Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario

10/10/2026

🥅 We're excited to bring a Hockey Goalie & Shooting Clinic to Six Nations Sports & Cultural Memorial Centre, taking place on Friday, November 6!

Learn from two experienced coaches, Brenden Anderson and Chris Sandy of Active Crease Management, and skate away with skills that will elevate your game. Participants will learn:
🏒 Edge work
🏒 Crease management
🏒 Moving on the angle
🏒 Adjusting active angle
🏒 Depth reads

We're also offering a Players Hockey Shooting Clinic for ages 12–16! Participants will develop their skills in:
🏒 Release point
🏒 Weight transfer
🏒 Changing the release point
🏒 Stick handling

Participants must be a resident of Ontario and hold a status card.

📅 Session Times
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Goalie Clinic Ages 8–12 | Shooting Clinic Ages 12–13 (5 shooters)
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Goalie Clinic Ages 13–16 | Shooting Clinic Ages 14–16 (5 shooters)

After the clinic, join us for a Lunch & Learn session where you'll receive a nutritious lunch and your very own copy of our brand-new Nutrition Package, developed by the Well Nation team!

Spots are limited! Reserve yours with a $50 deposit today.

📞 289-687-7438
📧 [email protected]

10/09/2026

The North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) Council is pleased to announce the conditional award of the 2028 North American Indigenous Games to Norway House Cree Nation (NHCN) and the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO), with events to be hosted in Winnipeg and Manitoba.

This award marks a significant step toward bringing one of North America’s largest Indigenous multi-sport and cultural gatherings to Manitoba from July 9-23, 2028.

The 2028 NAIG are expected to bring upwards of 5,250 Indigenous athletes, coaches and team officials from across Turtle Island (Canada and the United States of America) together through sport, culture, community and celebration. The Games will feature traditional and contemporary sports, complemented by a major cultural program celebrating the diversity, strength and traditions of Indigenous nations in Manitoba and across North America. The award follows a national bid process led by the NAIG Council and depends on completing several key milestones before a formal Host Agreement is signed. The NAIG Council, Norway House Cree Nation, Southern Chiefs’ Organization, and government and community partners will work together to meet these requirements and establish the Host Society responsible for planning and delivering the 2028 Games.

Following the conditional award, NAIG Council, Norway House Cree Nation and Southern Chiefs’ Organization will continue working with the Government of Canada, Government of Manitoba, City of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism and other partners to finalize the requirements necessary to confirm the Games and establish the 2028 NAIG Host Society.

Additional information regarding Games dates, venues, governance, programming, volunteer opportunities and other planning milestones will be announced as preparations advance.

Read the full release: https://hubs.la/Q04zNTxB0

09/30/2026

🧡 September 30th marks National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, commemorating the painful history of residential schools in Canada and their ongoing impact on Indigenous people today. Today, we reflect on the power of sport as a path to healing and shared community and pride.

At ISWO, we actively pursue the calls to action set forth by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada by advocating for long-term Indigenous athlete development. Those include:

88 - We call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for provincial and territorial team preparation and travel.

90 - We call upon the federal government to ensure that national sports policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to, establishing:
i. In collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, stable funding for, and access to, community sports programs that reflect the diverse cultures and traditional sporting activities of Aboriginal peoples.
ii. An elite athlete development program for Aboriginal athletes.
iii. Programs for coaches, trainers, and sports officials that are culturally relevant for Aboriginal peoples.
iv. Anti-racism awareness and training programs.

Today and every day, we support Indigenous athletes and celebrate the role of sport in reconciliation 🧡

To learn more, visit https://hubs.la/Q04ydDWG0
For crisis and mental health support, visit https://hubs.la/Q04ydDF40

Please note that in observance of National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario will be closed today and will reopen tomorrow, October 1.

09/29/2026

Great news! More support for Indigenous sport, recreation and cultural programming across Ontario. Please read below.

Ontario is investing $5.2 million to support sport and recreation opportunities and cultural and land-based programming for Indigenous communities across the province.

These investments will support Indigenous communities with reducing barriers and creating more opportunities for children, youth and people of all ages to get involved and stay active.

🔗Learn more: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1008071/ontario-investing-52-million-to-support-indigenous-sport-and-recreation?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=app.dashsocial.com%2Fontario-sport-en%2Flibrary%2Fmedia%2F727000152

Métis Nation of Ontario
📸: Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario

09/18/2026

🌿 Join our Standing Bear team's Men & Boys Gathering from October 2-4 at the Bluewater Outdoor Education Centre in Oliphant, ON.

This free overnight event is a safe space for Indigenous men and boys (ages 12–30) to reconnect with culture, land, and themselves through self-defence, canoeing, fire teachings, and more.

Please note: boys under 18 must have a guardian present on-site for the duration of the gathering. Guardians should register at the same time as the participant(s) they are accompanying.

Come as you are. Leave with a stronger sense of self and new friends 🔥

Spaces are limited, so don't wait too long to register! 🔗 https://hubs.la/Q04xRfwK0

09/02/2026

Ready to apply for ISWO funding? Here's what you need to know before you do 📋

ISWO offers several distinct funding programs, each designed for a specific purpose, community, and time of year. Knowing which fund aligns with your goals (and when applications open) is the first step to a successful submission.
🍂 Late fall: Northern & Remote Communities Recreation Fund, Women & Girls Sport Fund
❄️ Winter: Community Sport Fund
🌸 Spring: Power 2 Play

All ISWO funding programs are open to community groups and organizations working to advance sport, recreation, and wellness in Indigenous communities across Ontario. Please note that ISWO does not provide funding for individual athletes.

Visit our website to learn more about each fund and find the right fit for your organization 👇

https://hubs.ly/Q04vX2md0

08/31/2026

Join us in congratulating our Well Nation and Southwest Regional Coordinator, Carmen, on his results at the 2026 Indigenous Ontario Championship! Carmen placed 6th in the men's overall competition 🏌️‍♂️

08/27/2026

This summer, we've been spending a lot of time in northern Ontario, and for good reason 🌲

There are very real barriers to sport, wellness, cultural, and leadership activities in northern and remote Indigenous communities, from vast geographic distances to limited transportation and locally accessible resources. These challenges make it difficult to deliver consistent, meaningful programming to the communities in the northern part of the province.

That's why ISWO has been on the ground, meeting with community groups to build and strengthen partnerships, with the goal of expanding programming throughout northern Ontario 🤝

We're excited to keep working with our partners in the coming months to bring more sport, wellness, culture, and leadership programming to northern Ontario! 🌟

In the meantime, enjoy some photos from our team's downtime spent fishing! 🎣

08/21/2026

We're excited to be sponsoring this upcoming pitching clinic in Cochrane, Ontario! ⚾️ Check out the post below for details and information on how to register.

Elissa was originally supposed to go to Moose Cree but plans changed and she's coming to Cochrane instead. Please email Nancy at [email protected] to register. In the event that weather is an issue, we will work on securing an indoor venue. Stay tuned. Meegwetch to Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario for sponsoring this event.

08/19/2026

Our Standing Bear summer students have been busy running programs across Ontario this summer 🛶 This snapshot was taken at a recent watersports camp in Kenora, run by one of our students and a Facilitation Program graduate, Rachel.

From paddling on the water to building confidence on land, our summer students are making a real difference in communities across the province. They're designing meaningful experiences for youth while gaining hands-on leadership skills that will carry with them after the summer ends. We're incredibly proud of the work they're doing and the lasting impact they're leaving behind this summer 🌟