BMO announces donation for Na-mi-quai-ni-mak Fund

BMO announces donation for Na-mi-quai-ni-mak Centre Community Support Fund

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) hosted by the University of Manitoba will receive a $250,000 donation from BMO in support of the Na-mi-quai-ni-mak (“I remember them”) Centre Community Support Fund.

As a national and Indigenous-led fund, the Na-mi-quai-ni-mak Fund is the only one of its kind in Canada. The fund provides grants to Indigenous communities for memorial and healing activities such as community ceremonies and feasts, commemorative markers such as gardens and plaques, and maintenance of burial sites.

“We thank BMO for their support of the Na-mi-quai-ni-mak Fund,” said Stephanie Scott, Executive Director for the NCTR. “This donation is an investment in the healing of Survivors and their communities. For the country to move forward together, our communities need to heal. The Na-mi-quai-ni-mak program plays an important role in this healing.”

“This funding will ensure the NCTR continues to support Survivors and Indigenous people across the country by putting them at the centre of programs that prioritize healing and sharing their Truth,” said Dr. Catherine Cook, Vice-President (Indigenous) at the University of Manitoba. “Recognizing Truth is necessary for us to move towards Reconciliation.”

In honour of the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, BMO announced $600,000 in donations to Indigenous organizations across Canada. In consultation with BMO’s Indigenous Advisory Council, BMO selected NCTR as a recipient due to the Centre’s focus on promoting emotional and spiritual healing for Survivors, their families, and communities.

“BMO is honoured to support the Na-mi-quai-ni-mak Fund to build programs that will make it possible for Survivors, their communities, and the broader public to heal and grow together,” said Mike Bonner, Head, Canadian Business Banking, BMO Bank of Montreal and Co-Chair, BMO Indigenous Advisory Council. “This donation reflects our Purpose: to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life by building vibrant communities for a brighter and a more inclusive future – and advancing the call of Truth and Reconciliation across Canada.”