First Nations Forward
All reporting produced as part of the project is free to the public and is not behind National Observer's paywall.
Indigenous nations plan customs-free trade corridor across Canada-US border
A First Nation in Saskatchewan is reviving centuries-old trade routes by developing an Indigenous-led corridor that could soon see trucks carrying food, furniture and critical minerals south of the border along ancestral pathways — free from taxes or tariffs.
Summer program trains young people to tackle water crises
Across the country, First Nations youth are stepping up as the next generation of water protectors amid Canada’s ongoing drinking water advisories.
Following hard-won sea otter recovery, First Nations call for a new hunt
Sea otters nearly vanished from BC’s coast 50 years ago but have made a remarkable comeback. Their return, however, threatens shellfish vital to Indigenous communities, who now seek to revive traditional hunting to protect their way of life.
Yukon community cuts diesel use by more than half
Beaver Creek’s White River First Nation leads the way with a solar breakthrough, slashing diesel use by over half and reclaiming energy independence through Indigenous-owned clean power.
BC First Nations are leading a waste revolution
B.C. First Nations are leading innovative recycling and zero-waste initiatives, reshaping local waste management and setting a model for sustainable practices across Canada.
'Here We Stand': River journey protests controversial bills
A 20-year-old university student from Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario is putting his summer on hold — and taking a 400-kilometre boat journey to protest against new provincial and federal bills he says threaten his people’s land, culture and way of life.
Buffalo harvest brings tradition and lunch to northern Saskatchewan schools
First Nations in northern British Columbia have secured a one-year pause on new mining claims across a vast stretch of their traditional territory, a move Indigenous leaders called “history-making” for Indigenous-led land management.
A year of protection: BC First Nations secure mining pause on ancestral lands
The buffalo harvest project, led by the Meadow Lake Tribal Council and its member First Nations, is changing how a generation thinks about food, tradition and self-sufficiency.

