North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre

North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	1974

North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre is an Indigenous community service organisation in North Bay.

In Anishinabek News

• November 2016: The centre administers the Urban Aboriginal Strategy and hosts the Reconciliation North Bay initiative. As of November 2016, it serves as a space where community members can learn about Indigenous teachings and participate in cultural practices like smudging.
• August 2017: The organization coordinates Community Action Circles through the Urban Aboriginal Strategy. It aims to be a strong voice for Indigenous Peoples in North Bay to strengthen individuals, families, and communities through social and economic opportunities.
• September 2017: The centre was a featured stop during a community tour for families relocating for post-secondary education.
• October 2017: The centre collaborated to host a gala event celebrating reconciliation and Indigenous art in November 2017.
• November 2017: The centre collaborated with Reconciliation North Bay to host the Teamwork makes the Dreamwork gala. Its Urban Aboriginal Strategy worked with community partners involved with the strategy. The organization is led by Executive Director Kathy Fortin and Chair Katherine Sarazin.
• December 2017: As of December 2017, Leo Deloyde is the interim coordinator of the Urban Aboriginal Strategist at this centre.
• January 2018: The centre's executive director, Kathy Fortin, sent a team of volunteers with turkeys and toys for the True Self holiday event.
• March 2018: The centre is involved in a Pow-wow and day of learning scheduled for June 21, 2018.
• March 2018: The centre hosted a casting call for the television show Outlander in March 2018. Hundreds of people lined up around the block of the building to apply for non-speaking roles in the production.
• April 2018: The centre provided resources and support for the 2018 Round Dance organized by Nipissing First Nation. Kirby Mianskum works as an employment counsellor at this organization.
• May 2018: The organization received a $43,900 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to repair a newly acquired building. It provides services to First Nation, Inuit, Métis, and non-Indigenous people, including the Suswin Housing First Program. As of May 2018, the centre updated its corporate name from the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre to reflect the term Indigenous.
• June 2018: The centre joined a partnership with three First Nations to address health inequities for the urban Indigenous population. It participated in the planning group that applied for provincial health funding in August 2017.
• June 2018: The organization hosted the Maamwi Kindaaswin pow wow in June 2018. As of June 2018, the centre updated its name to include the word Indigenous. Elders from the organization's Life Long Care Program handstitched a commemorative blanket for the centre's leadership.
• June 2018: The organization hosts an annual pow-wow that brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members. Mayor Al McDonald thanked the centre for its role in organizing local celebrations and for including the city.
• August 2018: The centre hosted the 49th annual conference of the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres in July 2018. As of August 2018, the organization is seeking to create different housing opportunities for the approximately 9,000 Indigenous people living in the North Bay area.
• November 2018: The centre is a founding partner of the North Bay Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Team. It hosted a community presentation regarding the new traditional and western health care model.
• May 2019: The North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre hosted an information session for Mushkegowuk Cree survivors regarding a class-action settlement in May 2019. The center held a similar session for members of Temagami First Nation in March 2019.
• May 2019: The centre organizes the annual Maamwi Kindaaswin Pow-Wow to encourage cultural exchange between Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents. President Katherine Sarazin stated that the event is free and open to all members of the public.
• June 2019: The centre is a partner in the North Bay Indigenous Hub and will participate in a mutual referral system to address service gaps.
• June 2019: The centre hosted the 2019 Maamwi Kindaaswin Pow-Wow under the leadership of executive director Kathy Fortin. The organization aims to involve both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in cultural celebrations to foster a sense of belonging. As of June 2019, staff member Jennifer Sequin highlighted the importance of the Sunrise Ceremony and traditional medicines like the strawberry drink at the event.
• June 2019: The organization hosted a tent and teepee during the Learning Together event at the North Bay Museum in 2019. Staff members from the centre provided information on reconciliation and Indigenous culture to the public during the National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations.
• July 2019: The organization hosted its annual juried exhibition to celebrate Indigenous artists in 2019. The centre partnered with the WKP Kennedy Gallery for the exhibition titled Working Toward Reconciliation: An On-going Commitment.
• July 2019: The centre's Urban Aboriginal Strategy was involved in a report on economic and demographic prospects for the region from 2016 to 2041. It hosted an Indigenous Art Exhibition reception as part of the Learning Together: National Indigenous People's Day celebrations. The organization's study indicates that the Indigenous population is growing faster than the non-Indigenous population, particularly among those aged 20 and younger.
• October 2019: Staff from the organization gathered on September 11, 2019, to honour the land at the future site of a new housing project. The centre is developing a 30-unit complex to provide transitional housing for Indigenous people facing homelessness. Employees collected young plants from the construction site to care for them until they can be replanted at the completed facility.
• February 2020: The organization launched a new community wellness program called Enjamonjading to improve the quality of life for Indigenous people in the city. The centre hosts the Cree Language Circle in its basement lounge on Cassells Street to provide free language and culture education. Executive Director Kathy Fortin envisioned the centre as a welcoming place for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to learn together.
• March 2020: The centre commissioned the creation of the Chigokmis grandmother puppet in 2013. The puppet was designed to represent themes related to the history of residential schools.
• March 2020: The centre hosted a presentation by Ray Hookimaw for health care professionals and delegates from the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres. It is a partner organization in the North Bay Indigenous Hub.
• March 2020: The centre hosted a talk by James Makokis and Anthony Johnson regarding Two-Spirit advocacy. It co-hosted the Building a Safe Community event alongside Nipissing University and the North Bay Indigenous Hub.
• March 2020: The centre is one of the partners that makes the Minweyaang Round Dance possible.
• May 2020: Reno Couchie shares social media posts about Oak East Eatery with the centre.
• September 2020: The North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre launched a temporary food bank to assist the urban Indigenous community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization operates out of facilities on Cassells Street and Fifth Street in North Bay. Staff at the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre assemble food baskets for distribution every Thursday afternoon.
• October 2020: The organization received $32,500 from the Reaching Home strategy to fund salaries for housing navigator positions. It plans to begin construction on Suswin Village, a 30-unit supportive housing project, in the spring of 2021. The centre provides care packages and supplies to grassroots groups to assist people living in encampments and alleys.
• February 2021: The centre provides housing navigators and operates a warming centre on weekends for the city of North Bay. It is a lead partner in the Indigenous Housing Strategy and advocates for Indigenous people navigating social services and landlords. As of February 2021, the organization is preparing to build the Suswin transitional housing facility to offer 30 units and educational programming.
• April 2021: The North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre provided gift bags to participants at a local COVID-19 vaccination clinic. The organization collaborated with the local Indigenous health hub to include items such as masks and bread for clinic attendees.
• April 2021: The organization initiated the Suswin Village project to address the high rate of homelessness among Indigenous people in North Bay. The centre is located across the street from the new housing site at the corner of Cassells Street and Fifth Avenue.
• July 2021: The centre's executive director, Kathy Fortin, invited the public to visit the facility to learn about Indigenous people. The centre remained open to support people following the announcement of graves found at Indian Residential School sites.
• February 2022: The centre is a partner in a housing recovery pilot project that conducts wellness checks for individuals transitioning out of homelessness. As of February 2022, it is developing the Suswin Project, a new residential building designed to house 30 people. The organization collaborates with other local non-profits to share resources and support a common clientele.
• March 2022: The centre will operate Suswin Village, a new transitional housing complex located across the street from its main programming site. It is the recipient of funds and supplies raised by Nipissing University students to provide welcoming gifts for new residents.
• June 2022: A representative from the centre provided Grandfather Teachings on Courage during the Moose Hide Campaign event at Canadore College.
• June 2022: The organization hosted federal officials for a ceremony during the Maamwi Kindaaswin Pow-Wow 2022. Leadership expressed a desire to advocate for Indigenous individuals in correctional institutions and those navigating the justice system. The staff organized the pow wow.
• September 2022: The centre collaborated as a partner for the Mahiigan Family Road Race event.
• October 2022: The centre is a partner in the operation of the Seven Stones Learning Centre, which is located near its main building and Suswin Village. It provides wrap-around services including nutrition programs, healing and wellness initiatives, and youth activities for students. The organisation manages 208 acres of land on Riding Stable Road near Sturgeon Falls used for land-based educational activities.
• December 2022: The organization is developing the Miskwaadesi gathering place on the Chippewa Creek EcoPath. It received funding to install a flagpole that will fly an Indigenous flag every day of the year in North Bay. The centre hosted a media event where over $1.3 million in federal funding was announced for five Indigenous projects.
• March 2023: The centre is led by president Maurice Switzer.
• June 2023: The centre opened Seven Stones Learning Centre, an alternative school for adult learners. The centre provides a culturally-appropriate educational environment for students who did not succeed in mainstream secondary schools.
• June 2023: The organization hosted the 15th annual Maamwi Kindaaswin Pow Wow in June 2023. As of June 2023, the centre plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary during the 2024 gathering. Executive Director Kathy Fortin noted that community engagement and attendance increased from the previous year.
• August 2023: The organization is the first friendship centre in Canada to build and manage its own housing project, Suswin Village. The centre provides wraparound services, cultural teachings, and psychosocial support programs for its residents. Leadership at the centre includes Executive Director Kathy Fortin and President Maurice Switzer.
• September 2023: The centre acted as a sponsor for the second annual Mahiingan Family Road Race.
• March 2024: The centre provided financial contributions and other support for the Minweyaang Round Dance.
• April 2024: The organization hosted the Pus Kob Wiid Doon Amowin conference in March 2024 to support language revitalization. The centre's president, Maurice Switzer, and event planner, Traci Koritsaris, participated in the gathering. The event aimed to help urban Indigenous families reconnect with their heritage and language.
• May 2024: Maurice Switzer serves on the board of this organisation.
• June 2024: The organisation celebrated 50 years of providing services to the First Nation, Métis, and Inuit population in 2024. The centre operates 36 different programs and organises the annual Maamwi Kindaaswin Pow Wow. It is one of 31 friendship centres located throughout Ontario.
• July 2024: The centre was one of the partners that featured an information booth at the Anishinabek Educational Institute anniversary.
• September 2024: As of September 2024, Maurice Switzer serves as the president of this organization.
• October 2024: The organization is led by President Maurice Switzer.
• October 2024: The centre helped organize a solemn gathering and feast for Orange Shirt Day in 2024. Executive Director Kathy Fortin described the event as a day to remember both those who died at schools and those still suffering from trauma.
• January 2025: The North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre board includes Maurice Switzer.
• April 2025: Maurice Switzer serves as the president of the board for this organization.
• July 2025: The centre began to consider a local coalition after a presentation by Sally Ledger of Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services. It started the Suswin housing project to seek its own funding for the Indigenous homeless population in North Bay. The organization is a member of the Giisook Council.
• November 2025: Maurice Switzer serves as the president of the board for this organization. It is scheduled to host a launch event for the novel Sons of Tecumseh.
• March 2026: The organization hosts the annual Indigenous Language Conference as part of its strategic plan to provide language support. The centre organizes Inuit Day every November to share the traditions and language of people from Labrador. The community and membership of the centre have shown increasing interest in language programming following the success of previous events.
• June 2026: The organization hosted its 18th annual Maamwi Kindaaswin pow wow on June 6 and 7, 2026. The center's leadership emphasized that the gathering is a free event held in the heart of the city to promote culture and community. The organization maintains its own Eagle Staff which was carried by Richard Assinewai during the 2026 celebration.
• June 2026: Maurice Switzer serves as the president of the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre.
• October 2026: The centre was a co-host of the Every Child Matters Walk and Exhibition held on September 30. Its president, Maurice Switzer, spoke at the event regarding the contributions of residential school survivors and their descendants.