First Nations-led engagement on Income Assistance 2018 to 2020, national summary report

Cost of living

Engagement participants in all regions indicated that the basic income assistance rates are insufficient to cover expenses such as:

• food
• shelter
  • rent
  • utilities
• clothing
• personal items
• transportation

Participants said that income assistance rates should be determined by the needs of clients and their actual cost of living rather than being set by provincial or Yukon governments based on the needs and cost of living of individuals residing in more urbanized centers.

First Nation income assistance clients, administrators, and leadership observed that the program excludes expenses for many culturally and locally-relevant items, such as supplies for hunting or traditional harvesting activities, that could help clients become more self-sufficient.

Engagement participants explained that the cost of living on reserve is impacted by factors such as:

• the local economic context
• remoteness
  • for example, the lack of road access to some First Nation communities
• limited available resources
• the cost of essentials such as
  • food
  • fuel
  • clothing
  • personal items

Participants also noted that the transportation costs of accessing resources are distinct from those in off-reserve and urban communities.

Some participants mentioned their perception that income assistance rates had not kept pace with increases in the cost of living. Some income assistance clients explained that to make ends meet they take on debt, cancel services or leave bills unpaid.

While not a direct measure of cost of living per se, the eight major components in the basket of goods and services used by Statistics Canada in calculating the Consumer Price Index can be a useful measure when thinking about the cost of living.

Consumer Price Index – the basket

• Food
• Shelter
• Household operations, furnishings and equipment
• Clothing and footwear
• Transportation
• Health and personal care
• Recreation, education and reading
• Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and recreational cannabis

Some administrators mentioned that capped budgets and expenditures for special needs results in an inability to cover the essential needs (essential needs includes both basic and special needs) of clients and their families. Families may go without support in some cases.

Another issue is that the amount that can be authorized for purchasing items such as furniture is insufficient; this is particularly challenging for individuals living in isolated and remote communities who have to pay high delivery fees.

Some participants said that they had insufficient funds to cover the cost of clothing for themselves and their children. They specifically mentioned the seasonal burdens of buying new school clothes in September and winter clothes for their children.

Moreover, income assistance rates do not cover the full cost of funerals or the transportation cost for income assistance clients to attend family funerals. Families may therefore be unable to afford proper burials or communities may have to assume the cost.

Food security

Participants indicated that income assistance rates are insufficient to cover the true cost of food, especially in remote or isolated communities where there are fewer options for purchasing food. Communities such as these are reliant on a small number of retailers, sometimes a single store, that may operate as near monopolies, and which sell groceries at very high prices.

Food security is defined as the "assurance that all people at all times have both the physical and economic access to the food they need for an active, healthy life. The food itself is safe, nutritionally adequate, culturally appropriate and is obtained in a way that upholds basic human dignity.

Paying for Nutrition: A Report on Food Costing in the North

Consequently, many residents of First Nation communities travel to distant urban centres to shop or access medical services; however, given the limited transportation options, those who do not have access to vehicles must often hire a driver at additional, sometimes significant cost, thereby further reducing their living allowance.

Some participants also explained that services such as food banks that help ease the burden of food insecurity in other municipalities are not available in First Nation communities. Food banks and similar services are not federally funded and there are no non-governmental organizations offering these types of services in the communities. This is discussed further in the section on ancillary services.

Shelter allowance and housing

Participants in every region considered housing-related issues to be significant barriers to well-being and self-sufficiency. They explained that overcrowding in homes often leads to the need for more frequent repairs and maintenance. However, income assistance shelter rates were said to be inadequate to cover those costs.

Some participants described overcrowding and other housing-related issues as negatively impacting health and well-being.

Many clients indicated that income assistance allowances do not cover the full costs of utilities, including firewood.

Participants explained that local context can lead to additional expenses (for example, chainsaws and fuel) to meet shelter needs.

Traditional activities

Some participants said that they cannot afford to participate in traditional or cultural activities such as hunting, fishing, and trapping that might help increase their self-sufficiency.

They explained that their ability to participate in such type of activities is limited because of program restrictions on allowable assets such as snowmobiles.

Dependents

Some participants said that they could not afford the full cost of caring for their children, even when receiving additional benefits through other federal and provincial programs (for example, Canada Child Benefit).

They explained that assistance rates for children and newborns are inadequate to cover the costs of items for infants and children. For example, participants noted that the newborn assistance rate decreases after the first child is born; however, many items (for example, child car seats) must be repurchased whenever additional children are born into the family.

"if you look at the comparison, and you're in foster care allowance and what they are allowed for Temporary Care, oh, [...] it's not just a little, it's a really huge gap. And to say that they are providing for children that's not their relatives so they get more money for them, it's not right. [...] They still need the same things as this child that's going into foster care. They still need the same food, clothing, transportation, all that stuff."

The discrepancy between the allowable rate for children under income assistance as compared to the higher allowance provided to foster parents or guardians through child foster systems (for example, Child and Family Services) was characterized as being unfair and being counter to the needs of families and communities given that poverty leads to more children being removed from their homes and placed with foster parents.

Participants mentioned that the cost of caring for children with disabilities is particularly challenging for parents or guardians receiving income assistance.

Participants highlighted how the program's eligibility guidelines define adult children living with their parents as dependents; however, these children often live independently of their parents but cannot move out of the family home due to the housing shortages found in many First Nation communities.

Accessing income assistance funding

Participants described challenges in receiving or accessing income assistance funds. Local businesses (for example, stores, banks) that offer cheque cashing services generally charge service fees, which can be considerable, especially in remote or isolated communities or for clients without bank accounts.

Clients receiving income assistance on debit-type cards are often charged a per transaction fee. Some clients requested that they be allowed to pay bills themselves rather than having the band or administrators do this on their behalf – being able to do so would help clients build independence and life skills and better prepare them to move off of income assistance.

Some administrators noted an increase in the incidence of fraud. They explained that some clients may deposit their cheques electronically and then cash them at a local store. In other cases, cohabiting couples may circumvent eligibility guidelines by applying separately to receive higher rates than they would receive as a couple.

Provincial/Yukon alignment

Generally, participants claimed that the policy of federal alignment with provincial/Yukon rates and eligibility criteria creates challenges for First Nation communities because of the fundamentally different contexts on and off reserve. Some administrators opined that alignment is insufficient to meet the full needs of their clients and that even this base level of provision is not always met.

Administrators explained that some services eligible under provincial programs are not available on reserve and, in some cases, on-reserve income assistance rates are lower than the corresponding provincial rate.

Income assistance is residency-based and all residents on reserve are therefore eligible to apply regardless of their status. However, some administrators observed that there are cases in which non-Status residents apply for provincial income assistance while living on reserve.

Some engagement participants also said that non-Status residents on reserve receiving income assistance may not be eligible to receive any health care benefits.

For clarity, Status First Nation people living on reserve are eligible for Non-Insured Health Benefits while clients of provincial income assistance programs living off reserve are eligible for health benefits (for example, prescriptions and dental coverage) through provincial programs. Income assistance, under Special Needs, is sometimes used to provide health services to non-status residents on reserve who would otherwise not have access to provincially or federally funded health benefits.

Participants asked to have more discretion with respect to eligibility criteria.

Service delivery

Participants identified a number of service delivery issues of which funding appears to be the most critical. Participants indicated a lack of funding to purchase office equipment such as:

• printers
• scanners
• photocopiers
• computers
• software, including compatible financial software

Participants explained the need for improved data collection in order to be able to better deliver the program and debated the relevancy of certain forms required by the program.

Offices were described as often unavailable or too small to be able to provide some social support service programs. Participants noted the limited office space availability for external professionals who come to the community to serve income assistance clients.

Some program administrators said that many of their offices are not equipped with features such as security glass and cameras that enhance employee safety and security when working with more difficult clients. Poor Internet connectivity was also noted.

Participants commented on the limited travel budget for administrators to attend meetings, workshops and training events/opportunities. Administrators also reported some uncertainty on how to best approach filing charges against clients they suspect of committing fraud. 

Participants recommended that extra funding be provided to administrators to acquire the tools necessary for effective program administration such as:

• computers
• printers
• central/universal databases
• travel

To enhance the safety and security of program staff, safety plans may need to be developed for on-reserve offices that mandate the use of:

• security cameras
• panic buttons
• security guards
• other security measures

Improved infrastructure, such as better designed workspaces and premises, to ensure confidentiality and protect personal client information as well as additional office space to accommodate visiting professionals were also seen as important.

Income assistance workers – salary and responsibilities

Participants in all regions agreed that program administrators have such heavy workloads that they may be unable to meet the program's administrative requirements.

Administrators are often requested to provide supports above and beyond those provided by peers (for example, crisis workers) employed by the provinces.

Administrators are considered underpaid compared to provincial staff providing similar services. This is said to result in high staff turnover with administrators leaving for better paid positions. Without funding for assistants to help manage the workload, administrators spend considerable time filing, reporting, and dealing with clients, and less time providing case management and support services.

Participants recommended increased funding to retain and train staff and reduce burnout. This could include funding for workplace wellness programs, revising administrator job descriptions, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and developing diploma courses for new and current administrators.

It was also recommended that caseloads (that is to say, the ratio of income assistance workers to clients) be reduced, salaries increased, and that more staff, including case managers, employment counsellors, and administrative support, be hired.

A comparative study on the salary differences between administrators of provincial income assistance programs and those of the Income Assistance Program was recommended as well.

Income assistance workers - training

Participants across all regions agreed that there is insufficient training, resources and professional development programs (for example, financial reporting, budgeting, and software, motivational speaking skills, facilitation skills) for new and current administrators.

It was noted that there is no requirement or funding for formal accreditation to administer the program and that the program offers no guidance or official training (for example, training on how to deal with intoxicated clients) to administrators.

Participants also described how administrators often provide mental health support, addictions support, life coaching, and support to seniors for which they are neither paid for nor technically qualified to do. All of this work is done without administrators having the necessary resources to maintain their own physical and mental well-being.

Participants highlighted the importance of ongoing professional development to promote consistent, non-judgmental service by administrators. This would help counter political interference from Council, bullying by community members, and accusations of unprofessionalism and unfairness.

Participants explained that administrators need supports and resources to provide case-management services to clients.

It was recommended that more funding for training be provided to enable administrators to upgrade their client services skills, such as:

• addictions
• case management
• intergenerational trauma and trauma mitigation
• healing and self-esteem building, and self-care

Additional funding was also recommended to enable administrators to improve office and research skills such as:

• business administration
• human resources
• policy research and analysis
• community engagement and program planning
• governance
• local enterprise and community economic development
• software and technologies

It was also recommended that more opportunities be provided for program administrators, Indigenous Services Canada, and First Nation leadership to meet and develop networks to:

• strengthen capacity
• discuss best practices, successes and challenges
•  support better communication between First Nations leadership and program staff

Income assistance workers – reporting requirements

Participants noted an increase in the program's reporting requirements due to the introduction of the 2019 to 2020 data collection instrument (DCI) which requires collection of client-level data as opposed to community-level data in previous years.

Participants explained that the lack of a formal network to bring together all program administrators within First Nations results in a lack of clarity on reporting requirements.

Participants recommended that the DCI Income Assistance Report be reviewed and assessed.

It was also suggested that federal departments (for example, Education and Social Development Canada and Indigenous Services Canada) could reduce reporting redundancies by collaborating to avoid multiple requests for the same information.

Policy

Participants were critical of the Policy and Procedures Guide. Its length and restrictions can result in confusion and the need for clarification from Indigenous Services Canada.

Participants also discussed how policies in the Policy and Procedures Guide are outdated, and were created without input from First Nation leadership and administrators and therefore do not reflect First Nation cultures and issues.

Concerns were raised about government inconsistencies in applying the program's terms and conditions and frequent provincial changes that must be implemented on reserve, all of which have significant impacts on communities.

Some participants stressed that the program has to address lived realities and be designed by communities themselves.

Participants recommended more frequent reviews and revisions of the program's policies with more involvement and input from leadership and administrators.

Participants stated that additional community engagement on program reform is necessary and that the provincial and federal governments should uphold treaties and the articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and engage in joint discussions and policy tables with First Nation leadership and administrators.

It was recommended that a user-friendly website be developed onto which the policy and program forms translated into Indigenous languages could be posted. Engagement participants in one region recommended the creation of a policy support telephone line.

Participants also recommended that additional training be provided to enable program staff to better understand policies to build capacity and increase program flexibility for both administrators and clients.

Barriers to employment or education

Engagement participants identified a number and variety of barriers to employment or education that income assistance clients face, including:

• addictions/mental health challenges
• physical disabilities and age-related conditions
• learning disabilities
• lack of education, skills training, or work experience
• lack of transportation to employment (for example, no driver's license or vehicle ownership)
• inability to secure housing on or off reserve
• criminal records
• caregiving responsibilities for children and/or for sick or disabled family members
• low self-esteem, social exclusion, racism and systemic discrimination
• lack of Internet access to communicate with potential employers

Case management and pre-employment support services

Some engagement participants with access to case management and pre-employment supports in their communities indicated that income assistance clients would benefit from increased access to these types of services. However, some of the training programs offered through these services frequently do not fully meet the needs of income assistance clients and there are often not enough spaces to meet client demand.

It was noted that client needs for services such as transportation and childcare may not be met even if they are eligible for funding under pre-employment support. For example, some participants explained that while daycare is eligible under pre-employment supports, there are sometimes not enough daycare spaces in their community or operational hours are not long enough to make use of this service.

Participants in some regions indicated that eligibility requirements for income assistance applications such as identification documents and bank statements can be burdensome for clients who do not have these documents. Participants in one region observed that the cost of birth certificates is covered, but a driver's license is not.

Participants said that they would like greater access to programs such as:

• life skills supports
  • money management, budgeting, and tax clinics
  • motivational workshops/self-esteem building
  • land-based activities and traditional knowledge from Elders
  • healthy lifestyle initiatives
  • gym or fitness services to improve physical health
  • transition supports for cultural shock experiences with urban centres
• employment supports
  • work experience and apprenticeships
  • wage subsidies, transportation to employment, and access to daycare
  • employment transition funding

• pre-employment supports
  • job/career counselling
  • literacy and numeracy skills
  • drivers licenses
  • supports for high school students
  • employment skills training and job readiness programs
  • incentives for clients who are looking for work, in school, or participating in training activities
  • transportation to training programs, and access to daycare
• mental health supports
  • addictions supports
  • grief and trauma counselling
• education supports
  • education upgrading

Transition to employment or education

Participants discussed the limited supports for income assistance clients who are transitioning to employment or education.

For example, once clients gain employment only limited earnings are permitted without benefits being clawed back. This results in clients feeling that they are penalized for working, while also incurring additional costs for things such as childcare and transportation.

Participants explained that because of these additional costs some clients are financially better off to stay on income assistance rather than taking jobs that are low paid or sporadic.

While funding for supports such as childcare or daycare or work clothes and tools are eligible under the program, engagement participants indicated these were inadequate and that additional incentives would improve client success and ability to exit income assistance.

Many participants noted the insufficient number of childcare spaces in most communities while others indicated the prohibitive cost of work clothes (for example, safety boots, mitts, and goggles) given the inadequate allowance for this.

Participants explained that while work and training incentive allowances can help motivate clients to exit income assistance, the current rates are inadequate as clients still cannot cover their essential needs.

Proposal-based funding

Some administrators discussed the challenges inherent in the proposal-based nature of pre-employment supports programming. They noted that communities delivering case management and pre-employment supports face uncertainty each year as to whether funding will be renewed for the following year.

Some participants expressed concern that the program could be terminated, resulting in high staff turnover as case workers seek other employment.

Some engagement participants also observed that the proposal-based process requires communities to align the needs of their clients with criteria determined by Indigenous Services Canada, rather than by the community.

It was mentioned that communities that do not have the resources to design and develop projects that meet these criteria cannot access funding, and that communities that do devote time and energy to develop proposals have no guarantee of receiving funding.

Client-centerd supports

Some participants discussed how institutional obstacles and a lack of coordination between government services and supports reduced client success. They explained that case management and pre-employment supports would be more successful if programs were not siloed and more focused on addressing complex client needs that create barriers to employment.

The lack of coordination between the pre-employment supports offered through the Income Assistance Program and the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program at Employment and Social Development Canada were specifically mentioned in some regions.

It was suggested that the program take a holistic approach that responds to the social as well as the economic barriers that clients experience, and encourages greater collaboration with other departments.

Engagement participants discussed the challenges that both income assistance clients and administrators experience when navigating the services and supports that clients may be eligible for, particularly when language barriers exist.

It was suggested that navigation supports would minimize the sense of intimidation, confusion and frustration that many clients may experience when accessing income supports.

Administrators in some regions explained that collaboration with other organizations and government departments can be challenging due to client confidentiality - they cannot share client information such as who is looking for work or their skillsets with other parties.

It was suggested that cross-sector collaboration agreements, including information sharing protocols should be developed.

Labour market access

Some engagement participants indicated that the lack of local employment opportunities often requires individuals to move to urban areas to find work, where they may face racism and discrimination.

Some participants also noted that the seasonal nature of work in some areas makes it difficult to obtain and maintain year-round employment.

Participants stated that some income assistance clients prefer not to take on casual or part-time employment rather than risk losing the "stability" they currently have with income assistance.

Clients may be further demotivated from seeking casual or part-time employment as they expect the income they earn to be "clawed back" leaving them with insufficient funds to meet living expenses. 

Some participants explained that undiversified nature of on-reserve economies result in a lack of quantity and variety of jobs on reserve.

Administrators also reported that clients sometimes attend training programs that are not appropriate for them, and consequently do not want the jobs associated with the training they have received.

Further, some participants noted that some clients do not maintain long-term employment when they take the first available job, rather than finding a job that is the right-fit.

Participants also mentioned that training certificates obtained through the pre-employment supports are not always recognized by organizations off reserve.

Some participants observed that many clients aspire to self-employment and entrepreneurship despite the significant financial risks of self-employment. Many clients wished to access assistance to prepare them for the possibility of establishing their own enterprise.

Wraparound services

Participants discussed the variety of programs operating in a community including:

• employment and training programs such as Employment and Social Development Canada's Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Program
•  social services programs such as the Family Well-being Program
•  other support available through:
  • Head Start
  • Early Learning
  • Healthy Babies
  • other First Nations and Inuit health programs
  • Jordan's Principle and others

Some participants explained that despite the many links between the issues these programs address and how the functions, successes, and deficits of each program impact each other, the contact and coordination between programs is infrequent or ineffective.

"The wraparound process is a holistic approach to client care. It involves a team planning process to design a set of services and supports that focuses on client needs. The wraparound approach includes these key elements: based in the community; individualized to meet the needs of clients; culturally competent and strengths based; includes the client in every level of developing the process; and, involves interagency coordination and collaboration in service delivery."

Participants recommended a holistic and flexible system designed around the needs of clients and communities and focused around a continuum of care that brings together all sectors responsible for delivering services within communities. Such an approach would address key barriers to employment and education that prevent clients from meeting their basic needs.

Other participants recommended breaking down community-level silos by appointing a person to create program linkages. In one community, a point person was appointed to work on a "silo busting" strategy and bring staff from different programs and departments in that community together to harmonize their policies and functions.

Health section

Health issues emerge from a diversity of sources, including the legacy of residential schools and other dimensions of colonization, environmental contamination, as well as the long-term impacts of poverty. They act as barriers to employment and education.

Mental health and addiction

Mental health and addiction related issues were described as pervasive by both clients and income assistance workers.

Depression may exacerbate difficulties clients have in navigating the system to access the benefits to which they are entitled and create cascading effects in their ability to draw from the resources of the program.

Depression and anxiety were discussed as interfering with employment and were identified as being among the key reasons why clients initially require and continue to need income assistance.

Other psychosocial challenges, such as low self-confidence and self-esteem, were also discussed as barriers to employment.

Addictions were identified as being tied to prolonged poverty and dependency on income assistance; for example, some clients use their benefits to buy illicit drugs and have little left to cover their basic needs.

Clients discussed experiencing discrimination when their addictions become known in their communities – this often leaves them feeling ashamed, outcast, hesitant to participate in community events, and is an additional barrier to moving out of income assistance dependency.

Clients seeking help with addictions have limited access to mental health services and treatment programs. Long wait times for limited services and the lack of support systems can contribute to client relapses.

Some participants stressed the importance of cultural programs that can support people struggling with addictions.

Programs involving land-based activities and indigenous or other forms of spirituality were identified as playing a role in fostering or strengthening identity and self-esteem and promoting positive mental health outcomes.

Land-based programming includes a wide variety of formally organized activities that take place on the land. These activities may be taught and practiced within the context of trapping, fishing, and hunting, including connected activities such as maintaining the camp, or they can be selectively organized such as a medicine walk or arts and crafts workshops. They may include ceremonial activities such as sweats, blanket ceremony, pipe ceremony, or smudging, but this is not always the case. Generally, land-based programs have storytelling, legends, and teachings components, and thus can be viewed as a culturally-specific therapeutic and educational experience.

Land for Healing: Developing a First Nations Land-based Service Delivery Mode

Participants recommended increased funding for mental health services, such as substance abuse prevention initiatives, support for people with substance abuse issues, and more accessible treatment centers.

Culturally appropriate programs and services were recommended, as getting out on the land is perceived as an important aspect of mental health and cultural continuity.

Participants recommended revising sections of the policy that address mental health issues and disability for greater clarity. Flexibility and support for clients with mental health issues and/or addictions was also recommended.

Physical health

A number of engagement participants indicated that they had initially accessed the program due to personal health issues and/or to take care of a sick family member.

Issues such as these prevent clients from being prepared to even begin to engage in employment planning or training and present significant hurdles both for individual clients as well as their families and communities.

Participants in several regions highlighted the inadequacy of rates for special and/or therapeutic diets.

Participants discussed receiving insufficient funds to purchase medically prescribed foods, and how clients are only allowed one therapeutic diet even if they have been prescribed more than one.

Some participants recommended increasing the rate for therapeutic diets by factoring in the actual cost of food in different regions along with the costs associated with different health issues.

It was also recommended that clients be allowed to have more than one therapeutic diet and that they no longer be required to renew diet forms each year.

Participants also discussed the limited access to medical professionals in many communities - clients often have to travel to the nearest urban centre to see health-care specialists. Accommodation and food allowances for medical travel were considered to be insufficient.

Travel for medical services was found to be a major disruption that had the potential of impacting client employment.

Participants recommended that the program partner with health programs to help offset costs associated with medical travel.

Further, participants recommended providing extra support and resources to those who must relocate to an urban setting for medical reasons.

Some participants indicated that the current disability income rate is insufficient and should be increased.

It was also suggested that the current application form for disability benefits be revised to include more detailed questions and separate sections for permanent and short-term disabilities.

Participants recommended that clients with permanent disabilities not be required to reapply annually for benefits.

Some participants recommended pain management programs for clients dealing with chronic pain that interferes with employment, and that better health benefits should be provided for clients and dependents.

On-reserve housing

On-reserve housing was considered to be inadequate in communities across all regions, with one region describing it as a serious crisis.

Participants indicated that not only are there not enough dwellings to keep up with the high demographic growth of many communities, but that many existing homes require renovation and remediation for issues such as mold, asbestos, and lead-based paint.

Housing shortages were said to result in long waiting lists for housing as well as overcrowded homes that deteriorate at a much faster rate which result in higher utility costs, and lead to a greater potential for instability and social issues.

Participants explained that overcrowded or unsafe low-quality housing leads to more frequent apprehension of children, which interrupts the child's education and the parents' employment, especially if a child is moved to an off-reserve home or if the case goes to court.

"The problem is that if you've got nine benefit units in a house, the chances of that house deteriorating are way faster than in a regular house with regular amount of people in it. You bump into the drywall more, you open and shut your door more, so your housing stock ends up deteriorating faster because Ontario Works can't assist with rent. Some of those shelter costs that a parent would probably fix if they were being paid rent."

Some participants expressed concern on how the management of housing by local bands and councils can contribute to poor housing conditions. Lack of housing was said to be associated with homelessness in some communities, forcing some clients to live off reserve.

Community members who leave for educational purposes were said to have a hard time returning home because there is no place for them to live - this results in:

• a brain drain and loss of mentors in the community
• a lack of diversity of skills and education in the workforce
• a loss of income earners and spenders

It was explained that given that housing conditions are a social determinant of health, this crisis has major ramifications for health and constitutes a hindrance to the development of individuals and communities.

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada define determinants of health as the broad range of personal, social, economic and environmental factors that determine individual and population health.

Determinants of health

• Income and social status
• Employment and working conditions
• Education and literacy
• Childhood experiences
• Physical environments
• Social supports and coping skills
• Healthy behaviours
• Access to health services
• Biology and genetic endowment
• Gender
• Culture
• Race / Racism

Participants recommended providing adequate and sustainable funding to communities so that they can meet their housing needs, including more accessible affordable housing.

Some participants recommended increased funding to be able to do their own repairs on band-owned homes, and to implement a damage deposit provision into the policy. Some participants also suggested implementing a rent to own program.

Some participants provided examples of innovative approaches to address housing issues that have worked in the past. For example, one community implemented a housing and skills training project that simultaneously addresses housing shortages and teaches carpentry skills to project participants.

Transportation

Transportation issues were cited as a barrier to employment by clients in every region. Whether accessing Income Support services, getting to work in rural communities, or leaving a community to find work, transportation was identified as a barrier at nearly every scale given that public transportation is rarely available in First Nation communities.

In one region, the Income Assistance Program addresses some transportation issues for those seeking employment by, for example, providing fuel purchase orders if clients can document that they have an interview or have accepted a job offer.

The challenge is that it relies on the client to find reliable and available transportation.

Some participants recommended a subsidy program to make transportation more accessible for clients going to work and school. This was identified as an opportunity to both save money on transportation costs, and to create employment in the community.

Income assistance clients also face transportation challenges for everyday activities such as medical appointments, training, grocery shopping, community events and emergencies. Some communities offer shuttle services but this is often reserved for medical transportation or program delivery. Both clients and Elders recommended offering shuttle services for clients to use for appointments, training, grocery shopping, and other activities requiring transportation.

Some participants recommended increasing the basic needs rate generally so that less of the benefits would be required for transportation costs and an even higher rate increase for isolated communities.

Driver's licenses are a requirement for many employment opportunities, yet are difficult to obtain for anyone without easy access to a vehicle or sufficient income to pay for testing fees. This is particularly true in remote and isolated communities.

Participants explained that the cumulative cost of travel, accommodation, vehicle rentals and the driving tests themselves place residents of remote communities in an uphill financial battle just to acquire the means for employability (in other words, a driver's license).

Moreover, vehicle ownership costs can be prohibitive, even for those with driver's licences.

Funding for immediate family members to travel to funerals was also recommended in one region.

Childcare

Inadequate access to childcare was considered to be a barrier to finding and maintaining employment in all regions.

Participants mentioned the limited number of daycares and after school programs available in communities as well as their affordability when available.

In some instances, the lack of available space at daycares continues to act as a barrier even when employers offered to pay part of daycare costs. Without childcare, parents of children too young for full-day school cannot be employed unless they find a daily babysitter, and even then, they are subject to the babysitter's schedule, competing obligations and any sick days the babysitter may need.

Participants recommended more funding for daycare and childcare services. Better access to quality childcare for their children would enable clients to more easily access training, skill development, and employment.

Participants recommended investments in childcare infrastructure to complement the Early Years programming dollars that are being made available to First Nations. A First Nations community asked whether prevention funding available through Child and Family Services could be used to partially fund infrastructure for daycare.

Income assistance dependency and self-esteem

Some participants referred to "a culture of dependency" that makes people unwilling or unable to help themselves, regardless of the supports available to them.

Some participants discussed the importance of engaging with high school students and young clients in preventative actions such as presenting the Income Assistance Program as a last resort program and explaining the difficulties and challenges associated with being on it.

These same participants stressed the importance of showing youth that income assistance is not "a way of life," or a means of dependency and encouraging youth to complete high school and go on to further education.

Participants recommended providing workshops for younger clients and youth not yet eligible for income assistance to discuss success planning before and after leaving high school as well as the challenges of living on income assistance.

It was also recommended that case management and pre-employment supports be extended to youth younger than 18 to steer them away from dependency on income assistance.

Community development

Participants across all regions described community development as a priority.

Some participants described how individuals are embedded in communities, and how opportunities for these individuals are tied to the vitality of those communities.

Some participants went so far as to favour changes at the community level that would help foster cultural ties and involve cooperative community interaction, as opposed to changes that solely focus on an individual's basic income.

Participants also highlighted the cultural strengths and resilience of Indigenous people and communities and stressed the importance of fostering this through community development projects, especially those that have minimal negative environmental impacts.

Participants identified the following as ways to enhance community development:

• more community infrastructure (for example, healing lodges, grocery stores, health facilities, playgrounds)
• more services focused on cultural revitalization and Indigenous education (for example, access to language, history and traditional knowledge training
• help improve the social condition of the community and promoting health by funding recreation and exercise programs, community gyms, and supporting programs to help collect sports equipment
• strengthen existing mutual supports that the community provides, especially around food security
• support for community-based food security programs (for example, community-based enterprises, and community gardens, hunts, and smoke houses)
• support for bulk shipments of goods to the community (facilitate barter and informal work)
• cooperative transportation initiatives (for example, cooperative Uber-type ride sharing programs)

Self-Determination, governance

Colonialism and intergenerational trauma were identified as roadblocks to change.

The traumatic impacts of residential schools "have been felt not only by those with direct experience with residential schools – they have also been transmitted to subsequent generations through various psychological, physiological and social processes."

Aboriginal Peoples and Historic Trauma: The process of intergenerational transmission

Participants indicated that the Indian Act hinders self-government and that the federal and provincial/territorial governments create funding and legislative challenges.

Participants conveyed concern that government interference and imposition of legislation hurts their communities.

Tactics for continual forced assimilation contribute and reinforce the systemic barriers experienced by the community in terms of lack of funding, judgmental society and prejudice experienced off-reserve.

Participants recommended that federal and provincial/territorial governments and First Nations work together to uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the right to self-determination.

Article 3 - Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

It was recommended that an integrated approach to social services that works within a framework of Inherent Rights be developed. It was recommended that First Nations have more input and be consulted when making any changes to the Income Assistance Program.

Participants in some regions discussed the perception of nepotism, including political interference, and favoritism in decision making in some communities. For example, some clients may take any problems they may have with the program to leaders with the expectation that the leaders will overrule policies, such as eligibility criteria.

Participants recommended developing a policy outlining the roles and responsibilities of income assistance clients and the mandate of band leadership, including chiefs and councils, so as to prevent political interference in the Income Assistance Program.

It was recommended that newly elected chiefs and council members should be provided with an orientation to income assistance.

Participants also recommended having an ombudsman or creating an appeals process to help resolve cases in which clients feel they were unfairly deemed ineligible for the Income Assistance Program.

Participants indicated that the existing chief and council structure could be more accountable to the community and that consideration could be given to the development of an Indigenous Services Canada committee to address this.

Some participants recommended reclaiming and empowering a traditional, clan-based, self-governance system.

Other participants noted that some chiefs and councils do not advocate politically for income assistance thereby missing opportunities for improved outcomes.

Some participants recommended that the role of tribal councils be limited to advocating for change to the Income Assistance Program while other participants recommended that administration of the Income Assistance Program be transferred from individual First Nations to tribal councils or to centralized regional income assistance offices to provide services for both on and off reserve membership.

Leaders and administrators expressed a desire for control over the design, delivery and management of income assistance programs, in part to enable culture-based approaches to service delivery.

They explained that governance of the Income Assistance Program is based on Indigenous Services Canada terms and conditions that require alignment with provincial and Yukon rates and eligibility criteria, that more programs and services are offered off reserve than can be accessed by on reserve income assistance clients, and that even fewer income assistance services, supports and programs are offered in remote First Nation communities. Consequently, income assistance policies were said to be misaligned with First Nations needs and concerns.

It was recommended that local autonomy and decision making in community-developed policy and procedures be implemented through mechanisms such as devolution to local agreements.

Some participants recommended that legislation should be enacted to give First Nations the power to design their own income assistance programs (for example, to develop and apply their own regulations, determine eligibility criteria, and set income assistance rates).

Some participants recommended that Canada's income assistance policy be transformed so it becomes a funding mechanism that addresses gaps in the standard of living on a given First Nation. It would fund the value of the gap and leave it to First Nations to decide how to spend that money.

Some participants recommended that funding be provided that is self-sustaining and controlled by the community. 10-year grant funding and supporting agreements were specifically recommended.

Traditional knowledge and culture

Participants discussed how the Indian Residential Schools disrupted traditional teaching methods and the generational transmission of knowledge, survival skills, and community values, practices and relations.

Participants said that the Income Assistance Program does not reflect First Nations culture and traditional teachings and ways nor does it meet their expectations.

Participants recommended decolonization of the Income Assistance Program (for example, translate policy into Indigenous languages) to reflect traditional culture and teachings.

While recognizing the need for basic life-skills training, such as meal preparation, budgeting, and job search skills, participants also called for revitalization of traditional knowledge and culture. Educational programs that intertwine life skills, career attainment credentials, and cultural revitalization were said to be necessary.

Traditional Knowledge – the collective knowledge of traditions used by Indigenous groups to sustain and adapt themselves to their environment over time. This information is passed on from one generation to the next within the Indigenous group. Such Traditional Knowledge is unique to Indigenous communities and is rooted in the rich culture of its peoples.

Some Indigenous communities have reformed their delivery models by rooting them within local cultural values that balance the inter-connectedness of individuals, family, community, and nation.

Participants noted that cultural variations between First Nation communities and emphasized the need for local control and decision making around program design and delivery.

Participants expressed concern about threats to language retention and culture. The lack of language and cultural opportunities, especially for young people, is said to contribute to the normlessness associated with psychiatric and addiction issues.

Normlessness "denotes the situation in which the social norms regulating individual conduct have broken down or are no longer effective as rules for behaviour"

Participants indicated that although there are now more formal cultural and social opportunities, the informal gatherings of the past served as cultural supports in that traditional teachings and ways of life were omnipresent, thus, language and culture were stronger.

It was suggested that meaningful Income Assistance Program and Social Service Program reform requires engagement with community development and well-being efforts, and that these efforts must include social and cultural goals as well as economic development goals.

The revitalization of Indigenous culture and language was said to be essential in community motivation and that establishing a strong, positive personal sense of cultural identity may provide a foundation on which youth can build.

"When you have [...] a client that's negative, I can't do a damn thing. I can't do anything. You put that client in a program making moccasin or you put them in a program, their mindset starts to change. It evolves and snowballs. These programs are small, [or] seem like small [... but] all of a sudden they are thrust into a traditional cultural environment where they go 'damn I never knew this was all here for me,' 'damn I never knew I could do this.' That's what we focus on with our clientele, that concept of self-stabilization [...] and their minds start to change."

Participants mentioned that as participation rates in hunting, trapping, and gardening have declined, there have been corresponding losses of traditional knowledge and practices (for example, the sharing of food with the community).

Participants emphasized that cultural revitalization and Indigenous education are both strongly connected to food security.

It was recommended the development of a holistic, culturally-based approach that helps First Nations deal with their daily scenarios, for example:  

• life skills training such as:
  • traditional parenting and kinship
• community-based initiatives such as:
  • hunting
  • fishing
  • agriculture

It was also recommended that the teachings of Elders be incorporated into such an approach to provide spiritual and physical support and to enhance cultural programming, for example:

• beading
• ribbon skirt making
• food preservation

Other participants recommended that a knowledge keeper be employed to ensure local culture is not lost when individuals seek employment and development.

Participants explained that teaching cultural literacy creates cultural pride, respect, and a desire to return to the community later in life.

Participants noted that outcome measures, such as employment and earnings, do not:

• reflect First Nation cultures and realities
• affirm or value traditional values and skills and their transmission

For example, traditional roles, such as Knowledge Keepers, have been marginalized because they are not recognized wage jobs despite helping to address barriers to client success, health and self-sufficiency.

Participants recommended implementing a compensation program for people engaged in traditional work (for example, hunting, trapping, harvesting, fishing, language keepers) to help:

• restore traditional roles
• safeguard traditional knowledge and practices
• endorse language retention
• enhance food security
• help people maintain their mental health

Engagement partners

Québec

• Commission de la santé et des services sociaux des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador

Ontario

• Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians
• Grand Council Treaty 3
• Nishnawbe Aski Nation
• North Shore Tribal Council
• Ontario Native Welfare Administrators' Association

Manitoba

• Social Development Advisors Technical Group, including:
  • Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council
  • Interlake Reserves Tribal Council
  • Island Lake Tribal Council
  • Keewatin Tribal Council
  • Manitoba Independent First Nations
  • Sioux Valley Dakota Nation
  • Southeast Resource Development Council
  • Swampy Cree Tribal Council
  • West Region Tribal Council

Saskatchewan

• Saskatchewan First Nations Family and Community Institute

Alberta

• ISC Regional Office worked with First Nations, including Treaty Area Chiefs and Band Social Directors, to organize and host engagement sessions

British Columbia

• The First Nations, Indigenous Representative Organizations and Tribal Councils (including Naut'sa mawt Tribal Council) that partnered with the ISC Regional Office to organize and host engagement events

Atlantic

• First Nations in the Atlantic region are continuing to research self-determination and are developing distinct approaches to on-reserve income assistance programs

Yukon

• The Council of Yukon First Nations declined to participate due to other priorities

Thank you / Merci / Ekosani / Miigwech / Meegwetch / Mahseecho / Mutna / Wopida / Hei Hei / Marci Cho / ᖁᐊᓇᖅᑯᑎᑦ / Quanaqqutit / Nakurmik / Kukwstsétsemc / Woliwun