Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 17/05) - Next week, city council will enter a national competition for cultural funding from the federal government worth up to $500,000.

Launched by the Department of Canadian Heritage in 2002, the Cultural Capitals of Canada Awards are open to all municipalities, including Metis, Inuit and First Nations governments.

Mayor Gordon Van Tighem learned of the funding during the meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Ottawa earlier this month. There, federal Minister of State John Godfrey announced that the grant will swell to $4.25 million for 2006 from 2$ million offered now.

Yellowknife's application will pursue funding for an interpretive project that will explore the history of this area and its people, Van Tighem said. The proposal may involve an extension of the integrated trail and parks system from Fault Lake to the Yellowknife River.

The city is treating the competition as a significant opportunity, said Van Tighem.

"Most of the grants that are done through Heritage Canada locally, that I'm aware of, have been under $100,00 and some of them were quite tiny," he said.

Yellowknife is eligible for one of two prizes presented to communities with populations under 50,000.

Ottawa will spend $3 for every $1 invested in a project by the successful community up to the amount of the award.

The contest recognizes communities with a history of organizing and nurturing artistic, cultural and heritage activities.

This year, Toronto, Victoria, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec, and the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan won the awards.

The deadline for 2006 is June 30 and the deadline for the 2007 competition is Nov. 30.