COVID INFORMATION & SUPPORT

 

The Georgina Island Storytelling Project

Our stories celebrate our heritage and identity as Chippewa people. They preserve and teach our Indigenous ways of knowing and knowledge for the future generations of Georgina Island. In the tradition of oral history over generations, our youth - in their turn - will carry on this legacy to protect and share our proud history and who we are as the Chippewas of Georgina Island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please find Hugh “Buzzy” Big Canoe Youth Entrepreneurship Program poster and Hugh “Buzzy” Big Canoe Youth Entrepreneurship Program Application Form here

 

Program Objective:
To continue with the spirit of Hugh Big Canoe’s dedication to assist Youth understand and enter into business and to provide an assistive mechanism for the purposes of starting a new business or expand an existing business for Youth between the ages of 15 – 29 on an annual basis.

Criteria:
• Individual must be nominated from someone who is from the OTC First Nation membership;
• Individual nominated must be between the ages of 15-29;
• Application must be accompanied by a Letter of Support stating how the nominee demonstrates qualities of a role model such as leadership, the ability to communicate, dedication and perseverance;
• The business must be operated, at a minimum , between April and September;
• Nominee must have demonstrated role model qualities;
• Nominee must be willing to attend the OTC AGM; and
• Nominee may be requested to consider being a part of a role model program for other OTC First Nation Youth.

Timeline of Program:
• Call for Nominations will be announced to the communities the last day in February each year.
• Nominations and applications are due the last day March.
• Selection of a candidate will occur April.
• The successful nominee will receive funding in May.
• The business will be operated over the summer months with a final report/presentation to be provided at the OTC AGM.

Selection Process:
The Panel will review the outline of the business, a budget that includes operating costs and how the funds will be used, and the nomination letter.
Financial Assistance:
Funds distributed to a maximum of $2,500.00
Funds can be used to offset costs of running and operating a business other than direct payment to the selected participant in lieu of wages. Specific area of interest include service costs such as bookkeeping, development of a business/marketing plan, marketing costs and capital purchases.

Ogemawahj Tribal Training and Employment Resources(OTTER)

Notice to GIFN members: The Aazhaawe (ferry) is up and running! Welcome Spring!

We will be monitoring the winds however are happy  that we have an open channel to get members across safely. It will run the same schedule as last fall with the last run to be 7pm from Virginia each night until further notice.

We continue to urge membership to only travel for essential needs.

 

December 15, 2020

Notice to Georgina Island Leaseholders

Georgina Island Entering Lockdown December 21, 2020 for Minimum 30 Days

Ferry boat restricted to GIFN members and GIFN staff only

As of Monday December 14, 2020, York Region has joined Toronto and Peel in the Grey – Lockdown Zone. This is due to continued high number of COVID cases, continued community spread and inability to trace the source of infections, a high proportion of positive tests, and increasing pressures on hospitals in the region. Although Health Canada approval of a COVID vaccine is a positive step, people must continue to implement social distancing and other virus prevention strategies to prevent spread of COVID-19.

Under the Grey Lockdown Zone, it is illegal to gather indoors with anyone you do not live with. You must limit contact to your household (the people you live with) and stay at least 2 metres apart from everyone else. Do not visit any other household or allow visitors in your home. Only go out for essential reasons, such as work, school, groceries, pharmacy, health care, helping vulnerable people, and outdoor exercise. People are asked to work remotely, where possible. Non-essential businesses must be closed, except for curb side pick-up and delivery.[1]

Chief and Council are announcing that Georgina Island will be in lockdown as of Monday, December 21st, 2020 and the ferry boat will be restricted to GIFN members and GIFN staff only until further notice.  Transportation staff will continue to inspect vehicles and walk-on passengers prior to loading onto the ferry. The Band Office is currently closed to the public, and will be closed to staff as of December 16, 2020.

As was previously communicated, Chief and Council would like to strongly discourage leaseholders from visiting or staying in their cottages on Georgina Island for the winter. Everyone is being asked to stay home, limit contact with others, and only go out for essential reasons.

Chief and Council will continue to monitor the situation together with our Emergency Task Force and will implement additional measures as required. The lockdown will be reviewed after 30 days (January 21).

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping to keep our community safe from the virus.

Sincerely,

Chief Donna BigCanoe

 

Notice to Visitors

The Band Office is closed to the public

Please call 705-437-1337 for permission to enter the building

Face Masks are Required.

DO NOT enter if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Fever

Cough

Difficulty breathing

Thank you for helping to keep our community safe!

This project involves implanting lake trout (up to 50 this fall) with internal acoustic transmitters
and releasing them back into the lake.

Your participation in this project is greatly appreciated. We hope that you are as interested as we are to learn more about the movement, habitat usage and behaviour of lake trout in Lake Simcoe. Happy angling!

Please click on the links for more information…

 Project Information

Lake Simcoe Acoustic Telemetry Tagging Project : Letter to Chief Donna Big Canoe and Council

Please click on link below for more information from Chief Donna Big Canoe, Chippewas of Georgina Island

 

Wintering on Georgina Island Strongly Discouraged During Pandemic

The Chippewas of Georgina Island would like to thank the United Way of Greater Toronto and the Government of Canada for their COVID-19 on reserve relief support.

 

Please refer to the Environment tab on the website for more information

find a link below with the current 2020 Hours

2020 Landfill Hours

Please find recently posted training opportunities below and check out the Human Resources tab for more information and job opportunities

Ferry Boat and Life Aboard a Ship

Canada Steamship Lines (CSL)

Tuesday August 18, 2020 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
This workshop will be conducted by the privately-owned Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) and will provide participants with information regarding employment opportunities.  Topics will include work life aboard a ship,  Officer and Unlicensed employment opportunities with CSL, Education and Training requirements and recruitment processes as well as Q & A opportunities.

Interested citizens can access information and register directly for this workshop at:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/csl-marine-industry-awareness-session-tickets-113913925618

 

Security Guard Training

Please find attached a poster for a free training opportunity for Community Members. This training will help prepare participants for the Ontario Security Guard License test. The training will be offered in August at the Marina and free for all participants. Please let me know by July 31, 2020 at 4:00PM if you are interested. The training will be available on a first come, first serve basis and there is very limited availability.

 

A Career in Trades

Pre Apprenticeship OMTC – August 2020 posted July 2020

Attention: Members & Leaseholders of CGIFN

The Aazhaawe Ferry is back in operation on full schedule.

Be advised that you are not to exit your vehicle while on board the ferry

Punch cards are required to travel on the ferry and can be purchased at the Virginia Beach Gas Station, they currently close at 8pm

Leaseholders are permitted to the island,  guests or family that does not reside in your household ( up to 10 persons) allowed but must ride in your vehicle. Two vehicles per cottage lease.

No visitors or day trippers allowed on the island at this time until further notice

 

The Water Taxi will be running trips for essential trips from Monday to Friday for Band Members, Spouses of Band Members and Staff of Georgina Island First Nation

 

The Water Taxi will not be running trips on Saturday or Sunday unless it is an emergency.

The Water Taxi captain has the discretion to take as many people at a time as they choose but can not exceed 4 passengers at a time.

 

Water Taxi Schedule

 

Island                                                             Virginia

7:00am                                                                      7:30am

9:00am                                                                      9:30am

11:00am                                                                   11:30am

1:00pm                                                                      1:30pm

3:00pm                                                                      3:30pm

5:00pm                                                                      5:30pm

7:00pm                                                                      7:30pm

 

*There will be no taxi on Saturday and Sunday

*The Water Taxi captain has the discretion to take as many people at a time as they choose but can not exceed 4 passengers at a time.