Departmental Results Report 2022 to 2023

I. Description

These services and benefits are mainly delivered directly to Indigenous Peoples by the department. They include, among other services and benefits, individual First Nations and Inuit clinical care and coverage for health-related benefits such as pharmacy, dental and vision care. The department is also responsible for determining individuals' entitlement to Indian registration and for the issuance of various proofs of registration, including the Secure Certificate of Indian Status (SCIS), which can be used to access various programs and services.

II. Results

In 2022-23, ISC's path was marked by the commitment to achieving two core results concerning the quality and timely services and benefits provided to individuals, as well as the services that contribute to health outcomes, each firmly intertwined with the fabric of Indigenous well-being and recognition. The Government of Canada recognizes that the current state of Indigenous health in Canada is a direct result of past and enduring colonial policies. ISC's activities in 2022-23 aimed to humbly contribute towards redress through results that support reconciliation efforts.

An example of this commitment arose from the government's pledge to fully implement Joyce's Principle and guide the co-development of distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation. Since 2021, ISC has been working with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners, as well as provinces and territories (where relevant), to co‑develop distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation options in an effort to improve access to high-quality, culturally-relevant, safe, and equitable health services, with attention to the diversity within and between these groups. A "What We Heard" report was released in January 2023 following engagements with partners summarizing what distinction-based health legislation could entail. Budget 2021 announced $126.7 million over 3 years to address anti-Indigenous racism in Canada's healthcare systems, aligned with UNDRIP's principles of equal rights for Indigenous individuals and MMIWG's Calls for Justice regarding healthcare services. To date, ISC has funded 148 Indigenous-led projects and initiatives across all regions, distinctions and professions to build capacity, increase cultural safety, improve health system navigation and foster effective relationships to eliminate anti-Indigenous racism in health.

In 2022-23, ISC continued engagement with Indigenous partners and communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. An amount of $240.5 million was distributed via the Indigenous Community Support Fund using a combination of three delivery models to allocate funds to eligible recipients: direct allocations to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation utilizing a funding formula methodology; a proposal, needs-based approach for all distinctions-based groups open to urban and off-reserve Indigenous communities and organizations; and, contingency funding allocations to respond rapidly to acute pressures, such as outbreaks. This Indigenous-led approach allowed for culturally appropriate and holistic responses to the pandemic, and contributed to more successful outcomes in the fight against COVID-19, reflecting the synergy of Indigenous wisdom and modern healthcare.

The department supported MMIWG Calls for Justice and strived to close gaps in health outcomes by providing improved access to primary and oral health services for First Nations and Inuit individuals in remote and isolated communities. Similarly, the Supplementary Health Benefits program's nationwide scope covering essential health-related goods and services, supported TRC's Calls to Action by breaking down jurisdictional barriers and improving accessibility for registered First Nations and recognized Inuit, regardless of where they live.

III. Gender-based Analysis (GBA) Plus

Gender-based Analysis Plus is a critical component of health programming as it helps identify and address gaps in services that Indigenous Peoples in Canada are experiencing so that improvements can be implemented, resulting in better and more inclusive health outcomes. ISC has incorporated GBA Plus into analyzing or interpreting its results under the core responsibility of Services and Benefits to Individuals in the following ways:

• Provided trauma-informed care training to nurses to recognize clients who may have experienced intergenerational trauma, enabling them to implement treatment and medication management effectively.
• Equipped ISC nursing staff with training to provide culturally informed care to pregnant individuals, as well as postnatal care. This care is provided with the acknowledgement of the difference in cultural traditions around birth and the challenges of having to leave home communities to give birth in an unfamiliar environment. Nursing and health centre staff also support families by incorporating family and kin support and cultural traditions where possible.
• Supported several projects related to midwifery, resulting in:
  • The first midwife-assisted birth in Sturgeon Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan in more than 50 years in February 2022. The community hosts one of the original Budget 2017 funded demonstration projects and now receives ongoing funding. The community also receives Budget 2021 funding which supported pre-capital planning and design for construction of a standalone birthing centre.
  • The successful rollout of two new community based midwifery education programs funded by Budget 2021. Students are in year one of their five year training program (Labrador Innu and James Bay Cree).
  • The expansion of training capacity at two existing community based programs (Six Nations and Nunavik) supported by Budget 2021, allowing for additional apprentices to work alongside Indigenous midwives.
  • The purchase of a Recreational vehicle motorhome through Budget 2021 funding for Six Nations, which has operated a nationally recognized Indigenous midwifery program for decades. The motorhome is being operated as a mobile primary care service delivery site, travelling to communities to be set up as a birthing space so that families have a suitable/safe living environment when they wish to give birth at home.
• Continued to provide coverage of Non-insured Health Benefits for diverse groups of eligible clients, including First Nations and Inuit women, men, and gender diverse people of various age groups. Examples include benefits primarily used by people who identify as women (e.g., case-by-case medications for assisted fertility treatments), age-specific benefits (e.g., specialized feeding bottles and teats for children with complex feeding needs), condition-specific benefits (e.g., 40 new medications for treatment of medical conditions such as asthma, migraine, osteoporosis, psoriasis, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, HIV, cancer, heart disease and Parkinson's disease), and benefits for people living with a disability (e.g., expanded eligibility for a wider range of hearing aids and enhanced coverage for low-vision aids, eye prosthesis, and eye conformers).

Additional results are available in the Gender-based Analysis Plus Supplementary Information Table.

IV. United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

The programs delivered by ISC support Canada's efforts to implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the ambitions and targets of the Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF). The health services and benefits provided through this core responsibility supported SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being and the CIF ambition "Canada prevents causes of premature death" in the following ways:

• Ensured 24/7 primary care nursing services continued to be provided in 50 remote and isolated First Nations non-transferred nursing stations across Canada.
• Held a National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness in September 2022, which served as a forum for sharing best practices and forging new collaborations to improve mental wellness services to Indigenous individuals and is a testament to open dialogue and collaboration.

ISC also contributed to SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions by continuing to collaborate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners to take aim at systemic discrimination in health systems, guided by Joyce's Principle. The department supported 148 Indigenous partner-led projects related to addressing anti-Indigenous racism in health systems, with an emphasis on increasing access to culturally-safe health services, including those directed to Indigenous women, 2SLGBTQI+ peoples, and people who live in marginalizing conditions.

Additional results are available in the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals Supplementary Information Table.

V. Innovation

ISC implemented innovation in the area of Services and Benefits to Individuals by modernizing the status registration services processes, taking a client-centric approach with enhanced digital capacity. This involved work to concentrate all activities and transactions related to an individual client into a single comprehensive online solution, the Digital Application Services online tool. The beta version of this tool is currently being used by Regional Offices to allow a digital application option for the Secure Certificate of Indian Status with a view to expanding the userbase and functionality in the year ahead.

This tool was initially rolled out in the British Columbia Region in December 2022, followed by Alberta in January 2023, and Quebec in February 2023. Notably, the average processing time for applications since the launch of the new tool has been reduced to under 10 minutes. Continuous enhancements are being made on a monthly basis to refine the system's performance and features. By comparison, prior to the Digital Application Service launch, appointment times were longer, spanning between 30 and 45 minutes.

Through these actions, ISC remains committed in pursuing ongoing enhancements that are client-centred and benefit Indigenous communities and individuals.

VI. Key Risks

In 2022-23, ISC effectively managed risks associated with services and benefits to individuals, focusing on the well-being of Indigenous individuals and communities. ISC successfully mitigated the risk of potential disruptions to health service resumption due to the persistent COVID-19 pandemic. This was achieved through strategic funding allocation to enhance infrastructure, enabling safe business operations despite supply chain challenges and funding delays.

Additionally, through the application of 5 contracts and 11 standing offers, ISC was able to augment its internal nursing workforce by 29,308 days of nursing service and 5,009 days of paramedic service in order to maintain patient services across 50 remote & isolated First Nation communities and avoid the withdrawal of primary care nursing services due to capacity.

ISC addressed the risk of limited access to new technologies for health and registration services, particularly in communities facing infrastructure constraints. The challenge of restricted physical access, limited broadband connectivity, and other barriers was recognized. To mitigate this, ISC introduced the digital application solution for Secure Certificate of Indian Status. The department is working to expand its user base and functionality - including a transition to online applications for registration under the Indian Act. The department also provided increased access and technical support to administrators and users, empowering them to utilize digital solutions effectively. Through these efforts, ISC played a role in supporting the well-being of Indigenous communities and individuals by facilitating health services and embracing technology-driven solutions.

In order to alleviate risk in the area of claims, the Non-insured Health Benefits Program worked to confirm that claims comply with accountability requirements as well as the terms and conditions of the Program, by overseeing a claims verification program (managed by its external claims processor). There are five components to these claims verification activities, including:

• The Daily Claim Verification Program, which reviews a defined sample of claims submitted by providers the day following their receipt.
• The Client Confirmation Program, whereby a monthly mail-out is sent to clients to confirm the receipt of services that have been paid on their behalf.
• The On-Site Claim Verification Program, which consists of the selection of a sample of claims for administrative validation with a provider's records through an on-site visit.
• The Desk Claim Verification Program, which also consists of the selection of a sample of claims for administrative validation with a provider's records, but are conducted at a distance.
• The Financial Recovery Program, which consists of a focused recovery assessment.

VII. Results achieved

The following table shows results achieved for Services and Benefits to Individuals, the performance indicators, targets, target dates for 2022-23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

I. Description

These services are primarily delivered in partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations, provinces/territories and agencies. Together, they focus on health and well-being for Indigenous Peoples. They include health services to strengthen Indigenous communities in areas such as healthy living, communicable disease control, healthy child development and community care. They also include social services with an emphasis on children and families, as well as education services from kindergarten to post-secondary.

II. Results

ISC recognizes that the journey to build a renewed relationship with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples is based on the recognition of rights, respect and partnership. It is an ever-evolving process that requires ongoing commitment, attention, engagement, and follow-through. In this spirit, ISC sought to advance and weave the principles of reconciliation through its activities aimed at healthier Indigenous communities, agile and responsive social services, and inclusive education.

Throughout 2022-23, ISC remained committed to delivering access to trauma-informed health and cultural support services, acknowledging the ongoing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harms caused by residential schools, as well as the devastating impacts of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ People. These services supported numerous individuals and communities on their healing journey, with access to salient cultural supports such as Elders and Traditional Healers, emotional supports such as trained Indigenous health workers and peer counsellors, and access to clinical mental health counselling services, regardless of status or place of residence.

Budget 2022 supported mental wellness initiatives that underpinned the painful process of investigating and locating unmarked burials and commemorating missing children at former Indian Residential School sites. This support demonstrated the ongoing commitment to supporting healing and well-being. New pathways were developed to access services, address barriers, and support community members with accessible and appropriate services. Efforts were channeled into partnerships with Indigenous-led service delivery organizations serving 2SLGBTQI+ people, women, and youth, to develop specialized training for service providers. As of March 2023, over 385 First Nations and Inuit communities had accessed 75 interdisciplinary mental wellness teams (excluding those communities supported by the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia), as well as 82 opioid agonist treatment sites with wraparound services.

In the realm of family violence prevention, ISC addressed MMIWG's Calls for Justice by supporting Indigenous-led shelters, safe spaces, transition homes, second stage housing, and services for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. This aligned with the Government of Canada's commitment under the United Nations Declaration Act to safeguard Indigenous women and children from violence and discrimination, promoting a holistic approach to protection. In 2022-23, the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative supported the development of an additional 22 shelters, transitional housing, and mixed-use projects, including three Inuit-specific projects.

The Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative supported the National Inquiry on MMIWG's Calls for Justice by providing support for the self-determination of Indigenous communities to design safety interventions that resonate with their unique needs. The department also assisted Métis communities in response to the Calls for Miskotahâ, by providing tailored programs that enhanced safety and well-being, while encouraging inclusivity and resilience. In 2022-23, the Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative supported holistic Indigenous community safety and well-being initiatives by providing $23.6 million in funding for First Nations, Inuit, Metis, and urban Indigenous communities to 57 community safety and well-being projects, many of which will continue over the next three years of the Initiative.

In keeping with UNDRIP's participatory approach, the Income Assistance program collaborated with the Assembly of First Nations and other First Nations partners to shape future program changes that meet community-specific needs and support First Nations self-determination. This collaboration laid the groundwork for policy options, which led to the Assembly of First Nations' resolution adopted in November 2022.

UNDRIP's principle of Indigenous control over education and MMIWG's Calls for Justice for equitable access to education are recognized as fundamental means of protecting Indigenous human rights. Investments in First Nations elementary and secondary education supported progress towards First Nations control of education through regional education agreements and a framework based on First Nations-led funding formula. These investments increased access to full-day kindergarten services by 11% in 2022-23.

III. Gender-based Analysis Plus

Health and Social Services programs have a direct impact on health outcomes and health equity. Poor health arises from various factors including poverty, lack of education, culture loss, inadequate living conditions, exposure to trauma and violence, and lack of social support and resources. The services under the core responsibility of Health and Social Services support the goals outlined in Canada's Gender Results Framework related to Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being, Economic Participation and Prosperity, Education and Skills Development, and Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice. During 2022-23, ISC incorporated GBA Plus into policy development, program implementation, and analyzing or interpreting results in the following ways:

• Prioritized efforts to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and increase uptake of vaccines and booster doses for First Nations children and the elderly.
• Expanded eligibility for community-based trauma informed health and cultural supports to include all Indigenous Peoples under the mental wellness program, in recognition that the impacts of intergenerational nature of trauma from Indian Residential Schools is broad and complex.
• Supported the mental wellness priorities and needs of Métis such as enhancing access to virtual counselling and life skills support, and developing a Métis-specific Strategy/Framework to address and support mental wellness for women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ Métis people.
• Collaborated with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities to continue the co-development of a new holistic long-term and continuing care framework. This included distinctions-based support for people living with disabilities, Indigenous women's groups, 2SLGBTQI+ peoples, low-income individuals, aging-in-place approaches, and improvements to facility-based care.
• Expanded eligible expenditures under the First Nations Child and Family Services Program to include neurodiversity services, non-medical services for children with behavioural problems, sexual and gender identity health supports, and supports to ensure the provision of inclusive and impartial child and family services.
• Significantly increased funding for prevention services and activities under the First Nations Child and Family Services Program, providing First Nations child and family services delegated agencies and First Nations with per capita funding of $2,500 based on the registered on-reserve population of a First Nation; and in the Yukon, based on the total registered population of a First Nation. With this funding, First Nations can invest in the types of prevention services that they identify as necessary for their communities based on their unique needs, circumstances, and lived realities.
• Began a partnership with Kids Help Phone services to provide youth and young adults access to a 24/7 information line. The goal of this call line is for youth and young adults to access current information about the First Nations Child and Family Services Program's post-majority supports services and provide referrals to organizations that offer support. In addition, Kids Help Phone offers mental health and wellness support through professional counselling, volunteer crisis texting, and self-guided online resources.
• Invested in wraparound supports for post-secondary education students to mitigate barriers to completing their education and gaining associated benefits, such as higher-paying employment opportunities. This included accessibility supports and services for students with disabilities, and enabled students with dependants dependents to cover living expenses and childcare.
• Funded nine projects through the First Nations Environmental Contaminants Program to enhance health and wellbeing in First Nations communities by supporting their capacity to identify, investigate, and reduce impacts of environmental hazards through community-based research, monitoring, knowledge integration and risk communication.
• Prioritized underrepresented groups (i.e. Métis, Inuit, 2SLGBTQI+, etc.) through the Family Violence Prevention Program's call for proposals for violence prevention activities. Eligible expenditures were expanded under shelter operations to cover vehicle-related costs to support increased access to shelters and prevention services for clients in remote/northern communities.
• Expanded data collection within several programs, including Jordan's Principle Case Management System, Family Violence Prevention Program, and Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples to be more inclusive and collect information to support monitoring and evaluation of program impacts for diverse groups.

Additional results are available in the Gender-based Analysis Plus Supplementary Information Table.

IV. United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

The social programs delivered by ISC and its partners provide critical support to people and families while working to reduce gaps and obstacles in service access. These programs contribute to Canada's efforts by offering essential services and level of stability to individuals who have no other options.

• The department provided social services to individuals and communities, supporting SDG 1 – No Poverty and the CIF ambition "Reduce poverty in Canada in all its forms". Funding was provided through Assisted Living and Income Assistance for First Nations individuals and families in response to cost of living increases. Other social supports, such as Jordan's Principle and the Inuit Child First Initiative, experienced a 108% increase in requests (113,747 requests) for educational and social products, supports and services compared to 2021-22.
• In support of SDG 2 – Zero Hunger, ISC and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) co-chaired the Inuit-Crown Food Security Working Group to advance food security, leading to a report published by ITK, "Understanding the cost of an Inuit Nunangat School Food Program". This report informs the National School Food Policy and supports the CIF ambition "Canadians have access to sufficient, affordable and nutritious food."
• ISC worked to improve health outcomes in First Nations and Inuit communities by maintaining essential healthcare services. In 2022-23, a total of $218 million was provided to the ongoing response to the pandemic through the COVID-19 Public Health Fund, while adopting a ramped‑down approach and shifting its focus on recovery. These actions contributed to SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being and the CIF ambition "Canada prevents causes of premature death".
• In support of SDG 4 – Quality Education and the CIF ambition "Canadians have access to inclusive and quality education throughout their lives", elementary and secondary education programs provided funding for over 500 First Nation-administered education programs, supporting approximately 114,150 students attending First Nation-administered schools, as well as provincial, private and federal schools. As of March 2023, ISC signed nine regional education agreements with First Nation partners, improving educational outcomes for approximately 29,600 students.
• ISC's programs and activities contributed to advancing SDG 5 – Gender Equality through its support of the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence (released November 2022 by Women and Gender Equality Canada), along with negotiations with the provinces and territories regarding implementation of the action plan. Through this, and its support of the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan (launched August 2022), ISC supports CFI ambition "Eliminate gender-based violence and harassment". The department supported emergency shelters, transition (second-stage) homes, and distinctions-based programming to safeguard Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQI+ people from gender-based violence. Additional results are available in the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals Supplementary Information Table.

V. Innovation

Guided by the insights embedded in traditional Indigenous ways, ISC assumes a responsibility for providing health and social services for Indigenous communities, blending heritage with innovation towards holistic well-being.

An area of innovation in Health and Social Services was the expansion of the First Nations Environmental Contaminants Program to include risk factors such as radon exposure in home environments, a significant threat to human health and the second leading cause of lung cancer. To manage this risk, testing in individual homes is required and mitigation strategies are implemented if radon levels exceed the Canadian Radon Guideline. In many communities, there is a gap in resources dedicated to monitoring radon exposure in on-reserve homes. The program allocated funds for intervention research to ensure public health measures are applied, including mitigation of homes where radon levels exceed the guideline.

Another ongoing area of innovation in Health and Social Services was demonstrated through the Education Program. The Innovation in Education Program, administered through an approach established jointly with the Assembly of First Nations, follows the principle of First Nations community partners and organizations selecting projects that best suit their regional needs. For example, in the Yukon region, the "Honouring Identity, Celebrating Self" pilot project weaves identity, language, culture, and essential skills with research, analysis, reading, and writing in a safe and inclusive space. It brings Kwanlin Dün Families together with elders, traditional knowledge keepers, researchers, language learners and educational practitioners to learn about their familial lineages, cultural origins, and linguistic heritage. These discoveries connect to core competencies and big ideas outlined in the region's education curriculum.

VI. Key Risks

In the pursuit of Indigenous well-being, the challenge of attracting and retaining health professionals increased during the pandemic due to demanding workloads and conditions. To address shortages in environmental public health officers, ISC worked with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors to develop a multi-year recruitment and retention strategy that aligns education with culturally appropriate and safe training. Furthermore, the pandemic exacerbated staffing challenges and nursing shortages in remote and isolated First Nations communities. To address this, ISC progressed in the implementation of the Nursing Health Human Resources Framework. Introduced in 2021-22, this framework aims to provide a coordinated and comprehensive approach to recruiting and retaining the nursing workforce. Culturally-sensitive measures have had a positive impact on the level of nurse satisfaction, such as tripling allowances for front-line nurses the introduction of safety policies, and the creation of services such as the Nursing Services Response Center and Occupational & Critical Incident Stress Management, with 19% of nurses stating access to these services increased their intention to stay.

Budget 2022 also provided funding over four years to retain existing additional resources hired during the pandemic. However, as these challenges are expected to continue for some time, it will also take time to see the impact of this investment. Next steps include exploring concretely how best to incorporate paramedics into the interdisciplinary team, models of care and increasing awareness of nursing career opportunities.

While a range of social distancing mandates remained in place through 2022-23, pandemic-related restrictions diminished, allowing more health programs to resume and provide regular service in Indigenous communities. As a result, the risk of under-reporting of key social metrics and reduced ability to address community needs has also been reduced. Regular reporting from funding recipients is expected to resume through summer 2023-24. ISC's regional offices are working closely with communities to facilitate the collection of key information.

With respect to Jordan's Principle, there was a risk that the increase in volume of incoming requests may impact the department's ability to process them. In response, ISC secured additional funding, increased staffing levels and introduced process improvements, such as the Back-to-Basics approach which played a pivotal role, streamlining documentation requirements for faster approval times. Despite these efforts, the escalating volume of requests is dramatically impacting the department's ability to meet legally ordered service standards.

In the area of education, elementary and secondary funding levels are influenced by regional funding formulas and external factors such as student data and provincial funding rates, both of which are beyond the department's control. The lack of ability to predict variable provincial rates across the country create the risk that existing funding levels may not meet the demand of the formulas should increases in students or rates be seen, as is the case with the projections for the 2023-24 school year due to unprecedented inflation rates. In response, ISC will continue to work with partners on cost and growth projections over a number of years to inform managing pressures.

First Nations are finalizing engagement activities for regional post-secondary education models. Despite time-limited funding provided through Budgets 2017, 2019, and 2021, as well as COVID-19 emergency funding, partners have called for significant long-term investments in First Nations post-secondary education programming. The rising First Nations populations, rising costs of living, and significant tuition fee increases risk reducing the effectiveness of program funding for current and future First Nations post-secondary students. The department will continue to work with partners to quantify projected costs and pressures to address this risk and support the implementation of regional post-secondary education models.

VII. Results achieved

The following table shows results achieved for Health and Social Services, the performance indicators, targets, target dates for 2022–23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

I. Description

These services are commonly delivered in partnership with Indigenous communities and institutions and are focused on strong community governance and physical foundations. They include supports for governance capacity in areas such as community planning and financial management. They also include support for investments in community infrastructure, land and resource management, and economic development.

II. Results

To achieve progress in this area, the department focused on the commitment to the key principles supporting Indigenous reconciliation through the advancement of Indigenous communities' governance capacity, establishment of reliable and sustainable infrastructure, sustainable management of land and resources, and cultivation of economic prosperity.

Acknowledging the historic injustices and enduring impacts of colonization, ISC recognizes the dispossession of lands, territories and resources faced by Indigenous Peoples. In alignment with UNDRIP, TRC Calls to Action, and MMIWG Calls for Justice, the department committed to honouring the right of Indigenous Peoples to improved economic and social conditions in areas such as housing, sanitation, health and social security, and support the transfer of control over land. Additionally, the entirety of the departmental structure, mandate and legislation supports the implementation of UNDRIP through its work on transferring responsibility for departmental services to Indigenous partners and closing socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. ISC is committing to a number of transformative measures in this regard as part of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) Action Plan.

In November 2022, the Assembly of First Nations and the department released a co-developed comprehensive costing report titled "Closing the Infrastructure Gap by 2030". Throughout 2022-23, ISC directed funding towards infrastructure projects in First Nations communities, including water and wastewater investments, housing projects and improvements, energy and connectivity infrastructure, community infrastructure, and community development. These actions address critical infrastructure needs while adhering to UNDRIP's conservation and protection of environmental rights, as well as MMIWG Calls for Justice for safe housing and clean drinking water.

In support of UNDRIP's affirmation of the right of Indigenous Peoples to self-determination and self-governance, and in recognition that jurisdiction and increased control over services results in improved outcomes, ISC pursued the gradual transfer of housing and infrastructure service delivery to First Nations organizations. The department also advanced the transfer of water and wastewater services, aligned with the United Nations Declaration Act Action Plan and the Safe Drinking Water Class Action Settlement Agreement goals.

Programs like the Emergency Management Assistance Program, Community Development Wrap-Around Initiative, and Reserve Land and Environment Management Program support community resilience and development, enabling First Nations to reassert jurisdiction over reserve lands while helping to advance Indigenous-led institutions in self-determination and economic prosperity. The department's contributions not only aim to reflect the UNDRIP call for self-determination, but also the TRC Calls to Action commitment to Treaty and Indigenous rights, and MMIWG Calls for Justice in pursuit of economic equity and security for Indigenous women.

Other examples of how ISC aimed to make progress towards advancing commitments under the core responsibility of Governance and Community Development Services in 2022-23 include:

• Aligning with TRC Calls to Action to educate federal public servants on the history of Indigenous Peoples and provide intercultural competency training through Indigenous Community Development Training, and collaborating with Indigenous partners to refresh the current curriculum.
• Seeking to uphold TRC Calls to Action to implement strategies and procedures for the ongoing maintenance and protection of residential school sites, focusing on the legacy of former Indian residential school buildings and sites.
• Continuing to strive towards advancing MMIWG Calls for Justice by resourcing measures required to eliminate economic marginalization of Indigenous women and girls, focusing on increasing accessible supports and improving social and economic security for Indigenous women entrepreneurs through the Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship initiative.

III. Gender-based Analysis Plus

The department considers GBA Plus principles to be a core component of renewed, respectful, and inclusive nation-to-nation processes, promoting economic prosperity, healthier communities, and sustainable development through strong community governance and reliable infrastructure. The programs captured under this core responsibility support the goals outlined in Canada's Gender Results Framework related to Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being, Economic Participation and Prosperity and Leadership and democratic participation.

In 2022-23, ISC supported local and community-driven economic and infrastructure projects and Indigenous entrepreneurship to improve the overall social well-being of First Nations communities on reserve and support closing socio-economic and infrastructure gaps between non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities. ISC has incorporated GBA Plus into analyzing its results in the following ways:

• Contracted a specialized GBA Plus Evaluation Consultant to assess internal infrastructure planning processes and integrate GBA Plus considerations into First Nations infrastructure programs. This assessment will improve integration across four main infrastructure areas: Water and Wastewater, Housing, Education Facilities, and Other Community Infrastructure. The assessment will establish reporting tools for evaluating the differential and immediate impacts of infrastructure investments, as well as program-specific analyses that assess direct, indirect, and unintended impacts of infrastructure investments on different demographic groups.
• Utilized eHealth technologies to enhance healthcare service delivery for focus sub-populations in First Nations communities, including women, men, boys, girls, and gender-diverse individuals, based on their specific needs and interactions with health care services in Indigenous jurisdictions. The program explored options to address challenges related to a lack of disaggregated data and worked towards data interoperability with provincial systems. Preliminary work is underway to develop a minimum dataset for programs, while collaborating with other government departments and partners on the Pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy.
• Collaborated with First Nation partners, service providers, and ISC regional coordinators to review policies and address gaps related to emergency management. ISC ensured equitable support for groups facing disproportionate impacts during emergencies, including women and pregnant people in particular, children, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, the elderly, the ill, and persons with disabilities.
• Supported the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association's launch of the Indigenous Women's Entrepreneurship initiative in March 2022 to address gender-specific barriers to entrepreneurship.
• Implemented a distinctions-based approach to the Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program, with Métis Capital Corporations providing targeted supports to Métis entrepreneurs. Reporting requirements are similar to those for the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association and Indigenous Financial Institutions, but focused on Métis-specific indicators.

Additional examples can be found in the Gender-based Analysis Plus Supplementary Information Table.

IV. United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

Community governance, infrastructure, sustainability and economic prosperity are critical to closing the socio-economic gaps that are faced by Indigenous communities and their people.

• ISC contributed to advancing education facilities infrastructure investments. As of March 2023, $1.73 billion of $2.27 billion has been invested in the construction or renovation of 204 schools, benefiting 285 communities and serving approximately 325,000 people and 35,000 students. This supports SDG 4 – Quality Education and the CIF ambition "Canadians have access to inclusive and quality education throughout their lives."
• ISC is a leading organization in the Federal Implementation Plan for the 2030 Agenda, focusing on SDG 6 – Clean water and sanitation. It aims to address the CIF ambition "Canadians have access to drinking water and use it in a sustainable manner" (CFI 6.1, 6.1.1). ISC works in partnership with communities and remains committed to ending all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve. Between November 2015 to March 2023, 138 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted from public systems on reserve, and the department has supported First Nations to address over 235 short term drinking water advisories, preventing them from becoming long-term.
• ISC contributed to SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy by working with Natural Resources Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to reduce dependence on diesel-powered electricity on reserve, with 35 First Nation communities located on reserve relying on ISC-funded diesel for electricity generation in 2022-23. The department will continue monitoring progress with clean energy projects to support CIF ambition "Canadians have access to clean and renewable energy." The Indigenous Women's Entrepreneur program launched in February 2022, and aims to address barriers to inclusion and growth for Indigenous women entrepreneurs. This contributes to SDG 5 – Gender equality, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth and CIF ambition "Canadians have access to quality jobs".
• The department supported SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities and the CIF ambition "Canadians live free of discrimination and inequalities are reduced" by supporting eight Indigenous Representative Organizations to engage with First Nations regarding the environmental protection. These findings will help to address environmental regulatory and capacity gaps on reserve, while providing First Nations with similar protection from environmental, health and safety harms afforded to other areas of Canada.
• ISC supported the construction, renovation, and retrofit of 14,986 homes on reserve since 2016, contributing to SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities and the CIF ambition "Canadians have access to quality housing". The department also supported over 570 emergency management projects, focusing on non-structural mitigation, FireSmart initiatives, capacity building and response and recovery efforts. These projects enabled First Nations communities to reduce risk, and preserve cultural heritage.
• ISC promoted sustainable consumption and production patterns, contributing to SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production. To date, 75% of First Nations communities have implemented solid waste management improvements, including waste diversion and improved solid waste management systems. Since 2020, funding for contaminated sites has supported the closure of 183 sites, ensuring clean, sustainable communities for First Nations' health and well-being.
• In support of SDG 13 – Climate Action, ISC conducts Environmental Reviews on projects on reserve land, evaluating climate change indicators and their impacts on the environment and community well-being. The Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects works with Indigenous communities across Canada to address cumulative impacts from development and climate change. In 2022-23, the Centre conducted a National Needs Assessment to identify the needs of Indigenous communities in climate resiliency, human health and well-being, cumulative effects assessment, monitoring, and land and water health.

Additional results are available in the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals Supplementary Information Table.

V. Innovation

The Emergency Management Assistance Program was established in 2014 to secure funding for emergency management costs on reserve. Bilateral agreements were established with provinces and territories in 2017 to deliver these services. However, in 2019, ISC reviewed these agreements based on concerns raised by First Nations partners, and a strategic plan was developed to include First Nations as full and equal partners. In 2022-23, the department made significant progress in working toward the development of new multilateral emergency service agreements and supporting First Nations-led initiatives. The Collaborative Emergency Management Agreement with the Tsilhqot'in National Government was re-signed in British Columbia, and First Nations Leadership Council supported First Nations involvement in engagements to advance a new tripartite agreement. Funding was provided to a First Nations, Tribal Councils and Indigenous Representative Organizations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

A Joint Command Governance Model was launched with First Nation partners in Ontario for the 2022 flood season to streamline decision-making and emergency response processes. Other provinces and territories also undertook steps to engage with First Nations. The transformation of Emergency Management is setting a strong foundation for eventual transfer of departmental responsibility by increasing First Nation capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and creating a more flexible and comprehensive system to prevent and respond to the evolving nature of both climate and health emergencies.

Broadband connectivity is crucial for digital health and virtual care, but high-speed internet connections are not yet accessible in all remote First Nations communities. ISC partnered with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to examine new technology to improve internet connectivity speeds. In 2022-23, low-earth orbit satellites were implemented in health facilities in 22 remote and isolated communities in Manitoba and Quebec, where connectivity speeds were typically less than half the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission standard (50 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload). New connectivity speeds are at or above the standard for high-speed internet. These improvements helped to address service disruptions in community health facilities, public-health surveillance and other eHealth services.

Innovative practices for water and wastewater for First Nations included the lifting of a drinking water advisory in Wawakapewin First Nation in Ontario in April 2022, which had existed since 2004. This involved the drilling of two wells and the installation of a modular water treatment plant in the community. Another innovative practice was Shoal Lake #40's joint partnership between Shoal Lake #40's Kekekoziibih company and Sigfusson Northern Ltd. to build a water treatment plant in their community which won an award from the Ontario Public Works Association for the 2022 Public Works Project of the Year for Small Municipalities and First Nations. The Okanagan Indian Band improved access to clean water for its community by using an innovative approach that brought together all project stakeholders, including the contractor, designer and First Nation, into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results that allowed the project to be delivered faster.

VI. Key Risks

In 2022-23, the COVID-19 pandemic was anticipated to negatively impact the momentum and progress on governance enhancements in communities and community-led planning. While this risk did not materialize, there remains a need for program support and increasing awareness of the wrap-around approach to ensure government programming adequately responds to community development.

ISC implemented measures to mitigate the possibility of delays and increased costs on housing projects and the ability to meet target lift dates for the remaining long-term drinking water advisories due to global supply, equipment and capacity shortages. Actions included improved processes to ensure value for money, the development of tools to improve the quality of feasibility studies, and streamlined approvals. The department also supported First Nations through investments in operations and maintenance to provide a significant and permanent increase to funding based on updated formula costing, as well as funding for capacity building initiatives that support communities' ability to make strategic and forward-looking planning decisions.

The Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program was at potential risk of increased demand from Indigenous businesses for program support during the pandemic. The COVID-19 Indigenous Business Initiative helped mitigate the impact, but the current economic climate still poses risks. The department is conducting lessons learned to understand the pandemic's impacts and the current status of Indigenous businesses as they repay loans. This increased demand also brought new clients to Métis Capital Corporations and Indigenous Financial Institutions. To address this, ISC is continuing to work with Indigenous partners on modernizing the program.

Emergency management activities face challenges due to the increasing frequency and magnitude of natural hazards, placing strain on emergency management assistance capacities. In 2022-23, 141 First Nation communities on-reserve experienced emergencies, with over 10,552 evacuees. In response, funding was used for the Response and Recovery program to support these evacuees. Additional funds were provided to the Dene Tha' community during the unprecedented flooding event in spring of 2022. Funding was used to support response and recovery activities, including sandbagging, evacuation costs, and infrastructure repairs. The Indigenous Community Support Fund also provided funding to Indigenous communities and organizations in their efforts to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department implemented a Management Response Action Plan to address recommendations stemming from the November 2022 Auditor General's report on emergency management in First Nation communities. The Emergency Management Assistance Program expanded its capacity to better mitigate risks and enhance resilience in First Nation communities. Dedicated teams were put in place to develop multilateral emergency management service agreements. The program continues to work with other government departments and First Nations-led organizations to identify areas of need in emergency management and ensure it effectiveness in supporting First Nations to prepare for, mitigate against, and recover from emergencies.

VII. Results achieved

The following table shows results achieved for Governance and Community Development Services, the performance indicators, targets, target dates for 2022–23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

I. Description

These services are designed and delivered by Indigenous Peoples for Indigenous Peoples. They include services for which the control, authority and/or jurisdiction has been formally transferred to Indigenous communities or organizations, as supported through departmental funding.

II. Results

ISC recognizes the responsibility to respect and need to promote the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples as affirmed in treaties and agreements. It is intent on upholding advancements in political, economic, social and cultural enhancement in support of self-determination for communities and their control of the design, delivery and management of services.

The Department of Indigenous Services Act commits to implementing UNDRIP and sets out clear direction on the collaboration and transfer of responsibilities and services to Indigenous partners and institutions. With the passage of the United Nations Declaration Act, ISC continued to advance this work toward transferring responsibility of departmental services to Indigenous control and working collaboratively toward closing socioeconomic gaps between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous population in Canada. The department participated in the consultation and cooperation process on sections 5 and 6 of the United Nations Declaration Act, and is committed to continuing engagements and supporting co-development processes, including distinction-based fiscal models, communications, data and reporting strategies, capacity-building funding, governance engagement mechanisms, and regulations.

The United Nations Declaration Act Action Plan, which was released in June 2023, provides a roadmap of actions Canada needs to take in partnership with Indigenous peoples to implement the principles and rights set out in the UN Declaration and to further advance reconciliation in a tangible way. For ISC, work advanced through the British Columbia Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance and the First Nations Health Authority on a renewed tripartite health partnership with the Province of British Columbia and First Nations in British Columbia. A renewed 10-year funding agreement was signed, enabling the First Nations Health Authority to continue designing and delivering health programs and services based on community needs. Similarly, an agreement was formally signed in Halifax and the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority became the first Indigenous Water Utility in the country, supporting the transfer of water and wastewater services for as many as 4,500 households and businesses in 17 First Nation communities.

The New Fiscal Relationship Grant is aligned with UNDRIP as it aims to provide First Nations with autonomy in the design and delivery of services. The ongoing work between ISC and its First Nation partners within the New Fiscal Relationship is helping to provide the structure for more flexible and stable funding arrangements needed for future transfer initiatives while working towards closing the socio-economic gaps between First Nations and non-Indigenous Canadians.

The Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data aims to advance Indigenous data capacity, sovereignty, self-determination, and reconciliation. It supports UNDRIP, TRC Calls to Action and MMIWG Calls for Justice by ensuring continued improvement of economic and social conditions for Indigenous Peoples, while establishing measurable goals to close the gaps in health outcomes. The capacity to identify data needs, and to collect, govern, manage and use data is critical for Indigenous governments and organizations to design and deliver effective programs, policies and services, and essential to supporting the transfer of departmental responsibilities to partners. The department recognizes that, in order to support self-determination, Indigenous Peoples need to have access to robust, distinctions-based, culturally-relevant data to design and effectively deliver services to their communities.

ISC continued to advance its commitment to implementing UNDRIP, TRC Calls to Action, and MMIWG Calls for Justice that support self-determination, self-governance, treaty rights, and increased equity. In 2022-23, ISC participated in various consultations and engagement activities to advance these principles. The Inuit Nunangat Policy was endorsed by federal and Inuit leadership in April 2022, marking the first time the Government of Canada has co-developed an overarching, whole-of-government policy of this nature. The policy recognizes Inuit Nunangat – the Inuit homeland – as a distinct geographic, cultural, and political region, encompassing the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut. The policy is inclusive of urban areas where Inuit reside and will guide federal policies, programs, services, and initiatives that apply in Inuit Nunangat or benefit Inuit. Endorsement of the Policy has been an important step toward supporting Inuit self-determination and ensuring meaningful, Inuit-led solutions to the distinct issues faced by Inuit.

In December 2022, the Métis National Council and Governing Members met with federal cabinet Ministers to reaffirm the commitment to the Canada Métis-Nation Accord. Discussions focused on economic development, health, benefits sharing, principles of co-development, language preservation, education, and best practices for UNDRIP implementation.

III. Gender-based Analysis Plus

All relations with Indigenous Peoples need to be based on the recognition and implementation of their right to self-determination, including the inherent right of self-government and to design and deliver services as they see fit, in a manner that reflects community priorities. ISC recognizes that Indigenous communities are the best experts to address their needs and priorities. To mitigate colonial barriers to self-determination, the department plays a supporting role with respect to GBA Plus integration for devolved and transferred programs. ISC provides GBA Plus integration recommendations to reduce diversity and inclusion barriers in program design. However, as part of their design, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis will continue defining their own tailored approaches to GBA Plus/intersectional analysis that reflect their unique circumstances, histories, contexts, and intersections that impact the lives of their Peoples in a way that can differ from the Government of Canada.

Based on existing data from self-government agreements, it is reasonable to conclude that self-determination in Indigenous communities leads to fewer barriers to consultation and engagement, greater investment in diversity and inclusion initiatives, positive social determinants of health outcomes, and greater access to programs and services offered by First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments.

In 2022-23, ISC supported Indigenous Peoples in building data capacity through the Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data Initiative to tell their own stories and design programs, policies, and services that reflect their unique histories and multidimensional lived experiences. Although primarily oriented to supporting Indigenous self-determination, this will also support a stronger, more inclusive national statistical system, and improve Indigenous data availability, including disaggregated data by key factors like gender and distinctions-group.

The department established plans to collect indicators for information sharing in support of the Transformation Approach to Indigenous Data Initiative. This included active Information Sharing Agreements and Indigenous-led assessments of progress towards increased access to data holdings. The ultimate outcomes will measure the percentage of indicators that are co-developed with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners, with key performance indicators being flexible for GBA Plus integration. ISC regularly meets with Indigenous Delivery Partners to encourage collaboration and articulate their vision for GBA Plus.

ISC supported the release of the "First Nations Population Health and Wellness Agenda", a baseline report prepared by the Province of British Columbia and the First Nations Health Authority. The report expanded the Health Authority's seven indicators to a broader set of 22 indicators. The report and data sets will inform performance indicators as they relate to accessing culturally‑appropriate and improved health services for First Nations communities in British Columbia.

Additional examples can be found in the Gender-based Analysis Plus Supplementary Information Table.

IV. United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

ISC recognizes that upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Peoples can exercise their right to develop and implement priorities and strategies for programs and services affecting them. ISC contributed to SDG 10 – Reduce Inequalities and CIF ambition "Canadians live free of discrimination and inequalities are reduced", as well as SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and CIF ambition "Canadians are safe and secure, in person and online." In 2022-23, the department:

• Prepared an Annual Report to Parliament, co-developed with the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Métis National Council, outlining measures taken by ISC to reduce the socioeconomic gaps between Indigenous individuals and non-Indigenous people and progress on the transfer of departmental responsibilities to Indigenous organizations.
• Advanced the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act by aligning departmental legislation with the United Nations Declaration, including in the context of its ongoing work related to the co-development of new First Nations Water and Wastewater Legislation.
• Worked collaboratively with First Nations partners regarding Health Transformation efforts.
• Collaborated with First Nations communities and organizations to examine the possibility of expanding the scope of the New Fiscal Relationship Grant with the goal of enhancing predictability and flexibility of funding.

Additional results are available in the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals Supplementary Information Table.

V. Innovation

In 2022-23, ISC worked with Indigenous partners on new and progressive approaches to improve services and support Indigenous Peoples to independently determine and deliver high quality services. The Health Transformation Initiative for the Mi'kmaw First Nations, is a trilateral process between Canada, the Province of Nova Scotia, and First Nations in Nova Scotia. It will lead to the transfer of First Nations health operations in Nova Scotia to a new Mi'kmaw Health and Wellness Organization. Tajikeimɨk will assume control over federal funding for First Nations health and provide health services grounded in evidence-based decision-making, and rooted in engagement with every First Nation community in Nova Scotia. ISC will manage federal responsibilities related to Health Transformation projects, facilitating negotiations, providing secretariat and analysis support to Chief Federal Negotiators, and where required, managing funding arrangements and reporting. Tajikeimɨk has engaged with First Nations health directors and community leadership to ensure that communities continue to approve the transformation process. The outcome indicator for this transformation will be the First Nations perspective on whether the project continues to improve health outcomes for their First Nation communities.

This project aims to improve health outcomes for First Nations in Nova Scotia by enabling them to address socioeconomic gaps in healthcare and support a more integrated and coordinated health system. Trilateral partners expect to work together to generate evidence to inform its successful implementation.

VI. Key Risks

In 2022-23, ISC identified a risk that the long-term planning for communities may be inhibited without access to predictable, sufficient and sustainable funding. The department worked to increase the number of First Nations entering agreements for the New Fiscal Relationship Grant. ISC also explored the feasibility of expanding eligibility of the grant to Indigenous-led organizations that provide services to multiple Indigenous communities.

ISC faced a potential risk of inability to quantify and measure progress towards self-determination due to lack of agreement on shared outcomes and lack of data. To address this, the department formulated agreements with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners to establish distinctions-based Indigenous-led statistical institutions or functions through the Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data. To support more immediate data needs, ISC funded Statistics Canada to begin working with federal and Indigenous Peoples on co-developed data and research projects and new data collection to improve the visibility of Indigenous Peoples in Canada's National Statistics.

VII. Results achieved

The following table shows results achieved for Indigenous Self-Determined Services, the performance indicators, targets, target dates for 2022–23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

I. Description

Internal services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal services refer to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the internal services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:

• acquisition management services
• communication services
• financial management services
• human resources management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• legal services
• material management services
• management and oversight services
• real property management services

II. Results

In 2022-23, ISC aimed to provide high-quality internal services to support programs and regions, aligning with the departmental mandate, including the transfer of departmental responsibilities to Indigenous partners. The department accomplished this by finalizing changes for an enhanced Departmental Results Framework that focuses on Indigenous Well-Being and Self-Determination. The new Framework comes into force in 2023-24, and shifts the organization of the department's programs from service delivery types into those that support outcomes for Indigenous Peoples and communities, as reflected in the 2023-24 Departmental Plan. ISC also finalized a Resource Management Framework to promote greater accountability, transparency and oversight of the department's use of resources.

ISC modernized its Data Management function to improve data stewardship and the utilization of data for decision-making and reporting. It updated internal data development, management, and analytics activities to align with Indigenous-led data strategies and launched the Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data. The department also made digital advancements by modernizing business process, exploring automation, and developing enterprise solutions, such as cloud infrastructure and a data hub.

The department played a key role in supporting First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities through the release of timely and relevant information related to products, services and supports available through Jordan's Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative; recruitment opportunities for experienced nurses to address nursing shortages; and addressing the Respiratory Illness season (COVID-19 & Seasonal Flu), including continued vaccination efforts in the face of a possible surge in cases.

ISC worked to combat racism and remove systemic barriers by drafting policies and guidelines in response to the Clerk of the Privy Council's call for action on increasing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Additionally, an Employment Equity Action Plan and Accessibility Plan were developed. Executive selection processes were launched to Indigenous candidates, while First Nations, Inuit and Métis employees were supported through recruitment services. The department also addressed anti-Indigenous racism through the work of the Indigenous Employee Champions and enlisted an Ombuds in October 2022 to uphold organizational values that uplift and promote cultural safety and promote ethical decision-making, inclusive and compassionate leadership, and humility. This role is integral to the success of the department, as it drives critical initiatives, serves as a sounding board for management and staff, and most importantly, reinforces the guiding lights that serve fundamental to ISC's work―values, ethics, respect and dignity. The Ombuds office also established a secretariat to oversee the advancement of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility initiatives. This includes the leadership council, task force and diversity and inclusion networks. This innovative approach allows the department to drive meaningful change based on real-time trends and issues identified by ongoing engagement with employees.

The department implemented a clear vision for the workplace of the future through a Partner-centered, service-oriented, digital approach. This included efforts in ensuring agile policies, responsive processes and services, data-driven decision-making, and a modern workplace and equipped workforce, distributed nationally. The department continued its path on taking steps forward and not back, ensuring a risk-informed approach to mitigate immediate risks and inform best practices and investments, always with the future vision as the driver.

III. Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

Indigenous Services Canada is a Phase 1 department and as such must ensure that a minimum 5% of the total value of the contracts it awards to Indigenous businesses by the end of 2022-23. In its 2023-24 Departmental Plan, the department forecasted that, by the end of 2022-23, it would award 15% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses.

As shown in the following table, ISC awarded 17.68% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses in 2022–23.

In 2022-23, ISC issued significant contracts and amendments to three Indigenous vendors:

• Advanced Paramedic Ltd.: ISC issued a multi-million dollar contract for the provision of a range of paramedic and emergency medical services to remote communities across northern Alberta. The company specializes in providing air and ground ambulance services, primary care, community care, industrial ambulance, special event medics, and non-emergent medical transfers. This contract ends November 2023.
• Donna Cona Inc.: Multiple supply arrangements were issued by Public Services and Procurement Canada for temporary help services, general office support, human resource services, business consulting/change management services, and project management services. This contract ended March 2023.
• Dalian Technologies: ISC issued a contract specializing in Information Technology Security, and Networking and Data Centre/Virtualization technology solutions. This contract ended March 2023.

In 2022-23, all procurement officers (100%) were required and have undertaken mandatory training, as outlined by the policy. ISC supported the policy and reporting of Indigenous Procurement through participation in various working groups and committees, as well as senior management briefings. Communications activities were undertaken to raise the awareness among business owners on the Indigenous procurement policy and to encourage use of Indigenous vendors for their business requirements. ISC's Materiel and Asset Management Directorate, responsible for procurement, worked closely with the Lands and Economic Development Sector at ISC, the policy lead for the Government of Canada, over the last year on reporting improvements and vendor registration in the Indigenous Business Directory.

Spending 2020–21 to 2025–26

The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory spending) over time.

Note: due to rounding, figures may not add to totals shown

Text alternative for Spending 2020–21 to 2025–26

This stacked bar graph depicts actual spending from 2020 to 2023 and planned spending from 2023 to 2026:

• In 2020-21, total actual spending was $16,353 million. Of this amount, $14,581 million is voted spending and $1,772 million is statutory spending.
• In 2021–22, total actual spending was $18,352 million. Of this amount, $18,199 million is voted spending and $153 million is statutory spending.
• In 2022–23, total actual spending was $22,556 million. Of this amount, $17,673 is voted spending and $4,884 million is statutory spending.
• In 2023–24, total planned spending is $39,607 million. Of this amount, $39,459 million is voted spending and $148 million is statutory spending.
• In 2024-25, total planned spending is $16,955 million. Of this amount, $16,850 million is voted spending and $105 million is statutory spending.
• In 2025-26, total planned spending is $16,087 million. Of this amount, $15,984 million is voted spending and $103 million is statutory spending.

The 2021-22 actual spending was $18,351.8 million, a net increase of approximately $1,998.6 million over 2020-21. This is primarily due to:

• a net increase in funding for Indigenous community infrastructure;
• a net increase in funding related to the Income Assistance program;
• a net increase in funding for mental health and wellness;
• a net increase in funding for the elementary and secondary as well as post-secondary education programs;
• a net increase in funding for Child and Family Services;
• a net increase in funding for the non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit; and
• a net decrease in funding for COVID-19 initiatives, such as:
  • enhancing public health measures to COVID-19 in First Nations and Inuit communities;
  • Income Assistance;
  • Indigenous Community Support Fund;
  • supporting Indigenous businesses;
  • supporting a safe restart in Indigenous communities;
  • supporting Indigenous mental wellness;
  • urban and regional Indigenous organizations;
  • supportive care in Indigenous communities;
  • the continuation of public health responses in Indigenous communities; and
  • Indigenous communities affected by disruptions to their revenues which are necessary to support programs and services.

The 2022-23 actual spending was $22,556.4 million, a net increase of approximately $4,204.6 million over 2021-22. This is primarily due to:

• a net increase in funding for out-of-court settlements;
• a net increase in funding for costs related to compensation and for the reforms to the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle programs;
• a net increase in funding for Indigenous community infrastructure;
• a net increase in funding for Child and Family Services;
• a net increase in funding for the continued implementation of Jordan's Principle and supporting the Inuit Child First Initiative;
• a net increase in funding for the elementary and secondary as well as post-secondary education programs;
• a net increase in funding for the non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit;
• a net increase in funding to support the implementation of the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families and the ongoing reform of the Indigenous Child and Family Services Program; and
• a net decrease in funding for COVID-19 initiatives, such as:
  • Indigenous Community Support Fund;
  • the continuation of public health responses in Indigenous communities;
  • Indigenous communities affected by disruptions to their revenues which are necessary to support programs and services;
  • supporting Indigenous businesses;
  • supportive care in Indigenous communities; and
  • supporting a safe restart in Indigenous communities.

Spending is expected to increase by $17,051.1 million between 2022-23 actual spending and 2023-24 planned spending. This is primarily due to:

• a net increase in funding for out-of-court settlements;
• a net increase in funding to support the implementation of the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families and the ongoing reform of the Indigenous Child and Family Services Program;
• a net increase in funding for costs related to compensation and for the reforms to the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle programs;
• a net decrease in funding for Indigenous community infrastructure;
• a net decrease in funding for the continued implementation of Jordan's Principle and supporting the Inuit Child First Initiative;
• a net decrease in funding for the non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit;
• a sunset (at the end of 2022-23) in funding for implementation of the British Columbia Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance;
• a net decrease in funding for Child and Family Services; and
• a net decrease in funding for COVID-19 initiatives, such as:
  • Indigenous Community Support Fund;
  • the continuation of public health responses in Indigenous communities; and
  • supporting students and youth.

Spending is expected to decrease by $23,520.2 million between 2023-24 and 2025-26 planned spending. This is primarily due to:

• a decrease in funding for an out-of-court settlement;
• a net decrease in funding for costs related to compensation and for the reforms to the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle programs;
• a net decrease in funding for Indigenous community infrastructure;
• a sunset of funding for the continued implementation of Jordan's Principle (at the end of 2024-25) and supporting the Inuit Child First Initiative (at the end of 2023-24);
• a net decrease in funding to support the implementation of the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families and the ongoing reform of the Indigenous Child and Family Services Program; and
• a net increase in funding related to the Northern Ontario Grid Project.

Decisions on the renewal of the sunset initiatives will be taken in future budgets and reflected in future estimates.

Budgetary performance summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)

The "Budgetary performance summary for core responsibilities and internal services" table presents the budgetary financial resources allocated for Indigenous Services Canada's core responsibilities and for internal services.

The $5,261.5 million difference between Planned Spending ($39,601.6 million) and Total Authorities Available for Use ($44,863.2 million) in 2022-23 primarily reflects an incremental funding provided through Supplementary Estimates for:

• costs related to compensation and for the reforms to the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle programs;
• supporting COVID-19 public health responses and the Indigenous Community Support Fund (Budget 2022);
• Indigenous community infrastructure (Budget 2022);
• reimbursing First Nations and emergency management service providers for on-reserve response and recovery activities;
• advancing the implementation and operationalization of Indigenous children and family services' laws;
• the continued implementation of Jordan's Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative;
• First Nations Child and Family Services, Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders implementation and non-compliance motion settlement;
• implementing the federal framework to address the legacy of residential schools (Budget 2022);
• infrastructure projects in Indigenous communities;
• First Nations Child and Family Services Program;
• emergency response and recovery activities;
• addressing the ongoing legacy of Indian residential schools; and
• advancing adult education for First Nations.

The $22,306.8 million difference between Total Authorities Available for Use ($44,863.2 million) and Actual Spending ($22,556.4 million) in 2022-23 primarily reflects:

• lapse at year-end that will return to the fiscal framework for:
  • the reforms to the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle programs; and
  • advancing the implementation and operationalization of Indigenous children and family services' laws.
• a surplus resulting from ensuring client access to non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit and additional funding was requested due to COVID-19 uncertainty; and
• the deferral of funds to future years for initiatives such as:
  • an out-of-court settlement;
  • costs related to compensation and for the reforms to the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle programs;
  • reimbursing First Nations and emergency management service providers for on-reserve response and recovery activities;
  • addressing the ongoing legacy of Indian residential schools;
  • infrastructure projects in Indigenous communities;
  • supporting COVID-19 public health responses (Budget 2022);
  • supporting the implementation of the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families and the ongoing reform of the Indigenous Child and Family Services Program; and
  • the continued implementation of Jordan's Principle.

Funding for these initiatives could not be spent in 2022-23 and are expected to be re-profiled to future years when it will be available for the intended purposes.

2022–23 Budgetary actual gross spending summary (dollars)

The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net spending for 2022–23.

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of Indigenous Services Canada's spending with the Government of Canada's spending and activities is available in GC InfoBase.

Financial statements

Indigenous Services Canada operates under the legislation set out in the Department of Indigenous Services Act, S.C. 2019, c. 29, s. 336. It reports to Parliament through the Minister of Indigenous Services.

Indigenous Services Canada works collaboratively with partners to improve access to high quality services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Our vision is to support and empower Indigenous Peoples to independently deliver services and address the socio-economic conditions in their communities.

Priorities and reporting are aligned under the following core responsibilities:

1. Services and Benefits to Individuals – Mainly delivered directly to Indigenous People. They include, among other services and benefits, individual First Nations and Inuit clinical care and health-related benefits such as pharmacy, dental and vision care.
2. Health and Social Services – Primarily delivered in partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations, provinces/territories and agencies. Together, they focus on health and well-being for Indigenous Peoples.
3. Governance and Community Development Services – Commonly delivered in partnership with Indigenous communities and institutions and are focused on strong community governance and physical foundations.
4. Indigenous Self-Determined Services – Designed and delivered by Indigenous people for Indigenous people. They include services for which the control, authority and/or jurisdiction has been formally transferred to Indigenous communities or organizations.
5. Internal Services – are those groups of related activities and resources that the Federal Government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet the corporate obligations of the Department.

Indigenous Services Canada's financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2023, are available on ISC's website.

Financial statement highlights

These services and benefits are mainly delivered directly to Indigenous Peoples by the department. They include, among other services and benefits, individual First Nations and Inuit clinical care and health-related benefits such as pharmacy, dental and vision care. The department is also responsible for determining individuals' entitlement to Indian registration and for the issuance of various proofs of registration, including the Secure Certificate of Indian Status (SCIS), which can be used to access various programs and services.

These services are primarily delivered in partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations, provinces/territories and agencies. Together, they focus on health and well-being for Indigenous Peoples. They include health services to strengthen Indigenous communities in areas such as healthy living, communicable disease control, healthy child development and community care. They also include social services with an emphasis on children and families, as well as education services from kindergarten to post-secondary.

These services are commonly delivered in partnership with Indigenous communities and institutions and are focused on strong community governance and physical foundations. They include supports for governance capacity in areas such as community planning and financial management. They also include support for investments in community infrastructure, land and resource management, and economic development.

These services are designed and delivered by Indigenous Peoples for Indigenous Peoples. They include services for which the control, authority and/or jurisdiction has been formally transferred to Indigenous communities or organizations, as supported through departmental funding.