Investing in Indigenous community infrastructure

Choose a topic

• Background
• Water and wastewater
• Housing
• School facilities
• Health
• Energy systems
• Connectivity
• Fire protection
• Roads and bridges
• Structural mitigation
• Culture and recreation
• Band administrative buildings
• Other community initiatives
• Solid waste management
• Transfer of service delivery
• Urban infrastructure

Background

There is a significant infrastructure gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in Canada. Infrastructure investments are a key element of the government's commitment to foster the growth of safe, healthy, and prosperous Indigenous communities and support Indigenous economic participation.

Since April 2016 and as of March 31, 2024, $12.31 billion of targeted funds has been invested toward 11,037 projects that will benefit Indigenous communities.

Water and wastewater

Working in partnership with First Nations communities to improve on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure and expand access to clean drinking water is a priority for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).

To learn more about the progress made on the Government of Canada's commitment to end long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserves, visit Ending long-term drinking water advisories in First Nations communities.

Housing

To address on-reserve housing needs, ISC works in partnership with the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation to support housing projects in First Nations communities including new builds, retrofits and renovations.

School facilities

Investments in school facilities in First Nations communities create quality, safe and healthy learning environments that provide positive educational outcomes for students living on reserves.

Health

Safe health facilities are essential to providing effective, sustainable and culturally appropriate health programs and services.

Energy systems

ISC is working in partnership with First Nations to transition communities from fossil fuel to clean, reliable and affordable energy systems. Investments include alternative energy projects such as solar, hydroelectric, and wind.

The department also supports communities to improve and optimize existing energy systems through upgrades and energy efficiency projects.

Connectivity

The Government of Canada is committed to helping First Nations communities bridge the digital divide by working with partners to provide access to high-speed internet that meets or exceeds the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)'s universal service objective.

Fire protection

Fire protection is an essential service that can mean the difference between life and death. The Government of Canada is committed to working with First Nations and provincial, territorial and municipal partners to address fire protection on reserves.

Roads and bridges

ISC is collaborating with First Nations and other stakeholders to build, repair, upgrade and maintain roads and bridges. These projects create lasting and positive outcomes that reach beyond the roads and allow communities to benefit from further infrastructure projects.

Structural mitigation

ISC is working with First Nations to increase the resilience of communities at high risk of impacts associated with climate-related hazards.

Structural mitigation projects include:

• dikes
• seawalls
• natural infrastructure
• fire breaks
• erosion-control measures

Culture and recreation

In First Nations communities, culture and recreation infrastructure can provide an important focal point for community activities.

Cultural and recreational facilities include:

• cultural centres
• pow-wow grounds
• youth and senior centres
• playgrounds
• sports fields and arenas

Band administrative buildings

Band administrative buildings are often flagship infrastructure where governance, administration and service delivery activities are conducted. ISC is supporting First Nations in addressing long-standing needs related to band administrative buildings on reserves, including band offices, band council and administrative buildings.

The band administrative buildings category was added in late 2021 to record projects under this heading going forward. These projects were historically recorded under other infrastructure categories.

Other community initiatives

ISC is investing in First Nations community initiatives to support community development and growth. This support includes investments in comprehensive community planning and skills development projects that will enable long-term, sustainable First Nations community development.

Other community initiatives include projects such as:

• community, land use and infrastructure planning
• capacity building
• ventilation condition reporting and upgrades

Solid waste management

Infrastructure to manage solid waste is critical to protecting the environment and human health, while also enhancing economic opportunities available to communities.

ISC is working to support First Nations with investments in solid waste management including:

• constructing or upgrading waste infrastructure
• waste management planning and programming
• disposing of solid waste
• improvements to waste management capacity
• decommissioning existing solid waste sites

Transfer of service delivery

The transfer of service delivery supports Indigenous communities and organizations in independently delivering services by building capacity and readiness, thereby promoting self-determination.

Urban infrastructure

ISC investments in urban Indigenous infrastructure are allocated to and managed by urban and rural Indigenous service delivery organizations. Funding is used to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis living in or transitioning to urban centres by helping to ensure safe and accessible facilities.

The following organizations manage urban infrastructure projects supported by ISC investments:

• National Association of Friendship Centres
• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres
• Métis Nation
• Manitoba Métis Federation
• Inuit organizations
• other not-for-profit urban and rural Indigenous service organizations

Investments in urban infrastructure aim to ensure safe and accessible spaces for program and service delivery by supporting capital projects that focus on essential health and safety, accessibility and energy efficiency.