The PSAC Social Justice Fund (SJF) provides critical relief to communities facing the devastation of wildfires, helping them recover and rebuild through local partnerships. When fires sweep through, families are displaced, jobs disappear overnight, and daily life is thrown into turmoil.  

In 2025, the SJF provided more than $100,000 in support to communities across Canada, ensuring vital resources reached those most impacted. Working with local partners, the fund helped address food insecurity, covered evacuation and shelter costs, and delivered trauma-informed care to families navigating sudden loss and displacement. 

Confronting Inequities in Indigenous Communities 

 While First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples represent only 5% of Canada’s population, their communities account for 42% of wildfire evacuations and face disproportionate impacts. Limited resources, the erosion of traditional fire mitigation practices, and generations of external decision-making often hinder response efforts. Evacuations often happen without consultation, compounding historical trauma and making recovery even more challenging. 

 Through community partnerships, the SJF helps address inequities in wildfire response and support. During wildfire disasters, Friendship Centres become lifelines, opening their doors to provide culturally safe shelter, warm meals, food hampers, and access to mental health supports rooted in Indigenous traditions. Across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, solidarity funds empowered these organizations to welcome evacuees, offer comfort, and restore a sense of belonging during times of crisis.  

Local Partnerships Making a Lasting Difference  

 In Saskatchewan, more than 34 communities were evacuated in 2025, the highest number on record. Friendship Centre volunteers organized emergency childcare, transportation, and culturally safe mental health supports, transforming community spaces into emergency shelters. Families found not only a place to sleep, but also strength and connection through stories they shared.  

Further north, the SJF matched contributions from the Union of Northern Workers, to support the United Way Northwest Territories Wildfire Emergency Response Fund. This effort supported communities including Wha Ti, Jean Marie River, and Fort Providence, allowing local leaders to respond to urgent needs on their own terms.  

SJF also supported the Canadian Red Cross to assist relief efforts in Cree and Metis Nations across the Prairies, and to support communities affected by wildfires in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

As the fires raged and the smoke lifted, Friendship Centres staff, volunteers, and local partners stood as pillars of hope, offering food, shelter, and compassionate care. Yet with rising costs and strained resources, centres continue to need support for essentials, from infant care kits to long-term housing for displaced families. 

Our impact extends far beyond providing supplies. It lies in the solidarity we build by showing up, sharing burdens, and standing together through disaster. Rebuilding will take time, but through collective action and community-driven support, every family can find a path home and a place to belong.