2026 event as dignitaries, elders, and dancers. The First Nation is represented by councillors such as Priscilla Goulais who welcomed students to the territory.
• October 2026: The community co-hosted the Every Child Matters Walk and Exhibition on September 30. Gimaa Cathy Stevens spoke at the event to honour survivors and children who never returned home from residential schools.
• October 2026: The Union of Ontario Indians maintains its head office at this location. The Program Officer position is based onsite at either this community or a satellite office in Sudbury.
• October 2026: The community serves as the location for the head office of the Union of Ontario Indians. The Labour Market Development Department offers onsite work opportunities at this location.
• October 2026: The head office of the Union of Ontario Indians is located within this community. As of October 2026, it is one of the potential onsite work locations for a new communications officer position.
• October 2026: The community is the home of entrepreneur Ronald Avery, who operates a local business within its territory. The community operates the Nipissing First Nation Landfill.