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What is this project about?
Wake the Giant is a community-led initiative in Thunder Bay, Ontario, that aims to create a more inclusive and welcoming city for Indigenous youth from 24 remote First Nation communities. Many of these students come to Thunder Bay for high school and face challenges like racism and isolation. Wake the Giant addresses these issues by promoting cultural pride, building connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and offering opportunities for youth to gain skills and employment.
The project includes a large orientation event for over 300 students, Canada’s biggest of its kind, which ends with the Wake the Giant Music Festival, celebrating Indigenous culture through music, art, and community. The Decal Program encourages local businesses to show their support for inclusivity.
At its core, Wake the Giant is about unity, reconciliation, and creating real change by celebrating Indigenous youth and culture in a meaningful way.
Why is this project important to the community?
Wake the Giant is important to our community because it helps build a more inclusive, respectful, and united Thunder Bay while strengthening our connection with Northern First Nation communities. Every year, hundreds of Indigenous youth leave their remote home communities to attend high school in Thunder Bay, often far from family, culture, and community support. This transition can be incredibly difficult, especially when young people face racism, discrimination, and culture shock in the city.
Wake the Giant was created to respond to this reality. It helps make Thunder Bay a safer, more welcoming place by promoting awareness, education, and cultural pride. Through events like the student orientation, music festival, and Decal Program, it encourages local residents, businesses, and organizations to stand up for inclusivity and actively support Indigenous youth.
At the same time, Wake the Giant builds stronger ties with remote northern communities by showing that Thunder Bay is not just a place to study, but a place where young people can thrive, be celebrated, and feel like they belong. It brings together people from different cultures, age groups, and backgrounds to learn from each other and work toward reconciliation.
This kind of community effort not only helps Indigenous youth succeed, it also helps Thunder Bay grow into a more compassionate, connected, and forward-looking city that values all people. By strengthening relationships with northern communities and investing in young people, we build a better future for the entire region.
Target Completion Date
September 12, 2026
Location
315 Edward Street North
Thunder Bay
P7C4P3