UMAYC funding extended

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The federal government has renewed its commitment to urban Aboriginal youth by extending the Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centres (UMAYC) Initiative for an additional two years.

The program, which funds projects and activities that benefit Aboriginal youth living in urban centres, has been operating since 1998, and was scheduled to end this year. The goal of the project is creation of a network of urban multipurpose centres across the country, providing community based, culturally relevant and supportive projects for Aboriginal youth.

The budget for the original five-year run of the initiative was $100 million. The extension of the initiative will see $23 million in funding made available in each of the two years, for a total new commitment of $46 million.

"The government of Canada is pleased to extend the UMAYC Initiative for two years and continue to meet the objectives of its youth agenda and Aboriginal action plan," Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps said after announcing the extension on April 1.