The Northwestern Ontario Métis Community (NWOMC) is made up of four chartered community councils: the Atikokan Métis Council, Kenora Métis Council, Northwest Métis Council, and Sunset Country Métis Council.

These councils are part of the Métis Nation of Ontario. Within the MNO’s governance structure, the councils represent Métis citizens at the local level.

Community Councils serve NWOMC citizens by providing support and guidance, promoting Métis interests, and encouraging pride in Métis culture and identity.

Each community council’s mandate to govern is granted by a Community Charter Agreement. Charter Agreements lay out the rules and regulations to which a community council must adhere. Councils also abide by a Community Code, which includes a statement of purpose and defines each council’s roles and responsibilities. Each community council consists of a president, chair, secretary, treasurer, and senator, as well as councillors, a women’s representative, and a youth representative. These are elected positions, and all positions are volunteer-based.

The councils are part of a wider regional community that works together to protect and advance Métis rights and interests. Representatives from each council sit on the Regional Consultation Committee (RCC) alongside the Regional Councillor for NWOMC and the regional Captain of the Hunt. The RCC is a decision-making body that represents the NWOMC in consultation matters. Its purpose is to protect Métis rights, land use, harvesting practices, traditional knowledge, sacred places, and special relationship to the land of Métis within the Treaty #3, the Lake of the Woods/Lac Seul and Rainy Lake/Rainy River traditional territories.