Indigenous Guardians: First Nations Stewardship of Canada's Lands and Waters

The Indigenous Leadership Initiative supports Indigenous Guardians, community members trained and employed by their own Nations to monitor ecological health, protect species, manage protected areas and maintain cultural sites across Canada. The program has grown from roughly 30 Guardians initiatives in 2016 to more than 200 operating across the country by 2024, employing Indigenous Peoples to steward their own traditional territories under Indigenous law and knowledge. Federal funding for the program grew from an initial $25 million pilot announced in 2017 to a further $200 million commitment in 2021. Independent economic analysis of Guardians programs in the Northwest Territories found they generate roughly $2.50 in social, economic, cultural and environmental value for every $1 invested.