Indigenous Affairs policy blocks funding for indigenous student residence in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Superior Morning3:05Sachigo Lake Walkers

A group of young people from Sachigo Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario walked 100 km/h to honour First Nation students who died in Thunder Bay.

The deputy director of the education branch of Indigenous Affairssays the department cannot fund a residence for First Nations students attending high school in Thunder Bay, Ont.

On Wednesday,Jonathan Allen told an inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations students in the city that it is against government policy for Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development Canada to invest in buildings off-reserve.

A proposedstudent living centrewouldprovide "a safe, home-away-from-home environmentfor students from northern communities traveling to Thunder Bay to receive their highschool education," according to the Nishnawbe Aski Nation

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"Funding is primarily intended for on-reserve to the benefit of the collective community," Allen said in explaining why there is no federal money for the project.

His testimony came as First Nations students crowded into the courtroom where the inquest is being held.

Latoya Pemmican said the deaths of students from her high school has lingering emotional impact. Six students from Dennis Franklin CromartyFirst Nations high school died between 2000 and 2011.

'Murder Bay'

"When you hear that a student has died, it's hard," Pemmican said. "Like that could have easily been you and it's scary.

"Before I came out [to the city] for school, my friends would ask me, 'why are you going to Murder Bay?'" she added.

Pemmican and her classmates joined five youngpeople who walked about 1,000 kilometres on the winter road fromSachigoLake First Nation to Thunder Bay to raise money for a proposed First Nations student residence.

Darlene Barkman, one of the walkers, saidit's not clear how much money was raised butall the efforts are so that more First Nations teens canattend high school and be safe.

"Knowing that future students will get the opportunity to go, that's good enoughfor me," saidDarlene Barkman, a2011 graduate of Dennis Franklin Cromartyschool.

Allen told the inquestthere are "multiple service options" for First Nations teens living in remote communities who don't feel safe or are unable to secure a boarding home to attend high school in Thunder Bay or Sioux Lookout.

Several other witnesses have saidthe only other options are an internet-based high school or classes delivered over the radio to First Nations students living at home.

with files from Nick Sherman and Martine Laberge

Watch live streamingvideo from the First Nation student deaths inquest here.

Follow CBC Thunder Bay reporter Jody Porteras she tweets from the inquest.