Appearance before the Standing Committee on House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) Ministerial Priorities October 28, 2024

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (CIRNAC)

• The Hon. Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
• The Hon. Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs
• Department Officials
  • Valerie Gideon, Deputy Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northen Affairs Canada
  • Georgina Lloyd, Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs Organization

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)

• The Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services
• Department Officials
  • Gina Wilson, Deputy Minister for Indigenous Services Canada

Key Messages

• ISC remains committed to improving the quality of services delivered to Indigenous Peoples and strives to continue to work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners to close socio-economic gaps and help improve the well-being of Indigenous Peoples and communities. The Department continues to advance reconciliation and renew the relationship with Indigenous Peoples, founded on rights recognition, respect, cooperation, and partnership.
• ISC made meaningful progress to achieve the mandate letter commitments which includes:
  • Supporting and promoting health and wellness of Indigenous peoples through targeted supports such as Jordan's Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative, co-development of health frameworks, and investments in distinctions-based approaches to mental wellness;
  • Collaborating with Indigenous partners to advance reforms, agreements, and legislation focused on improving child and family services;
  • Investing in closing the infrastructure gap and working with partners to strengthen the governance and service delivery for First Nations emergency preparedness, management and recovery;
  • Promoting economic development through initiatives like Indigenous Business Navigator services; and
  • Providing support for governance capacity and self-determination through New fiscal relationship grant, co-development of agreements and frameworks and transitioning away from the Indian Act in areas of health, water management, and child and family services.

Current Status

Key Messages

• Indigenous Services Canada is planning the following spending reductions related to the Refocusing Government Spending initiative announced in Budget 2023.
  • 2023–24: $16,999,000
  • 2024–25: $64,716,653
  • 2025–26: $108,603,653
  • 2026–27 and after: $170,702,653
• Indigenous Services Canada will achieve these reductions by doing the following:
  • Internal services and operational efficiencies;
  • Public servant travel;
  • Departmental transformation;
  • Reducing grants and contributions following discussions with partners, by targeting areas that will minimize impacts on communities and/or in areas where the funding has not been fully utilized.
• A portion of funding for the above planned spending reductions will be frozen while, in collaboration with Indigenous partners and stakeholders, additional proposals for savings are completed in 2024–25.
• These savings will not impact direct service delivery to First Nations and Indigenous communities. Further information on the reductions for 2024–25 and future years is available in the Departmental Plan and Main Estimates 2024–25.

Background

• In Budget 2023 the government announced the Refocusing Government Spending Initiative to refocus $14.1 billion over 5 years (2023–24 to 2027–28) and $4.1 billion annually thereafter. Spending is being refocused from 2 categories:
  • Professional Services and Travel
  • Operations and Transfer Payments
• Certain spending was excluded from the Initiative, including direct benefits to Canadians or transfers to Indigenous communities and other orders of government.
• As part of the 2023–24 Supplementary Estimates (B) $16,999,000 was placed in a frozen allotment.
• In late fall 2023, Indigenous Services Canada's Minister submitted proposals for spending reductions to the Treasury Board Secretariat for review and approval.
• As part of meeting this commitment, Indigenous Services Canada is planning the following spending reductions.
  • 2023–24: $16,999,000
  • 2024–25: $64,716,653
  • 2025–26: $108,603,653
  • 2026–27 and after: $170,702,653
• Indigenous Services Canada will achieve these reductions by doing the following:
  • Internal services and operational efficiencies;
  • Public servant travel;
  • Departmental transformation;
  • Reducing grants and contributions following discussions with partners, by targeting areas that will minimize impacts on communities and/or in areas where the funding has not been fully utilized.
• A portion of funding for the above planned spending reductions will be frozen while, in collaboration with Indigenous partners and stakeholders, additional proposals for savings are completed in 2024–25.

Current Status

• Indigenous Services Canada undertook a principle-based and thoughtful approach to its internal review as part of the Refocusing Government Spending Initiative to minimize impacts on Indigenous partners and communities and avoid any negative impacts to direct service delivery.
• The overall savings identified as part of the Refocusing Government Spending Initiative for each department has been publicly released in 2024–25 Main Estimates, which has been tabled by the President of the Treasury Board. Additional details about Indigenous Services Canada's savings has been presented in the Departmental Plan (DP), as well as in the Main Estimates.

Key Messages

• The 2022–23 Departmental Results Report was the last to report against ISC's former Departmental Results Framework (DRF). To better support the department's mandate, ISC's DRF moved to a single core responsibility in 2023–24 that focuses on Indigenous Well-Being and Self-Determination.
• In 2022–23, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted establishing targets in co-development with Indigenous partners, and competing priorities resulted in insufficient data being available for reporting on certain indicators.
• As of March 2024, Departmental Result indicators now have established targets and dates to achieve (with the exception of "Percentage of First Nations communities offering family support services aimed at keeping families together", as the program is dormant.)
• ISC aims to continue to close socio-economic gaps and create a more equitable Canada in 2024–25, focusing on trust-based reconciliation with Indigenous partners.

Background

Current Status

Key Messages

• Indigenous Services Canada is committed to fostering economic reconciliation leading to opportunities for Indigenous businesses through the mandatory minimum target of 5% of the dollar value of federal contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses. The Department achieved an overall result of 13.5% in 2023/2024 representing $53.5M in contract value.
• ISC is adhering to the new requirement intended to support Deputy Heads in their accountabilities to organize the resources within their departments by having the Senior Designated Official for Procurement provide reports, twice a year, that identify:
  • The total current number of per diem–based professional services resources; and
  • The current number of per diem–based professional services resources who have been on contract with the department for a period greater than two years.
  • The first report is required to be provided by September 30th, 2024.
• The Department will review the results of the initial report and develop any appropriate action plans to ensure that it is managing professional services in an efficient and cost effect manner.
• The Department has updated its mandatory procurement request documentation to include an attestation to be signed by the business owner that due consideration has been given for the use of an Indigenous supplier with supporting rationale for the decision.
• The Department has also included a confirmation form to be completed by the business owner when requesting professional services contracts acknowledging the following:
  • The terms of the contract or task authorization;
  • Their ability to execute their responsibilities in managing the contract or task authorization, its requirements, the performance and the deliverables of the contractor;
  • That they have neither specified nor directed to the contractor which resources or firms should be working under the contract or task authorization;
  • That the contractor did not assist with or have unfair access to any part of the solicitation or evaluation process; and
  • That they do not have any potential, perceived or real conflicts of interest, and that should any develop, they will immediately report it as required by the Directive on Conflict of Interest and notify the contracting authority.
• The Department takes the nature of the concerns raised at the Government Operations and Estimates Committee very seriously and will take all necessary steps and follow all direction provided by Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Office of the Comptroller General and others to ensure that the utmost rigor is applied to all of our contracting activities.

Background

• The Government of Canada continues to implement changes in the way that professional services contracts are managed and has introduced new reporting requirements and additional responsibilities for business owners, effective Sept 30, 2024
• ISC is fully committed to implementing these improvements.

Current Status

• The Department continues to follow all direction as required for the provision of documents as requested by the Government Operations Committee as well as responding to additional Order Paper Questions.
• Following PSPC's lead, Indigenous Services Canada terminated and has not issued any further contracts with Dalian, Coradix or GC Strategies.
• The Department will ensure that all contracting rules and regulations, including the new requirements for the issuance of task authorizations are respected.
• The Department continues to find? solutions to minimize impact on its operations as it relates to IT services in support of Departmental objectives

Key Messages

• Indigenous Services Canada co-developed a policy framework to transform the funding approach for First Nations elementary and secondary education on-reserve, providing at a minimum, funding that is based on what students receive in provincial schools, plus additional investments to address First Nations' unique circumstances.
• To continue supporting the implementation of this co-developed approach, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $649.4 million over two years, starting in 2024–25, for elementary and secondary education on-reserve.
• In addition, Budget 2024 provided $1 billion over five years starting in 2024–25 to create a National School Food Program, which will include investments for First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities, as well as self-governing and modern treaty partners. Budget 2024 also invested $545.1 million over three years, starting in 2024–25, to build and renovate safe and healthy learning environments for First Nations students.
• The transformed policy and funding approach to Elementary and Secondary Education on reserve also includes an expanded effort to support the regional and local diversity of First Nations education systems through the development of regional education agreements that are tailored to the particular goals, needs and priorities of First Nations partners.
• To date, 10 regional education agreements have been signed, covering approximately 25,000 students in five provinces, including one in British Columbia, two in Alberta, five in Saskatchewan, one in Quebec and one in New Brunswick.

Background

• Indigenous Services Canada's Elementary and Secondary Education Program supports full day Kindergarten (ages four and five) to Grade 12 education for eligible First Nations students who are ordinarily resident on-reserve, by providing funding directly to First Nations recipients and education organizations designated by First Nations partners.
• Under this approach, core funding for First Nations elementary and secondary education is allocated through interim regional funding formulas that reflect student enrolment and provincial rates for education, plus adaptations and common investments beyond provincial comparability, including language and culture programming, full-day kindergarten for children aged four and five, before- and after-school programming, and most recently, school food programming.
• This transformed funding approach for elementary and secondary education programming has resulted in an 98% funding increase between 2015-16 and 2023–24. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested over $4.8 billion for elementary and secondary education to help First Nations children living on-reserve receive high-quality education.
• Regional education agreements support First Nation-designed education systems to improve student success through the vision and goals set by First Nations for elementary and secondary education.
• These agreements are tailored to the local or regional context and outline First Nations' design, implementation and management plans for their education systems, including funding required to achieve better student outcomes, and formalizing Canada's commitment to provide the required resources.
• In July 2022, Indigenous Services Canada and the First Nations Education Council, representing 22 communities in Quebec, signed a regional education agreement that is supported by a First Nation-designed funding formula to address the specific needs of students and improve education outcomes. Budget 2022 committed $310.6 million over five years to implement this agreement.
• To date, 10 regional education agreements have been signed, covering approximately 25,000 students:
  • British Columbia Tripartite Education Agreement (2018) – This agreement covers 153 First Nations communities and is supported by a funding model based on provincial funding and specific investments recognizing the unique needs of First Nation students.
  • Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Education Authority in AB (2019) – The agreement covers five First Nations communities and funding is based on the interim regional funding formula.
  • Sunchild First Nation Regional Education Agreement in AB (2019) – The agreement covers one First Nation and funding is based on the interim regional funding formula.
  • Athabasca Denesuline Education Authority in SK (2019) – The agreement covers three First Nations communities and funding is based on the interim regional funding formula.
  • Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Education Authority in SK (2020) – This agreement covers one First Nation and funding is based on the interim regional funding formula.
  • Whitecap Dakota Tripartite REA in SK (2020) – This agreement covers one First Nation and funding is based on the interim regional funding formula.
  • Treaty Education Alliance in SK (2021) – This agreement covers four First Nations communities and funding is based on the interim regional funding formula.
  • Elsipogtog First Nation Education Authority in NB (2021) – This agreement covers one First Nation and funding is based on the interim regional funding formula.
  • First Nations Education Council in QC (2022) – This agreement covers 22 First Nations communities and is based on a funding formula developed by the First Nations Education Council.
  • East Central First Nation Education Authority in SK (2023) – This agreement covers one First Nation and funding is based on the interim regional funding formula.

Source: Student data is from the Education Information System (EIS) for reports submitted to Indigenous Services Canada and accepted (final) on April 1, 2023.

• In 2023–2024, Indigenous Services Canada accessed $109.6 million through Supplementary Estimates (B), as well as an additional $55 million through Supplementary Estimates (C), for a total of approximately $3 billion to address critical program integrity pressures regarding the delivery of elementary and secondary education for First Nations students on-reserve.
• Additionally, Budget 2024 proposed new investments in First Nations' kindergarten to grade 12 education programming and infrastructure, including:
  • $649.4 million over two years, starting in 2024–25, to improve elementary and secondary education on reserve, and ensure funding formulas meet the needs of growing communities; and
  • $545.1 million over three years, starting in 2024–25, for K–12 infrastructure to build and renovate safe and healthy learning environments for First Nations students.

Current Status

• Funding for Elementary and Secondary Education on-reserve will be provided via existing funding agreements.
• Indigenous Services Canada continues to work in close collaboration with First Nations partners to refine the funding formulas and identify gaps and priorities.
• As of April 1, 2024 close to 50 First Nation organizations from across Canada accessed REA development funding to either participate at a regional technical table or to engage in REA development discussions. Active discussions are ongoing with more than 15 organizations.

Key Messages

• Indigenous Services Canada provides funding and supports through distinctions-based Post-secondary Education Strategies for First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation. The department continues to work collaboratively with Indigenous partners to ensure that First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation learners have access to the same high-quality post-secondary education services and opportunities as non-Indigenous Canadians. Indigenous Services Canada is committed to supporting Indigenous control of Indigenous education.
• Budget 2024 proposes to invest $242.7 million over three years, starting in 2024–25, for access to post-secondary education for First Nations students through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program.
• With this investment, the Government of Canada recognizes that access to post-secondary education funding is crucial for Indigenous students to achieve their potential.
• Budget 2024 investments will help produce graduates and help them earn higher incomes, fill critical skills gaps in the workforce, and contribute to their communities' economic vitality.

Background

Current Status

Key Messages

• Adequate housing is an important component of closing socio-economic gaps.
• Since 2015, the federal government has committed more than $6.7 billion to support housing in Indigenous communities.
• The federal government is also investing $4.3 billion to advance an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy.
• The Strategy will complement the federal government's previous $6.7 billion to close the Indigenous housing gaps.
• The Government of Canada is currently working with First Nations, Inuit, Métis, as well as Modern Treaty and Self Governing Indigenous Government partners, on their distinctions-based housing strategies to support their people living in urban, rural and northern areas.
• Given the significant housing needs of Indigenous Peoples living in urban, rural, and northern areas in Canada, including higher incidences of homelessness, it was recognized that shorter-term measures were also needed, separate from the Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy.
• On June 8, 2023, ISC announced immediate funding in the amount of $287.1 million, being delivered by the National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Incorporated (NICHI), to address the critical need for safe and affordable urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing projects.
• In summer 2024, ISC and NICHI jointly announced the funding recipients, which included 72 projects across the country which are expected to build over 3700 housing units.

Background

• The Government of Canada recognizes that Indigenous Peoples living in urban, rural, and northern areas face significant housing needs and that there is an urgent need to act now.
• As such, on June 8, 2023, ISC 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.
• Budget 2023 announced an additional $4 billion over 7 years starting in 2024–25 for the implementation of the broader Strategy.
• In implementing the Strategy, the Government of Canada is working directly with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners and Modern Treaty and Self Governing First Nations to reach funding agreements to support their members, citizens and beneficiaries living in urban, rural and northern areas.
• These funding initiatives are part of the Government of Canada's commitment to address the social determinants of health and advance self-determination in alignment with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) and Articles 21 and 23.

Current Status

• NICHI is currently delivering funding to Indigenous partners for the projects selected from the Expression of Need process. Updates will be available on the NICHI website at www.NICHI.ca.
• ISC and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada continue to support Indigenous partners in developing distinctions-based housing strategies.

Key Messages

• Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) supports First Nations (status and non-status), Inuit and Métis peoples by providing financial support to over 200 urban Indigenous service delivery organizations, including Friendship Centres, that serve well-over one million people per year across Canada. These organizations help address the critical needs faced by Indigenous Peoples in urban centres, including supporting the most vulnerable and at risk urban Indigenous populations (women, girls, youth, seniors, 2SLGBTQ+ people, persons with disabilities, and persons with addictions).
• ISC understands that the urban Indigenous population is one of the fasting growing segments of the Canadian population, and that there continues to be a significant demand for additional resources to address urban Indigenous issues.
• As demonstrated through the Budget 2024 announcement, Canada remains committed to working in collaboration with Indigenous partners in urban spaces to support and improve the quality of life of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and to ensure that urban Indigenous Peoples have safe and accessible spaces to access the delivery of high-quality, culturally-relevant services.

Background

• The urban Indigenous population includes peoples from all distinctions (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) and is expected to remain one of the fastest growing segments within Canada, with a 9.4% increase in population from 2016 to 2021. In 2021, approximately 801,045 Indigenous Peoples lived in a large urban centre, accounting for 44.3% of the total Indigenous population. This is a 12.5% increase from 2016 (Census 2021). Almost half (46.2%) of the Indigenous population is less than 25 years old, compared with 29.5% for non-Indigenous people.
• Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples (UPIP) is ISC's only program that specifically focuses on Indigenous people living in, transitioning to, or accessing services in urban centres. The Program consists of six funding streams: organizational capacity; programs and services; coalitions; research and innovation; infrastructure; and housing.

Current Status

• UPIP is aiming to secure the $60 million announced in Budget 2024 through Supplementary Estimates B.
• While the Budget 2024 top-up will go a long way to further support Indigenous Peoples in urban centres, the amount is insufficient to meet the needs of this growing population. With that in mind, UPIP anticipates submitting a Budget 2025 proposal seeking increased and longer term funding to support Indigenous Peoples in urban centres.

Key Messages

• The On-Reserve Income Assistance Program funding helps First Nations communities provide income assistance to individuals living on-reserve and case management supports for individuals transitioning to education or employment.
• Budget 2024 announced $927.3 million in investments for the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program over five years starting in 2024–25, and $169 million ongoing to provide income support on-reserve and expand programming to meet demand. This will address the urgent and essential needs of Income Assistance clients who are living in poverty on-reserve and continue case management and pre-employment supports.
• As part of that investment, Budget 2024 is providing new funding to Income Assistance recipients with disabilities, ensuring they are able to not only cover essential living expenses like food, clothing and shelter, but also the many other disability-related costs that often prevent persons with disabilities from full, equal participation in the social and economic life of their communities.
• More specifically, Budget 2024 includes:
  • $596.2 million over five years, starting in 2024–25, and $119.2 million per year ongoing to provide income support on-reserve and expand programming to meet demand;
  • $117.6 million over three years starting in 2024–25 to renew sunsetting funding for case management and pre-employment supports to increase access to good job opportunities; and
  • $213.5 million over five years, starting in 2024–25, and $49.8 million per year ongoing to implement income supports for eligible persons with disabilities aligned with those provided in all provinces and Yukon.
• The On-Reserve Income Assistance Program will continue to support self-determination and is committed to working closely with First Nations communities regarding funding needs as they arise.

Background

• The On-Reserve Income Assistance Program is a component of Canada's social safety net, similar to social assistance programs provided by provincial and territorial governments. The primary aim of the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program is to provide the same rates and eligibility as provincial and Yukon income assistance programs. Nunavut and the Northwest Territories deliver their own income assistance programs to all eligible residents.
• The On-Reserve Income Assistance Program also delivers case management and pre-employment supports to some First Nations to help individuals transition to employment and education. These are individualized supports such as counselling and life skills, training in essential skills, training and work experience projects.
• Budget 2018 provided $8.5 million over two years to engage with First Nations to understand how to make the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program more responsive to the needs of individuals and families living on-reserve.
• An Engagement Report was drafted as a result of First Nation-led, regionally-specific engagement activities and was published on the departmental website in May 2021 following First Nation validation. Utilizing the findings of this report, Indigenous Services Canada is working in collaboration with First Nations partners to make the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program more responsive to the needs of individuals and families on-reserve.
• Since 2021, Canada has implemented the Income Assistance First Nations Youth Employment Strategy pilot project for the on-reserve Income Assistance clients, including women, aged 18 to 30. This pilot project provides employment and skills training placements on-reserve and in closer proximity to First Nations youths' communities, reducing barriers to career options/opportunities.
• In 2023–24, in recognition of the high cost of living, the Government of Canada provided a cost of living relief benefit of approximately $320 million through Indigenous Services Canada's On-Reserve Income Assistance Program.
• This amount equates to approximately $300 per client for ten months. To better respond to the needs of individuals and families in receipt of income assistance, First Nations also had the flexibility to utilize this supplemental funding to support affordability measures (e.g., community food pantries).
• The department issued five rounds of cost of living relief. For each round, the benefit amounted to $300 per month for each On-Reserve Income Assistance Program client or Status Indian in Yukon, including self-governing First Nations, or an alternative option determined by First Nation leadership:
  • The first round (July 2022) provided a four-month benefit, amounting to $128.6 million.
  • The second round (December 2022) provided a five-month benefit, amounting to $160.5 million.
  • The third round (May 2023) provided a six-month benefit, amounting to $192.8 million.
  • The fourth round (October 2023) provided al two- month benefit amounting to $64 million.
  • Fifth and last round (February 2024) provided a two-month benefit amounting to $64 million.

Current Status

• Indigenous Services Canada is working with First Nations partners to improve the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program to ensure its responsiveness to the specific needs of the First Nations communities and address affordability barriers.
• To ensure the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program clients access and receive the supports they are eligible for, the department will work with Federal and Provincial / Territorial partners to promote awareness of other benefits and programs that can help clients with the current cost of living and/or address the financial hardships and other barriers faces by clients with disabilities (e.g., Canada Child Benefit, GST/HST credit, Canada Disability Benefit).
• In 2024–25, the department will continue to provide support by:
  • Delivering essential needs and working with First Nations communities to understand the emerging needs of low-income individuals and families on-reserve.
  • Delivering funding to On-Reserve Income Assistance Program clients with disabilities, to help not only cover essential living expenses, but also the many other disability-related costs that often prevent persons with disabilities from full, equal participation in the social and economic life of their communities.
  • Monitoring emerging needs of low-income individuals and families on-reserve due to the high costs of living.
  • Working with First Nations to transfer service delivery of the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program through New Fiscal Relationship and Self-Government agreements.
  • Supporting capacity-building for First Nations organizations that deliver income assistance training.
• The total investment for the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program in 2024–2025 is $1,464,928,504.

Key Messages

• Indigenous Services Canada's Family Violence Prevention Program supports the operations of emergency shelters and transitional housing for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQI+ people escaping violence across Canada, and Indigenous-led violence prevention activities.
• The department continues to collaborate with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Indigenous Partners to advance on the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, which seeks to establish 38 new shelters and 50 transition homes across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQI+ people escaping violence.
• 100% of funding through the Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy is dedicated towards building Indigenous-led shelters and transition homes and expanding access to violence prevention programming. Within the housing continuum, emergency shelters and transition homes are the initial steps an individual escaping violence must go through in order to advance towards independent living.

Background

• The Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative was launched by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in November 2021, in collaboration with the department. It forms part of the $724.1 million Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy announced in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement:
  • $420 million over five years starting in 2021 for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to fund construction of new shelters;
  • $304.1 million over five years and $96.6 million ongoing for the department to fund shelter operations and violence prevention activities.
• The Initiative is led by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which provides the capital, in collaboration with the department, which supports ongoing operations.
• Rising inflation, shortages in skilled trades, equipment, and labour have caused construction delays and increased capital costs that the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has worked to address.
• To expedite construction, the department continues to work with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to support project development costs and capital subsidies.
• The department provided pre-development funding for communities to hire project managers, architects, engineers, and other services to help generate new applications. Pre-development Funding is currently available for selected to meet conditions to release the capital funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This can include costs related to Class C Estimates, water and sewer feasibility, and other needs assessments.
• Between fiscal years 2021–22 and 2023–24, $107 million was allocated for the department to fund the operations of new shelters and transition homes and to support violence prevention activities.
• As of April 2024, the department spent 100% of its $107 million allocation:
  • $76.7 million has gone to programs and services for Indigenous people facing gender-based violence
  • $30.3 million for shelter supports
    • $9.3 million on initial operational costs; and
    • $21 million on project development to expedite construction

Current Status

• In 2024–25, $88 million is available to support new shelters and violence prevention activities under the Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy.
• A plan is in place to allocate funds, minimize the risk of future funding lapse, increase timely information flow to identify funding gaps, and raise awareness of the department's supports to develop proposals. As a result, the program is oversubscribed.
• As of April 2024, a total of 47 projects were selected: 25 shelters and 22 transition homes. The department has committed a total of $37 million in annual funding for operations.
• The latest call for applications is now closed, and the Committees are reviewing the new applications.

Program Level Data

• In 2021 the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative was launched as part of the $724.1M Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy to establish 38 shelters and 50 transition homes across Canada.
• ISC's portion of this funding is comprised of:
  • $304.1 million over five years starting in 2021–22 and $96.6 million ongoing (includes violence prevention)
    • $167.4 million over five years and $58.4 million ongoing for operation of facilities
    • $136.7 million over five years and $38.2 million ongoing for violence prevention (incl. Vote 1)

Key Messages

• The NIHB Program provides clients (registered First Nations and recognized Inuit) with coverage for a range of health benefits.
• Benefits under NIHB include prescription and over-the-counter medications, dental and vision care, medical supplies and equipment, mental health counselling, and transportation to access health services not available locally.
• Together with the Assembly of First Nations, my officials are engaged in a multi-year Joint Review of the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program in order to identify and address gaps in benefits, and streamline service delivery to be more responsive to client needs. My Department continues to work collaboratively with First Nations and Inuit partners through the Joint Review and other engagement tables.
• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $562.5 M in 2024–25 to maintain supplementary health benefits coverage provided to eligible First Nation and Inuit through the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program.

Background

The NIHB Program provides benefits to eligible First Nations and Inuit clients in a manner that:

• Is appropriate to their unique health needs;
• Contributes to the achievement of an overall health status for First Nations and Inuit that is comparable to that of the Canadian population as a whole;
• Is sustainable from a fiscal and benefit management perspective; and,
• Facilitates First Nations/Inuit control at a time and pace of their choosing.

Current Status

During 2023 to 2024, NIHB provided access to benefits coverage for 959,207 eligible clients and total benefit expenditures were $2,098.2 million. Total NIHB program benefit expenditures in this period were $2,098.2 million; a 10.9% increase over program expenditures in 2022–2023.

Additional Information

roman numeral 1i. NIHB Dental Benefit

roman numeral 2ii. National Dental Care

Key Messages

• The Government of Canada is committed to working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to advance shared health priorities and improve access to high quality, culturally-safe health services. As part of this commitment, Indigenous Services Canada has supported extensive engagement with First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and partners with an intersectional lens on distinctions-based Indigenous Health Legislation.
• At this time, the federal initiative to co-develop Indigenous Health Legislation has reached a critical juncture. ISC has reviewed and analyzed all the feedback and recommendations received from Indigenous partners and reflected on options that would provide more time and transparency to the process, and move forward in a meaningful way, based on partners' readiness and ongoing engagement.
• Canada is committed to finding a meaningful path forward with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners, as well as provinces and territories, to advance our shared priorities on Indigenous health.

Background

• Health is a complex matter for which provinces, territories, Indigenous governments, and the federal government have areas of overlapping jurisdiction.
• Provinces and territories are responsible for health care delivery and receive transfer payments from the federal government to provide universally accessible and publicly insured health services to all residents, including Indigenous Peoples. However, provincial and territorial governments generally do not provide health services in First Nations communities on reserve. To address this gap, the federal government, guided by the 1979 Indian Health Policy, has assumed a funding role and, in some cases, a direct delivery role for health services.
• Recent reports, including the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), have identified significant gaps in health services between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
• The 2021 mandate letter for the Minister of Indigenous Services commits to "fully implement Joyce's Principle and ensure it guides work to co-develop distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation to foster health systems that will respect and ensure the safety and well-being of Indigenous Peoples."
• The 2020 Fall Economic Statement announced an initial investment of $15.6 million over 2 years, starting in 2021–22 to support the co-development of distinctions-based+ health legislation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners.
• From winter 2021 to fall 2022, regional and national First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners, as well as Indigenous partners with intersectional lenses, led numerous engagements within their communities on the vision for distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation. A national summary report, What we heard: Visions for Distinctions-based Indigenous Health Legislation, was published in January 2023.
• From fall 2022 to June 2023, ISC launched distinctions-based+ co-development processes, which focused on translating what was heard through engagement into proposed legislative options. In total, 12 co-development tables were launched with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners, as well as Indigenous partners with intersectional lenses.
• Informed by the discussions and input from partners, ISC prepared a Key Legislative Elements document, outlining a potential preamble, purpose, and legislative measures. This document was shared widely to all partners for review and feedback in August 2023.
• A significant amount of feedback was received from Indigenous partners on the Key Legislative Elements document in September 2023. Generally, partners were disappointed and frustrated. Some partners see opportunities for advancing interests and priorities related to health through federal legislation, while others fundamentally oppose federal legislation in this space. Many partners also strongly expressed a need for more time and a more flexible, transparent co-development approach aligned with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including Articles 18 and 19.

Current Status

• ISC has reviewed and analyzed all the feedback received from partners and reflected on options that would provide more time and transparency to the process, and move forward in a meaningful way, based on partners' readiness and ongoing engagement.
• In addition, in fall 2023, Minister Hajdu publicly committed to seeking the permission of the Prime Minister to pursue separate First Nations, Inuit, and Métis-specific legislative options with partners.
• While awaiting confirmation on next steps, ISC has supported "what if" conversations with Indigenous partners throughout spring and summer 2024. The Assembly of First Nations and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami have hired contractors to support drafting of legislative options and consensus building, while discussions with Métis partners have largely focused on the co-development process itself and the need to respect the co-development principles and the UN Declaration Act.
• The input received from Indigenous partners throughout the engagement on Indigenous health legislation has helped to inform various initiatives aimed at improving health equity and access to high-quality and culturally-relevant health services. For example:
  • Sufficient, Sustainable, & Flexible Funding — Starting in 2024–25, the Indigenous Health Equity Fund will provide $2 billion over 10 years (or $200 million annually) to address the unique challenges Indigenous Peoples face when it comes to fair and equitable access to quality and culturally safe health services.
  • Self-determination & Service Transfer – Health Transformation funding was renewed through Budget 2024 which announced $104.9 million over five years beginning in 2024–25 to continue supporting efforts to transform how healthcare services are designed and delivered by First Nation communities; and
  • Anti-Indigenous Racism - Budget 2024 announced $167.6 million over five years, starting in 2024–25, to combat anti-Indigenous racism in health care to help ensure Indigenous Peoples are treated with the respect and safety they deserve.

Program-Level Data (if applicable)

Program/Investment: $15.6M/2 years of engagement funding for IHL started in 2021–22.

Funding / Performance Indicator Data:

• Funded 48 regional, subregional, and national First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Intersectional governments and organizations to support engagement and co-development activities.
• Partners produced a total of 42 engagement reports.
• 12 distinctions-based co-development tables were created, where partners participated in co-development discussions.
• ISC facilitated 27 dialogues with partners and received 39 written submissions in reaction to the document.

Key Messages

• The Government of Canada is fully committed to the implementation of Jordan's Principle, and to working with First Nations communities and partners to ensure that First Nations children can access the products, services and supports they need.
• Jordan's Principle supports families in accessing products and services for First Nations children to help with a wide range of health, social and educational needs.
• Between July 2016 and August 2024, more than 7.63 million products, services and supports were approved through Jordan's Principle, including over 1.2 million between April and August 2024. These include speech therapy, educational supports, medical equipment, mental health services and more.
• Budget 2022 provides $4 billion over six years, starting in 2021‑2022, to ensure First Nations children continue to receive the support they need through Jordan's Principle.
  • This funding also supports long-term reforms to improve the implementation of Jordan's Principle, including the Agreement-in-Principle deliverables and the development and implementation of a "Back to Basics" Approach to Jordan's Principle developed with partners.
• Budget 2024 stated that Jordan's Principle is receiving $1.6 billion over two years, starting in 2023–24.
• Since 2016, Canada has invested nearly $8.1 billion to meet the health, social, and education needs of First Nations children through Jordan's Principle.
• While we continue to provide support to First Nations children through Jordan's Principle, we will also work with First Nations partners, provinces, and territories to develop longer-term approaches to help better address the unique health, social, and education needs of First Nations children.

Background

• In 2005, at the age of five, Jordan River Anderson, a First Nations child from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba, died in the hospital while the provincial and federal governments could not agree on who was financially responsible for his home care in a medical foster home.
• That year, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (Caring Society) released the Wen:De reports, which included the policy recommendations for the concept of Jordan's Principle, a child-first principle to ensure that services for First Nations children are not delayed due to jurisdictional disputes.
• In February 2007, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (Caring Society filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) that alleged that pursuant to section 5 of the Canadian Human Rights Act (the Act), Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) discriminates in the provision of child and family services to First Nations on reserve and in the Yukon, on the basis of race and/or national or ethnic origin, by providing inequitable and insufficient funding for those services. The implementation of Jordan's Principle was identified as a solution to jurisdictional disputes as part of this complaint.
• On December 12, 2007, a Private Member's Motion No. 296 in support of Jordan's Principle was passed with unanimous support in the House of Commons in honor of Jordan River Anderson: "The government should immediately adopt a child first principle, based on Jordan's Principle, to resolve jurisdictional disputes involving the care of First Nations children."
• In August 2007, the Government of Canada announced $11 million in new funding to Health Canada for the implementation of Jordan's Principle. This implementation focused on jurisdictional disputes involving First Nations children living on-reserve with multiple disabilities requiring services from multiple service providers.
• Under the federal response, no Jordan's Principle cases were identified (given the narrow scope) and the fund was eliminated. Requests for services that came forward were managed through federal/provincial contacts and services provided through existing programs.
• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its Final Report in 2015. Call to Action #3 calls on "all levels of government to fully implement Jordan's Principle."
• On January 26, 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) issued its first ruling with respect to the 2007 complaint by the Caring Society and AFN. The ruling substantiated the complaint and made a finding of discrimination against the Attorney General of Canada (for the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs) that Canada was failing to provide an adequate level of child welfare services to First Nations families on reserve. The CHRT ordered Canada "to cease applying its narrow definition of Jordan's Principle and to take measures to immediately implement the full meaning and scope of Jordan's Principle."
• Since that time, the CHRT has issued many other orders, clarifying eligibility, establishing definitions and timelines, and most recently, ordering Canada to fund on-reserve capital projects to support the delivery of Jordan's Principle services (2021 CHRT 41). The CHRT has retained oversight to ensure Canada complies with its orders and has the authority to issue new orders.

Current Status

Since 2016, nearly $8.1 billion has been committed to meet the health, social, and education needs of First Nations children through Jordan's Principle. This includes the most recent investment of $1.6 billion over two years, starting in 2023–24, noted in Budget 2024.

The impact of Jordan's Principle is far reaching. From July 1, 2016 to August 31, 2024, the Government of Canada approved 7,634,984 products, services, and supports for First Nations children. Looking at the current year, between April 1 and August 31, 2024, 1,227,250 products, services, and supports reached First Nations children through Jordan's Principle, which is a 21% increase compared to the previous fiscal year.

No concrete list of items eligible for approval exists under the initiative (rather, requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis based on principle of substantive equality). Some examples of funded health, social and education requests are:

• Health: medical travel, medical supplies and equipment, medication, mental wellness services (such as counseling, substance use treatment, assessments and screenings, and cultural supports), therapeutic services (speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy) oral health, vision care, community health initiatives.
• Social/economic: respite care programs, community programming, camps, transitional housing, economic supports (such as rent, utilities, groceries, infant formula, short-term financial supports); non-medical travel aimed at keeping families united and keeping children out of the child welfare system; and,
• Educational: tutoring services, educational assistants, specialized school transportation, psycho-educational assessments, assistive technologies and electronics school fees.

The top categories of requests in 2022–23^{Footnote 1}, making up just over 50% of all approved requests, were medical travel (e.g., meals, accommodations, travel fees related to medical appointments or services), education (e.g., tutoring, educational assistants, school supplies), and economic supports (e.g., rent, utilities and groceries).

Under Jordan's Principle, Canada is also required to fund capital assets on-reserve where they support the delivery of Jordan's Principle. The capital orders (2021 CHRT 41) set out requirements for Canada to fund the planning, purchase, and construction of capital assets needed to support the delivery of FNCFS and Jordan's Principle services. The Government of Canada has been implementing these orders since January 18, 2022 and has developed processes and procedures to support implementation and the management of the associated risks.

The Government of Canada has confirmed its interest in advancing a long-term approach for Jordan's Principle in collaboration with the parties to the CHRT complaint. The Agreement-in-Principle on the long-term reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program and Jordan's Principle was signed by the Assembly of First Nations, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, the Chiefs of Ontario, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, and the Government of Canada on December 31, 2021.

• As part of the Agreement-in-Principle, Canada committed to abide by the current CHRT orders, to continue to implement Jordan's Principle and to work with the Parties to develop options and an implementation approach for the long-term approach for Jordan's Principle.
• In addition, Canada committed to taking immediate steps to implement the measures set out in a "Work Plan to Improve Outcomes" under Jordan's Principle which include key commitments to make operational improvements including to identify, respond to and report on urgent requests, improve cultural competency and privacy measures, and reduce administrative barriers to submitting requests to Jordan's Principle.

Additional Information

Key Messages

• The Inuit Child First Initiative (Inuit CFI) is intended to ensure that Inuit children have access to the essential government funded health, social and educational products, services and supports they need, regardless of where they live in Canada.
• Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is co-developing a long-term Inuit-specific approach to the Inuit CFI with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) and Inuit Treaty Organizations to support Inuit children.

Background

• On September 10, 2018, the Inuit CFI was jointly announced by ITK and ISC.
• This decision was an interim approach which replicates the Jordan's Principle model, with the understanding that a long-term Inuit-specific approach to addressing the needs of children would be co-developed with Inuit partners.
• Since its inception, the Inuit CFI has become a critical source of support for families, improving access to essential services and supports for Inuit children where there are gaps in programming, and helping families cope with emergent needs, such as the increasing costs of basic necessities and rising food insecurity, especially across Inuit Nunangat.
• From April 1, 2019 to August 31, 2024, the Government of Canada approved 265,818 products, services and supports through the Inuit Child First Initiative.

Current Status

• In the spring of 2024, Canada endorsed the principle of a Shared Responsibility Model which had been put forward by Inuit partners in Fall 2023.
• ISC and Inuit partners typically meet monthly via the Co-Development Steering Committee. The next meeting is scheduled for October 2, 2024.
• Funding for the Inuit CFI is currently scheduled to sunset at the end of 2024–25.
• A new Inuit-led name for the initiative is expected to launch once the implementation of the Shared Responsibility Model and the long-term approach starts.

Program-Level Data (if applicable)

Program/Investment: From April 1, 2019 to August 31, 2024, a total of $390.11M was expended and committed under the Inuit Child First Initiative.

Funding / Performance Indicator Data:

• From April 1, 2019 to August 31, 2024, the Government of Canada approved 265,818 products, services, and supports for Inuit children.

Key Messages

• Medical travel is an essential part of accessing health care services in the territories, particularly due to the geography, small population, and remote and isolated communities. All Provinces and Territories provide their residents with access to insured health care services. However, for Territorial residents, this often involves travel outside of the territories to access insured health services in other provinces, supported by Territorial Government medical travel programs.
• Territorial medical travel programs in Nunavut and Northwest Territories charge a medical travel copayment to all residents each time they need to travel to access insured health services to help offset the cost of travel. To ensure the territorial copayment charge is not a barrier to First Nations and Inuit access to health services, ISC pays this copayment charge on behalf of eligible First Nations and Inuit through the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program.
• Despite ISC's coverage of the medical travel copayment, the Government of Nunavut and Northwest Territories have indicated they cannot keep up with escalating medical travel costs due to a variety of factors such as increases in demand for health care and inflationary cost pressures. To help address these pressures, ISC is providing the governments of Nunavut and Northwest Territories with an additional $95 million and $24.2 million in 2024–25, respectively.

Background

• The territories face significant challenges in delivering health care to their residents, particularly due to their geography, remote and isolated communities, and small population. As a result, basic health care taken for granted elsewhere, including support for births, mental health and addictions treatment, diagnostic imaging, surgeries, and dental care, is not available or easily accessed close to home for most northern residents. Virtual care is available in limited ways, but there are technological barriers, such as lack of bandwidth, and availability of satellites that must be addressed to make further progress. This combination of factors means that medical travel is and will continue to be an integral component of territorial health systems.
• The federal government funds territorial government health care systems in a number of ways, including through Territorial Formula Financing and Health Canada's Territorial Health Investment Fund (for which additional funding, $350 million over ten years, was announced in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement).
• Territorial governments have indicated that they cannot keep up with escalating medical travel costs to insured health services within their existing funding levels, however, the shortfall in funding required to support the territorial health care systems is the fundamental driver of high medical travel costs to access insured services out-of-territory.
• Territorial governments hold primary responsibility for providing access to insured health service through medical travel for all Territorial residents (85% of whom are Inuit in Nunavut and 41% are First Nations and Inuit in the Northwest Territories) as an integral component of their overall health system.
• Due to differing devolution landscapes in each of the territories, the manner in which medical travel is delivered varies. In the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, medical travel is primarily managed and delivered by the Territorial Governments, which cover travel to access insured health services (often outside the Territory). ISC provides funding to each Territorial Government through a contribution agreement to cover the cost of the copayment charged by Territorial Government, to all clients travelling to access insured health services.
• ISC covers the full cost of travel to access eligible uninsured health services (non-insured health benefits). In the Yukon, coverage for eligible clients in Yukon (including eligible medical transportation), is delivered by ISC.
• ISC's Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program provides eligible registered First Nations and recognized Inuit) with coverage for a range of health benefits that are not covered through other public or private plans or programs. Benefits include prescriptions and over-the counter drugs, dental and vision care, medical supplies and equipment, mental health counselling, and medical transportation to access health services that are not available locally.

Current Status

• The Governments of Nunavut and Northwest Territories signed contribution agreements, until March 31, 2025, to continue to administer some Non-Insured Health Benefits and medical travel for Inuit and First Nations residents to ensure seamless access to insured and non-insured health care services.
• The Governments of Nunavut and Northwest Territories have committed to working with Indigenous partners and ISC to develop a longer-term solution to medical travel.

Program-Level Data (if applicable)

Previous ISC funding to help address medical travel cost pressures in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, and for Non-Insured Health Benefits.

Program/Investment: Addressing unique medical travel cost pressures

Funding / Performance Indicator Data:

• ISC provided the Government of Nunavut $58 million in 2020–21 and 2021–22, $66 million in 2022–23, and $95 million in 2023–24.
• ISC provided the Government of Northwest Territories $24.2 million in 2023–24

Program/Investment: Non-Insured Health Benefits

Funding / Performance Indicator Data:

• In 2023–2024, ISC estimates^{Footnote 2} it will provide the Government of Northwest Territories $23.3 million through the Non-Insured Health Benefits funding agreement, of which $20.2 million is for medical transportation-related expenditures (e.g. copayments).
• In 2023–2024, ISC estimates^{Footnote 2} it will provide the Government of Nunavut $99.6 million through the Non-Insured Health Benefits funding agreement, of which $94.4 million is for medical transportation-related expenditures (e.g. copayments).
• In 2023–2024, Non-Insured Health Benefits medical transportation expenditures in the Yukon were $9.4 million.

Key Messages

• Mental wellness is a key priority for Indigenous leaders, organizations and communities which is shared by the Government of Canada.
• The Government of Canada recognizes the pivotal role that intergenerational trauma, colonial policies and the social determinants of health play in mental wellness of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
• The Government of Canada works closely with Indigenous partners and communities to support Indigenous-led, distinctions-based, holistic, culturally-grounded, trauma-informed and community-based approaches to mental wellness.
• That is why we renewed funding through Budget 2024, ensuring that over $650M annually is supporting community-based services to address the mental wellness needs of First Nations and Inuit, including a continuum of substance use services and wrap-around supports.

Background

Indigenous Services Canada works closely with Indigenous partners at the national, regional and community level and is guided by Indigenous-led frameworks such as the First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework, Honouring Our Strengths, and the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy and We Matter's Pathfinding Towards a Flourishing Future: Awareness and Advocacy Guide.

The Government of Canada has made investments to improve mental wellness in Indigenous communities, including an approximate annual investment of $650 million in 2024–2025 through Indigenous Services Canada's Mental Wellness Program.

Current Status

Through Budget 2024, Indigenous Service Canada received $630.2 million over two years, to support Indigenous people's access to mental health services, including $16 million dollars for opioid wraparound supports and $20 million for Mental Wellness Teams.

A second National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness was hosted by the Minister of Indigenous Services in October 2023 to highlight Indigenous-led initiatives that are improving mental wellness for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Key themes included Indigenous children and youth mental and supporting communities in crisis. A third Summit is being planned for October 16-17, 2024 in Calgary, Alberta and will build on the 2022 and 2023 Summits.

The First Nations Child Family Services, Jordan's Principle and Trout Class Action Settlement Agreement compensates those harmed by the discriminatory funding practices of the First Nations Chid and Family Services program and those impacted by the federal government's narrow definition of Jordan's Principle. It was approved in federal court on October 24th, 2023.

Program-Level Data

• ISC funds a network of 45 treatment centres, as well as drug and alcohol prevention services in the majority of Indigenous communities across Canada.
• As of March 2024, there were 83 opioid agonist therapy sites wraparound services to Indigenous populations, increased from a baseline of 11 in 2016–2017.
• The number of mental wellness teams has grown from 11 teams supporting 86 communities to 75 teams supporting 385 communities. Budget 2021 provided funding to enhance the work of existing teams and Budget 2024 continued this funding
• ISC-funded crisis lines, including the Hope for Wellness Helpline, responded to 97,423 calls and chats, a record high, in 2023/24, with the three crisis lines providing immediate support to an average of 8,119 calls or chats per month.
• Demand for the Hope for Wellness Helpline has grown year over year with counsellors responding to an average of 3,780 per month in 2022–2023 compared to a monthly average of 239 calls in 2017–2018.
• In 2023/24, the Hope for Wellness Helpline became part of the 9–8–8 suicide prevention network, providing immediate, culturally-relevant services to Indigenous callers who request Indigenous-specific crisis-line services. In the first four months of implementing the 9–8–8 service, counsellors from the Hope for Wellness Helpline responded to over 4,271 calls through the Canada-wide suicide prevention network.
• As of September 2024, there are over 1,650 mental health counsellors registered with the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Supports programs across Canada. In 2022/23, there were 229,900 hours of professional mental health counselling provided to nearly 15,000 clients through these programs.
• In 2022/23, cultural and emotional support workers had 1,104,283 interactions with clients of the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Programs.
• In 2023/24, ISC supporting coordination of mental wellness supports for 37 national or regional events which required a total of 237 health and cultural supports.

Key Messages

• Our Government recognizes that substance use can have devastating effects on individuals, families, and communities, and their general health and well-being.
• We are currently investing approximately $650M annually for community-based services to address the mental wellness needs of First Nations and Inuit.
• Indigenous Services Canada currently funds a network of 45 treatment centres, as well as drug and alcohol prevention services in the majority of First Nations communities across Canada.
• We remain focused on supporting long-term investments that improve the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples.

Background

18. Nursing Health Human Resources

19. Grassy Narrows' Mercury Care Home

20. Legislative Priorities

21. Closing the Infrasturcture Gap

22. Excellence in Service Delivery

23. Service Transfer

24. Responding to Auditor General Reports

Key Messages

• At the Special Chiefs Assembly held in Calgary on October 16 through 18, the Chiefs-in-Assembly rejected the $47.8 billion Final Agreement on the Long-Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program, and instructed the AFN to take a new approach to negotiate a different final agreement. This, despite the support for the Final Agreement from the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation and the Chiefs of Ontario.
• This Agreement would have legally bound Canada to provide $47.8 billion in stable and predictable funding over 10 years for a fully reformed Program that would reduce the number of First Nations children in care and keep children connected to their families, communities, and cultures.
• Canada has made every effort to reach a fair, equitable and comprehensive resolution outside of litigation, including securing unprecedented levels of funding.
• In response to the 2016 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Decision, Canada has made significant investments toward reforming the First Nations Child and Family Services Program, including implementing key provisions of the Agreement-in-Principle that were supported by previous AFN resolutions. This includes increasing program funding from $680 million in 2015–16 to over $3.8 billion in 2023–24, and has committed $8.1 billion to date towards meeting the needs of First Nations children through Jordan's Principle.
• The shared goal of reform work is to address the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's orders and improve the lives and outcomes of First Nations children and families living on-reserve and in the Yukon by reducing the number of First Nations children in care and ensuring that children can remain connected to their families, communities and cultures. Canada is reviewing the resolutions to determine next steps.

Key Messages

• At the Special Chiefs Assembly held in Calgary on October 16 through 18, the Chiefs-in-Assembly rejected the $47.8 billion Final Agreement on the Long-Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program, and instructed the AFN to take a new approach to negotiate a different final agreement. This, despite the support for the Final Agreement from the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation and the Chiefs of Ontario.
• This Agreement would have legally bound Canada to provide $47.8 billion in stable and predictable funding over 10 years for a fully reformed Program that would reduce the number of First Nations children in care and keep children connected to their families, communities, and cultures.
• Canada has made every effort to reach a fair, equitable and comprehensive resolution outside of litigation, including securing unprecedented levels of funding.
• In response to the 2016 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Decision, Canada has made significant investments toward reforming the First Nations Child and Family Services Program, including implementing key provisions of the Agreement-in-Principle that were supported by previous AFN resolutions. This includes increasing program funding from $680 million in 2015–16 to over $3.8 billion in 2023–24, and has committed $8.1 billion to date towards meeting the needs of First Nations children through Jordan's Principle.
• The shared goal of reform work is to address the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's orders and improve the lives and outcomes of First Nations children and families living on-reserve and in the Yukon by reducing the number of First Nations children in care and ensuring that children can remain connected to their families, communities and cultures. Canada is reviewing the resolutions to determine next steps.

Background

• In July 2024, Canada and the First Nations Parties – the Assembly of First Nations, the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation – reached a tentative Final Agreement on the Long-Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program.
• Building on the Agreement-in-Principle reached with the parties in December 2022, this Agreement adds additional funds for a total of $47.8 billion over 10 years. Through this Agreement, stable and predictable funding over a longer period of time will fully support a reformed program. Additional investments have also been included to account for capital, post-majority support services, remoteness and other key factors.
• The Chiefs-in-Assembly have rejected the agreement and instructed the AFN to take a new approach to negotiate a different final agreement.

Current Status

• Next steps are being considered.

Key Messages

• Through the framework of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (the Act), Canada is committed to supporting Indigenous communities to uphold their jurisdiction, ensuring Indigenous communities' inherent right of self-government over child and family services. Coordination agreements facilitate this crucial transition, and funding for them supports the exercise of jurisdiction and delivery of culturally appropriate child and family services to their members, while demonstrating Canada's commitment to empowering Indigenous communities, groups and people.
• Through coordination agreement discussions, Canada is collaborating with Indigenous governing bodies on the shared common goal of ensuring that Indigenous children and families are in the best position to be able to thrive. These agreements are pivotal in enabling communities to exercise their inherent right of self-government, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for Indigenous children and families.
• Canada is committed to working with provincial and territorial governments to conclude these agreements, and expects them to provide meaningful financial contributions to support the implementation of Indigenous laws and service delivery models related to child and family services.

Background

• As of September 2024, 83 Indigenous governing bodies (78 First Nations, 1 Inuit, 3 Métis and 1 of multiple distinctions) representing more than 110 communities have submitted a total of 62 notices of intent to exercise jurisdiction and/or 40 requests to enter coordination agreement discussions pursuant to section 20 of the Act.
• Since the coming into force of the Act on January 1, 2020, ten agreements have been signed, and as many as 7 more agreements may be signed by the end of 2025, including the first coordination agreement with the Inuit, to be signed on September 30.
  • ON: Wabaseemoong Independent First Nations and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation
  • MB: Peguis First Nation
  • SK: Cowessess First Nation
  • AB: Louis Bull Tribe and Founding First Nations (Loon River First Nation, Lubicon Lake Band, and Peerless Trout First Nation)
  • BC: Splatsin, Gwa'sala-Nakwaxda'xw Nations, Sts'ailes and Cowichan Tribes
• As of September 2024, there were 18 active coordination agreement discussions tables (including one under renewal and one under amendment) and four new tables to be launched this fall 2024.
• Timelines for concluding a coordination agreement vary among coordination agreement discussion tables as a result of multiple factors, including the need for additional assessments or preparatory work, complexities in service delivery models, efforts to ensure seamless coordination with provinces and territories, and the federal fiscal cycle.
• Since the Act was brought into force, Indigenous Services Canada has committed over $45 million in funding for Indigenous communities to facilitate their participation in coordination agreement discussions with Canada, provinces, and territories; and close to $1.6 billion to support the implementation of Indigenous laws through ten agreements.
• Budget 2024 provides $1.8 billion over 11 years, starting in 2023–24 to support communities in exercising jurisdiction under an Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the first Inuit agreement to support community-led prevention-based solutions to reduce the number of children in care.

Current Status

• Ongoing efforts to finalize coordination agreements are progressing well, which will allow even more Indigenous communities to exercise their inherent right of self-government over child and family services within the next year.
• Indigenous Services Canada continues to work with Central Agencies in order to secure required funding for coordination agreements and related fiscal arrangements.

Key Messages:

• Advancing economic reconciliation was a key theme in Budget 2024. Canada is making investments to create economic opportunities and strengthen Indigenous economies. This includes investments through the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program, Indigenous Financial Institutions and Métis Capital Corporations, and the Strategic Partnerships Initiatives' Clean Energy Program.
• There is a growing national consensus that supporting strong Indigenous economies is not only the right thing to do, but also advantageous for the broader Canadian economy.
• In response to United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) Action Plan Measure 74, Canada is developing an Economic Reconciliation Framework.
• The Framework is being developed through an Indigenous-led, government-supported policy development process. We are committed to supporting the economic visions and priorities of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. This is essential to supporting self-determination and advancing reconciliation.
• The Government of Canada is committed to advancing economic self-determination and removing barriers faced by Indigenous Peoples.

Background:

• Deliberate economic exclusion of Indigenous Peoples has been the dominant policy paradigm for much of Canada's history, creating persistent barriers to economic participation, disparities in socio-economic outcomes, and power imbalances in decision-making.
• Budget 2023 included a $5 million investment in 2023–24 to co-develop an Economic Reconciliation Framework with Indigenous partners.
• Indigenous policy leads are working with Canada to engage with rights holders to understand economic priorities, developing clear medium-term economic strategies, and designing policy proposals for early action. The design of this process is rooted in UNDRIP principles of self-determination and Indigenous Peoples freely pursuing economic development.
• The following publications are highly influential in shaping the economic policy authorities: the National Indigenous Economic Strategy, the RoadMap Project, the Inuit Nunangat Policy, and priorities articulated through Permanent Bilateral Mechanisms with National Indigenous Organizations.
• Minister Hadju has been convening Indigenous economic leaders, representatives from the financial sector, and government officials for Economic Reconciliation Roundtables to identify opportunities to reduce economic barriers and advance economic reconciliation.

Current Status:

• Our shared goal is to produce an Economic Reconciliation Framework before the end of the 2024–25 fiscal year. The Framework will articulate Canada's commitments and provide direction to departments and agencies across government on how best to support Indigenous economic self-determination.

Context:

• Dalian Enterprises Inc. (Dalian) had come under scrutiny over its involvement in the development of the ArriveCan app, in particular with respect to the number and value of contracts received since 2016, as well as Dalian's president and founder, Mr. David Yeo, being a public servant of Department of National Defence.
• As a result, on March 4, 2024, Public Services and Procurement Canada suspended Dalian as well as Dalian and Coradix Technology Consulting in Joint Venture (Team Dalian) from continuing work on federal contracts and from participating in any new procurement opportunities.
• As of March 8, 2024, Mr. Yeo, in an interview with the Globe and Mail, advised the Government of Canada that he only became a Department of National Defence employee months after the company had completed its contract on ArriveCan. Mr. Yeo stated his business interests in Dalian were transferred to a blind trust to avoid any conflict of interest in his business affairs.
• ISC has followed up with Dalian to request they resubmit the corporate documentation and any information on the new arrangements made since Sept 2023; none has been provided to date.
• The company is suspended from the Indigenous Business Directory until further notice.

Considerations:

• Mr. Yeo's appearances and testimony, and the ArriveCan study before the parliamentary committees has drawn attention to the role of monitoring and oversight of contracts set aside under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses, as well as whether and how economic opportunities for Indigenous businesses are being achieved through the eligibility criteria for Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses set asides.
• In regard to the role of monitoring and overseeing the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses, ISC's role is limited to the conducting of pre-and-post award compliance and discretionary audits aimed at monitoring the compliance of businesses registered in the Indigenous Business Directory. The compliance audits will verify that the business owners are Indigenous and have 51% ownership and control of the business. Compliance of the terms and conditions of contracts of the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses rest with the contracting departments.
• The 33% content rule requires joint ventures and other businesses to demonstrate that 33% of the value of the work is performed by the Indigenous business. ISC's ability to monitor this rule is limited to instances where a complaint is raised or at the end of contract when a post-award compliance audit is called on. This is further challenged by our ability to undertake corrective actions with joint ventures for non-compliance, either late in the contract or after contract completion. Both these issues are high on the list of priorities to modernize Indigenous procurement currently underway as part of the Transformative Indigenous Procurement Strategy.

Next Steps:

• ISC to continue working closely with Public Services and Procurement Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, given their role in procurement operations, policies and guidance on best practices, including in relation to Indigenous procurement.
• ISC has hosted over 40 engagement sessions across the country to learn about the barriers, concerns, and challenges that Indigenous people face with respect to federal procurement. For example, we are working together on solutions related to Indigenous business registration, definitions of Indigenous businesses, and ways to improve accountability in the procurement process to ensure commitments to community participation in contracting opportunities are met.
• ISC expects to have co-developed options for reform ready for consideration by fall 2024.

Key Messages:

• We are committed to fostering economic reconciliation leading to opportunities for Indigenous businesses through the minimum target of 5% of federal contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses.
• ISC works with federal departments conducting compliance audits to verify the eligibility of bidders on the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses set-aside requirements and to maintain the integrity of the Indigenous Business Directory.
• The serious nature of concerns raised in the media and at recent parliamentary committee appearances regarding Indigenous procurement, and particularly related to Mr. David Yeo's role in Dalian Inc., raised sufficient questions for ISC to restart the audit process, and warranted the suspension of Dalian and Team Dalian from ISC's Indigenous Business Registry, aligned with the actions taken by Public Services and Procurement Canada.
• Since 2021, ISC has been reviewing existing programs and policies like the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses and actively listening to advice and experience of Indigenous partners and businesses, while working with them to improve economic opportunities through federal Indigenous procurement processes.

Context:

• Indigenous Peoples face significant systemic barriers to accessing affordable business financing, which ultimately poses a major barrier to entrepreneurship and economic prosperity.
• Barriers can include lower average incomes, living in remote locations, gaps in infrastructure, lack of digital access, lower accumulated wealth, incomplete credit histories and lower financial literacy.
• As the Indigenous population continues to grow, the demand for commercial loans and business supports by Indigenous entrepreneurs has steadily grown as well.

Considerations:

• The Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program — Access to Capital has been extremely successful in improving access to capital for Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses. It enhances the capacity of Indigenous business in development and provides financial services, business information and developmental support services to Indigenous entrepreneurs.
• This funding announcement for the Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program — Access to Capital, which builds on interim sunsetting funding from Budget 2019 and Budget 2021, will provide much-needed capital for Indigenous Financial Institutions and Métis Capital Corporations to support the growing needs of Indigenous entrepreneurs.
• The announcement also supports a distinctions-based approach for economic development, which allows for greater authority and additional governance autonomy that enable Indigenous Peoples to decide on the economic elements that affect them.

Next Steps:

• The government will continue to work closely with partners to implement this funding commitment.
• The government is also working with the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami to address the priorities of Inuit-led Indigenous Financial Institutions.

Key Messages:

• The Government of Canada is committed to working with Indigenous businesses and communities to promote long-term prosperity, job and wealth creation and economic reconciliation.
• As a demonstration of this commitment, Budget 2024 announced $350 million over five years, starting in 2024–25, to support Indigenous entrepreneurs through the network of Indigenous Financial Institutions, including $30 million over five years for the Métis Capital Corporations.
• I am very pleased that the Government of Canada is supporting the important work of Indigenous Financial Institutions and Métis Capital Corporations in helping Indigenous entrepreneurs create and expand their businesses, which builds opportunities for themselves, their families, their communities, and future generations.
• We will continue to work with Indigenous partners, other governments and the private sector, to increase the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the Canadian economy.

Context:

• Strategic Partnerships Initiative–Clean Energy (SPI-CE) is a top up to the Strategic Partnerships Initiative (SPI), whose secretariat is housed in Indigenous Services Canada. SPI is a unique, whole-of-government federal program that works to increase Indigenous participation in large, complex, multi-year economic opportunities that span a range of sectors and promotes partnerships between multiple federal partners, provincial and territorial governments, and non-federal groups in key economic areas.

Considerations:

• The investment under Budget 2021 was used to establish four new Regional Indigenous Clean Energy Initiatives in Alberta (AB), Saskatchewan (SK), Quebec (QC) and the Atlantic regions (ATL), maintained support for its flagship Indigenous clean energy initiative in British Columbia (BC), and enabled a partnership agreement with the national Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) organization.
• Since 2021, SPI-CE Regional Initiatives have benefitted 112 communities through the development of 50 partnerships, the creation of 1,971 jobs and delivery of 805 training opportunities. In particular, SPI-CE has provided funding to advance Indigenous economic development within major projects and initial development activities in 8 provinces focusing on solar farms, wind projects, biomass generation, and hydrogen projects.

Program-Level Data

Key Messages:

• Budget 2021 committed $36 million over three years (2021–2024), through the Strategic Partnership Initiative, to build capacity for local, economically-sustainable clean energy projects in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across the country. This funding was renewed through the recent Budget 2024 announcement, for another three years, starting 2024–25 and continuing until 2026–27.
• The Strategic Partnership Initiative offers a means for its network of 22 federal partners to collaborate for the advancement of Indigenous participation in economic development opportunities such as Clean Energy. It facilitates federal coordination around shared priorities between multiple federal partners, provincial and territorial governments, and non-federal partners within key areas of the Canadian economy. Using its whole of government approach, this initiative is able to fill gaps in existing federal programming while building partnerships and leveraging other sources of funds to maximize support for economic development in Indigenous communities.
• Strategic Partnerships Initiative-Clean Energy also functions in a complementary fashion to the larger Off-Diesel Hub, Wah-ila-toos, to streamline and coordinate the delivery of clean energy programming within the federal family, increase ease of program access for communities, reduce overlap of departmental work, and to ensure efficiency gains to better support communities in their energy transition – all of which will contribute to Canada's net zero carbon emission targets and goals.
• The Strategic Partnerships Initiative Secretariat is also working collaboratively with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada to advance Canada's Indigenous climate leadership agenda through a harmonized funding mechanism, with one set of terms and conditions, modelled on SPI.

Context:

• The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is a national not-for-profit organization that provides economic development advisory services, tourism conferences, capacity development training and workshops, industry research, and information for Indigenous tourism operators and communities throughout Canada.
• Since 2016, ISC has provided funding to ITAC to support and grow the Indigenous tourism industry.

Considerations:

• Indigenous tourism is an opportunity for Indigenous Peoples to share their cultures, histories and stories with visitors, which thereby supports cultural preservation, revitalization and reconciliation.
• Indigenous tourism has high-growth potential, generating economic benefits in all regions of Canada. Tourism is an opportunity for Indigenous communities to generate revenue and diversify their economies. In 2022, Indigenous tourism generated $1.2 billion in direct Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 32,000 jobs. Indigenous tourism is a core part of Canada's tourism brand and could help distinguish Canada globally as a premier tourism destination. Travelers are increasingly interested in local, sustainable and cultural tourism experiences. Research by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada and Destination Canada demonstrates that one in three Canadians and 37% of international visitors are interested in Indigenous tourism.
• The commitment under Budget 2024 will support ITAC's core operations, such as wages and benefits, professional fees, administrative project costs and travel costs, as well as the following pillars: activities; marketing; leadership; partnership; and development. This will help position ITAC to maintain its capacity and programming to support the Indigenous tourism industry through the sustainability of its organization, growing capacity of Indigenous tourism businesses, and growing its partnerships with regional Indigenous tourism associations.
• Following Budget 2024, ISC received further direction from central agencies noting that: "The Government also decided that future funding is conditional on ISC working with partners to bring forward the national Indigenous tourism strategy by December 2024".

Program-Level Data

Key Messages:

• Indigenous tourism is a major economic driver in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and an important part of the Canadian economy.
• Budget 2024 committed $2.5 million in 2024–2025 to continue supporting the Indigenous tourism industry through ITAC.
• This investment will enable ITAC to continue growing the Indigenous tourism industry and to develop and implement its own source revenue model.

Key Messages

• Indigenous communities in Canada are disproportionately affected by climate change, including natural disasters, ecosystem changes, impacts on infrastructure and economic development, increased costs of living, and negative effects on health and wellbeing.
• Recognizing the urgency and severity of climate impacts on Indigenous communities, the federal government has been taking action to support Indigenous peoples on climate change, such as:
  • $1.3 billion in investments targeted towards Indigenous peoples under the Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan;
  • $1.6 billion in investments in the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan for the National Adaptation Strategy; and
  • $29.6 million commitment announced in the 2030 Emissions Reductions Plan and Budget 2023 to co-develop Indigenous Climate Leadership agendas with Indigenous partners.
  • Budget 2022 invested $29.6 million over three years, starting in 2022–23, to support co-development and provided a mandate to CIRNAC and ECCC to return to Cabinet in Fall 2024 with distinctions-based recommendations and strategies to implement a renewed, long-term partnership between Canada and Indigenous Peoples on climate.
  • Budget 2024 proposes $145.2 million over five years, starting in 2024–25, for Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to work with First Nations to develop greater climate resiliency and deploy structural mitigation strategies that protect communities, homes, and essential infrastructure from climate disasters, including $10.4 million for Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations.
• Since 2016, ISC has allocated approximately $1.4billion in program funding to Indigenous communities for climate-related actions, including transitioning to clean energy and off-diesel, building sustainable and resilient infrastructure, providing services for physical and mental health, enhancing food security, and supporting emergency management and preparedness services.
• Discussions with First Nations partners have outlined the importance of moving towards self-determined climate actions, greater First Nations agency with respect to climate change, and ultimately the transfer of federal programs and services to communities. First Nations also seek to secure earlier and deeper forms of engagement, greater coordination across jurisdictions, and greater access to federal climate programming.
• ISC currently delivers $20 billion worth of programs and services to Indigenous communities. A significant opportunity exists to ensure that these investments support Indigenous communities to build resilience and advance climate actions.

Background

• Indigenous communities in Canada are disproportionately affected by climate change impacts and environmental risks. This is in part due to a close relationship and reliance on lands and natural resources, often remote geographic locations, as well as socio-economic inequality and infrastructure challenges.
• Climate change and environmental impacts are causing detrimental effects to Indigenous communities, including increased costs of living, damaged infrastructure, food and water security challenges, impacts on physical and mental wellness, decreased ability to safely conduct cultural practices, and damages to historic and cultural sites.
• At the same time, Indigenous communities are demonstrating strong leadership in climate action by building resilient communities, investing in clean energy, reducing pollution, and exemplifying ways to respect and protect nature.
• Climate change is a top priority for the government, and Canada has developed ambitious plans to take strong action on climate change.
• In the federal mandate letters of December 2021, all ministers were called to support work to exceed Canada's emissions reduction target and prepare Canada to adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. In particular, the Minister of Indigenous Services was called on to work in partnership with Indigenous partners to address climate change and its impacts.
• Indigenous Services Canada currently delivers several programs that support Indigenous peoples in taking action on climate change in key areas, such as transition to clean energy and off-diesel, building sustainable and resilient infrastructure, providing services for physical and mental health, enhancing food security, and providing emergency management and preparedness services.
• In 2023, ISC adopted its first Working Strategy on Climate Change (2023–2028) to help integrate climate considerations in existing programs and services.
• In 2021, ISC completed a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment which revealed how the impacts of climate change could seriously compromise the basic services the department currently provides to communities. Preliminary results from other internal risk assessments show that climate change could restrict ISC's ability to provide essential services in such crucial areas as infrastructure, health and emergency management, further hampering indigenous efforts to create resilient and sustainable communities. Key risks include: reduced availability of funding due to increased demands for reallocation of program funds to address climate impacts; delays in service delivery; reduced capacity to engage with indigenous partners; damage to transport infrastructure, particularly winter road networks; reduced useful life of infrastructure; supply chain issues; and reduced capacity of indigenous partners to take on service responsibilities.

Current Status

• Since 2016, ISC has allocated approximately $1.4 billion in program funding for Indigenous communities in areas connected to climate action. For example, some key investments include:
  • $177.1 million since 2016 in the First Nation Infrastructure Fund to support 273 First Nation communities to better protect themselves from climate change impacts like flooding or forest fires.
  • $1.86 billion since 2016 in the First Nation Infrastructure Fund to support 185 First Nation communities to transition to clean, reliable and affordable energy systems through a combination of alternative energy projects featuring solar, hydroelectric, wind and others. For example, in partnership with ISC, the Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project is supporting the connection of 16 remote First Nations communities in northern Ontario to the provincial electricity grid. These Investments made since 2016 have ensured that many more First Nations people live in a cleaner environment that promotes health and safety of community members.
  • $58.9 million since 2016 under the Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program for First Nations and Inuit community-led projects to identify, assess, and respond to the health impacts of climate change by developing and implementing health-related adaptation or action plans, as well as by developing knowledge-building and communication materials.
  • Between 2012 and 2023, EMAP has reimbursed over $808 million for response costs and more than $545 million for recovery efforts. Additionally, during this period, EMAP allocated around $175 million to support non-structural mitigation and preparedness projects.
  • $36 million in the Strategic Partnerships Initiative program supports First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities' capacity and readiness to develop local or regional economically sustainable clean energy projects.
• In addition, ISC's Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program received $12 million total over 5 years under the National Adaptation Strategy in 2022 to continue supporting multi-year First Nation and Inuit-led health adaptation projects in the North ($10 M) and the Climate Resilient Health Systems Initiative, which supports Indigenous organizations in engaging on the climate change gaps and needs in the health services funded and/or delivered by ISC.
• ISC further supports Indigenous priorities on climate action through its participation on federal steering committees for Indigenous Climate Leadership and the National Adaptation Strategy, and membership in the Joint Committee on Climate Action (co-led by the Assembly of First Nations and Environment and Climate Change Canada), the horizontal Climate Plan Implementation Committee, and several other climate-focused interdepartmental committees and initiatives.

Key Messages

• Between 2015 and 2020, G&R Recycling S.E.N.C. operated a privately-owned sorting center for construction and demolition materials on Kanesatake territory, that resulted in significant, negative environmental impacts.
• Responsibility for the remediation of the site would normally rest with G&R Recycling under the polluter-pays principle.
• Currently, the contamination at the site is not eligible for remediation funding under Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) because the ownership of site remains with a third party (i.e., the Gabriel brothers). However, once the First Nation accepts the return of the site to the community through the transfer of the Oka letters (and it is therefore no longer a third-party site), the site can become eligible for federal funding under FCSAP. Once this occurs, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) would formally accept responsibility for the remediation of the contamination.
• The Mohawk Council of Kanesatake has requested that remediation funds be confirmed to the Mohawks of Kanesatake prior to accepting the return of the lands back from the land owners.
• ISC has committed to funding a regional organization chosen by a quorum of the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake to coordinate environmental assessment activities and lead the implementation of odour mitigation measures at the site.
• ISC has earmarked funding in 2024–2025 through Contaminated Sites On Reserve Program to support assessment activities at the site.

Background

• Indigenous Services Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatique, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec have been aware of the environmental impacts that have resulted from the operation of the G&R Recycling S.E.N.C. sorting center on the Kanesatake territory for several years.
• The G&R Recycling contaminated site and its negative impacts on Kanesatake community members and surrounding municipalities have received significant media attention, resulting in calls for the federal government to remediate the site based on environmental and health concerns. These include calls to remove the significant amounts of waste materials accumulated on the site that cause foul odours.
• The issue surrounding responsibility for addressing the environmental impacts at the site stems in part from the limited environmental regulations that apply on reserve as well as the jurisdictional framework by which they are governed.
• Provincial environmental regulations typically cover areas related to business and industry practices (such as emissions, waste handling, facility permitting, etc.) and generally do not apply on federal lands, including on reserves.
• The federal government has not yet established a complementary regulatory regime on reserve and the majority of First Nations do not have law making authority in this area, have limited capacity to address compliance issues, or lack capacity to adopt and enforce regulations, which has created a gap in environmental protections. In the absence of a comprehensive environmental regime on reserves there are cases where provinces have stepped in to apply their environmental regulations, adding to jurisdictional tension.
• The Quebec Ministry of the Environment issued a permit to G&R Recycling under the Loi sur la qualité de l'environnement. The company received a notice of order from the Quebec department on October 1, 2020, to revoke the authorization granted to it in June 2015.
• Following an inspection by Environment and Climate Change Canada on September 2, 2020, a directive to "prevent, neutralize, mitigate or repair damage to fish and fish habitat" under the Fisheries Act was issued on November 18, 2020.
• The lots on which G&R Recycling was authorized to operate by the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake are lands reserved for the use and benefit of Indians under subsection 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867 by virtue of the Kanesatake Interim Government Territory Act. The use of these lands is therefore the responsibility of the Mohawks of Kanesatake and the responsibility for the restoration of the lots rests with the occupier who caused the damage, in this case G&R Recycling.
• There are no legal instruments in the Indian Act that would give ISC a means to intervene on privately owned land.
• However, once the lands are effectively transferred back to the Mohawks of Kanesatake, ISC would be in a position to support further assessment and the remediation of the site.

Current Status

• W8banaki has prepared a service proposal to coordinate assessment activities at the site.
• A kick-off meeting between W8banaki, ISC, and the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake took place on September 24, 2024 and a follow-up meeting is planned for the last week of October 2024.

Indigenous Services Canada Budget 2024 investments:

Key Messages

• Indigenous Services Canada recognizes the importance of a fiscal relationship with First Nations that addresses sufficiency, predictability and flexibility of funding. The New Fiscal Relationship Grant strengthens the relationship with First Nations by providing flexibility to design services based on community priorities, with predictable funding agreements of up to ten years.
• Budget 2021 introduced funding escalation to the New Fiscal Relationship Grant. It provides assurances of predictable funding growth for the duration of a Grant funding agreement, including adjustments for inflation, population growth, and a guaranteed minimum annual increase of 2%.
• Indigenous Services Canada continues to pursue co-development of a new fiscal relationship with First Nations as part of the Government of Canada's commitments to economic reconciliation and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

Background

• The New Fiscal Relationship Grant is an optional funding mechanism available since 2019–20, which offers greater flexibility, predictability and sufficiency for First Nations encompassing a suite of 27 programs and services funded by ISC including: K–12 and post-secondary education, income assistance, assisted living, lands management, economic development, primary health care, community health infrastructure operations and maintenance, housing and minor capital, infrastructure operations and maintenance, and governance.
• $1.36B in funding was provided to First Nations via the New Fiscal Relationship Grant mechanism in 2023–24. Over $6B in funding has flowed to First Nations via the New Fiscal Relationship Grant since its inception in 2019–20.
• Eligibility criteria for the New Fiscal Relationship Grant were co-developed with the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Financial Management Board, based on the Financial Management Board's certifications for financial administration laws and financial performance.
• To help First Nations "keep up" with increasing costs associated with inflation and population growth, Budget 2021 allocated $2.7 billion over 10 years, starting in 2021–22 and $751 million ongoing, to implement funding escalation for First Nations with New Fiscal Relationship Grant agreements.
• The New Fiscal Relationship Grant funding escalator begins in the second year of a Grant agreement. It is based on a three-year moving average of inflation as determined by the Statistics Canada's Final Domestic Demand Implicit Price Index (FDDIPI) and the Indigenous Services Canada's Indian Registry of on-reserve and Crown land populations.

Current Status

• Since 2019, 346 of 578 potential Grant First Nations (60%) have formally expressed interest in the NFR Grant at least once. Indigenous Services Canada works collaboratively with First Nations that wish to qualify for the Grant.
• As of 2024–25, 160 First Nations have funding agreements which include the New Fiscal Relationship Grant.
• The long-term vision for the Grant is accelerated improvements in socio-economic outcomes driven by self-determination in service delivery. Indigenous Services Canada will measure these improvements using the Community Well-being Index (CWB), which is derived from census data on education, labour force activity, income and housing.
• Based on data from the 2021 Census, the average CWB score for First Nations in the Grant was 66.3; whereas the average score for non-Grant First Nations was 61.9, and the score for non-Indigenous communities was 78.7. Indigenous Services Canada will monitor changes to this baseline data to assess whether the Grant is assisting First Nations in closing socio-economic gaps.

Program-Level Data (if applicable)

Key Messages

• ISC supports the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UN Declaration Act) through its work on service transfer and closing socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and by working in collaboration and cooperation with the Indigenous Peoples it serves.
• 34 Action Plan Measures of the UNDA Action Plan are led or co-led by ISC, which cover a range of transformative areas that ISC is working to advance in close collaboration with Indigenous partners, including child and family services, education, health, and economic reconciliation.
• The Department is at various stages of implementation for these 34 measures. 44% of the ISC-led or co-led Action Plan measures received some funding in Budget 2024 including for: $60M over 2 years to support friendship centres (APM 1.84); $1.8 billion over 11 years for implementation of the child and family services Act (APM 1.29) ; $167.6 million over five years to combat anti-Indigenous racism (APM 1.07): and, $104.9 million over five years for health transformation (APM 2.13) will allow for real advancement of related Action Plan measures.

Background

• As a whole, the entirety of the departmental structure, mandate and legislation supports the implementation of the UN Declaration Act through its work on service transfer and closing socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. The Department is supporting the advancement of initiatives that support more robust funding relationships and is entering into agreements on health, education, water, child and family services, lands management and financial management that support the principles of the UN Declaration and the UN Declaration Act.
• ISC is specifically designated as the lead or co-lead of 34 out of 181 Action Plan measures alone or with other departments. This makes it the department with the second most Action Plan measures, behind CIRNAC. Out of 34 ISC-led or co-led Action Plan Measures:
  • 13 measures are shared with other government departments;
  • 16 are shared priorities amongst distinctions, as well as:
  • 12 First Nations priorities (fiscal relationships, Indian Act reforms, including membership, health service delivery and transfer, infrastructure gaps, water and wastewater, and education);
  • 3 Inuit priorities (health equity, human rights and education); and
  • 3 Métis priorities (self-determination and health, implementation of CFS legislation, and education).
• A number of the ISC-led or co-led measures cover a range of transformative areas that ISC is already advancing in close collaboration – sometimes co-development – with Indigenous partners. They touch on a range of initiatives such as: Advancing economic reconciliation through engagement (APM 1.74); advancing water and wastewater service transfer to First Nations communities, including Bill C-61: First Nations Clean Water Act, with its 2nd reading started in the House on February 5, 2024 (APM 2.16); Supporting the adoption of Bill C-38 which seeks to address discrimination in the registration and membership provisions of the Indian Act (Has gone through a second reading in the House in November 2023) (APM 2.07); Continuing to support Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous-led data strategies (APM 1.30); and Supporting distinctions-based control over education approaches (APMs 2.19, 3.21 and 4.13).

Current Status

• ISC continues to advance the effective integration of the UN Declaration Act and Action Plan across our programs, policies, legislative/regulation, and in the context of engagement with Indigenous partners, federal and provincial relations, and in our communications.
• The third annual progress report on the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act presented by the Minister of Justice to Parliament in June 2024 highlights progress departments, including ISC, have made since the launch of the Action Plan in June 2023.
• The ISC progress highlighted in the report included:
  • Health: Working collaboratively with First Nations Partners to stand up health organizations and build public service capacity through Health Transformation (APM 2.12)
  • Health: Addressing Anti-Indigenous Racism in Canada's Health Systems initiative (APM 3.13)
  • Education: Work Toward co-developing a federal policy on Inuit elementary and secondary education (APM 3.21)
  • Training: Promoting educational awareness and outreach on the Declaration and the Act to employees, including ISC's UNDA Team's monthly community of practice reaching 266 employees (APM 1.14)
  • Water: Introduction of Bill C-61 First Nations Clean Water Act (APM 2.17)
  • Indian Act: Introduction of Bill C-38, An Act to Amend the Indian Act (New Registration Entitlements) (APM 2.07)
  • Regulation/consistency of laws: Adoption of various regulations, including Squamish Nation Residential Tenancy Regulations and amending the Fort McKay First Nation Oil Sands Regulations
• ISC is exploring how to achieve progress with existing investments, mechanisms, relationships and programming. Measures such as advancing economic reconciliation will require a collaborative approach by working with other federal departments and provinces and territories. The three distinctions-based Permanent Bilateral Mechanisms are effective fora to advance shared priorities under the Action Plan. Most agenda and budget priorities identified by Indigenous partners in that context relate to Action Plan Measures and obligations under the UN Declaration Act.
• To support the implementation of the UN Declaration across the department, including its regions, ISC is developing specific tools including a Budget analysis tool, to ensure our budget requests contribute to advancing the rights contained in the Declaration.

Key Messages

• ISC's mandate commitment is to work with the Minister of CIR to address the history and legacy of residential schools, including by providing the necessary supports to communities who wish to continue to undertake the work of burial searches at the sites of former residential schools.
• ISC funds trauma-informed cultural and emotional support services, as well as professional mental health counselling, to Survivors of Indian Residential Schools and their families, through the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program.
• ISC supports communities in addressing former IRS buildings and sites on reserve. The Department is also committed to improving access of its information related to former residential school buildings and sites.
• ISC is committed to providing records in its control to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation which are relevant to residential schools and not previously disclosed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as part of the Government of Canada's commitment announced in 2022. This work also supports Canada's commitment in the United Nations Declaration Act Action Plan and to Indigenous Data Sovereignty.

Background

• Since 2006, the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program funds access to cultural supports (i.e. Elders, Knowledge Holders, and Traditional Healers), emotional supports (i.e. community-based Indigenous health workers, and peer supports), and mental health counselling (i.e. registered psychologists, and social workers), as well as for transportation when cultural supports and mental health counselling services are not available locally. Health and cultural support workers are hired by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis organizations to provide services.
• The National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line, complimenting the work of the Hope for Wellness Helpline, offers immediate crisis intervention from experienced and culturally competent counsellors and referrals to Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program services.
• Budget 2024 provided $630.2 million over 2 years for continued mental wellness supports, including the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Supports Program and crisis line. This funding supports over 230 Indigenous organizations employing a national network of an estimated 1,000 support workers. This network provides culturally safe support for individuals, families, and communities on their healing journeys related to Indian Residential Schools, Indian Day Schools, the ongoing issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, ongoing settlements, and other colonial traumas.
• IRS Sites and Buildings funding was announced in August 2021 to help support First Nation communities to begin to address school buildings and associated sites on reserve. All available funding was allocated by March 31, 2024.
• ISC is working to identify its relevant records and data not previously disclosed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in two primary areas: the period after institutions closed as federally administered Indian Residential Schools and the implementation of the IRS Resolution Health Support Workers program and the National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line. The full document disclosure exercise, led by CIRNAC, is to be completed by 2027.

Current Status

• In June 2024, ISC published an environmental scan report on the status of the 140 institutions recognized by the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement as well as an interactive mapping tool containing historic air photos. These tools reduce the barriers that Survivors and communities face when trying to find data and information about former sites and buildings.
• ISC is committed to taking an open approach to the management and sharing of data and information. This supports Indigenous Data Sovereignty, and aligns with the Government of Canada's United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action, and the 2023–2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service.
• It is expected that on October 29, 2024, the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites will present her final report and recommendations to the Government of Canada which will provide important information about the truth of residential schools and what is potentially needed to further support communities, families and Survivors to address the legacy of residential schools.

Key Messages

• Indigenous Services Canada is responsible for the delivery of core provincial-like services to communities, and closing socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous People.
• Indigenous services are effective when they reflect the cultural needs and aspirations of the people that use them. Self-determination and the control of service design and delivery of Indigenous Peoples is the best way to evolve community life and why we focus relentlessly on the tools Indigenous Peoples call for to accomplish this transformation.
• Recent efforts support this approach, for example:
  • The proposed First Nations Clean Water Act, Bill C-61, would provide tools for First Nations to protect source water and maintain drinking water and wastewater infrastructure on First Nation lands in a self-determined way.
  • Supporting self-determination and the establishment of First Nation led health organizations through projects across the country, including the June 2024 Agreement in Principle with the Southern Chiefs of Organization in Manitoba.
  • Advancement of discussions with Inuit and First Nations partners on long-term reform to Inuit Child First and Jordan's Principle.
• We are committed to continue to make progress in all these spaces over the coming year, with particular attention to urgent priorities areas such as water, children and families, and health.

Background

• ISC is in a unique situation as it delivers services to First Nations and Inuit communities, and increasingly to Métis peoples, (e.g. in the areas of health, education, and social services) which are similar to those provided by provinces and territories.

Current Status

• Further examples of current initiatives to help progress on current priorities related to water, children and families as well as health: