- Date
- Friday, November 22, 2024
- Tagged under
Four organizations awarded 2024-25 MEC Avalanche Safety Grant
Members of K8 Mountaineering on last year's AST 1 courtesy of the MEC Avalanache Safety Grant.
Avalanche Canada is happy to announce four recipients of the MEC Avalanche Safety Grant, which provides funding for an Avalanche Skills Traininng 1 course to organizations serving marginalized communities. The recipients exemplify the values needed to support diversity and foster a culture of safety in avalanche terrain.
“The MEC Avalanche Safety Grant helps support groups who face disproportionate barriers in accessing winter backcountry pursuits,” explains Gilles Valade, Executive Director of Avalanche Canada. “We are very impressed with the work being done by these four organizations and are grateful to partner with MEC to provide them with a course from the Avalanche Canada Training program.”
This year’s grant recipients are:
Indigenous Backcountry Skills Training
Indigenous Backcountry Skills Training is committed to empowering Indigenous riders with the knowledge and skills to safely navigate avalanche terrain. Through a mix of cultural teachings and modern avalanche safety training, they’re creating pathways for more Indigenous people to connect with and explore the backcountry.
The Lil'wat Nation’s Xet̓ólacw Community School is advancing avalanche education among its youth and community members. By blending traditional knowledge with modern avalanche safety, they’re fostering a deeper connection to their land while prioritizing safety in mountainous environments. They’re practicing nt’akmen (our way) and providing their students the opportunity to learn on the land.
Open Mountains provides avalanche education to people in the 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, prioritizing people with multiple intersecting marginalized identities. Open Mountains is making the backcountry more inclusive by focusing on equipping participants with the knowledge and confidence to enjoy winter sports safely, and breaking down barriers to access in the process.
Kootenay Wild Mentors facilitates one-on-one backcountry mentorships in activities like hiking, climbing, skiing, and splitboarding for marginalized genders, including women, women-identifying individuals, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people. They aim to reduce barriers to backcountry participation by pairing mentors and mentees to enhance skills, build confidence, and foster an inclusive outdoor community.
The MEC Avalanche Safety Grant is an integral part of Avalanche Canada’s commitment to making the backcountry safer for everyone. This year’s recipients are not only educating their communities but also creating opportunities for underrepresented groups to engage with avalanche terrain safely and confidently. Thanks to MEC's generous support, each organization can organize an AST 1 course with the provider of their choice for up to eight of their members.
We’re proud to partner with MEC to support these inspiring projects. As we head into another winter season, these initiatives remind us of the power of education to save lives and transform experiences in the mountains.
