Manitoba honouring Tina Fontaine with investment to help at-risk youth

The Manitoba government is honouring the life of Tina Fontaine with a nearly $1 million investment in into helping at-risk youth.

The province made the announcement on Friday, saying $986,000 in combined federal and provincial funding will be going to Tina’s Safe Haven programming, which is run by Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad – a non-profit organization that’s dedicated to helping at-risk youth.

“Tina’s life was cut short, but her legacy is enormous. We honour her memory today and every day in the sacred work we do to protect women, girls and youth,” said Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine in a news release.

“10 years after her death, our government is remembering her while taking real action to protect Manitobans like her by supporting community partners and programs on the front lines of this lifesaving work including Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad’s Tina’s Safe Haven.”

Tina’s Safe Haven is a 24-hour drop-in centre for youth aged 13 to 24. It offers access to counselling, mentors, resources. Workshops, health supports and more.

According to the government, $400,000 of the funding will allow Ndinawemaaganag to partner with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre for weekly public health nursing at Tina’s Safe Haven. The other $586,000 will support ongoing operating costs and programming.

“Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad is grateful for the provincial and federal governments’ funding of supports for Winnipeg’s youth from an Indigenous-led perspective with a focus on relationship building,” said Shanlee Scott, executive director, Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad. “This funding allows Tina’s Safe Haven to work within the community and with community partners to transform care for young people.”

It’s believed Fontaine died on or around Aug. 10, 2014. A week later, her body was recovered from the Red River wrapped in a duvet cover and weighed down by rocks.

- With files from CTV’s Daniel Halmarson.