Arctic Inspiration Prize awards over $3.7 million to 12 teams leading change across the North Français
OTTAWA, ON, May 13, 2025 /CNW/ - Twelve Northern-led teams were celebrated today as laureates of the 2025 Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP), receiving over $3.7 million in recognition of their bold, community-driven projects. The awards ceremony took place this afternoon at the Rogers Centre (formerly the Shaw Centre) in Ottawa, where laureates were honoured alongside powerful performances by Northern artists under the artistic direction of Sylvia Cloutier.
Her Excellency The Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, opened the celebration, joined by leaders and partners from across Inuit Nunangat, the territories, and the North. Honoured guests included Premier P.J. Akeeagok; Premier Ranj Pillai; Senators Nancy Karetak-Lindell and Margaret Dawn Anderson; Minister Pamela Gross, Natan Obed (President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami), Jeremy Tunraluk (President, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.), Johannes Lampe (President, Nunatsiavut), and Duane Smith (President, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation). Their presence reflected the pan-Northern support and shared commitment to empowering community-led solutions.
"This year marks the 13th anniversary of the Arctic Inspiration Prize — and every year we continue to see the deep and lasting impact these projects have on Northern communities," said Wally Schumann, Chair of the AIP Charitable Trust. "These are not one-off ideas. They are long-term, Northern-led solutions that strengthen language, culture, wellness, and opportunity. They are rooted in self-determination and guided by the people who live and lead in the North."
This year's largest prize — $1 million — was awarded to Bibia Nàtsät Ku: A Movement to Reclaim Yukon First Nations Midwifery and Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, a groundbreaking initiative to establish a culturally rooted birth and reproductive health centre in Whitehorse. The Ku (house) will be led by Yukon First Nations and offer Elder-guided, traditional and Western care for Indigenous families across the region.
"We know our families thrive when they have access to safe, culturally connected care — and that includes bringing birth back to our communities," said Charlene Charlie, member of the Bibia Nàtsät Ku team. "This prize is not just recognition — it's a turning point. It means we can begin building a house of care that honours our ways of knowing, our languages, and our futures. This will not only transform sexual and reproductive health care delivery in the Yukon, but will also influence systemic change across the Arctic — helping to shape safer, more culturally appropriate care for Indigenous communities throughout the North."
The 2025 celebration featured a three-part performance reflecting seasonal cycles and traditional knowledge. Highlights included the story of a Dene hunter witnessing an animal transformation on the land, told through circus and music; a powerful operatic interpretation of Nuliajuk, the Inuit guardian of sea animals, performed by Deantha Edmunds and emerging Nunavut singer Princess Autut; and a spring finale with Kathy Snowball of Nunavik performing L'amour, honouring light, renewal, and the environment.
A full list of the 2025 laureates and project details follows below.
About the Arctic Inspiration Prize
The Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP) is Canada's largest annual prize, celebrating and enabling Northern-led achievements across the fields of education; health and wellbeing; culture, arts and language; science and traditional knowledge; climate change; food security; and the economy. Each year, the AIP awards: one $1 million prize, up to four prizes of up to $500,000 each, and up to seven youth prizes of up to $100,000 each. The AIP is owned and governed by the northern-led AIP Charitable Trust and is supported by a broad network of partners from the North and South.
The Rideau Hall Foundation is proud to serve as the southern operational support partner of the Arctic Inspiration Prize.
2025 Arctic Inspiration Prize Laureates
$1 Million Category
Bibia Nàtsät Ku: A Movement to Reclaim Yukon First Nations Midwifery and Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (Yukon)
Amount: $1,000,000
Led by Yukon First Nations, this initiative will establish a Ku (house) in Whitehorse offering Indigenous-led midwifery and Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (SRHC) services. Grounded in Elder knowledge and workforce development, it will reshape care delivery in the Yukon and beyond.
This project aims to create a culturally connected, Elder-guided care environment, rooted in traditional knowledge and Indigenous values, which will serve as a model for other regions across the North.
Learn more
Up to $500,000 Category (AIP)
Ajunngittutit (Nunavut)
Amount: $500,000
An Inuit-led alternative education program for neurodiverse and marginalized youth by Pirurqatigiit Resource Centre. It combines Inuktut revitalization, land-based learning, and hands-on skills to create inclusive environments that support neurodiverse youth in achieving their full potential.
Learn more
Baker Lake Community Diabetes Prevention and Nutrition Program (Nunavut)
Amount: $223,000
A community-based initiative to combat rising Type 2 diabetes through traditional Inuit practices, health education, and local empowerment. This project emphasizes the importance of community-driven solutions and culturally relevant approaches to addressing chronic health challenges.
Learn more
Kitikmeot Community Elder Training Program (Nunavut)
Amount: $500,000
Supports the next generation of Elders in Inuinnait communities through mentorship, cultural education, and leadership rooted in traditional values. This program aims to build leadership skills in younger generations, preserving Inuit knowledge and traditions.
Learn more
Reviving Inuit Cultural and Traditional Values (Nunavik)
Amount: $425,000
Led by the Qimutjuit Men's Association, this project brings youth and Elders together through harvesting camps to address food insecurity and strengthen cultural practices. The program focuses on reviving traditional skills, promoting food sovereignty, and fostering intergenerational relationships.
Learn more
Cheko – Youth Empowerment Project (Northwest Territories)
Amount: $500,000
Based in Yellowknife, Cheko provides Indigenous youth with land-based learning, mentorship, and entrepreneurship skills to build careers and self-determined futures. The project's goal is to empower young people with the tools they need to thrive in both their cultural and professional lives.
Learn more
Youth Category (up to $100,000 each)
Traditional Sewing and Beading Program (Nunavut)
Amount: $90,000
Youth-led workshops guided by Elders to teach traditional skills and pass on ancestral knowledge while building connection and creativity. These workshops promote cultural pride and provide youth with important life skills while nurturing artistic expression.
Learn more
Uniaraqtuq: A Youth Dog Sledding Club in the Beaufort Delta (Inuvialuit Settlement Region)
Amount: $100,000
Combines Inuvialuktun and Gwich'in language learning, wellness, and culture through dog sledding. A documentary will follow the club's journey, providing an opportunity to share the rich cultural history and language of the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in communities with broader audiences.
Learn more
Dehcho Youth Energy Action Council (DYEAC) – Empowering Future Leaders in Clean Energy (Northwest Territories)
Amount: $100,000
Trains youth in clean energy leadership by integrating Dene knowledge and technical skills to advance culturally aligned climate solutions. The project focuses on creating sustainable energy solutions while empowering youth to lead the way in addressing climate change.
Learn more
Empowering Northern Voices: A Youth Gathering for Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut (Pan-Northern)
Amount: $100,000
A pan-territorial youth gathering focused on advocacy, leadership, and community-based solutions on mental health, education, and the environment. This gathering aims to amplify youth voices across the North and equip them with the tools they need to advocate for their communities.
Learn more
The Northern Laughter Movement (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Amount: $100,000
A wellness and leadership program that uses humour and storytelling to build confidence, connection, and healing among Northern youth. This initiative harnesses the power of laughter and community to promote mental health and resilience.
Learn more
Wisdom from the Watershed (Inuvialuit Settlement Region)
Amount: $100,000
A documentary project following young Gwich'in hunters in the Peel Watershed to document climate change through intergenerational learning and land-based stories. The project seeks to capture the ongoing impact of climate change on traditional hunting practices while preserving cultural heritage.
Learn more
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