Citizens of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations can now access up to $1,000 through the Community Health and Wellbeing Grant, double the previous limit. CAFN announced the change on May 22, part of a broader effort to make the fund more useful for everyday life.
The grant is no longer tied only to recreation and cultural activities. It now covers a wide range of costs that affect wellbeing, including vehicle repairs, winter tires, utilities, fuel, personal electronics, and even savings plans like RESPs and TFSAs. Gardening supplies, legal fees for family matters, and specialty clothing are also eligible.
Applications are open to all CAFN citizens enrolled under the A.ghaalan (My Relatives) Enrollment Act, as long as they live in Canada and are in good standing. The fund is grounded in traditional values, with the goal of strengthening connections among community members, supporting clan identity for Käjèt (Crow) and Agunda (Wolf), and promoting Dan k’e, the traditional way of knowing, doing, and being.
CAFN is a self-governing First Nation with more than 1,200 citizens and permanent communities in Haines Junction, Canyon, Champagne, Aishihik, Klukshu, and Takhini River. The Community Wellness Department runs the grant from offices in Haines Junction and Whitehorse. Chief Barb Joe, who has led the First Nation since 2022, and the current council pushed for the expansion to better reflect what citizens actually need.
The previous chief, Steve Smith, held the role from 2014 until 2022, focusing on housing and language programs. CAFN’s Self-Government Agreement was signed on May 29, 1993, and took effect in 1995, covering traditional territory in southwest Yukon and northwest British Columbia.
