Latest news

The First Peoples Innovation Centre (FPIC) is recruiting!

We are looking for committed individuals to join our Board of Directors and help guide our mission.

Why get involved?
Support education opportunities for First Peoples, help advance reconciliation, and contribute your experience to an organization focused on innovation, community impact, and sustainable growth.

As a board member, you will contribute to:
• Strategic direction and key decision-making
• Oversight of budgets and financial statements
• Long-term sustainability and organizational growth

We welcome applications from Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals.
A strong understanding of Indigenous realities is essential for this role.

📅 5–6 meetings per year
📍 Gatineau, QC (hybrid possible)
🗓 Start date: June–July 2026
💼 Volunteer (unpaid position)

👉 Interested?
Send your CV and a short cover letter to: directiongenerale@cipp-fpic.com

 

 

CIPP–Hydro-Québec: Indigenous Student Perseverance Through Technology

Through a partnership with Hydro-Québec, the First Peoples Innovation Centre (FPIC) offers immersive workshops in robotics and drones for high school students from several communities, including Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam, Lac-Simon, and Pessamit.

Using a hands-on, experiential approach, participants develop skills in innovation and technology while exploring potential career paths in these fields. Supported by experts from FPIC and Hydro-Québec, students take part in an engaging and inspiring experience that encourages school perseverance.

 

 

Onaki FabLab – Paid Training Program

The First Peoples Innovation Centre (FPIC) is proud to launch a new cohort of the Onaki FabLab, a hands-on program combining digital technologies with traditional knowledge.

📅 From April 20th to October 2nd
📍 Gatineau

📲 Register: via the form (QR code)
📧 fablab@cipp-fpic.com
📞 (819) 685-2424

 

Join a space where culture meets technology and ideas become real projects.

Nomad FabLab – Listuguj

The First Peoples Innovation Centre (FPIC), in collaboration with the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Development Centre, is proud to launch the Nomad FabLab in Listuguj, an immersive program that brings together culture, technology, and creativity.

From April 13th to June 19th, 2026, participants will explore and learn digital fabrication tools such as laser engraving, 3D printing, digital milling, and much more. This program is designed to build practical skills while fostering cultural identity and innovation.

This program offers a unique opportunity to turn ideas into real projects while gaining valuable skills in digital technologies and creative industries.

👉 To register or learn more:
Myrna Isaac
📧 MyIsaac@lete.listuguj.ca
📞 418-788-1347

The First Peoples Innovation Centre welcomes its Executive Director, Jacques Dalton.

Jacques Dalton is Métis from Northern Alberta, with roots in the historic communities of Lac Ste. Anne and the Red River, as well as the L’Hirondelle and Cunningham families, among others. He is a husband, the father of three adult children and a grandfather, and has lived in Ottawa since 2007. He brings extensive experience to his work with the First Peoples Innovation Centre, guided by a deep commitment to advancing Indigenous reconciliation, education, and culture. His career spans educational and non-profit sectors, including teaching roles at the American University in Cairo and other institutions, as well as serving as Dean of Students at a private college. Jacques has worked with youth-focused organizations in Canada and abroad, supporting initiatives such as an International Youth Centre in Cairo, programs for street‑involved youth in Canada and Mexico, and youth summer camps. He later transitioned to the public service, dedicating 14 years to Indigenous Health Research. Jacques has contributed to Indigenous Reconciliation initiatives with Indigenous partners and served as a Director within the Reconciliation Secretariat at Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.

Guide Onaki FabLab

To learn more about the mission, pedagogical approach, and impact of the Onaki FabLab, we are pleased to provide a comprehensive document outlining the program, its training pillars, its holistic learning vision, and the results achieved with participating youth. This guide highlights, through text and visuals, how the Centre d’Innovation des Premiers Peuples supports Indigenous youth in developing their digital, cultural, and professional skills. You can access the full PDF document by clicking the link below.

Link to the pdf

Nomad FabLab – Pessamit

January 19 → March 27, 2026

The First Peoples Innovation Centre, in collaboration with the Innu Council of Pessamit, offers a hands-on program blending culture and digital technologies: laser engraving, 3D printing, digital milling, and more.

Register / Info

Contact: Kathy Moreau-Lacasse
Email: kmoreaulacasse@gmail.com
Phone: 438-345-3876

With financial support from the Gouvernement du Québec.

🧡 Every Child Matters

Join us on September 30, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at 85B Promenade du Portage in Gatineau, for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

This day is a time to honour the survivors of residential schools, reaffirm our commitment to reconciliation, and remember that every child has the right to dignity, respect, and a future.

Program highlights:
✔️ Orange shirt creation workshop
✔️ Testimonies and speeches
✔️ Community meal and walk to Parliament Hill
✔️ Commemorative ceremony

Together, let’s honour memory, celebrate resilience, and build a better future.

The FabLab Nomade is coming to Lac Simon!

Are you between 16 and 30 years old and curious about cool machines like laser engravers, 3D printers, or CNC routers?
Great news: the FabLab Nomade will be in Lac Simon from October 6 to December 12, 2025!

👨‍🏫 10 weeks of paid training, Monday to Friday.
You’ll get hands-on experience with cutting-edge tech while exploring your creativity and connecting with your culture.

📩 Want to sign up? Contact Denis Wabanonik:
📧 Denis.wabanonik@lacsimon.ca

📌 Full details below 👇
Don’t miss your chance to learn, create, and innovate right in your community!

#FabLabNomadeLacSimon