History

The Centre d’amitié autochtone du Saguenay (CAAS) held its founding general assembly on February 18, 2010. Over 40 people were present in order to support the implementation of a Native Friendship Centre in the Saguenay Region. This project is the result of almost three years of work by committed Aboriginal and non Aboriginal citizens from the community, the school and the health community, aware of the needs of Aboriginal citizens and anxious to meet those needs.

For over a year, the First Nations support committee worked at mobilizing partners, developing an action plan, meeting four Aboriginal communities, raising awareness of school management, organizing social activities and consulting Aboriginal citizens on their needs in order to draw a portrait of the Aboriginal community in Saguenay.

This process then led the committee to contacting the Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones (RCAAQ) in 2008 in order to support the project aiming to implement a Native Friendship Centre in Saguenay in order to provide a gathering place and culturally-relevant services to the Aboriginal community in Saguenay. The First Nations support committee was therefore dissolved and it was replaced by the Native Friendship Centre in Saguenay temporary committee. This temporary committee, with the help of the RCAAQ, is now an official Board of Directors comprised of five Aboriginal members.

SERVICES OFFERED

The Centre d’amitié autochtone du Saguenay is in its start-up phase. The centre wishes to locate itself permanently and thus offer a gathering place for Aboriginal citizens. For the last year now, the centre has been offering early childhood services and organizing social activities on a regular basis.

Clientele

Photo credit : CAAS

Based on Statistics Canada 2006 census data, over 2,215 Aboriginals live in the city of Saguenay, on a total population of 140,089 people. And that is without counting those in transit, those who come to get services, healthcare, those who carry on studies and those who work there. The needs of Aboriginals in the Region are therefore important.

Indeed, Saguenay is a crossroad for the Innu and the Atikamekw, particularly for the communities of Mashteuiatsh, Wemotaci, Opitciwan and Pessamit.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Centre d’amitié autochtone
du Saguenay

Mrs Shantala Langevin, Coordinnator
520, rue Ste-Anne
Chicoutimi (Québec)
G7J 2N5

Telephone : (418) 973-3424
Email : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it