2024-25 Reporting on the Calls for Justice: 2.1 - 2.7: Culture

Between June 2023's release of the UNDA Action Plan, and March 2024, 145 engagement sessions were held. In fiscal year 2024-25, a total of 285 engagement sessions occurred, including 142 with First Nations, 10 with Métis, 18 with Inuit, 5 with Modern Treaty and Self-Governing Indigenous Governments, 19 with urban Indigenous organizations, 81 with Indigenous diversity organizations and 10 with sectoral organizations.

In line with Section 7 of UNDA, the 2024-25 annual report on implementation will be submitted to Parliament by June 30, 2025. Ongoing engagement is focused on supporting implementation of the UNDA Action Plan, monitoring progress, and ensuring opportunities for periodic renewal and co-development of new priorities.

UNDA responds to Call for Justice 2.1 by affirming the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples as outlined in the UN Declaration, including the right to self-determination, equality, and freedom from all forms of discrimination and violence. By requiring that Canadian laws be brought into alignment with the UN Declaration, UNDA advances the structural and legislative changes necessary to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples to health, security, justice, and culture. Implementation of UNDA is grounded in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples, ensuring that federal priorities are informed by Indigenous rights holders and organizations. The UNDA Action Plan co-developed under Section 6 of UNDA provides a national roadmap to guide legal and policy reforms and builds on the commitments of the federal government to uphold Indigenous rights in all areas of public life, including social, economic, legal, and cultural spheres. Through its obligations and mechanisms for transparency, UNDA represents a concrete step toward meeting Canada's human rights responsibilities and fulfilling the foundational principles of Call for Justice 2.1.

Indigenous families, survivors, and communities impacted by violence benefit from the UN Declaration Act through the government's formal recognition of their rights and dignity. UNDA addresses root causes of violence by requiring federal law and policy to reflect Indigenous Peoples' rights to cultural identity, self-governance, and equitable access to justice and services. The UNDA Action Plan provides a long-term framework for transformative change, with Indigenous leadership embedded throughout its development and implementation. Specific funding for Indigenous organizations—including those representing women, 2SLGBTQI+ people, youth, and urban Indigenous populations—supports inclusive engagement and ensures that the most impacted voices are shaping the future of rights implementation in Canada. These efforts contribute to the creation of safer, more equitable systems that protect and uphold the well-being and security of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

• Reduces systemic barriers: Supports review and amendment of Canadian laws to align with Indigenous rights, reducing legislative and policy barriers rooted in colonialism.
• Centers Indigenous rights and priorities: Affirms Indigenous Peoples' right to self-determination and ensures Indigenous leadership in the development and implementation of the UNDA Action Plan.
• Supports gender and identity inclusion: Provides capacity funding for Indigenous women's organizations, youth, Elders, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and urban Indigenous organizations to participate in implementation.
• Advances legal and policy transformation: Initiates broad legal and policy shifts through the implementation of the UN Declaration across all federal departments and agencies.
• Provides accountability mechanisms: Requires annual reports to Parliament and supports transparency and progress tracking through indicators and engagement.

Budget 2021 committed $26 million over two years to support Indigenous participation in co-developing the UNDA Action Plan. In addition, Budget 2022 committed $37 million over five years starting in 2023-24, with $4 million ongoing, to support Indigenous partners participation in UNDA implementation. In 2024-25, $11.5 million was provided to a range of Indigenous partners, including:

• National and regional Indigenous governments and organizations (First Nations, Inuit, Métis);
• Tribal Councils and individual First Nations;
• Urban and off-reserve Indigenous organizations;
• Indigenous women's, youth, and 2SLGBTQI+ groups; and
• Indigenous advocacy and diversity groups.

The UNDA Action Plan is evergreen and will be regularly updated in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples to ensure continued progress on the implementation of the UN Declaration in Canadian law.

The Listen, Hear Our Voices initiative responds to Call for Justice 2.2ii by investing in the work required to revitalize and restore Indigenous cultures and languages. This Call for Justice acknowledges the need for sustained financial support to ensure that Indigenous communities can lead their own cultural and language revitalization efforts effectively. By providing direct funding for digitization projects, the initiative enhances Indigenous-led documentation, preservation, and revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit by gaining access to culturally significant records that reinforce identity, language retention, and historical continuity, all of which are critical to supporting healing and cultural resilience.

• Increased access to cultural records: Enables Indigenous communities to digitize and preserve language and cultural records for future generations.
• Strengthened cultural identity: Ensures Indigenous languages and traditions remain accessible and celebrated.
• Empowerment through self-determination: Indigenous governments and organizations lead their own digitization projects, ensuring culturally appropriate methods.

Budget 2021 allocated $14.9 million over four years, with $2,962,843 allocated to Listen, Hear Our Voices. Library and Archives Canada provides funding through to Indigenous communities for small projects (up to $24,999) and large projects ($25,000-$100,000).

While the final figures will be confirmed in the Government of Canada's 2024-25 Public Accounts, Indigenous Services Canada estimates that it provided more than $3.5 billion in support through the FNCFS program in 2024-25, continuing a comprehensive suite of reforms.

Key developments for the FNCFS program in 2024-25 include:

• Continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services;
• Continuing to provide funding to First Nations to support building housing for families to address a structural driver of child welfare system involvement;
• On July 11, 2024, the Assembly of First Nations, Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Canada reached a Final Agreement on the long-term reform of the FNCFS program. This agreement was rejected by the First Nations-in-Assembly in October 2024.
• In February 2025, the Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Government of Canada signed a landmark $8.5 billion agreement to reform the FNCFS program in Ontario.  In March 2025, the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation filed a joint motion with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to seek its approval of the agreement and the end of its oversight over the program in Ontario.
• 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 2.2ii by embedding the safety, well-being, and best interests of First Nations children at the core of its design, while upholding their right to remain connected to their cultures, languages, families, and communities. By supporting First Nations to deliver services grounded in their own customs, and caregiving traditions, the program ensures that interventions are culturally relevant and reflect the lived experiences of First Nations families. Placement decisions prioritize kinship care and community-based options to maintain cultural and relational continuity, minimizing disruption and promoting identity development.

First Nations families and children benefit from services that affirm Indigenous knowledge systems and reduce the likelihood of children being removed from their cultural environments, while First Nations communities are strengthened through the preservation of relationships, languages, and values across generations.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely. Supports kinship care, culturally grounded parenting programs, and early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension.
• 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, Wrap-around supports: Funds a wide range of wrap-around 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. 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 Nations 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 (e.g. 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.

Budget 2021 allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2023-24, $3.57 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.

The Canada Arts Training Fund responds to part of Call for Justice 2.2ii by increasing financial support to Indigenous arts training organizations and developing new Indigenous-led arts training programs. This commitment recognizes Indigenous languages as integral to cultural identity and sustainability. The program ensures that training institutions respect self-determination in the sharing of Indigenous knowledge and provide students with the opportunity to connect or reconnect with their cultural heritage.

Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from the way this initiative cultivates cultural resurgence, enhances language preservation, and equips Indigenous artists with the skills necessary to sustain and grow their artistic practices in alignment with their identities and traditions.

• Cultural revitalization and language preservation: Supports Indigenous-led training programs that integrate traditional practices, stories, and languages. Strengthens opportunities for Indigenous students to engage with their languages and cultural teachings through artistic education.
  • Example: In 2024-25, $250,000 was allocated to Mawi'Art: Wabanaki Artist Collective's Wabanaki Arts Training Program, to provide artists access to resources and experiences, such as art shows and exhibitions, residencies in all four Atlantic provinces, professional development, and training. Training is provided in Wabanaki customary art practices, such as: ash basketry, beading, quillwork, wood carving, masks, and/or paddles, Wabanaki iconography and cultural history explored through drawing and/or painting.
  • Example: In 2024-25, an increase of $80,000 was allocated to the Centre for Indigenous Theatre's Indigenous Theatre Art Training, bringing their total funding for that year to $920,000. The Centre brings together contemporary theatre training and traditional cultural practices to support and enrich Indigenous voices. One of the founding principles is to ensure that Indigenous peoples are telling their own stories their own way.
• Sustained Indigenous artistic excellence: Provides funding stability for Indigenous arts organizations specializing in professional training.
  • Example: In 2024-25, an additional $25,000 was allocated to De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Theatre Group, bringing their total funding for that year to $450,000 for their training program that shares and educates about Anishinabek culture, heritage and language through original creative expression with Indigenous participants. The program is comprised of four main elements: storytelling for live performance, spoken word and music recording, visual arts foundations, including elements of graphic design, and traditional and land arts, with elements of short film/new media production.
• Career Development: Prepares emerging Indigenous artists for careers across a broad range of disciplines, including music, theatre, dance, and visual arts.
  • Example: In 2024-25, an additional $5,000 was allocated to Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre's Circle of Voices Theatre Training Program, bringing their total funding for that year to $105,000. The program brings together Indigenous youth, emerging Indigenous artists, Elders, and the professional theatre community to create meaningful, lasting experiences for participants, especially as future professional theatre artists.

Part of the $5 million increase to the CATF is directly tied to Call for Justice 2.2ii. This permanent increase was announced in Budget 2022 and was phased in progressively over three years, between 2022-23 and 2024-25.

In 2024-25, the total amount allocated to recurring and new Indigenous arts training programs was $2,435,000. Of that total, $560,000 of the funding approved for 2024-25 was part of the $5 million increase that was phased in between 2022-23 and 2024-25.

In 2024–25, ISC continued its work with Indigenous governing bodies to support the  implementation of the Act. While the final figures can only be confirmed once the Government of Canada's 2024-25 Public Accounts become available, ISC estimates that, since the Act came into force on January 1, 2020 and up until March 31, 2025, the Department has provided  over $750 million to more than 14 Indigenous governing bodies to exercise their jurisdiction under the Act. In 2024-25, ISC estimates that more than $90 million was provided to Indigenous groups for capacity building and participation in coordination agreement discussions.

Progress was also made on the upcoming five-year review of the provisions and operation of the Act, which will be conducted in collaboration with Indigenous partners beginning in 2025. Pre-engagement activities included the development of a collaborative workplan and identification of initial themes and priorities for engagement. The Act's implementation continues to be guided by Indigenous communities and partners, ensuring that it remains responsive to community-identified needs and priorities.

This initiative responds to Call for Justice 2.2ii through provisions that recognize the transmission of the languages, cultures, practices, customs, and traditions of Indigenous peoples as integral to cultural continuity. These provisions obligate service providers to ensure that children and people in care have meaningful access to their culture, language, and culturally relevant services. The Act embeds this principle within the legislative framework to ensure long-term systemic change.

Indigenous families, children and communities impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis benefit from child welfare systems that uphold cultural identity as a protective factor and a key determinant of well-being. Access to culturally grounded services reduces the risk of isolation and harm, particularly for children 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.

Since 2020, multiple federal budget allocations have supported the implementation of the Act:

• July 2020 Economic and Fiscal Snapshot: $542 million over five years (ending in 2024–25).
• Budget 2021: $73.6 million over four years (ending in 2024–25).
• Budget 2022: $428.1 million over three to ten years.
• Budget 2023: $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026–27).
• Budget 2024: $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035).

These investments have supported capacity-building, coordination agreement discussions, and the implementation of Indigenous child and family service laws. All funding is administered through contribution and grant mechanisms, with implementation led by Indigenous Governing Bodies.

PCH responded to Call for Justice 2.2ii by providing approximately $120 million to support multi-year strategies and projects for the reclamation, revitalization, maintenance and strengthening of Indigenous languages through the ILP.

Through grassroots-led revitalization efforts, the distinctions-based funding models increase Indigenous autonomy and control over funding decisions, supports predicable long-term funding agreements to support multi-year strategies, and responds to the distinct needs of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis priorities over their languages. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from this program as it works to support the transmission of Indigenous languages to future generations.

• Sustainable funding for language revitalization: Investments in Indigenous language programming.
  • Example: In 2024-25, PCH's Indigenous Languages Program continued working with four First Nations regionally designated organizations in British Columbia, Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia through five-year funding agreements which started in 2023-24. These organizations were allocated approximately $44 million as part of these agreements, which total approximately $208 million over the five-year period. These organizations work with the First Nations communities and organizations in their respective region in implementing their language revitalization initiatives, based on their own priorities, contributing to greater sustainability and predictability.
• Indigenous-led approaches to language revitalization: Supports self-determined approaches to language revitalization through community-driven initiatives.
  • Example: In 2024-25, approximately $17 million were allocated to the Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Makivvik Corporation, and the Nunatsiavut Government as part of a five-year agreement, launched in 2023-24, totaling $92.1 million. This agreement enables these organizations to implement their respective Inuktuk language revitalization strategies, providing Inuit communities with more predictability and flexibility in their efforts to maintain, revitalize, and reclaim Inuktut languages.
• Increased accessibility to Indigenous languages: Strengthens opportunities for Indigenous Peoples to learn and use their languages in various aspects of daily life.
  • Example: In 2024-25, approximately $1.8 million were allocated to the National Association of Friendship Centers (NAFC) as part of a three-year $6.6 million agreement which started in 2022-23. This project aimed to assess the needs of Indigenous urban populations, including identifying existing urban Indigenous language programs and initiatives, completing a literature review on Indigenous languages and urban spaces, and conducting analysis and case studies on promising practices and developing pilot projects. It also aimed to support the organization of a national gathering on Indigenous languages with experts and community authorities for sharing of knowledge.

Through recent budget investments, ongoing funding totaling approximately $120 million per year is allocated to the PCH's Indigenous Languages Component to support the efforts of Indigenous communities and organizations in revitalizing their Indigenous languages through community-based projects, including immersion programs and the development of language resources. In 2024-25, building on the multi-year agreements established in 2023-24, Canadian Heritage continued working with the four First Nations regionally designated organizations, the four Inuit land-claim organizations and five Métis organizations in the implementation of these agreements to support their respective regional language strategies and service expansion. The Program also provides funding for First Nations communities and organizations in the other regions with support from a First Nations Review Committee; in addition to supporting multi-distinction and urban Indigenous organizations for language revitalization projects serving urban Indigenous populations.

Additionally, with the Budget 2021 time-limited investments of $86.8 million, which ends in 2024-25, PCH also worked with Indigenous communities and organizations to implement new and existing Indigenous language revitalization agreements under sections 8 and 9 of the Indigenous Languages Act. These agreements facilitate partnerships with Indigenous governments, governing bodies and organizations, as well as provinces and territories, to encourage cooperation, coordination, network-building, and resource-sharing, fill gaps in language revitalization services, and foster innovative approaches to language revitalization.

As of March 2024, in its fourth year of implementation, ISC continues to implement this investment on an ongoing basis and engage with regions and First Nations partners to discuss lessons learned from early implementation of before- and after-school programming and direction/expectations for the future.

The before- and after-school program funding responds to Call for Justice 2.3 by providing at a minimum, funding that is based on what students receive in provincial schools, plus adaptations and additional national common investments, such as before- and after-school programming. Families, survivors and First Nations communities may benefit from before- and after-school programming as it is expected to support parents and primary caregivers in balancing work and family and could also reduce barriers by providing more opportunities for young parents to attend school or enter and remain in the workforce.

• Education services and resources better reflect student needs, culture and language.
• First Nations on reserve students participate and progress in their elementary and secondary education

Budget 2021 invested $515 million over five years and $112 million ongoing to expand before- and after-school care on reserve. ISC continues to engage with regions and First Nations partners to discuss lessons learned from early implementation of before- and after-school programming and direction/expectations for the future.

• Land-based programming: Dechinta continues to offer land-based university accredited programming in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon blending academic instruction with on-the-land learning led by Elders, faculty, and knowledge holders.
• Increased program accessibility for remote learners: Dechinta is enhancing accessibility for students from remote communities by continuing to cover travel costs, tuition, accommodations, culturally appropriate child-care, and food for participants, ensuring full participation without financial burden.
• Active research and knowledge mobilization initiatives: The Centre is leading Northern Indigenous-led (including Dene, Inuit and Inuvialuit) research initiatives on topics such as wellness, language revitalization, climate change, and governance, and is actively sharing knowledge through academic publications, presentations, workshops, community reports and collaborative research publications.
• Expanded partnerships with academic institutions: Dechinta maintains and strengthens partnerships with institutions working in education in the North on an ongoing basis. Dechinta’s university accredited courses are currently in partnership with the University of British Colombia.

The Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning responds to part of Call for Justice 2.3 by ensuring Indigenous individuals have permanent, meaningful access to their cultures and teachings through land-based learning experiences. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities are served by the way the Centre invests in strengthening students' Indigenous cultural identity, reclaiming traditional knowledge, and ensuring future generations have access to Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

• Access to Indigenous culture and teachings: Dechinta provides land-based education that immerses students in Indigenous knowledge, traditional practices, and languages.
• Preservation of Indigenous knowledge: Elders, community leaders, and academics collaboratively deliver programs that sustain and revitalize Indigenous teachings.
• Education within communities: By delivering courses in the North, Dechinta ensures Indigenous learners can access post-secondary education without leaving their communities.

Since Budget 2019, Dechinta has received $18.17 million, with an additional $150,000 in 2023 for wildfire recovery support. This includes $5.2 million over two years, approved in October 2024, to continue supporting Dechinta's educational programming. Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada administers the funding for Dechinta

In 2023–24, ISC continued to support First Nations in delivering high-quality elementary and secondary education. Through the Elementary and Secondary Education Program, ISC funded over 520 First Nations-administered education programs across Canada, supporting approximately 117,940 First Nations students ordinarily resident on reserve to attend First Nations, provincial, private, and federal schools.

The implementation of Budget 2021 commitments continued in 2023–24, enhancing funding formulas in areas such as student transportation, supporting full-time kindergarten, and increasing predictability and flexibility in education funding. This transformed approach has contributed to an approximate 98% increase in national funding for kindergarten to grade 12 education on reserve since 2015–16.

In 2023–24, over 93% of students in First Nations-administered schools received instruction in at least one First Nations language, and more than 8,260 students had access to full-time kindergarten. ISC also supported increased First Nations control of education by advancing additional Regional Education Agreements.

Budget 2024 invested a further $649.4 million over two years, starting in 2024–25, to improve education outcomes and help ensure funding formulas reflect the needs of growing communities. ISC continues to engage with First Nations partners through regional technical tables, the Assembly of First Nations' National Indian Education Council, the Ontario Chiefs' Committee on Education, and in collaboration with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to support self-governing and modern treaty First Nations.

In 2024–25, ISC continued to support First Nations in pursuing Regional Education Agreements (REAs) as a key mechanism to advance self-determination and improve educational outcomes. As of March 2025, 11 REAs have been signed, 9 of which are currently active and collectively support approximately 25,000 First Nations elementary and secondary students across five provinces. As of April 1, 2024, nearly 50 First Nations organizations accessed REA development funding to participate in regional technical tables or to initiate development discussions. Active engagement is ongoing with more than 15 additional organizations, some of which have reached table agreement.

ISC also continues to support First Nations reclaiming full jurisdiction over education through self-government agreements and modern treaties. For example, as of 2024, 9 sectoral self-government agreements in education have been signed, involving 42 First Nations communities.

Elementary and Secondary Education on Reserve initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 2.3 through a new funding and policy approach that includes additional support for language and cultural programming for students attending First Nations operated schools. The Government of Canada recognizes that investments in language and culture are a critical component of successful First Nation education systems on reserve and provides approximately $1,500 per student per year to support language and culture programming in on-reserve schools. Funding supports Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people to have permanent, meaningful access to their cultures and languages through education. Indigenous families, survivors and communities benefit from sustainable funding for and improved access to quality Indigenous-led and culturally relevant schooling for students.

• Education services and resources better reflect student needs, culture and language.
• First Nations on reserve students participate and progress in their elementary and secondary education

On April 1, 2019, the federal government implemented a new co-developed policy and funding approach. Budget 2024 invested an additional $649.4 million over two years to enhance elementary and secondary education on reserve, helping ensure funding formulas meet the needs of growing communities. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested over $4.8 billion for elementary and secondary education to help First Nations children living on-reserve receive high-quality education.

While the final figures will be confirmed in the Government of Canada's 2024-25 Public Accounts, Indigenous Services Canada estimates that it provided more than $3.5 billion in support through the FNCFS program in 2024-25, continuing a comprehensive suite of reforms.

Key developments for the FNCFS program in 2024-25 include:

• Continued delivery of culturally grounded prevention and protection services, post-majority support services, First Nations Representative Services;
• Continuing to provide funding to First Nations to support building housing for families to address a structural driver of child welfare system involvement;
• On July 11, 2024, the Assembly of First Nations, Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Canada reached a Final Agreement on the long-term reform of the FNCFS program. This agreement was rejected by the First Nations-in-Assembly in October 2024.
• In February 2025, the Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Government of Canada signed a landmark $8.5 billion agreement to reform the FNCFS program in Ontario.  In March 2025, the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation filed a joint motion with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to seek its approval of the agreement and the end of its oversight over the program in Ontario.
• 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 2.3 by funding child and family services that uphold the right of First Nations children, youth, and families to access their cultures and traditions through care that is grounded in First Nations values and ways of being. By enabling First Nations to design and deliver prevention and First Nations representative services, the program supports permanent, meaningful access to cultural teachings and family structures that promote identity, healing, and community connection. These services help restore and sustain Indigenous caregiving practices disrupted by colonial policies, fostering intergenerational learning and resilience. Families and children benefit from care that validates their cultural knowledge and promotes belonging, while communities are empowered to reclaim responsibility for raising children in accordance with their own customs and teachings.

• Prevents family separation: Prioritizes prevention and early intervention services with the aim of helping families remain together safely. Supports kinship care, culturally grounded parenting programs, and early responses to family stressors with the objective of reducing the risk of child apprehension. 
• 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, Wrap-around supports: Funds a wide range of wrap-around 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. 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 Nations 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 (e.g., 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.

Budget 2021 allocated $1 billion over five years, starting in 2021, with $118.7 million ongoing to support the FNCFS program. In 2023-24, $3.57 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 2024–25, ISC continued its work with Indigenous governing bodies to support the  implementation of the Act. While the final figures can only be confirmed once the Government of Canada's 2024-25 Public Accounts become available, ISC estimates that, since the Act came into force on January 1, 2020 and up until March 31, 2025, the Department has provided over $750 million to more than 14 Indigenous governing bodies to exercise their jurisdiction under the Act. In 2024-25, ISC estimates that more than $90 million was provided to Indigenous groups for capacity building and participation in coordination agreement discussions.

Progress was also made on the upcoming five-year review of the provisions and operation of the Act, which will be conducted in collaboration with Indigenous partners beginning in 2025. Pre-engagement activities included the development of a collaborative workplan and identification of initial themes and priorities for engagement. The Act's implementation continues to be guided by Indigenous communities and partners, ensuring that it remains responsive to community-identified needs and priorities.

This initiative responds to Call for Justice 2.3 through the implementation of the Act, which requires service providers to ensure that Indigenous children in care maintain meaningful access to their culture and language. This includes access to traditional practices, ceremonies, and kinship ties. The Act affirms that cultural continuity is essential to the well-being of Indigenous children, families, and communities. These measures promote healing and identity formation while reducing cultural disconnection.

Indigenous families, children, and communities impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis benefit from a child welfare system that supports intergenerational connection, cultural resilience, and the preservation of Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

• 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.

Since 2020, multiple federal budget allocations have supported the implementation of the Act:

• July 2020 Economic and Fiscal Snapshot: $542 million over five years (ending in 2024–25).
• Budget 2021: $73.6 million over four years (ending in 2024–25).
• Budget 2022: $428.1 million over three to ten years.
• Budget 2023: $444.2 million over three years (ending in 2026–27).
• Budget 2024: $1.8 billion over 11 years (ending in 2035).

These investments have supported capacity-building, coordination agreement discussions, and the implementation of Indigenous child and family service laws. All funding is administered through contribution and grant mechanisms, with implementation led by Indigenous Governing Bodies.

The IELCC Transformation Initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 2.3 by ensuring Indigenous children and families have safe, no-barrier, and meaningful access to culturally rich early learning programs. The initiative enables Indigenous-led curriculum development, integrates Indigenous languages into child care settings, and invests in community-based, culturally appropriate child care spaces. The program ensures that children have access to strong cultural foundations that may contribute to their long-term well-being. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from an education system that affirms their identity and strengthens intergenerational connections.

• Equitable access to education: Ensures that Indigenous children and families have access to high-quality, culturally appropriate early learning education.
  • Example: In 2024-25, $671,081 was allocated to 2-Spirited Peoples of the First Nations' 2-Spirit Children and Caregiver Knowledge Sharing Project as part of IELCC's Quality Improvement Projects funding. This project aims to develop a specialized resource guide and deliver culturally tailored training for Two-Spirit children and caregivers. Rooted in the teachings of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, these resources and training sessions will ensure that care providers offer culturally appropriate and inclusive support for Two-Spirit children and their caregivers.
• Investment in Indigenous-led educational programs: Supports Indigenous-led, community-driven education that reflects community specific knowledge, language, and traditions.
  • Example: In 2024-25, $565,386 was allocated to Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak's Enriching Métis Early Learners and Creating Métis-Specific Early Learning Tools as part of IELCC's the Quality Improvement Projects funding. It aimsto develop high quality, culturally-relevant and accessible tools and resources for Métis early learns and IELCC staff.

The IELCC Initiative is supported by a permanent and ongoing funding structure. To strengthen early learning and child care programs and services for Indigenous children and families, the Government of Canada has made investments through Budget 2017, the 2020 Fall Economic Statement and Budget 2021. Investments were also made under the COVID emergency restart for one year of funding ($120 million in 2020-21).

The majority of federal Indigenous ELCC investments are housed in flexible distinctions-based funding envelopes to enable Indigenous leaders at the national and regional level to direct funding allocations at any number of priorities.

In 2024-25, the total funding for each distinction includes $446 million for First Nations-led child care; $56 million for Inuit-specific early learning programs; and $189 million for Métis Nation-directed child care services.

The remaining 2024-25 IELCC funding is not dedicated to the distinctions-based funding envelopes. Instead, $16 million is dedicated to the Quality Improvement Projects fund that finances projects that foster innovation and quality improvement in IELCC. Similarly, funding is also provided through the three IELCC Legacy funding streams. In 2024-25, $42 million was dedicated to the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve program, $29 million to the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities program, and $55 million to the First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative. An additional $80 million was also directed to legacy funded sites in 2024-25 for urgent repairs and renovations.

This is in addition to any funding that may be allocated to Indigenous communities for ELCC, via funding agreements with provinces and territories.

The ILP responds to part of part of Call for Justice 2.3 through the new jointly developed distinction-based funding models for Indigenous languages that move away from a departmental-led call-for-applications that supports short-term projects to a new approach that provides greater Indigenous autonomy and long-term predictable funding. This new approach is specifically tailored to the distinct needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis priorities, including language revitalization initiatives which target Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from this new approach as they can access culturally relevant language revitalization initiatives tailored to their specific needs.

• Indigenous-led funding decisions: Provides greater autonomy to Indigenous communities to address language revitalization priorities for various Indigenous populations, including Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
  • Example: In 2024-25, PCH's Indigenous Languages Program continued working with four First Nations regionally designated organizations in British Columbia, Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia through five-year funding agreements which started in 2023-24. These organizations were allocated approximately $44 million as part of these agreements, which total approximately $208 million over the five-year period. These organizations work with the First Nations communities and organizations in their respective region in implementing their language revitalization initiatives, based on their own priorities, including language initiatives for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
• Long-term and predictable support: Moves away from short-term project-based funding to multi-year strategies.
  • Example: In 2024-25, approximately $11.4 million was allocated to the five Métis representative organizations, respectively in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, as part of five-year funding agreements totaling $61.4 million, for the implementation of their respective language revitalization strategies, by developing language resources, conducting language instruction activities, develop language capacity within organizations and conduct language planning at the regional or local levels.

Through recent budget investments, ongoing funding totaling approximately $120 million per year is allocated to the PCH's Indigenous Languages Component to support the efforts of Indigenous communities and organizations in revitalizing their Indigenous languages through community-based projects, including immersion programs and the development of language resources.

In 2024-25, building on the multi-year agreements established in 2023-24, Canadian Heritage continued working with the four First Nations regionally designated organizations, the four Inuit land-claim organizations and five Métis organizations in the implementation of these agreements to support their respective regional language strategies and service expansion. The Program also provides funding for First Nations communities and organizations in the other regions with support from a First Nations Review Committee; in addition to supporting multi-distinction and urban Indigenous organizations for language revitalization projects serving urban Indigenous populations.

We are Here, Sharing Stories completed the digitization of 780,931 images of First Nations, Inuit and Métis holdings at LAC. A subset of these images have been uploaded online or shared directly with Indigenous projects including 53 different collections and work orders.

The We Are Here: Sharing Stories initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 2.3 by ensuring Indigenous individuals, families, and communities have meaningful and permanent access to their histories, cultures, and languages. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from the way this initiative supports efforts to reclaim, revitalize, and preserve Indigenous knowledge and identities, through the digitizing and sharing of Indigenous-related materials.

• Increased access to Indigenous heritage: The initiative has digitized 780,931 images of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis holdings, making them accessible to the public. A subset of these images has been uploaded online.
• Preservation of Indigenous knowledge: By digitizing and describing historical materials, the project safeguards First Nations, Inuit, and Métis stories, teachings, and cultural artifacts for future generations.
• Community engagement and consultation: The initiative has worked closely with Indigenous communities, responding to requests for specific digitization projects and ensuring Indigenous perspectives guide archival descriptions and access.

Budget 2021 allocated $14.9 million over four years for the Digitization of Indigenous Documentary Heritage Initiative, of which approximately $4,965,982 in direct costs as been invested in the work of We Are Here: Sharing Stories.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 2.4 by preserving and digitizing Indigenous oral histories and language documentation. While it does not provide the full suite of necessary resources for all communities, it is a significant step toward sustaining Indigenous linguistic and cultural heritage. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from the preservation of oral histories, ensuring that valuable traditional knowledge, language, and teachings remain accessible to future generations and strengthen community cohesion.

• Preservation of Indigenous knowledge: Supports digitization of oral histories and interviews with Knowledge Keepers.
• Community-driven initiatives: Funds Indigenous-led projects that prioritize local language and culture.
• Capacity building: Funding supported the enhancement of a broad range of skill sets and specialized resources related to documentary heritage management and digitization.
• Intergenerational knowledge transfer: Ensures future generations have access to culturally significant records.
  

Budget 2021 allocated $14.9 million over four years, with $2,962,843 allocated to Listen, Hear Our Voices. Library and Archives Canada provides funding through to Indigenous communities for small projects (up to $24,999) and large projects ($25,000-$100,000).

The ILP responds to part of Call for Justice 2.4 by providing funding for community-led language initiatives which can include the digitization of interviews with Knowledge Keepers and fluent language speakers. Investments in initiatives such as digital and online learning resources further protect Indigenous languages from erosion. This safeguards linguistic and cultural knowledge for future generations. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit as the program strengthens traditional knowledge and ensures lasting access to their languages.

• Preservation of Indigenous knowledge: Supports the digitization and documentation of Indigenous languages.
  • Example: In 2024-25, the First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC) of British Columbia (BC) completed a multi-year project which started in 2022-23, totaling $1.85 million. The project supported FPCC to develop a multi-language app, rebuild a First Nations languages keyboard, and digitize language materials. As a result, BC First Nations communities will have greater access to tools and resources that will support their language learning.

Through recent budget investments, ongoing funding totaling approximately $120 million per year is allocated to the PCH's Indigenous Languages Component to support the efforts of Indigenous communities and organizations in revitalizing their Indigenous languages through community-based projects, including immersion programs and the development of language resources. In 2024-25, building on the multi-year agreements established in 2023-24, Canadian Heritage continued working with the four First Nations regionally designated organizations, the four Inuit land-claim organizations and five Métis organizations in the implementation of these agreements to support their respective regional language strategies and service expansion. The Program also provides funding for First Nations communities and organizations in the other regions with support from a First Nations Review Committee; in addition to supporting multi-distinction and urban Indigenous organizations for language revitalization projects serving urban Indigenous populations.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 2.5 by providing Indigenous organizations with the financial and technical resources to undertake digitization projects that support self-determination and cultural preservation. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from the ability to document and safeguard their histories, ensuring that future generations retain access to their cultural heritage and language resources.

• Support for Indigenous-led projects: Provides resources to Indigenous organizations to preserve their own records.
• Empowerment through documentation: Strengthens Indigenous governance and self-determination through historical preservation.
• Accessible historical records: Ensures that Indigenous communities have digital access to their cultural materials.
• Community training and development: Builds capacity within Indigenous organizations for ongoing archival work.

Budget 2021 allocated $14.9 million over four years, with $2,962,843 allocated to Listen, Hear Our Voices. Library and Archives Canada provides funding through to Indigenous communities for small projects (up to $24,999) and large projects ($25,000-$100,000).

These initiatives responds to Call for Justice 2.6 by prioritizing education, awareness, and policy reform to combat racist, sexist, and homophobic stereotypes that contribute to violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. Public education initiatives under CARS and CAPCH work to eliminate racial and gender-based prejudices, ensuring that federal institutions reflect an inclusive, anti-racist and anti-oppressive approach in their policies and programs. By engaging Indigenous communities in decision-making and ensuring intersectionality is at the core of these initiatives, this strategy actively counters misinformation and discrimination in Canadian society.

Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from these programs as they invest resources in cultural safety, challenge systemic biases, and promote social justice.

• Systemic reform for equity: Structural changes in federal policies, justice, healthcare, and law enforcement to enhance accountability, inclusion, and anti-racist practices.
• Community leadership and investment: Over $70 million in funding to support Indigenous, Black, racialized, and religious minority organizations leading anti-racism initiatives, recognizing communities as key agents of change.
• National anti-racism and anti-hate education: Public education initiatives and resources to combat racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and gendered discrimination, with a focus on Indigenous communities.
• Intersectional policy integration: Embedding anti-racist, gender-inclusive principles into federal programs and institutions to create more equitable policies and services.
• Indigenous-led cultural and anti-hate initiatives: Dedicated funding for Indigenous-driven education, cultural revitalization, and programs addressing systemic discrimination and hate.
• Increased understanding of racism and discrimination: CARS 2024-2028 and CAPCH have provided $1.7M and $9.9M in funding to support research and data initiatives that advance understanding of racism and discrimination in Canada. This includes efforts to increase disaggregated and intersectional data to better understand the experiences of Indigenous populations.

Budget 2024 allocated $273.6 million over six years for Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate, with $29.3 million ongoing. Budget 2023 allocated $25.4 million over five years to Anti-Racism Strategy. Budget 2022 allocated $85 million over four years to the Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy and Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate.

The ISO responds to Call for Justice 2.7 by ensuring Indigenous creators have the resources, representation, and opportunities to produce and share their stories within mainstream and independent media. By funding Indigenous-led media projects and advocating for authentic representation, ISO directly enhances the visibility of Indigenous cultures, histories, and contemporary realities. This approach disrupts harmful stereotypes and promotes Indigenous perspectives in Canada's media landscape. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from this program by seeing their lived experiences, cultures, and stories accurately reflected on screen, strengthening identity, and fostering cultural pride.

Note that examples of impacts are for projects funded in 2023-24, as annual reports for 2024-25 come out in June, after the publication date of the Federal Pathway's Annual Progress Report. All program reporting is one year behind.

• Increased representation in media: Supports Indigenous creators, ensuring their perspectives are centered in audiovisual storytelling.
  • Example: In 2023-24, $500,000 was allocated to Assini Productions Inc. in support of BLOOD LINES, a story about identity, culture, and love between two women.
• Cultural revitalization and sovereignty: Funds Indigenous-led projects and strengthens Indigenous storytelling traditions and knowledge-sharing.
  • Example: In 2023-24, $25,000 was allocated to Naniq Media Inc in support of Nunavut's Uqqaruk, an entertaining and educational children's series that mixes animation and live-action that showcases and preserves the Inuinnaqtun language and provides rich educational content for Canadian children.
• Industry advocacy and training: Provides training, mentorship, and networking opportunities, supporting Indigenous professionals in the media sector.
  • Example: In 2023-24, $80,000 was allocated to National Indigenous Media Arts Coalition to expand the Indigenous Media Art Mentorship to include more mentors and mentees, to offer more learning and professional development opportunities.

Note that funding details are for projects funded in 2023-24, as annual reports for 2024-25 come out in June, after the publication date of the Federal Pathway's Annual Progress Report. All program reporting is one year behind.

In 2023-24, the ISO distributed $11.9 million to 236 projects. ISO has received sustained funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage and other partners to support Indigenous screen content development. ISO continues to secure permanent funding streams to expand outreach, training, and storytelling initiatives. Ongoing investments in Indigenous-led storytelling help ensure the continued growth and success of Indigenous media professionals.