Friendship Centres have been improving the lives of urban Indigenous people across Canada for more than half a century.
1950-1960
In Ontario, the first centres opened in the late 1950s and early 60s, when Indigenous community members began to see a need to gather together and provide social supports for their neighbours who’d migrated to cities and towns.
1950-1960
The first six centres to open in Ontario are warmly referred to as “the Original Six.”
They are: Kenora, Thunder Bay, Toronto, London, Parry Sound and Red Lake.
1971
In 1971, members of the Friendship Centre movement saw a need to advocate for centres collectively and founded the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres.
2020
Today, the OFIFC supports 29 Friendship Centres across the province.
Each Friendship Centre provides vital social services, including: family care planning, employment counselling, housing, health programs and much more.
“If you took 50 and multiplied it by hundreds of thousands, I don’t think that would even come close to the amount of Indigenous people who’ve been positively affected by Friendship Centres.”
– Tammy Bobyk of the Ontario Native Women’s Association speaking at the OFIFC’s 50th Annual General Meeting (2019)
