Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) Verified listing

The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC) represents the collective interests of 29 Friendship Centres in cities and towns across the province.

Friendship Centres are places for community members and Indigenous people living in urban spaces to gather, connect with one another and receive culturally based services.

Friendship Centres improve the lives of urban Indigenous people by supporting self-determined activities which encourage equal access to, and participation in, Canadian society while respecting Indigenous cultural distinctiveness.

Urban Indigenous People in Ontario

The long history and the expertise of Friendship Centres in providing culture-based services has resulted in improved outcomes in Friendship Centre communities and has directly contributed to increased prosperity and well-being in Friendship Centre communities.  With 85.5% of Indigenous people in Ontario living in urban and rural areas, Friendship Centres have a wide-ranging impact across Ontario.  The OFIFC strives to increase the range and influence of the work of Friendship Centres through research, policy advocacy, training and program support.

Our Logo Story

When the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres was being developed in the late 1960’s, it was called the

Ontario Federation Indian Friendship Centres.  Along with the name came a logo representing three plains style tipis in a village format.  As the political landscape and cultural understandings increased and evolved so did our understanding of the colonial past of using the word Indian.  On October 25, 2013 the OFIFC passed a resolution to change to use the word Indigenous.  The OFIFC members further directed that we commission a new logo.  A logo that was more consistent with our geography and cultural foundations.  A request was made to various Indigenous designers and artists inviting them to submit their design.  The design was awarded to Guy Freeman, Cree Metis from Saskatchewan. The OFIFC worked with Mr. Freeman who was able to embody elements important to OFIFC.

In the logo people see:  a turtle to represent Turtle Island, an eagle feather, a traditional lodge and thirteen different markings on the turtle to represent the thirteen Grandmother Moon teachings.  Four integrated images represent our foundational traditional teachings.  Can you see them all?