United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals

Income Assistance:

In 2022-23, ISC provided additional Income Assistance funding to help address needs of First Nations individuals and families in response to ongoing hardships due to cost of living increases. The program collaborated with the Assembly of First Nations and other First Nations partners to shape program changes the support self-determination and meet community-specific needs. This led to the Assembly of First Nations' resolution which was adopted in November 2022. The program also provided two inflation relief benefits of approximately $289.1 million in essential assistance as part of post-pandemic recovery. The program will continue to track the level of residents living on reserve who are supported through income assistance and may modify performance measures and outcomes as a result of program reform.

Assisted Living:

The department has been working with First Nations and Inuit partners to co-develop a distinctions-based Indigenous Long-term and Continuing Care Framework, ensuring Indigenous Peoples can receive these services in or near their own communities. This is a joint initiative between ISC's Assisted Living and First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care programs and could result in new or improved programming.

ISC supported regional Indigenous-led engagement activities that concluded in the fall of 2022 that aimed to gain input from a wide range of First Nations and Inuit partners, organizations, and individuals on the elements of a holistic long-term care continuum that responds to their needs. Roughly 35 regional reports from First Nations partners were amalgamated into a national summary report, that was shared with partners for validation in February/March 2023. At the same time, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami provided a national report summary on behalf of Inuit partners. Options for a new and more holistic long-term and continuing care framework are in the process of being co-developed with partners.

Jordan's Principle:

In 2022-23, Jordan's Principle and the Inuit Child First Initiative (ICFI) experienced an unexpected surge in requests for products, supports and services with requests increasing 108% over 2021-22. In 2022-23, Jordan's Principle and ICFI approved 113,747 requests accounting for over $1 billion in expenditures. The corresponding reach of products and services was 1,326,690 (First Nation & Inuit children), which is a 143% growth compared to the previous year. Jordan's Principle and ICFI fund a significant number of individual and group requests for educational and social supports to improve opportunities for First Nation and Inuit children and to contribute to ending poverty.

Contributing to the goal of ending poverty by reducing barriers to accessing government services, Jordan's Principle and ICFI continues to refine the implementation of the Back to Basics approach, which puts the needs of the child at the center, and is designed to streamline and improve access to funding for First Nation and Inuit populations.

Nutrition North Canada:

During 2022-23, through investments in Nutrition North Canada Nutrition Education Initiatives, 32,528 participants attended nutrition education activities. Activities took place in schools, daycares, stores, community centres, and on the land. Participants included diverse target populations such as children, youth, women and seniors.

Nutrition education activities included promotion of healthy eating knowledge, food skills development, in-store taste tests and grocery store tours, traditional food harvesting and preparation, and accessing food (e.g., healthy meals, good food boxes and food hampers).

76% of funding recipients that submitted annual reports indicated that community members have increased their knowledge of healthy eating and skills, and are choosing and preparing healthy food.^{Footnote 1}

Non-Insured Health Benefit (NIHB):

In 2022-23, the NIHB Program continued to provide comprehensive drug benefit coverage for registered First Nations and recognized Inuit through the NIHB pharmacy benefit. In addition, the NIHB Program added 656 items with a drug identification number (DIN) including 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. The program also received funding approval to expand coverage for continuous glucose monitoring systems to support the management of diabetes.

Indigenous Community Support Fund:

ISC continues to support Indigenous communities through an approximate annual investment of $650 million by supporting Indigenous-led, culturally-relevant community-based mental wellness promotion, on-the-land initiatives, suicide prevention, life promotion, crisis response, and substance use treatment and prevention services in Indigenous communities. This investment supports the 2023 Agenda and directly responds to SDG Goals 3: Good Health and Well-Being and 11: Reduced Inequalities. Given the close relationships between Indigenous mental wellness and the social determinants of health, this investment also aligns with all SDGs responding to the social determinates of health.

Jordan's Principle:

Jordan's Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative approved 113,747 products, services and supports for First Nation and Inuit children to respond to their unmet needs and improve health outcomes in Indigenous communities. Jordan's Principle also continues to approve funding for Mental Wellness-related group and individual requests.

COVID-19 Public Health Fund:

As the pandemic evolved, this funding supported for First Nations community-led responses to the pandemic, with priority support targeted to vaccines and boosters rollout, testing, and surge capacity health human resources for urgent medical needs and outbreaks in 2022-23. The focus was then placed on recovery and prioritizing the following public health supports:

• the administration of boosters, pediatric vaccines and new vaccine options, as well as activities aimed at increasing the overall vaccination rates;
• continued engagement with Indigenous partners to provide support based on community-determined needs, e.g. COVID-19 testing and testing resources, staffing and surge capacity, health human resources; and,
• response to outbreaks, including support for urgent medical needs as new outbreaks occur due to new or emerging variants /sub-variants, as well as surge support to address other public health outbreaks (e.g., tuberculosis, syphilis) that have been exacerbated by the pandemic (e.g., staff reprioritization, backlog of public health resources).

Elementary and Secondary Education:

In 2022-23, ISC's Elementary and Secondary Education Program provided funding to help support First Nations in the delivery of over 500 First Nations-administered education programs nationally. The program funded approximately 114,150 First Nations students ordinarily resident on reserve to attend First Nations-administered schools, as well as provincial, private and federal schools, up from 109,000 students in 2021-2022. Over 8,000 students were provided with access to full-time kindergarten in First Nations-administered schools.

As of 2022-23, ISC has signed nine regional education agreements with First Nation partners that support improved outcomes for approximately 29,600 students through the vision, goals and priorities for elementary and secondary education, as set by First Nations for their specific regional or local context. These include a Regional Education Agreement with the First Nations Education Council for which Budget 2022 invested $310.6 million over five years to support better student outcomes.

Adult Education:

Budget 2021 announced $350 million over five years to expand access to adult education by supporting First Nations students who wish to complete or upgrade their high school education.

ISC is implementing Adult Education to ensure all First Nations across the country have access to supports for adult education regardless of provincial levels of support. Adult Education programming will support on-reserve First Nations students looking to complete or upgrade their secondary education and will further support First Nations' vision of lifelong learning.

Funding for Adult Education will be flexible and First Nations will be able to use it to develop their own Adult Education programs supporting on-reserve First Nations students, and in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. The implementation of Adult Education programming will be led by First Nations.

ISC is working closely with First Nations partners across Canada on the implementation of Adult Education funding, and ensuring that funding for Adult Education is responsive to the priorities and needs of communities.

First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy (FNIYES):

The department continues to deliver programs under the FNIYES. The strategy supports initiatives that provide First Nations youth (aged 15-30) living on reserve and Inuit youth (aged 15-30) living outside of their land-claim area with work experience, information about career options, and opportunities to develop skills through mentored work placements to ready them for labour-market entry and help them gain employment.

In 2022-23, ISC launched an engagement process with recipients and youth participants of the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy on the modernization of the program's Terms and Conditions. The goal of this process was to improve the alignment of the program with the overall objectives of Employment and Social Development Canada's Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, which is to better assist youth in overcoming barriers to employment. ISC completed the engagement, and the feedback gathered through the engagement process is helping to guide the changes needed to achieve this objective. ISC anticipates modernizing the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy Terms and Conditions based on recommendations stemming from engagement process in 2023-24, which will be reflected in the implementation of the new Terms and Conditions beginning in 2024-25. In the meantime, the department will continue delivering First Nations and Inuit youth programming and employment supports to promote access to skills, work experience and information about career options.

Through the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy, participating youth living on reserve and outside of their land-claim area develop skills to help gain employment. This strategy also contributes to SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities.

Post-Secondary Education:

During 2022-23, First Nations have continued their engagement activities on the development of First Nations regional post-secondary education models. Early feedback indicated that more time may be needed and that resources that keep pace with funding pressures are critical. The department will work with partners to quantify projected costs and pressures to support the implementation of regional post-secondary education models. Work also continued with Inuit and Métis Nation partners who administer the Métis Nation and Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategies to advance their priorities.

Early learning and Childcare:
ISC is a federal partner in supporting the horizontal Indigenous Early Learning and Childcare Transformation Initiative (IELCC), led by Employment and Social Development Canada, along with Public Health Agency of Canada and Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. There has been continued success in delivering IELCC programming and governance funding to Indigenous communities in alignment with their priorities.

Indigenous early learning and child care investments are guided by the co-developed Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework, which adopts a distinctions-based approach to strengthening high-quality, culturally appropriate early learning and child care for Indigenous children guided by Indigenous priorities.

Work continued on the implementation of Budget 2021 investments which support safe and healthy early learning and child care facilities by providing funding over three years for repairs and renovations beginning 2022-23 as well as major infrastructure for new Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care centres beginning in 2023-24.

School Facilities Targeted Infrastructure Investments:

$1.96 billion has been invested to support 301 school facility projects, benefiting 342 First Nations communities.

As of March 31, 2023, ISC has 301 School projects that are on-going (total 128) or have been completed (total 173). Of those facilities 68 are new schools (24 school projects on-going and 44 school projects completed) and 145 are renovations and upgrades (50 school renovations ongoing and 95 school renovations completed).

Housing:

Indigenous Services Canada's Family Violence Prevention Program and the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) work with the Indigenous-led steering committee for the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative. This will result in a minimum of 38 emergency shelters and 50 transition homes across Canada, including in urban areas and the North, for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping violence. To date, 22 projects have been selected, including: thirteen (13) shelters, eleven (11) transitional housing projects and one (1) mixed use project. Of these projects, three (3) Inuit-specific shelter and transitional housing projects have been successful are were selected by an Inuit-led selection committee.

The Indigenous-led steering committee for the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative is currently in its third round of selection with a rolling-intake for new proposals. This work continues to support the need for shelters, transition (second-stage) homes and distinctions-based programming to safeguard Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people from gender-based violence as outlined in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. In addition, the Family Violence Prevention Program supported over 300 family violence preventions activities across Canada with more than $21 million in funding provided for projects ranging from women's support groups to needs assessments for the development of distinct based supports for individuals experiencing gender-based violence.

To advance the MMIWG Calls for Justice and the third National Action Plan goal, Indigenous Services Canada and the CMHC are funding the Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy. $724.1 million will support 38 new shelters and 50 transition homes specifically for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people who are experiencing gender-based violence, as well as enhancing culturally relevant violence prevention activities. In 2022-23, the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative selected 22 new projects, which will result in 178 units.

Family Violence Prevention Program:

Indigenous Services Canada's Family Violence Prevention Program has supported the work on addressing gender-based violence needs within Indigenous communities and urban centres through its Annual Call for Proposals, through which it has provided support to more than 300 violence prevention projects equaling $21 million. The Family Violence Prevention Program's 2023-24 Call for Proposals launched in late July 2023 and closed in September 2023. Some activities considered for funding may include:

• enhanced wrap-around services
• case management
• land-based activities
• programs to reduce the risk of sexual exploitation
• culturally appropriate mental health and addiction supports
• public outreach and awareness
• conferences and workshops
• stress and anger management seminars
• support groups
• community needs assessments

In addition, activities that address at least one of these themes will be prioritized:

• outreach to Indigenous women, children, youth and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people on the prevention of family violence
• empowerment of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people to reduce the risk of vulnerability to violence
• vulnerability to violence associated with the transition between on reserve and off reserve living environments.

Pathways Initiative:

In 2022-2023, the Pathways Initiative provided $23.6 million in funding to 57 community safety and well-being projects. Commitments to multi-year projects resulted in an overall commitment of $91 million in total over the 5 years. Recipients included First Nations, Inuit, and Métis organizations and communities, and Indigenous Urban organizations. Individual projects respond to a wide range of community safety and well-being needs including support for:

• expansion of an existing street outreach patrol to nine First Nations communities to provide safety to vulnerable groups and connect them to existing services;
• delivery of a cultural program to promote safety and well-being and increase awareness about violence and sexual exploitation;
• creation of a safe space for women and those who are gender diverse for gathering and healing, ensuring culturally appropriate supports are in place and expansion of community outreach activities; and,
• Indigenous-designed web and mobile application for sharing community alerts and information, including immediate notifications regarding dangerous situations.

An additional $20 million for the Pathways Initiative was announced in November 2022, which will be delivered over the next 3 fiscal years.

The National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association's Indigenous Women's Entrepreneur (IWE) Program offers support to Indigenous women in various stages of engagement with entrepreneurship, in alignment with the Government's strategy to increase access to start up needs for women-owned businesses. Currently, 32 Indigenous Financial Institutions deliver the program across all regions. The IWE is implementing training, workshops, mentorships and micro-loans to address the needs Indigenous women entrepreneurs identified as barriers to their inclusion and growth in the entrepreneurial sector. As the program was rolled-out in February 2022, ISC is waiting for National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association's annual report to receive the first official results of the program's first year of activity. In the meantime, it was communicated that 33 workshops were held on various topics including writing business proposals and computer training. The workshops were attended by a total of 292 participants. Furthermore, 15 Aboriginal Financial Institutions have already submitted applications for the mentorship program. Providing culturally competent tools and training to Indigenous women entrepreneurs supports economic stability and independence which are key pathways to addressing gender based violence and harassment.

National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence:

The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence was released on November 9, 2022. ISC supported WAGE, along with provinces and territories, in its development. Following its release, ISC supported WAGE during negotiations with the provinces and territories regarding funding for the implementation of the action plan to finalize bilateral agreements on crisis hotlines.

Over the next few months, the Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories to finalize bilateral agreements on the implementation of the National Action Plan, including a crisis hotline and building upon the Government of Canada's commitment to providing approximately $300 million in emergency COVID-19 funding to support individuals experiencing gender-based violence.

The Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan was launched on August 28, 2022. This plan intends to create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities for present and future generations. ISC is supporting WAGE in its implementation.

This also contributes to SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Long-Term Drinking Water Advisories (LTDWA):

Between November 2015 to March 31, 2023, 138 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted from public systems on reserve.

In 2022-23, 7 long-term drinking water advisories were lifted and 5 drinking water advisories became long-term. Action plans are in place to address the remaining long-term drinking water advisories.

Over the same period of time, ISC supported First Nations to address over 235 short-term drinking water advisories, preventing them from becoming long-term.

As of December 31, 2022, ISC has invested $3.03 billion to support 1,058 water and wastewater projects in First Nations communities. Of these, 525 projects are complete. These projects benefit 589 communities serving approximately 470,000 people.^{Footnote 2}

First Nations Community Infrastructure:

ISC is contributing to SDG 7 by working with Natural Resources Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to reduce dependence on diesel-powered electricity on reserve. ISC continues to invest and support First Nation communities on their clean energy projects. For example, the Dzawada'enuxw First Nation mini hydro project has gone through the formal approval process and will be implemented soon. (see 2020 to 2023 DSDS - Clean Energy).

Strategic Partnerships Initiative:

Through the Strategic Partnerships Initiative, ISC works with other federal partners to build capacity for local, economically-sustainable clean energy projects in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across the country. To date, SPI has stood up five (5) regional clean energy initiatives ($15.6 million) in Atlantic, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia (renewal), as well as entered into a partnership with the national Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) social enterprise.

First Nations Land Management:

In 2022-23, 9 First Nations became signatories to the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management and 3 First Nations enacted Land Codes pursuant to the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management.

As of March 31, 2023, 102 First Nations received operational funding, through First Nations Land Management, to manage their lands, environment, and natural resources outside of the 44 sections of the Indian Act related to land management. A further 98 First Nation signatories to the Framework Agreement received, or remained eligible to receive, funding to develop and ratify land codes pursuant to the Framework Budget 2023 reaffirms Canada's commitment to negotiate a renewed operating funding formula with the Lands Advisory Board to ensure the continued growth and success of First Nation Land Management.

Budget 2021 provided ISC with funding to support First Nations with their Additions to Reserve proposals. In 2022-23, 40 Additions to Reserve proposals were approved adding nearly 6,656 acres of land to reserve. Many First Nations will leverage these lands to access community and economic development opportunities, and generate own-source revenues.

In 2022-23, Budget 2023 announced an additional $30 million over five years starting in 2023-2024 for the Reserve Land and Environment Management Program (RLEMP). RLEMP supports First Nations to develop capacity to exercise increased responsibility over their reserve land, resources, and environment under the Indian Act. In building this foundational capacity, RLEMP supports the successful service transfer of economic development activities from ISC to First Nations, which in turn advances economic reconciliation and self-determination in relation to the land. The new funding will be used to establish a minimum base level funding for participating First Nations, as well as to open RLEMP to new First Nations participants. RLEMP currently has 131 First Nations participants and 207 land managers trained under the Professional Land Management Certification Program, delivered by the National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association.

Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program:

Indigenous businesses play an important role in creating jobs and opportunities across Canada. The average of the past four year's FTEs created or maintained by new loans was 3.7 FTEs/loan. With the result for 2022 being an average of 3.9 FTEs created or maintained per new loan.

Internet Speed:

Connectivity speeds are improving in remote and isolated First Nations communities where low-Earth orbit satellites are being deployed. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) standard of 50 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload is being achieved and in some cases surpassed in health facilities located in formerly underserved communities with fly-in access or other geographical challenges.

First Nation Infrastructure Fund:

Additional details on ISC's contributions through the First Nations Infrastructure Fund can be found in ISC's 2020 to 2023 DSDS (see Effective action on climate change).

Urban, Rural, Northern Indigenous Housing – Immediate Funding:

On June 8, 2023, ISC Minister announced immediate funding in the amount of $287.1 million to address the critical need for safe and affordable urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing projects. In recognition of the need for immediate action, the National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Incorporated (NICHI) will deliver this funding through a proposal process for infrastructure projects that address immediate and unmet housing needs of Indigenous Peoples in northern, urban and rural communities. The process will prioritize those projects with funding shortfalls which are already underway and those which are ready to begin.

This delivery of the immediate funding will proceed on a separate but parallel track to CMHC's co-development work towards an Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy and Housing Centre.

Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund:

As part of Budget 2021, the Government announced $194.9 million over three years (2022-23 to 2024-25) for the Urban Component of the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund to support urban and off-reserve Indigenous communities and organizations in order to address critical infrastructure gaps.

As for March 2023, 17 projects have been approved under the Urban Component of Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund for a total amount of $99.4 million.

Annual Report to Parliament:

ISC prepared an Annual Report to Parliament on the socio-economic gaps between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals and non-Indigenous people in Canada, and the measures taken by the department to reduce those gaps. The Report also outlines progress on the service transfer of departmental responsibilities to Indigenous organizations. The 2021 and 2022 reports were co-developed with Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Métis National Council.

Long-term Drinking Water Advisories (LTDWA):

Between November 2015 to March 31, 2023, 138 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted from public systems on reserve. In 2022-23, 7 long-term drinking water advisories were lifted and 5 drinking water advisories became long-term. Action plans are in place to address the remaining long-term drinking water advisories.

Over the same period of time, ISC supported First Nations to address over 235 short-term drinking water advisories, preventing them from becoming long-term.

As of December 31, 2022, ISC has invested $3.03 billion to support 1,058 water and wastewater projects in First Nations communities. Of these, 525 projects are complete. These projects benefit 589 communities serving approximately 470,000 people.

First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy (FNIYES):

In 2022-23, ISC completed its engagements on FNIYES, which falls under the broader Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, led by Employment and Social Development Canada, and has begun the work to modernizing the Terms and Conditions for the strategy based on recommendations stemming from the engagement process.

Through the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy, the youth living on reserve and outside of their land-claim area develop skills to help gain employment.

Reducing Inequality Through Environmental Protections:

ISC supported eight Indigenous Representative Organizations to engage with First Nations regarding the environmental protection issue, identify priorities, and confirm interest in moving forward to co-develop environmental protection measures. These findings will support the development of recommendations to address environmental regulatory and capacity gaps on reserve. Addressing this environmental protection gap will provide First Nations with a similar level of protection from environmental, health and safety harm afforded to other areas of Canada.

Housing:

Since 2016 and as of March 31, 2023, ISC has supported the construction, renovation and retrofit of 16,999 homes on reserve, of which 7,968 are complete.

Through Budgets 2021 and 2022, the Government of Canada committed more than $3 billion over 6 years to First Nations housing on-reserve. In 2022-23, ISC continued to support the construction, renovation and retrofit of housing on-reserve, in addition to supporting innovation and capacity-building in First Nations communities. For example, in support of First Nations-identified priorities for capacity and skills enhancement on reserve, ISC announced that it is providing additional targeted funding, through Budget 2022, that First Nations can use to subsidize housing manager positions.

FireSmart:

As of March 2023, ISC funded a total of 182 projects through the Non-structural Mitigation and Preparedness funding stream, 62 projects through the FireSmart program, and 329 projects through the Response and Recovery stream. By investing in mitigation and preparedness activities we have worked to help First Nation communities withstand and recover more quickly from natural disasters and other emergencies. Mitigation and preparedness efforts work to reduce the need for costly repairs and reconstruction, minimize disruptions to essential services and promote long-term sustainability. By implementing FireSmart practices such as vegetation management and fuel management the program helps mitigate the risk of wildfires. This reduces the risk of the potential for property damage, loss of life, and need for costly firefighting equipment. By investing in response and recovery efforts such as sandbagging efforts, evacuation costs, and repairs to damaged infrastructure, ISC has worked to help communities bounce back stronger and become more resilient. Overall, mitigation and preparedness efforts, including programs like FireSmart, along with recovery efforts, have contributed to building sustainable communities by working to reduce the risk of disaster and promoting community resilience.

Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP):

In the 2022-23 fiscal year the Emergency Management Assistance Program provided funding for 77 emergency management coordinator positions. These positions have worked to support more sustainable First Nation communities by working to reduce risks and vulnerabilities, ensure the safety and well-being of community members during emergencies, fostering community resilience, promoting cultural sensitivity and working with stakeholders to address the unique needs and challenges faced by First Nation communities in emergency situations. These strategies also support SDG 13 – Climate Action and UNDRIP 18 – Indigenous Peoples have the right to participate in decision-making.

First Nation Infrastructure Fund / Investing in Community Infrastructure:

Additional details on ISC's contributions to SDG 11 through these programs and others such as waste management, land use planning and environmental protection can be found in ISC's 2020 to 2023 DSDS (see Effective action on climate change; Modern and resilient infrastructure, and Safe and healthy communities).

ISC continues to support Indigenous communities through an approximate annual investment of $650 million by supporting Indigenous-led, culturally-relevant community-based mental wellness promotion, on-the-land initiatives, suicide prevention, life promotion, crisis response, and substance use treatment and prevention services in Indigenous communities. This investment supports the 2023 Agenda and directly responds to SDG Goals 3: Good Health and Well-Being and 11: Reduced Inequalities. Given the close relationships between Indigenous mental wellness and the social determinants of health, this investment also aligns with all SDGs responding to the social determinates of health.

Waste Management:

75% of First Nations communities have undertaken solid waste management improvement projects. These projects include waste diversion and improved solid waste management systems which contribute to the indicator "Canadians consume in a sustainable manner".

Contaminated Sites Management Program:

Contaminated Sites On-Reserve (CSOR) Program at ISC works collaboratively with First Nation communities and organizations to ensure all First Nations live in clean, sustainable communities that contribute to their health and well-being. ISC implements the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) to reduce risks to human and environmental health and safety by completing remediation and risk management activities at known, high-priority federal contaminated sites. During Phase IV of the FCSAP Program (2020-2025), CSOR is on track to receive $186.5 million in funding from FCSAP. CSOR has allocated an additional $40 million of departmental funds for a total of $226.6 million to support contaminated sites activities on reserve. To date, this funding has supported assessment activities on 193 sites, remediation activities on 252 sites, and the closure of 183 sites since 2020.

Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program:

As of March 31, 2023, 43.8% of First Nations and Inuit communities have been covered by climate change health adaptation funded projects under the Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program (CCHAP), strengthening those communities in their capacity to adapt to the health impacts of climate change.

First Nation Infrastructure Fund:

Additional details on these programs that contribute to SDG 13 can be found in ISC's 2020 to 2023 DSDS (see Greening Government, Effective Action on Climate Change, Modern and Resilient Infrastructure, and Safe and Healthy Communities).

Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP):

Climate change has significant implications for emergency management including the increased frequency and intensity of emergency events, and changing patterns of hazards. The policy directorate at Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP) now has dedicated teams for strategic policy and the development of multilateral emergency management service agreements. This targeted approach recognizes the importance of Indigenous knowledge, self-determination and community engagement in building resilience and finding sustainable solutions to climate-change related challenges. Emphasizing the knowledge, practices and perspectives of Indigenous peoples is crucial in tackling climate change effectively and ensuring sustainable solutions that integrate their cultural values and rights.

Environmental Review Processes:

ISC conducts Environmental Reviews on projects taking place on reserve land. The Environmental Review Process evaluates climate change indicators to the land and water as well as the impacts of a project on the environment and the socio-economic well-being of the community. This contributes to the action on climate change and on safe and healthy communities by ensuring the continued monitoring of the health of the land and the water.

Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects:

The Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects (ICCE) engages with Indigenous communities across Canada to help address the increasing number of cumulative impacts that are effecting communities due to development as well as climate change. The ICCE Community Funding Program provides guidance and monetary assistance to communities who wish to undertake cumulative effects work on their lands and in their waters. ICCE conducted a National Needs Assessment in 2022-23, to identify the needs of Indigenous communities across Canada in terms of climate resiliency, human health and well-being, cumulative effects assessment, monitoring and management and the health of the land and water.

Anti-Indigenous Racism in Health Systems program:

Funds the implementation of 148 Indigenous partner-led projects that address anti-Indigenous racism in Canada's health systems, with an emphasis on increasing access to culturally safe health services, including those targeted to Indigenous women, 2SLGBTQI+ peoples, and other marginalized groups.

Pathways Initiative:

The Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Program is supporting holistic Indigenous community safety and well-being initiatives, including those that contribute to culturally-sensitive policing and safety in Indigenous communities. Recipients included First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and communities, and Indigenous Urban organizations.

Individual projects respond to a wide range of community safety and well-being needs including support for:

• expansion of an existing street outreach patrol to nine First Nations communities to provide safety to vulnerable groups and connect them to existing services;
• delivery of a cultural program to promote safety and well-being and increase awareness about violence and sexual exploitation;
• creation of a safe space for women and those who are gender diverse for gathering and healing, ensuring culturally appropriate supports are in place and expansion of community outreach activities; and
• community safety officers who act as first responders and are trained to address the realities of mental health, addiction, generational trauma, and gender-based violence in First Nation communities. They coordinate and work with police, but also with other community services to help address root causes of community safety issues.
• Indigenous-designed web and mobile application for sharing community alerts and information, including immediate notifications regarding dangerous situations.

In fiscal year 2022-2023, the Pathways Initiative provided $23.6 million in funding to 57 community safety and well-being projects. Commitments to multi-year projects resulted in an overall commitment of $91 million in total over the 5 years. An additional $20 million for the Pathways Initiative was announced in November 2022, which will be delivered over the next 3 fiscal years.

National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and WAGE:

The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence was released on November 9, 2022. ISC supported WAGE, along with provinces and territories, in its development. Following its release, ISC supported Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) during negotiations with the provinces and territories regarding funding for the implementation of the action plan to finalize bilateral agreements on crisis hotlines.

Over the next few months, the Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories to finalize bilateral agreements on the implementation of the National Action Plan, including a crisis hotline and building upon the Government of Canada's commitment to providing approximately $300 million in emergency COVID-19 funding to support individuals experiencing gender-based violence.

The Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan was launched on August 28, 2022. This plan intends to create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities for present and future generations. ISC is supporting WAGE in its implementation.

This also contributes to SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:

ISC is contributing to whole-of-governments efforts to implement the Declaration, including by contributing to Justice-led efforts to advance the commitments contained in the United Nations Declaration Act. In 2022-23, an important focus was to develop an Action Plan in collaboration and cooperation with Indigenous partners, with a view determine measures that can concretely help advance the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, such as socio-economic rights and the right to self-determination – foundational to ISC's mandate.