Archived - Horizontal Initiatives: Urban Aboriginal Strategy

Name of Lead Department(s):

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC)

Lead Department Program:

Under AANDC's program activity architecture, Urban Aboriginal Strategy is categorized under the Strategic Outcome entitled "The Land and Economy". The Program Activity for the Initiative is entitled Urban Aboriginal Participation.

Start Date:

April 1, 2007

End Date:

On-going

Total Federal Funding Allocation (from start date to end date):

13.5 million annually (total G&C and O&M) on-going

Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement):

The Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) was developed in 1997 to help respond to the needs of Aboriginal people living in key urban centres. Through the UAS, the Government of Canada provides flexible seed funding and seeks to partner with other levels of government, Aboriginal and community organizations, and the private sector to support initiatives that increase the economic and social participation of Aboriginal People living in urban centres.

In 2012 the Government of Canada extended the UAS and transferred three urban Aboriginal programs from Canadian Heritage to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada: the Aboriginal Friendship Centres Program, Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth and Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth. The transfer of the programming will allow for greater focus and coordination of federal efforts to support urban and off-reserve Aboriginal people increase their participation in the Canadian economy.

Shared Outcome(s):

The primary goal of the UAS is to better address issues facing Aboriginal people living in cities to increasing their social and economic participation, working toward the achievement of the following outcomes:

Urban Aboriginal socio-economic needs are targeted within new and renewed federal initiatives, where appropriate.

Access to and coordination of programs and services is improved.

Partners co-ordinate development and communication of research, policies and knowledge.

Horizontal linkages and policy integration within the federal government are improved for seeking opportunities for partnership (i.e., provincial and municipal governments, Aboriginal groups, and private sector) to maximize investment and results.

To accomplish these outcomes, UAS projects will focus investments in three priority areas: improving life skills; promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship; and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Governance Structure(s):

Steering committees are the catalysts for planning, recommending initiatives, and co-ordinating the on the ground work of the UAS to respond to urban Aboriginal issues. Each UAS steering committee is composed of a cross-section of the Aboriginal community, to ensure the steering committee's decisions reflect broad community concerns and priorities. Each steering committee also includes representation from the federal government, other levels of government and the private sector to identify local linkages and foster partnerships. The inclusive nature of the steering committees is indicative of the principle of partnership that underlies the UAS, particularly in keeping with the objective to establish strong and active partnerships between all levels of government and urban Aboriginal community.

Performance Highlights:

Partnerships with AANDC have resulted in strengthened community capacity, legitimacy and informed decision-making, as well as funding for over 128 community-based projects (13 of which included other federal partners) to improve life skills; promote job training, skills and entrepreneurship; and support Aboriginal women, children and families. Examples of this work include joint funding with: Employment and Social Development Canada, Canadian Heritage, Industry Canada, Status of Women, Public Health Agency of Canada and Canada Post.

Federal Partners

PAA Programs

Contributing activities/programs

Total Allocation (from start date to end date)
($ millions)

2013–2014 ($ millions)

¹ Performance indicators are defined in the Performance Measurement Strategies and/or Performance Measurement Frameworks (PMF) of each federal partner.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

Education and Social Development Programs and Partnership (ESDPP)

Urban Aboriginal Strategy

On-going

Planned Spending: 13.5 Actual Spending: $1.19 (on Horizontal Projects see comments on variances)

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increase the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators)¹: To address the issues facing Aboriginal people living in cities AANDC collaborated with 6 federal partners on 13 separate projects to increase urban Aboriginal people's participation in the economy.

Human Resources and Skills Development/Service Canada

Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS)

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown Actual Spending: $0.009

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increase the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy completed two joint initiatives that resulted in the following benefits:

Twenty five urban Aboriginal youth were supported with life skills and employment skills training in Joliette, Shawinigan, Saguenay and La Tuque, QC to increase their participation in the economy.

Two hundred urban Aboriginal people were supported with employment and life skills training in Toronto, ON to increase their participation in the economy.

Homelessness Partnering Initiative (HPI)

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown Actual Spending: $0.678

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increase the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and the Homelessness Partnering Initiative completed two joint initiatives that resulted in the following benefits:

One transition housing facility was renovated to provide support and housing to vulnerable Aboriginal people in Thompson, MB.

Ten vulnerable urban Aboriginal women in Winnipeg, MB were supported through life skills training and other supports so they could increase their participation in the economy.

Youth Employment Strategy (YES)

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown Actual Spending: 0.278

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increase the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and the Youth Employment Strategy completed one joint initiative that resulted in the following benefits:

Twenty urban Aboriginal youth in Lethbridge, AB were supported through employment and life skills training to increase their participation in the economy.

Public Health Agency of Canada

Non-Reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis Communities HIV/AIDS Project Fund and Sexually Transmitted Infections

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown Actual Spending: $0.042

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increase the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and the Non-Reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis Communities HIV/AIDS Project Fund and Sexually Transmitted Infections completed one joint initiative that resulted in the following benefits:

Thirteen urban Aboriginal people were supported through training and mentorship to gain employment with an Aboriginal social service organization in Saskatoon, SK.

Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Areas

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown Actual Spending: $0.020

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increasing the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Areas completed one joint initiative that resulted in the following benefits:

One hundred and twenty five urban Aboriginal children in Thunder Bay, ON were supported through life skills training and other supports to excel in school.

Canadian Heritage

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown Actual Spending: $0.117

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increasing the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and the Aboriginal Women's Program completed four joint initiatives that resulted in the following benefits:

One thousand seven hundred and seventy urban Aboriginal people in Calgary, Lethbridge, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Slave Lake, Red Deer and Medicine Hat, AB were supported through life skills training to promote a healthy and abuse-free lifestyle.

Forty urban Aboriginal parents were supported through life skills training and other supports to increase their participation in the economy in Calgary, AB.

The Aboriginal Council of Lethbridge, AB was supported to identify priorities, promote awareness and facilitate planning to increase the economic and social well-being of urban Aboriginal people in Lethbridge, AB.

Two hundred urban Aboriginal people were supported with employment and life skills training in Toronto, ON to increase their participation in the economy.

Industry Canada

Women's Program

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown Actual Spending: 0.020

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increasing the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and Industry Canada completed one joint initiative that resulted in the following benefits:

One hundred Aboriginal youth in Prince Albert, SK were supported through basic literacy, employment and life skills training to increase their participation in the economy.

Status Of Women

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown

Actual Spending: $0.118

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increasing the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and the Women's Program completed one joint initiative that resulted in the following benefits:

Ten vulnerable urban Aboriginal women in Winnipeg, MA were supported through life skills training and other supports so they could increase their participation in the economy.

Canada Post

On-going

Planned spending: Unknown Actual Spending: $0.024

Expected Results: UAS projects will focus on increasing the economic and social participation of urban Aboriginal people by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills, promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship, and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Contributing activity/program results (using specific indicators): The UAS and Canada Post completed one joint initiative that resulted in the following benefits:

Two hundred Aboriginal parents were supported through employment, life skills and the provision of child care to find and maintain employment in Saskatoon, SK.

Total

13.5 million annually (total G&C and O&M)

Total Planned Spending: Unknown Total Actual Spending: $2.496

Comments on Variances:

The UAS is an opportunity-driven strategy—rather than planned funding projects—designed to maximize federal, provincial, municipal and private investment in its three priority areas: life skills; job training, skills and entrepreneurship; and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families. The main aim of the UAS is to increase horizontality among federal departments, align programming with provincial and municipal governments, and bring in other funding partners to maximize investment and increase the impact of that investment in urban Aboriginal communities. Due to this strategic nature the planned and actual federal partners and funding vary. For example the UAS planned to partner with Public Safety's National Crime Prevention Centre, Employment and Social Development Canada's New Horizons for Seniors program and Public Health Agency of Canada's Community Action Program for Children in 2013–2014, however no opportunity for a partnership materialized. Similarly a partnership with Canada Post, Status of Women and Industry Canada was not planned, but developed in 2013–2014 to support urban Aboriginal people increase their participation in the economy.

In the 2013–2014 fiscal year, the UAS was allocated $13.5 million for its entire budget ($9.48 million in contributions and $4.02 million in operating funds). However, not all UAS planned spending went to horizontal federal initiatives because of the strategic nature of the program. The UAS spent $1.19 million in contributions for 13 projects that it undertook with other federal departments that contributed an additional $1.3 million to these initiatives. The remaining amount of UAS funding was used for other projects that had provincial, municipal, Aboriginal, private and philanthropic funding partners. Total UAS investments in 2013–2014 attracted $9.2 million from other funding partners.

Results Achieved by Non-Federal Partners:

The UAS has proven effective in leveraging both monetary and in-kind contributions from a variety of funding partners. For the 128 UAS projects sponsored in 2013–2014, additional contributions from provincial and municipal government partners was $4.47 million, $0.540 million from the private sector, and $4.2 million from Aboriginal and other organizations.

Contact Information:

Françoise Ducros
Assistant Deputy Minister
Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships
Telephone: 819-997-0020
francoise.Ducros@aadnc-aandc.gc.ca