An agreement was struck in Ottawa this week to build a First Nations healing centre in Whitehorse to help deal with substance use and homelessness issues in an Indigenous-focused environment.

Premier Ranj Pillai and Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) Grand Chief Peter Johnston, along with representatives from the federal government, signed a letter of intent to build the facility.

It would house up to six temporary shelter-type beds and 20 long-term beds.

During a Monday afternoon press conference from Ottawa, Johnston said it allows Yukon First Nations to provide care “to our own people, on behalf of our own people.”

Territorial and Indigenous leaders from the Yukon are in Ottawa this week for the Intergovernmental Forum, which gives First Nations leaders the opportunity to meet face-to-face with territorial and national political leaders.

Along with the construction of a First Nations healing centre, Pillai highlighted community safety and the implementation of First Nations final agreements as a few of the topics discussed so far.

“We discussed a number of important issues including community wellness, housing, and the substance use health emergency that we are facing in our communities,” Pillai said at the Monday press conference.

Community safety and the substance use health emergency are two intertwined issues that the Yukon government is working closely on with the CYFN.

It was announced this fall that as part of measures intended to deal with problems in the neighbourhood surrounding the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter that the CYFN would start a government-funded community patrol similar to the “Bear Clan Patrol” in Winnipeg.

This plan is to have outreach workers patrolling downtown Whitehorse to try to help address the underlying issues of people experiencing homelessness.

Johnston said they are now looking to start the program in the new year, as they are still waiting for a van to deliver the service.

Having this be an Indigenous-led initiative will hopefully help foster feelings of self-worth in the community, Johnston said.

“I think these are opportunities that will allow us to move ahead,” he said.

“The more that we see ourselves leading it for our people, regardless of the reality, the success will come with that.”

He said he hopes it gives people “a sense of security as well when they see their own people and reflection of themselves and the support that they’re receiving.”

The healing centre announced Monday would be another way for the CYFN to be able to extend services for Indigenous people struggling with addiction and homelessness.

“Not only immediate support for people that are in in crisis mode, but also a long-term perspective,” Johnston said.

This forum is on the 50th anniversary of the initial agreement between then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau and representatives of Yukon First Nations that laid the groundwork for today’s self-government agreements.

“It was the statement of grievances and proposed solutions to address the inequality that Yukon First Vations were facing,” Pillai said.

“The approach was accepted by the federal government and became the framework for the negotiation of Yukon’s modern treaties.”

Johnston said there is still work to be done to implement these agreements by fully funding the individual First Nations governments.

“I think one of the biggest pressing issues is just always the implementation of our agreements,” he said. “We’ve advocated for this ever since 1995, to be fully funded as governments.”

The federal ministers taking part in the Forum were Dan Vandal, minister of Northern Affairs, minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency; Gary Anandasangaree, minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; and Patty Hajdu, minister of Indigenous Services.