2025-2026 Reporting on the Calls for Justice 12.1 to 12.15: Social Workers and Child Welfare

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The FNCFS program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.1 by advancing self-determination through the support provided to First Nations to design and deliver prevention services and other supports (for example First Nations Representative Services) rooted in their values and traditions. The purpose of these prevention services is to reduce the number of First Nations children and youth in care and address the structural drivers that lead to maltreatment. First Nations Representative Services involves representatives working in the interests of the First Nation, its children and families, while advocating for the children's rights and collaborating with other service providers.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $2.7 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding , to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative responds part of Call for Justice 12.1 that is directed at the federal government by affirming the inherent right of self-government, including jurisdiction in relation to child and family services. The Act establishes a legislative framework for Indigenous communities to develop and implement their own child and family services laws, shifting control away from provincial systems. Through this framework, the Act supports Indigenous Peoples in exercising full authority over decisions that impact their children and families. This approach makes progress on the Call for Justice 12.1, enabling communities to define their own approaches to safety and care, as they exercise jurisdiction.

Indigenous children, families, and communities impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis benefit from services that are community-based, culturally safe, and grounded in self-determination. These systems reduce reliance on external child welfare interventions that have historically contributed to trauma and disconnection, promoting healing through culturally relevant support structures.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

The Management Action Plan from the audit of the Mother-Child Program (MCP), completed in spring 2025, remains on track for completion by 2027. The MCP framework was reviewed and updated to incorporate audit recommendations and align with identified needs.

Separately, CSC conducted consultations with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated Indigenous women to gather feedback on the MCP. An action plan, reflecting the feedback grounded in lived experience and practical recommendation, is being developed to inform improvements to the program, with a focus on better supporting Indigenous women.

CSC has enhanced the MCP through a broader definition of "mother," revised eligibility criteria, and increased awareness among incarcerated women, with a focus on Indigenous women. A draft policy is expected by March 2027.

MCP responds to CFJ 12.1 by deferring to and coordinating with Indigenous child-welfare authorities wherever they hold jurisdiction, therefore supporting Indigenous decision-making about children connected to incarcerated mothers. The program's potential outcomes include helping prevent children from being placed in foster care by maintaining maternal connections.

• Facilitated contact with legal actors and family courts: The MCP designates a Mother-Child Coordinator who "coordinates and/or facilitates the mother's interactions…with lawyers [and] family court to ensure parental and/or legal responsibilities are met," improving practical access to counsel and proceedings from inside an institution
• Temporary absences for parental/legal responsibilities: Institutional Heads must ensure a process to apply for Escorted Temporary Absences (ETAs) under Commissioner's Directive 710-3 for parental responsibility, which can include attending court-related obligations that affect the child, which enables in-person participation where appropriate
• Structured liaison with child-welfare agencies: The Mother-Child Coordinator follows up with relevant child-welfare agencies, and eligibility requires CWA support, creating a channel to address court orders, visitation plans, and custody issues that often require legal assistance
• Documentation and recognition of court orders: Eligibility criteria explicitly consider existing court orders that govern mother–child contact, embedding legal constraints/rights into case management and prompting early legal consultation when needed
• Continuity planning around release and re-entry: MCP procedures tie release planning to continued care of the child, which often intersects with family-law requirements, again prompting coordination with counsel and courts

Each women's institution receives an annual allocation of $50,000 to administer the MCP. Additionally, each site is provided $250 per incarcerated woman to support MCP delivery. Institutions are responsible for distributing these funds and organizing services and programs according to the needs of the women in their care. As for the Resourcing Indicators, the salary of a 0.5 Full Time Employee (a Social Program Officer) is allocated for the Mother-Child Coordinator Position at five of six institutions.

In 2025-2026, significant progress was made to strengthen Nunavut's coordinated, child-centred response to abuse and neglect. Several major developments now formalize, expand, and operationalize the coordinated model.

The RCMP and the Government of Nunavut's Department of Family Services signed a comprehensive five‑year Memorandum of Understanding. This established an aligned, concurrent investigative process under the Child and Family Services Act. This Memorandum of Understanding solidifies practices already occurring informally under Surusinut Ikajuqtigiit – Nunavut Child Abuse and Neglect Response Agreement and creates a legally compliant, enduring foundation for a unified response. To date, this is the most formal and detailed description for how child protection and criminal investigations must run concurrently, and sets expectations for

• Immediate two‑way notification requirements
• Early joint development of an investigative strategy
• Clear direction on trauma‑minimizing practices when interviewing children
• Tightened personal‑information stewardship obligations laid out in the Privacy Act, Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, Access to Information and Protection of Privacy
• Annual review and multi‑level dispute‑resolution processes

Under the authority of the Surusinut Ikajuqtigiit Committee, the territory released a multi‑sector Child Sexual Abuse Action Plan, with actionable, time‑bound steps beginning immediately in 2025-2026.

These include:

• In September 2025, the deployment of a mobile, interdisciplinary response team made up of RCMP Special Investigations and Community Social Services Workers, with language and interpretation supports
• Regular case audits and peer reviews to ensure quality and consistency of child‑centred investigations
• Between September and December 2025, the development of a case‑based information‑sharing protocol across all Surusinut partners to eliminate file‑handoff gaps
• Preparation and launch of a territory‑wide public education campaign on child sexual abuse
• Cross‑departmental training opportunities in forensic interviewing, pediatric sexual assault response, and trauma‑informed practice

These activities formally embed the RCMP as a standing partner in every major aspect of the territory's child sexual abuse prevention and response system.

This coordinated model supports Call for Justice 12.1 by embedding shared accountability for child welfare within the Surusinut Ikajuqtigiit – Nunavut Child Abuse and Neglect Response Agreement. The agreement recognizes Nunavut's leadership in child‑protection matters and clearly situates the RCMP's investigative and emergency functions within a partnership with the Government of Nunavut's Family Wellness Division. Through a jointly designed and consistently applied protocol, the model affirms Inuit self‑determination in child‑welfare governance and enables community‑based decisions informed by Inuit knowledge, values, and approaches to family well‑being. This structure reflects the jurisdictional recognition envisioned under CFJ 12.1 and further supports the transition toward Inuit‑led child and family services across Nunavut.

The governance model established under Surusinut Ikajuqtigiit, and strengthened by the Child Sexual Abuse Action Plan, ensures Inuit‑led perspectives shape policies and practices in child protection. Complementary FNIPP structures—particularly Letters of Expectation and Community Consultative Groups—provide Inuit communities with direct influence over local policing priorities. Together, these frameworks uphold Inuit authority while reinforcing the RCMP's responsibilities as a service provider operating within an Inuit‑directed system.

• More coordinated child safety responses: Clear roles for the RCMP and the Department of Family Services help reduce delays when abuse or neglect is reported, and supports faster safety planning, protective measures, and follow-up support for children and families
• Reduced re-traumatization for children and families: The Umingmak Child Advocacy Center supports child-centred, trauma-informed forensic interviewing, medical exams, therapy and advocacy. This helps reduce the number of times children have to retell their experiences. It also limits the need for families to navigate multiple systems on their own
• Stronger shared accountability across public institutions: The renewed agreement helps the RCMP, Family Services, and other partners work together more clearly and consistently. It sets shared expectations for follow-up, oversight, and learning, helping strengthen coordinated responses to violence
• A fully formalized, multi‑agency child protection pathway: With the signing of the RCMP–Department of Family Services Memorandum of Understanding and the implementation of the Child Sexual Abuse Action Plan, Nunavut now has the clearest and most structured cross‑system response to child abuse in its history
• Stronger specialist supports for children: Mobile teams, specialized pediatric training, and more efficient referrals to the Umingmak Child Advocacy Center help children access support through a more coordinated process. This means children and caregivers are supported in a single, well‑supported environment for interviews, medical care, and counselling
• Stronger accountability and case continuity: Regular case audits, peer reviews, and new information‑sharing protocols reduce the risk of cases being missed
  • Annual review of the Memorandum of Understanding and oversight by Surusinut Ikajuqtigiit also helps partners identify system‑level gaps and resolve them together
• More community-level ownership and culturally grounded policing: Through First Nations Inuit Policing Program Letters of Expectation, Community Consultative Group meetings, and RCMP V Division reporting, Inuit communities have direct influence on the priorities and deployment of enhanced policing resources. This supports stronger relationships with communities and aligns the distinctions‑based approach emphasized in the National Action Plan
• Earlier connection to wellness supports alongside investigative action: Embedding health and social service providers into the response ensures children and caregivers are linked to trauma-informed care and wraparound supports while investigative steps are underway, not only after legal processes conclude
• Improved protection in communities with limited immediate service availability: Where Child & Family Services capacity is constrained, RCMP risk assessment and emergency authorities can be activated to prevent serious harm, helping stabilize situations until full child-welfare supports are available
• Improved capacity through interdepartmental and cross‑sector training: Joint training with community social services workers, health providers, justice partners, and Umingmak Child Advocacy Center's providers helps build shared understanding across sectors. This supports more consistent, trauma-informed responses for child and families across Nunavut's 25 communities

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The FNCFS program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.2 by actively addressing the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's findings of systemic discrimination. The program has undergone significant reforms, including the application of new funding approaches aimed at ensuring services are needs-based, culturally appropriate, and non-discriminatory.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

• On February 19, 2026, the federal government announced $115 million to renew funding for the Inuit Child First Initiative until March 31, 2027
• Previously, the Government of Canada renewed funding for the Inuit CFI, allocating an additional $121.7 million to extend the Inuit CFI until March 31, 2026. Funding is used to support ongoing service delivery in the interim while Canada and Inuit partners move forward on the co-development of a long-term approach for Inuit children
• ISC and Inuit partners have made progress on the co-development of a National Framework based on a Shared Responsibility Model proposed by Inuit partners

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.2 by providing health, social and educational services and supports to Inuit children, while the federal government works with Inuit partners to co-develop a long-term Inuit-specific approach based on a shared responsibility model to allow ITOs to have greater control over the design and delivery of services for Inuit children.

The Government of Canada has committed $509.2 million since 2019 to March 31, 2026, to the Inuit CFI.

• An initial $220 million over five years was announced, announced in 2019, to address the immediate needs of Inuit children and to continue working with Inuit partners to improve local capacity to deliver services
• An additional $167.5 million over two years, starting in 2023-2024, announced in 2024, to support the continued delivery of the interim approach while co-development of a long-term Inuit-specific approach progressed
• An additional $121.7 million of funding to extend the Inuit Child First Initiative until March 31, 2026

From April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2026, the Inuit CFI total expenditures were $453.2 million. In the 2025-2026 fiscal year fiscal year, $44.8 million in funds were approved for Inuit children through the Inuit CFI.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative responds to Call for Justice 12.2 by providing a pathway for Indigenous communities to exercise their jurisdiction over child and family services through self-determined laws and coordination agreements. The Act ensures that these communities can establish and implement service delivery models rooted in Indigenous worldviews, values, and customs. ISC supports this process through three distinct funding streams: (1) funding for capacity-building activities; (2) funding to support participation in coordination agreement discussions with provinces and territories; and, (3) funding for the implementation of Indigenous laws and service delivery models. Since the Act came into force and as of November 26, 2025, more than $306 million has been approved in funding for capacity-building to support recipients' jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. Furthermore, to support Indigenous communities while they participate in coordination agreement discussions a total of more than $55 million has been provided. The Act's structure supports long-term systemic reform toward Indigenous-led governance.

For families and children affected by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, this initiative creates conditions for culturally competent, community-controlled services that are better equipped to recognize and respond to the effects of trauma. It helps prevent potentially harmful interventions by provincial and territorial systems, restoring culturally rooted models of care and protection.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The FNCFS program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.3 by requiring service providers to deliver child and family services in alignment with the principles and minimum standards set out in An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families. These principles include the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality, which together ensure that services are not only protective but also affirming of First Nations identities and worldviews. By embedding these principles into funding requirements and accountability mechanisms, the program helps safeguard First Nations children from discriminatory or culturally unsafe interventions. Families and children benefit from services that prioritize holistic well-being and cultural belonging, while communities gain confidence in systems that honour their traditions, strengthen family bonds, and uphold the dignity of First Nations caregiving practices.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative responds to Call for Justice 12.3 by embedding the principle of the best interests of the child in legislation, with special attention to cultural identity, family relationships, and community connection. The Act requires service providers to make decisions in alignment with this principle. Primary consideration must be given to the child's physical, emotional and psychological safety, security and well-being, as well as to the importance, for that child, of having an ongoing relationship with his or her family and with the Indigenous group, community or people to which he or she belongs and of preserving the child's connections to his or her culture. It sets a statutory obligation to consider the child's broader kinship and cultural context in all service delivery. These standards are binding for all jurisdictions and service providers interacting with Indigenous children.

For Indigenous children, families, and communities impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, this approach helps reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care. It promotes decision-making that centers Indigenous children within their own families, languages, and cultures—building safety through belonging and continuity.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws.
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement.
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions.
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty.
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery.

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

• On February 19, 2026, the federal government announced $115 million to renew funding for the Inuit Child First Initiative until March 31, 2027
• Previously, the Government of Canada renewed funding for the Inuit CFI, allocating an additional $121.7 million to extend the Inuit CFI until March 31, 2026. Funding is used to support ongoing service delivery in the interim while Canada and Inuit partners move forward on the co-development of a long-term approach for Inuit children
• ISC and Inuit partners have made progress on the co-development of a National Framework based on a Shared Responsibility Model proposed by Inuit partners

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.3 by taking into consideration the unique needs of Inuit children when delivering supports and services.

The Government of Canada has committed $509.2 million since 2019 to March 31, 2026, to the Inuit CFI.

• An initial $220 million over five years was announced, announced in 2019, to address the immediate needs of Inuit children and to continue working with Inuit partners to improve local capacity to deliver services
• An additional $167.5 million over two years, starting in 2023-2024, announced in 2024, to support the continued delivery of the interim approach while co-development of a long-term Inuit-specific approach progressed
• An additional $121.7 million of funding to extend the Inuit Child First Initiative until March 31, 2026

From April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2026, the Inuit CFI total expenditures were $453.2 million. In the 2025-2026 fiscal year fiscal year, $44.8 million in funds were approved for Inuit children through the Inuit CFI.

To ensure that ARCH findings are shared broadly and to support ongoing efforts in communities across Canada to reduce and prevent homelessness, a series of Community Snapshots and practical resources has been uploaded to the Homelessness Learning Hub.

View information here: Homelessness Learning Hub - Action Research on Chronic Homelessness Initiative

The Community Snapshots showcase the key insights of each project, including barriers identified to addressing homelessness, prototypes/pilots of adaptable and/or scalable community-led solutions, and promising practices to inform homelessness planning, programming, and research. As further insights evolve from the projects in the ARCH initiative, the landing page will be updated to reflect emerging promising practices from the ARCH projects.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.4 by helping to address systemic gaps that contribute to Indigenous youth homelessness, particularly for those leaving the child welfare system. The ARCH initiative includes a project in Sudbury that focuses on improving coordination between the child welfare system and housing services. This project enhances culturally appropriate services tailored to Indigenous youth, strengthens connections between agencies, and promotes long-term housing stability. Indigenous families, survivors and communities benefit from this program through improved access to support services that reduce the risk of homelessness for Indigenous youth aging out of care.

• Increased access to culturally safe housing services:
  • Expanding low-barrier, Indigenous-led, and trauma-informed housing supports to reduce risks of homelessness and exploitation, that are culturally safe and respect the traditional values of for Indigenous individuals at risk of homelessness
  • Ensures Indigenous adults and youth receive services that respect their identity and lived experiences
• Youth-specific housing solutions: Enhances targeted housing supports for Indigenous youth transitioning from care to independent living. Reduces risk factors contributing to youth homelessness
• Community-led solutions and improved collaboration: Empowering Indigenous organizations to lead interventions tailored to their unique realities. Increasing coordination between Indigenous communities, housing providers, and government agencies to remove systemic barriers
• System alignment and change: Helping to address systemic gaps by integrating and facilitating better coordination between housing services and health care, child welfare, and justice systems
• Policy and service adjustments: Uses research findings to inform the development of housing policies that are inclusive, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed, yielding more responsive housing supports. Identifies long-term solutions to prevent homelessness through research and policy recommendations
• Enhanced inclusivity in housing services: Improves recognition of 2SLGBTQI+ specific housing needs. Ensures that Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ individuals have access to culturally safe and affirming housing options
• Safe spaces and community engagement: Supports Indigenous-led initiatives that create housing environments that respect diverse identities and lived experiences. Encourages the development of housing services that respect diverse identities. Centers the voices of 2SLGBTQI+ individuals in homelessness solutions

Investments from 2022 allocated $11 million over three years, starting in 2023-2024. While ARCH projects wrapped up in March 31, 2025, three projects were extended to allow time to complete activities and test new ideas. A total of $420,774 was committed in 2025-2026.

In 2025-2026, PHAC continued to partner with the Nunatsiavut Government to complete a pilot project using data from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Project outputs will include a published study comparing out-of-home care rates among Inuit and non-Indigenous children in that region and an article describing how Inuit research principles guided the partnership, study design, implementation and dissemination of findings. This work advances Inuit data sovereignty and produces meaningful public health information for policy and program decision making.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.4 by collaborating with partners to collect and report on national administrative data on children placed in out-of-home care. The CCWIS provides foundational data to monitor rates of children placed in out-of-home care (apprehensions) nationally and support future distinction-based reporting. Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from this work through improved information about children and families involved with child welfare, including the drivers of social and health inequities. This effort lays the groundwork for accountability and data-informed action to support children, youth, and families.

• Collection of disaggregated data: Over time, the CCWIS aims to improve the national data landscape by acknowledging the unique experiences, needs, and priorities of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and urban Indigenous communities across the country. This foundational work supports future distinctions-based analysis that centres on a public health approach to child and family wellbeing
• Foundation for distinctions-based reporting: The CCWIS reports create a baseline for future distinctions-based monitoring of Indigenous child welfare outcomes, including disaggregated data by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis identity
• Supports evidence-based policy: The CCWIS enables disaggregated analysis of national child welfare data to inform inclusive, culturally grounded, and responsive programming across jurisdictions, which ensures that interventions are shaped by the realities of those most impacted
• Informs monitoring and accountability: The CCWIS supports the ability to track progress toward improved health and social outcomes, particularly for Inuit children in care within and outside Inuit Nunangat, helping ensure their rights are upheld and benefits maintained
• National child welfare monitoring: The CCWIS establishes a mechanism for tracking and reporting national trends of children in out-of-home care, supporting system-wide efforts to reduce child apprehensions and promote family unity
• Cross-jurisdictional collaboration: Developed in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis organizations, provinces, territories, and ISC, the CCWIS initiative strengthens shared accountability in child welfare reporting
• Data accessibility and transparency: The release of the first CCWIS report (2023 to 24) and its companion blog increases public access to national child welfare data, promoting transparency and public understanding of how children's experiences in care are measured and addressed
• Informed public health and social policy: The CCWIS contributes to a public health approach to child and family well-being by generating the evidence base needed for prevention-focused interventions that improve long-term outcomes

The CCWIS is supported through existing PHAC resources within the Family Violence Epidemiology Section.

In 2025-2026, ISC continued to support First Nations in delivering high-quality elementary and secondary education. Through the Elementary and Secondary Education Program, ISC funded 541 First Nations-administered education programs across Canada, supporting approximately 120,500 First Nations students ordinarily resident on reserve to attend schools both on and off reserve. Between 2016-17 and 2025-2026, enrolment in First Nations-administered full-day kindergarten has increased by 115%. In 2025-2026, 94% of students attending First Nations administered schools were taught at least one subject in a First Nations language, and approximately 95% of students were provided with culturally-based curriculum or land-based learning services.

Budget 2025 proposed to introduce legislation to make the National School Food program permanent, and provide a total of $216.6 million per year, starting in 2029-2030 on an ongoing basis, which will maintain the funding currently provided by ISC of $47.5 million per year.

Regional Education Agreements: In 2025-2026, ISC continued to support First Nations in pursuing Regional Education Agreements (REAs) as a key mechanism to advance self-determination and improve educational outcomes. To date, 12 REAs have been signed, 10 of which are currently active and collectively support approximately 30,000 First Nations elementary and secondary students across six provinces.

ISC also continued to support FNEC's Regional Education Agreement, for which in 2022 the federal government invested $310.6 million over five years to better support elementary and secondary student outcomes.

Adult Education: 2025-2026 marks Year 4 of the five-year investment in Adult Education made through Budget 2021. Indigenous Services Canada has continued support for First Nations adult learners on reserve and in the North to prepare for, complete, upgrade, or obtain equivalency certification for their secondary education.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.4 through funding School Food Programming, as it provides funding to support school food and food security, specifically within First Nations communities. The program provides $47.5 million per year as part of the National School Food Program for First Nations elementary and secondary students on reserve and helps ensure that First Nations children to have access to adequate, nutritious, and culturally relevant food in their learning environments.

On April 1, 2019, the federal government implemented a new co-developed policy and funding approach for First Nations elementary and secondary education on reserve. ISC provides, at a minimum, funding that is based on provincially comparable funding methodologies, plus adaptations and additional national common investments, including language and culture, full-day kindergarten for children aged 4 and 5, before- and after-school programming, and school food programming.

Budget 2025 proposed to introduce legislation to make the National School Food program permanent, and provide a total of $216.6 million per year, starting in 2029-2030 on an ongoing basis, which will maintain the funding currently provided by ISC of $47.5 million per year.

In 2025-2026, the Government of Canada provided $3.5 billion in funding for Elementary and Secondary Education on reserve.

Regional Education Agreements: In 2022, the Government of Canada invested an additional $310.6 million over five years to better support elementary and secondary student outcomes through a regional education agreement.

Adult Education: The Government invested $350 million over five years, starting in 2022-2023, to support First Nations living on reserve and in the Yukon and Northwest Territories to have access to supports in preparing for, completing, upgrading, or obtaining secondary school equivalency.

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The FNCFS program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.4 by requiring that all services funded through the program uphold the principles and minimum standards set out in An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the principles of the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

CIRNAC receives progress reports from recipients on the harvesting and food-sharing activities supported through the Harvesters Support Grant. These reports provide valuable qualitative insight into how the Grant benefits vulnerable groups, such as women and Elders, and continues to shape program development. Ongoing engagement with Indigenous partners further strengthens CIRNAC's understanding of the lived experiences of women and other vulnerable groups within eligible communities.

The Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund support a wide range of hunting and harvesting initiatives, and have collectively assisted more than 15,000 traditional harvesters. Through these programs, over 700 new food-sharing initiatives and 400 community hunts and harvests have been carried out across more than 112 remote communities, in partnership with 24 Indigenous governments and organizations. These new partnerships are fostering innovative supply networks, increasing access to country foods, promoting food sharing initiatives, and helping create low-cost food options that complement, and in many cases, inspire the restoration of traditional harvesting practices.

In the spirit of self-determination and to respect the principles of, for example, OCAP ®, projects are autonomously designed and implemented at the community level, and the specific, detailed results of each initiative remain with the funding recipients. As a result, detailed examples cannot be included in this report. This approach reflects and upholds the principle of self-determination, ensuring that Indigenous governance structures maintain full authority over their decision-making processes.

The Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund respond to part of Call for Justice 12.4 by increasing food security in Indigenous communities and supporting traditional food harvesting, food sharing networks, and community-driven initiatives. These programs help address poverty-driven child apprehensions through increased food security, food sovereignty, and economic self-sufficiency for Indigenous families in northern and remote communities. By strengthening local food systems, these initiatives help communities remain self-sufficient, reducing dependency on external food sources, and reducing the likelihood that food scarcity will be used as justification for child apprehension.

Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit through strengthened food security, enhanced cultural food practices, and reduced reliance on costly market foods. Programs like elders' meal programs, group food ordering, and community kitchens provide wraparound supports that help sustain family and community networks, fostering preventative measures rather than punitive child removals.

• Increased food security: Funds traditional harvesting, food production, and food sharing initiatives
• Supporting traditional practices: Encourages the revitalization of Indigenous harvesting and food sharing customs. Strengthens Indigenous food systems and respects traditional hunting and harvesting rights
• Self-determination: Enables Indigenous communities to design and implement food security solutions that align with their needs and cultural traditions
• Community-driven solutions: Enables Indigenous communities to design and implement food security solutions that align with their needs and cultural traditions, and supports the capacity of Indigenous-led shelters, transition homes, and second-stage housing to provide adequate, healthy food to vulnerable people in crisis
• Supporting traditional practices:
  • Encourages the revitalization of Indigenous harvesting and food sharing customs. Programs that restore traditional food practices, such as community harvesting, land-based food systems, and food sovereignty initiatives
  • Shelters and safe spaces that incorporate land-based food programming can support healing, cultural connection, and self-sufficiency, particularly for those recovering from violence or displacement
• Holistic support: Funding supports a range of activities, including hunting, transportation, storage, and local food production
• Sustainable food access: Supports community-led food production and harvesting. Strengthens local food systems, including country foods (hunting, trapping, and fishing). Reduces dependency on external food sources, and the cost burden of food in remote communities
• Community food sovereignty: Ensures decisions about food security and resource allocation are community-driven and culturally appropriate, as Indigenous organizations govern and determine how funding supports their unique food security priorities and needs
• Support for Inuit harvesting practices: Funds harvesting equipment, transportation and storage infrastructure to ensures Inuit communities can continue traditional hunting and harvesting activities
• Enhanced food sharing networks: Strengthens community-driven, self-sufficient local food production and food distribution systems. Reduces reliance on store-bought food, which is often nutritionally inadequate and prohibitively expensive in northern communities
• Culturally relevant food security solutions: Supports Inuit-led initiatives to improve food sovereignty

In 2024, $96.7 million was allocated to the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund (HSG/CFPF) for the 2024–2027 funding cycle. Together, this brings the total investment in the HSG/CFPF programs over the three year period to $120.7 million ($118.4 million has already been allocated, with the remainder in progress).

Overall, from 2019 to 2027, a total of $255.1 million has been invested in HSG/CFPF programs. This includes $64 million in ongoing funding (based on $8 million per year from 2019 to 2027), along with an additional $191.1 million investments over the eight year period.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative responds to Call for Justice 12.4 by explicitly prohibiting child apprehension solely due to socio-economic conditions. The Act sets a national standard that poverty, inadequate housing, or the health of a parent or caregiver, cannot be the sole basis for removing a child from their family. It instead emphasizes family unity and supports preventative services aimed at strengthening families.

For families and communities affected by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, this provision addresses one of the historical drivers of child apprehension and institutionalization. It protects against unnecessary separations that often expose children to additional risks, including violence and exploitation.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

• On February 19, 2026, the federal government announced $115 million to renew funding for the Inuit Child First Initiative until March 31, 2027
• Previously, the Government of Canada renewed funding for the Inuit CFI, allocating an additional $121.7 million to extend the Inuit CFI until March 31, 2026. Funding is used to support ongoing service delivery in the interim while Canada and Inuit partners move forward on the co-development of a long-term approach for Inuit children
• ISC and Inuit partners have made progress on the co-development of a National Framework based on a Shared Responsibility Model proposed by Inuit partners

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.4 by providing health, social and educational supports and services to Inuit children.

The Government of Canada has committed $509.2 million since 2019 to March 31, 2026, to the Inuit CFI.

• An initial $220 million over five years was announced, announced in 2019, to address the immediate needs of Inuit children and to continue working with Inuit partners to improve local capacity to deliver services
• An additional $167.5 million over two years, starting in 2023-2024, announced in 2024, to support the continued delivery of the interim approach while co-development of a long-term Inuit-specific approach progressed
• An additional $121.7 million of funding to extend the Inuit Child First Initiative until March 31, 2026

From April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2026, the Inuit CFI total expenditures were $453.2 million. In the 2025-2026 fiscal year fiscal year, $44.8 million in funds were approved for Inuit children through the Inuit CFI.

• $275,542, over two years was allocated to Woodstock First Nation for garden infrastructure, food processing equipment, cold storage, shelving, a forklift, trailers and refrigerated vehicles to improve the applicant's ability to grow, process and distribute food to its community members
• $210,140 over two years was allocated to the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate Society for greenhouse and gardening equipment, water infrastructure, two ATVs with trailers for hunting purposes, meat processing equipment and walk-in cold storage to improve access to culturally relevant food for Indigenous youth and their families, and improve land-based learning opportunities
• $412,407 over two years was allocated to Muskeg Lake Cree Nation to purchase gardening equipment, perennial fruit trees and bushes, cold storage and food processing equipment to increase access to local and culturally relevant food in the community
• $401,074 over two years was allocated to Huu-ay-aht First Nation to purchase a hydroponic farm, processing hub, and cold storage to increase food production and food sovereignty

The LFIF responds to part of Call for Justice 12.4 by investing in community-led capacity building and addressing systemic barriers to food security. By supporting Indigenous communities as they enhance their local food systems, the LFIF aims to ensure that Indigenous families are able to access the food they need to succeed.

• Enhances community resilience: Improves resilience of people from communities who face poverty and food insecurity. Funds Indigenous-led community based food infrastructure projects that result in improved access to local nutritious food
• Enhancing community food security: Directly increases the availability of nutritious food in Indigenous communities, reducing reliance on external food sources. Funds greenhouses, community gardens, food storage facilities, and other infrastructure and equipment
• Supporting Indigenous food sovereignty: Supports Indigenous communities that are working to revitalize traditional food practices. Supports community-based projects that maintain Indigenous food systems (hunting, fishing, traditional agriculture) by prioritizing culturally appropriate food production
• Creating sustainable food solutions: Supports Indigenous communities as they increase their self-sufficient food supplies. Funds projects that improve communities' food production infrastructure
• Enhancing family stability: Helps mitigate poverty-related socio-economic pressures that have been used to justify child apprehension. Invests in projects that improve communities' food production infrastructure which results in more access to nutritious foods, and more stable and supportive environments for Indigenous families
• Building economic resilience: Invests in local food economies, critical factors in strengthening the economic security of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. Supports large-scale projects that yield opportunities for employment, training, and skills development in local food production and distribution

In 2025-2026, LFIF approved an additional $30.4 million over two years to 234 projects. Of these, 118 self-identified as Indigenous, accounting for approximately $12.6 million. To date, the LFIF has approved $101 million to over 1,400 projects. Of the approved projects, 28% self-identified as Indigenous, accounting for a total of $ 46.9 million.

As of March 31, 2026, the National Housing Strategy has committed the following funding to Indigenous and northern housing:

• $395.97 million has been conditionally or financially committed through the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative toward the construction of 38 new shelters and 42 new transitional homes. for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQI+ people escaping gender-based violence
• $138.1 million has been set aside as exclusive funding for Indigenous and Northern housing projects:
  • $25 million toward the repair of 560 units in the existing urban Indigenous community housing stock community housing stock. As of March 31, 2026, $24.96 million has been conditionally or financially committed toward the repair of 572 units
  • $13.1 million committed for 2 emergency shelters in the territories
  • $100 million of exclusive funding, and an additional $35.65 million in Affordable Housing Fund funding has been conditionally or financially committed to support the construction and repair of 383 new units
• Meeting the housing needs of vulnerable Canadians is a priority under the NHS and 2SLGBTQI+ people are identified as a priority group
  • As of March 31, 2026, 178 new units have been committed and 7 repair units committed through the Federal Lands Initiative, Rapid Housing Initiative, and Affordable Housing Fund, and Co-Operative Housing Development Program for 2SLGBTQI+ peoples

The NHS also provides funding exclusively for Indigenous and Northern Housing through NHS bilateral agreements with provinces and territories:

• $200 million is allocated through the Canada Community Housing Initiative delivered by Provinces and Territories under the NHS Bilateral Agreements to support 7,000 units in the existing urban Indigenous community housing stock so they continue to be made available to low-income households
• $300 million is allocated through funding for the Territories, as part of the $617.1 million federal-territorial joint investment delivered by Territories under the NHS Bilateral Agreements

The NHS responds to part of Call for Justice 12.4 by assisting in tackling poverty-related housing insecurity, which is a leading cause of Indigenous child apprehensions. By investing in stable, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing, the strategy helps keep Indigenous families together. Indigenous families, survivors and communities benefit from housing solutions that reduce apprehensions and foster family reunification.

• Community-led, self-governed housing solutions: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis self-determined policies, including Indigenous-led housing initiatives and Métis governance of shelters and transitional housing
• Expanded safe housing access: Funding for new construction of homes, multi-unit dwellings, and community-led housing projects, and for upgrades and repairs to ensure existing housing stock meets safety, sustainability, and accessibility standards
• Expansion of emergency and transitional shelters: Committed funding towards the construction of new shelters and new transitional homes for Indigenous women, families, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals
• Prioritizing vulnerable populations: Safe, stable housing for women, children, seniors, and those at risk of homelessness, domestic violence, and human trafficking
• Long-term housing and economic security: Investments in transitional and second-stage housing, rental assistance, and affordable housing for low-income Indigenous families
• Preventing family separation and child welfare interventions: Housing programs that provide stability for Indigenous families, reducing the risk of child apprehension due to poverty, overcrowding, or unsafe living conditions
• 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive housing solutions: Culturally informed shelters, affordable housing, and advocacy for 2SLGBTQI+ individuals facing housing insecurity
• Increased housing for Inuit communities: Funding for housing units led by Inuit governing bodies
• Economic growth in Inuit Nunangat: Creating jobs through housing construction, maintenance, and homeownership support
• Métis-specific housing investments: Funding for Métis-led shelters, transitional housing projects, and community-driven housing solutions to address homelessness and housing insecurity

The National Housing Strategy reports on projects once a conditional commitment is made, and funding is earmarked. Projects are tracked from this phase to completion, which is when units are built or repaired. Funding is not reported on an annual basis, but cumulatively from program-start.

Further funding details on the NHS can be found in the quarterly progress report updates hosted on Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada's website.

Reaching Home has invested approximately $5 billion dollars over nine years (2019 to 2028) to address homelessness across the country. Of this, the Indigenous Homelessness and Distinctions-based Approaches streams received approximately $890 million and $286.9 million respectively. In 2025-2026, these streams saw approximately $110 million (Indigenous Homelessness stream) and $43.9 million (Distinctions-based Approaches stream) invested. In 2025-2026, significant progress has continued to occur in advancing distinctions-based partnerships. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada worked with First Nations on a regional basis to negotiate and implement agreements that support and honour First Nations processes, autonomy, and self-determination while recognizing regional differences and competing priorities. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada also continued its collaboration with Métis, Inuit, and Modern Treaty partners on the implementation of Reaching Home. Additionally, in 2025-2026, funding flowed through new agreements with Self-Governing First Nations and Modern Treaty Holders including:

• Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation
• shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation
• Ka:yu:'k't'h' / Che:k'tles7et'h' First Nations
• Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet) First Nation
• Huu ay aht First Nations
• Toquaht Nation
• Uchucklesaht Tribe Government

Reaching Home also aligns with the broader goals of the National Housing Strategy, which seeks to improve access to safe, stable, and affordable housing across Canada. Through long-term funding commitments and partnerships with Indigenous governments and organizations, the program aims to reduce chronic homelessness, strengthen housing security, and promote social and economic stability for Indigenous individuals and families.

Reaching Home responds to part of Call for Justice 12.4 by addressing the socio-economic conditions that contribute to Indigenous child apprehensions. By investing in housing stability and financial supports, Reaching Home aims to reduce the likelihood of family separations due to poverty. Indigenous families, survivors and communities benefit from services that promote housing security and economic stability, helping to keep children with their families.

• Community-driven, culturally relevant approach: Funding decisions are made locally, prioritizing Indigenous-led initiatives that incorporate traditional knowledge, healing practices, and language supports
• Holistic housing solutions: Investments in emergency shelters, transitional housing, and long-term housing security for vulnerable populations, including Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, and families fleeing violence
• Economic and social empowerment: Programs connect individuals to income supports, employment services, and education, reducing poverty-related risks and supporting self-sufficiency
• Family and child welfare support: Indigenous-led programs can strengthen family unity, prevent child welfare interventions, and provide culturally appropriate services to keep families together
• Inclusive and culturally responsive services: Reaching Home can be used to fund wraparound supports, including culturally appropriate services and connection with community (for example, cultural ceremonies, traditional healing, services provided by Elders and Indigenous language and culture classes)
• Infrastructure and capacity development: Sustainable investments in housing, support services, and safe spaces
• Targeted investments for vulnerable populations: Reaching Home funded communities are encouraged to prioritize vulnerable populations including Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and families fleeing violence
• Inuit-specific housing and economic initiatives: Investment in Inuit-led housing projects to prevent displacement and support economic development through employment and education opportunities tailored to Inuit communities
• Preservation of Inuit culture and language: Programs ensuring access to Inuit cultural and linguistic resources, strengthening identity and connection to traditions

In 2025-2026, $110 million was allocated to the Indigenous Homelessness stream and $43.9 million to the Distinctions-based Approaches stream. This includes dedicated funding for Indigenous-led homelessness programming that can support a range of services, support and resources for wraparound services, emergency housing, prevention services, and long-term housing solutions.

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The First Nations Child and Family Services program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.5 because the service providers funded through the program to deliver services to First Nations children, youth and families ordinarily resident on reserve or in the Yukon are obligated to follow the principles and national standards set out in An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families. The Act sets out national minimum standards which apply throughout Canada in the provision of child and family services in relation to Indigenous children. Families and children benefit from needs-based services and reduced disruption to familial and cultural connections, which are vital to healing and long-term well-being. Communities are strengthened by keeping children close, supporting continuity of identity, and ensuring that caregiving remains rooted in Indigenous values, traditions, and collective responsibilities.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The FNCFS program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.6 by prioritizing placements that reflect Indigenous customs, family structures, and relational ties, in alignment with the minimum standards established under An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families. The program supports kinship care models and emphasizes placement decisions that consider a child's emotional bonds, cultural identity, and the importance of remaining within their community whenever possible. It also includes tracking mechanisms to monitor the number of children placed with family members, reinforcing accountability to cultural and community-based priorities. Families and children benefit from reduced disruption to familial and cultural connections, which are vital to healing and long-term well-being. Communities are strengthened by keeping children close, supporting continuity of identity, and ensuring that caregiving remains rooted in Indigenous values, traditions, and collective responsibilities.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.6 by requiring that placements of Indigenous children prioritize proximity to parents, adult family members, and community members from the same Indigenous group. The Act further mandates ongoing reassessment of these placements to explore opportunities for reunification. These legal requirements create a system that aims to protect against the long-term institutionalization of Indigenous children in unfamiliar or culturally unsafe environments.

For Indigenous families impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, the emphasis on kinship care and placement within Indigenous communities helps preserve cultural identity and offers greater continuity of care. It serves as a critical safeguard against isolation, exploitation, and further trauma.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws.
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement.
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions.
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty.
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery.

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The FNCFS program responds to Call for Justice 12.7 by funding First Nations to deliver prevention and protection services that align with Indigenous legal traditions, caregiving practices, and community-based definitions of child well-being. These services include child protection, guardianship, family support, and First Nations Representative Services, all of which are designed and implemented by First Nations according to their values, and relational systems. This approach ensures that children remain connected to their culture, language, and community throughout the continuum of care. Families and children benefit from services that affirm their roles in raising children and reflect Indigenous understandings of collective responsibility, while communities are empowered to reclaim jurisdiction and ensure that systems of care are built around cultural continuity, safety, and healing.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.7 by stipulating how child and family services in relation to an Indigenous child are to be provided. The includes, for example, giving consideration to the child's needs and culture and allowing the child to know their family origins, thereby advancing national standards and ensuring equity in the provision of child and family services. This approach is informed by the principle of cultural continuity found in section 9(2) of the Act, which describes the elements considered as essential to the well-being of the child, family, and Indigenous communities. The Act further supports culturally specific laws and service models developed by Indigenous governing bodies. ISC provides funding to implement these models.

For Indigenous children, families, and communities impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, this legal foundation promotes healing and belonging. It reduces the likelihood of culturally harmful care arrangements and ensures that children in care remain connected to who they are and where they come from and do not face cultural assimilation.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative fully responds to Call for Justice 12.8 by prioritizing prenatal preventative services as part of its national standards. Section 14(2) of the Act states that services which promote prenatal health and family support are to be prioritized to prevent child apprehensions at and after birth. This approach reflects the broader shift toward upstream, holistic interventions that aim to preserve family unity. Agencies and health care providers must operationalize preventative practices for expecting mothers and mothers of newborns in to reduce separations of mothers and their children. The Act provides an opportunity for Indigenous groups who exercise jurisdiction to implement family preservation practices that may include planning and supporting high needs pregnancies and post-natal situations.

For Indigenous families, children, and communities, especially those impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, these measures can break cycles of intergenerational separation. Culturally appropriate prenatal support reduces the likelihood of early system involvement and improves long-term outcomes for mothers and infants.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

The Government of Canada is committed to the ongoing implementation of Jordan's Principle and its long-term sustainability. Jordan's Principle was created to ensure that First Nations children do not experience gaps or delays in accessing government-funded health, social and education services, and that they are not denied these services due to their identity as First Nations children.

On February 10, 2025, the Government of Canada announced that it is implementing new ways to process Jordan's Principle requests to provide further clarity and consistency around the services available for First Nations children through Jordan's Principle, as well as the required documentation that is needed when processing requests. They will also help ensure requests align with the long-term sustainability of Jordan's Principle.

The Government of Canada continues to work with the Parties to the complaint before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to advance a resolution to the discrimination, substantiated by the Tribunal in 2016, and to fully implement Jordan's Principle.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.10, as it supports the implementation of Jordan's Principle in relation to First Nations children, by providing funding for the provision of health, education, and social services/supports on a needs basis.

Nearly $10 billion in Jordan's Principle funding has been secured, and more than 10 million products, services, and supports have been approved since 2016.

Federal investments announced in 2022 provided $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 investment represents approximately $773 million annually through to 2027-2028.

In March 2025, the Government announced incremental funding for Jordan's Principle for 2025-2026, increasing the total in-year funding for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to $1.8 billion. The additional in-year funding will enable Jordan's Principle to respond to requests from First Nations families, communities and organizations for products, services, and supports for First Nations children.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative fully responds to Call for Justice 12.10 by: (1) affirming, in the preamble, the need to address the needs of Indigenous children and to help ensure there are no gaps in the services that are provided in relation to them, wherever they live; (2) addressing, in section 9 (3)(e), the principle of substantive equality by stating that a jurisdictional dispute must not result in a gap in the child and family services that are provided in relation to Indigenous children; and, (3) stipulating, in section 11 (c), that child and family services provided in relation to an Indigenous child are to be provided in a manner that promotes substantive equality between the child and other children. The Act also includes a broader mandate to prioritize preventative care. Further, funding provided pursuant to coordination agreements by Indigenous governing bodies to prioritize family support, reunification, and prevention of harms.

For families and children affected by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, these measures help ensure that children and caregivers are not harmed by bureaucratic delays or intergovernmental conflicts. It supports uninterrupted access to culturally safe services and protects children from falling through systemic gaps.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The FNCFS program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.11 by funding post-majority support services to youth formerly in care, up to the age of 26 or to the age as defined in provincial or Yukon legislation, whichever is greater. These services are designed to help young adults transition to independence and stability by addressing critical needs such as housing, food security, education, employment, mental health, addiction support, and healthy relationships. By offering these supports, the program recognizes that the impacts of care and trauma do not end at the age of majority and aims to reduce the risks of homelessness, exploitation, and continued marginalization. Youth benefit from extended, culturally grounded supports that help them reclaim agency over their futures, while communities are better able to support youth in healing, reconnecting with culture and family, and contributing to community life. This approach fosters long-term safety, resilience, and self-determination for young adults as they move into adulthood.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

• Continued implementation of First Nations PSE Strategy to support students, institutions, and programs
• Funding through investments announced in 2024 to continue supporting First Nations students through PSSSP and UCEPP

The First Nations Post-Secondary Education (PSE) Strategy responds to part of Call for Justice 12.11 by offering financial support to access post-secondary education to youth "aging out" of the child welfare system, which provides continuity of support from childhood into adulthood. By providing funding and First Nations-led programming, the Strategy helps students facing financial hardship pursue higher education, which may positively impact long-term socio-economic outcomes.

First Nations benefit through increased access to culturally-grounded education that promotes healing, well-being, and self-determination, and a more supportive path to education and long-term employment opportunities for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ learners. Investments in First Nations-led institutions and community-based programming contribute to safer, more inclusive learning environments that reflect and affirm First Nations identities and priorities.

• Increased economic independence: By supporting post-secondary education, the Strategy strengthens First Nations individuals' ability to secure stable, well-paying employment
• First Nations-controlled education funding: Consistent with the principle of First Nations control of First Nations education, First Nations provide their respective students with funding to access post-secondary educational opportunities in accordance with local priorities
• Support for First Nations-controlled institutions: Funding for First Nations-controlled post-secondary institutions and community-based programming enhances First Nations control over education and knowledge production
• Community-based learning: First Nations students can access post-secondary education closer to home, reducing barriers associated with relocation
• Culturally relevant education: Programs incorporate First Nations knowledge, language, and governance principles, creating an education system that reflects First Nations values
• Support for First Nations institutional capacity: Funding for First Nations post-secondary institutions increases available programs and services, allowing for First Nations-led curriculum development
• Increased post-secondary completion rates: By providing funding and preparatory programs, the Strategy supports First Nations youth in accessing and completing their studies
• Financial stability for students: Direct financial assistance may help to reduce the burden of tuition and costs of living.
• Pathways to economic and social advancement: Higher education can lead to increased employment opportunities and economic participation for First Nations youth

In addition to historical allocations, including those made in 2019, in 2024, the Government added $242.7 million over three years to support access to post-secondary education for First Nations students through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program/University and College Entrance Preparation Program.

The total annual allocation for the First Nations PSE Strategy in 2025-2026 was $474.5 million, of which:

• $378.6 million was for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program and the University and College Entrance Preparation Program
• $22.1 million was for the Post-Secondary Partnerships Program
• $73.8 million in time-limited 2024 investments was for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program and the University and College Entrance Preparation Program

This funding was divided among ISC regions using defined allocation methodologies, and distributed to First Nations recipients by ISC regional offices.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.11 by providing a framework for the implementation of sustainable, needs-based fiscal arrangements to support the exercise of Indigenous jurisdiction. The Act's implementation includes funding for prevention, protection, and post-majority support services, which help youth transition successfully out of care. ISC provides tailored funding based on community-led laws and coordination agreements.

For Indigenous families and communities affected by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, this investment supports wraparound services that meet real and evolving needs. Examples of services currently being provided under Indigenous jurisdiction include: emergency shelters, transitional housing, financial support for career training and certification, financial literacy training, financial planning, other life skills training including self-care and cooking, seasonal cultural camps, and language immersion programs. It allows for culturally anchored approaches that prioritize safety, healing, and long-term well-being for children and youth in care.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)

• Continued implementation of the Inuit PSE Strategy through Inuit partners to support students, programs and services, community engagement and governance or national coordination
• ISC continued working with partners to update Terms and Conditions to ensure ongoing relevance and responsiveness

The Inuit PSE Strategy responds to part of Call for Justice 12.11 by providing distinctions-based funding that supports Inuit post-secondary students, including women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. Through financial supports and complementary programs and services, the Inuit PSE Strategy provides Inuit students with equitable pathways to higher education, fostering long-term success. Inuit post-secondary students, community and education organizations, regional service providers and post-secondary institutions benefit from the Inuit PSE Strategy that provides increased access to PSE.

• Inuit-controlled education funding: Provides funding that is allocated directly to Inuit governing bodies for distribution based on regional needs
• Economic empowerment: Supports post-secondary education, leading to improved job prospects and financial security for Inuit graduates
• Community development: Strengthens local economies by increasing the number of Inuit professionals contributing to various sectors
• Increased post-secondary enrollment: Supports a higher number of Inuit students accessing post-secondary education
• Culturally-responsive student support: Offers mentorship, career counseling, and cultural programming to support Inuit learners
• Enhanced institutional capacity: Strengthens Inuit education organizations and post-secondary institutions serving Inuit students
• Targeted financial support: Covers tuition, books, living expenses, and travel for Inuit students
• Transition and retention programs: Provide academic readiness, mentorship, and career navigation support to promote student success
• Capacity building for Inuit education organizations: Strengthens the ability of regional organizations to support Inuit youth in education

Federal investments announced in 2019 provided $125.5 million over ten years (2019-20 to 2028-29), plus $21.8 million in ongoing funding, for the Inuit PSE Strategy, which ramps up year over year. The total annual allocation for the Inuit PSE Strategy in 2025-2026 was approximately $14.2 million which was distributed to the ITK and Inuit land-claim organizations based on the allocation methodologies determined by the ITK Board of Directors.

• Continued implementation of the Métis Nation PSE Strategy with Métis Nation partners providing direct student financial supports, programs and services, and education governance
• ISC continued working with partners to update the Terms and Conditions to ensure continued relevance and responsiveness

The Métis Nation PSE Strategy responds to part of Call for Justice 12.11, by providing distinctions-based, culturally appropriate post-secondary education funding to address the needs of Métis Nation youth; and, helping create safe, supportive learning environments. The Métis Nation PSE Strategy's holistic, community-led design creates a more supportive path to education and long-term employment opportunities for Métis Nation women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ learners. The Métis Nation PSE Strategy strengthens self-determination by allowing its recipients to design and deliver post-secondary programming. This ensures that educational spaces are grounded in Métis Nation identity, language, and culture — an essential component of safety, belonging, and healing for students affected by intergenerational harm.

• Economic self-determination: Provides direct, ongoing, and distinctions-based funding to Métis Nation recipients to design and deliver post-secondary supports based on regional needs and priorities
• Increased educational attainment:
  • Provides direct financial assistance that helps close the post-secondary education attainment gap between Métis Nation and non-Indigenous students
  • Student success is supported through financial supports for tuition and living expenses as well as culturally grounded wraparound services like counselling, mentorship, and tutoring
• Strengthened Métis Nation education governance: Supports capacity-building within Métis Nation recipients to develop and oversee culturally relevant education content (curricula). Investments in governance capacity support Métis Nation partners' abilities to manage service delivery and track education data within their own communities
• Culturally relevant learning supports: Supports student success through financial assistance for tuition and living expenses as well as culturally grounded wraparound services like counselling, mentorship, Elder guidance, and tutoring
• Pathways to economic independence: Supports access to higher education which contributes to greater employment opportunities and stronger Métis Nation economies

To implement the Métis Nation PSE Strategy, federal investments announced in 2019 included $362 million over ten years, with $40 million ongoing, which ramped up year over year for the first four years (2019-20 to 2022-23). The funding is distributed annually to the signatories of the Canada-Métis Nation Accord, supporting a distinctions-based approach to education that meets the specific needs of Métis Nation post-secondary students.

The total annual allocation for the Métis Nation PSE Strategy in 2025-2026 was approximately $39.8 million, which was distributed to the signatories of the Canada-Métis Nation Accord, including the Métis Nation British Columbia, the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government (formerly known as the Métis Nation of Alberta), the Métis Nation of Ontario, the Manitoba Métis Federation, and the Métis National Council.

An evaluation of the FNCFS program is currently underway. The objective of the evaluation is to document the evolution of the program; more specifically, to assess, the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Program and the incremental reforms that were implemented. The evaluation seeks to inform decision-making for program improvements. Engagement with partners is currently underway.

Key developments for the FNCFS Program in 2025-2026 include:

• continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services
• delivery of information sessions with Ontario agencies and First Nations on anticipated transitions
• continued engagement with the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation on the Ontario Final Agreement
• continued collaboration with partners to uphold and integrate the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families

The FNCFS program responds to part of Call for Justice 12.14 by funding culturally appropriate prevention, protection, First Nation representative services and post-majority support services that prioritize early intervention, family preservation, and the well-being of First Nations children, youth, and families. The program supports community-led initiatives that strengthen family and caregiver capacity, reduce risk, and uphold children's rights to safety, identity, and belonging. Families and children benefit from holistic supports that reflect their lived realities and promote healing, while communities are empowered to maintain systems of care that are proactive, strengths-based, and grounded in cultural and linguistic continuity. Although the services and supports funded under the FNCFS program are not limited to victims of human trafficking, it is possible that some who access the services are victims. Access to the services under the FNCFS program could help reduce a child or youth's vulnerability to being exploited or trafficked.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely; supports early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension; and, supports kinship care and culturally grounded parenting programs
• Supports intergenerational healing:
  • Seeks to break cycles of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and the legacy of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, through culturally rooted services designed and delivered by First Nations
  • Provides supports that aim to help families and communities reconnect with cultural teachings, language, and traditional caregiving practices
• Provides holistic, wraparound supports:
  • Funds a wide range of wraparound services that address the underlying drivers of child and family vulnerability, including poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, substance use, and mental health challenges
  • Funds post-majority supports for youth aging out of care, such as access to housing, employment, and mental health resources, reducing the risk of homelessness and exploitation
• Promotes cultural continuity and identity: Works to ensure that children remain connected to their cultures, communities, and languages through services delivered by their own Nations, and this cultural grounding builds identity and belonging, critical protective factors that reduce risk and promote healing, particularly for those who have experienced or are at risk of gender-based violence
• Centers the best interests of the child:
  • All services funded through the program are guided by the principles of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, including the best interests of the child, cultural continuity, and substantive equality
  • This ensures that interventions prioritize safety, healing, and the long-term well-being of First Nations children within the context of their families and Nations
• Supports First Nation self-determination: As part of the ongoing reform of the FNCFS program and alignment with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, places greater emphasis on the design and delivery of prevention services and supports (for example, First Nations Representative Services, Post-Majority Support Services) by First Nations in a flexible, community-led, needs-based manner
• Builds community capacity:
  • Invests in the infrastructure, staff, and leadership development needed for First Nations to design, implement, and oversee their own child and family service systems
  • Funding for First Nations Representative Services enables Nations to respond to their unique realities and support families with dignity and care
• Addresses systemic inequities:
  • Continues to address the legacy of discriminatory funding and policy frameworks by transitioning to needs-based models and implementing Canadian Human Rights Tribunal-ordered reforms
  • Enables equitable access to services that are responsive to the actual conditions in First Nations communities, contributing to broader reconciliation, justice, and safety for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people

The federal government allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2024-2025, $3.87 billion was allocated through the FNCFS program to fund prevention and protection services, post-majority supports, and First Nations Representative Services, ensuring that communities are resourced to meet the needs of children and families in culturally grounded and holistic ways. In 2025-2026, ISC is expecting funding levels to be similar to the previous year.

Since the Act came into force in 2020, approximately $3.3 billion has been committed to support the overall implementation of the Act to promote Indigenous led service models and implementing their child and family services laws. As of March 31, 2026, there have been 289 First Nations, Inuit and Métis recipients of capacity building funding, to support their jurisdictional development activities and preparations for coordination agreement discussions. There are currently 15 signed agreements (14 with First Nations and one with an Inuit governing body), with more agreements expected to be signed before the end of the fiscal year. Another 26 coordination agreement discussion tables are active. More and more Indigenous communities are expressing an intention to exercise jurisdiction under the Act. Additionally, work is continuing on the first legislative review of the provisions and operations of the Act. Preliminary engagement with national Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories began in 2024-2025 to identify preferred approaches to the review process. In 2026 this engagement expanded to regional First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and Indigenous governing bodies through Indigenous-led engagement activities.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 12.14 by introducing national principles and standards under the Act that prioritize prevention services, cultural continuity, and community-based care. However, agencies are responsible for the implementation of these principles in their direct service to children and youth in care. ISC flows funding to Indigenous governing bodies to deliver culturally appropriate and needs-based child and family services, which may include prevention, protection, and post-majority supports. The goal is to address systemic drivers of overrepresentation, such as intergenerational trauma and poverty, through a distinctions-based and culturally grounded approach. By introducing national standards, the Act encourages reform in child protection practices and encourages systemic reform in line with this Call for Justice.

Indigenous children, families, and communities impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis benefit from the establishment of national standards and reforms in child protection practices, as these measures reduce vulnerability to harm caused by systemic marginalization.

• Strengthens Indigenous jurisdiction: Enables Indigenous communities to reclaim authority over child and family services and enact their own laws
• Reduces overrepresentation: Supports preventive and culturally appropriate approaches to address the structural drivers of child welfare involvement
• Protects the best interest of the child and cultural continuity: Prioritizes the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, kinship systems, and identity in care decisions
• Enhances service equity: Mandates national standards that support substantive equality and prohibit child apprehension based on poverty
• Promotes long-term safety and wellness: Improves conditions for Indigenous children and families through sustainable, trauma-informed, and community-led service delivery

The Government is investing to support the implementation of the Act:

• In 2022, it invested $428.1 million over three to ten years
• In 2023, it invested $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026-2027)
• In 2024, it invested an additional $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035)
• In 2026, it committed to investing up to $628.4 million over six years (ending 2031)