TORONTO, March 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, announced $4,737,448.00 over five years in federal support to the Maashkaawizii Kwe "Woman of Inner strength" project, led by Thunder Women Healing Lodge Society (the Healing Lodge) through the Aboriginal Community Safety Development Contribution Program (ACSDCP).

This funding will help the Healing Lodge provide comprehensive supports for Indigenous women reintegrating into our communities from federal and provincial corrections. It will offer safe, supervised accommodation, culturally appropriate counseling, and workshops to heal from trauma, foster belonging, and build skills for successful reintegration back into the community.

By adapting Public Safety's Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism – which outlines priority areas that support reintegration – to Indigenous ways of knowledge and culture, participants will learn to develop independent living skills and build their community relationships in a supported environment.

The ACSDCP funds Indigenous organizations, Indigenous governments and municipalities, and post‑secondary institutions to create community‑safety solutions that respond to the specific needs and priorities of Indigenous communities.

Quote(s)

"This investment underscores our government's commitment to Indigenous‑led, culturally grounded approaches that help prevent crime and contribute to a safer Canada for all. Through its work to empower Indigenous women to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into their communities, the Thunder Women Healing Lodge Society is helping strengthen community safety and address the longstanding overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in the criminal justice system."

- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety

"Funding investments like this one help build a safer Canada, brick by brick. By addressing the root issues that contribute to the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in the criminal justice system, the Thunder Women Healing Lodge Society is helping to reduce recidivism by tackling its key causes among program participants and contributing to a safer Canada for the future."

- The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

"For too long, Indigenous women have been overrepresented in Canada's prisons, reflecting the legacy of Residential Schools. The Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Maashkaawizii Kwe "Woman of Inner strength" program will give incarcerated Indigenous women a safe space to heal and prepare for reintegration. With support from Canada and Indigenous partners, we are reminded that we are all connected and must continue to uplift Indigenous voices."

- Patti Pettigrew, Founder and Executive Director, Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society

Quick Facts

• The Indigenous Community Corrections Initiative 2023 (ICCI) is an initiative under the ACSDCP which provides funding for projects that support alternatives to incarceration, and the reintegration of Indigenous offenders.
  • In 2023, the ICCI launched a National Call for Applications. In fall 2024, Public Safety Canada began working with successful applicants to develop their proposals.
• A healing lodge is a correctional environment designed specifically for Indigenous offenders which offers culturally appropriate programs and services rooted in Indigenous values, traditions, ceremonies, and beliefs.
• Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society supports First Nations (Status and Non-Status), Inuit, and Métis 2SLGBTQIA+ women and their families on their journey toward wholeness and balance by providing culturally appropriate, "By Indigenous for Indigenous" community-based supports, traditional knowledge, and resources.
• The Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism is a multi-sectoral approach focused on five key pillars—housing, education, employment, health, and positive support networks—to support offender reintegration, break the cycle of reoffending, and enhance public safety through evidence-based, community-focused initiatives.

Associated Links

• Aboriginal Community Safety Development Contribution Program
• Indigenous Community Corrections Initiative
• Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society
• Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism

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SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada