Annual Report to Parliament 2024

Measuring the closure of socio-economic gaps

Indigenous Services Canada has a mandate to close socio-economic gaps between First Nations, Inuit and Métis and non-Indigenous communities in Canada. How these gaps are measured and quantified is central to understanding the socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada. Currently, Indigenous Services Canada primarily uses Census of Population data to quantify the socio-economic gaps. This supports distinctions-based, cross-time analyses for First Nations, Inuit, Métis and non-Indigenous communities across Canada. Indigenous Services Canada produces a suite of products using various approaches to assess socio-economic gaps, including the application of the United Nations Human Development Index to Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Services Canada's Compendium Report to the Department's 2023 Annual Report, and the Community Well-Being Index. While there are known limitations to the cultural relevance and application of these Census-based indicators across First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, taken together, these products capture important aspects of socio-economic well-being.

The 2021 Community Well-Being Index provides a systematic and reliable way to track the socio-economic well-being of First Nations, Inuit and non-Indigenous communities in Canada over a forty-year period (1981 to 2021).

It should be noted that the Community Well-Being Index cannot be calculated for the Métis Nation as they are not represented in Statistics Canada's standard geography (census subdivisions) used to identify municipalities or their equivalent on which the Community Well-Being Index is based. Because it is based on population rather than geography, Indigenous Services Canada's application of the Human Development Index includes the Métis along with First Nations and Inuit.^{Footnote 2} Index scores range from 0 to 100 based on four components of well-being: education, labour force activity, income and housing. Higher scores represent better socio-economic well-being. The index also illustrates gaps in socio-economic well-being between First Nations and Inuit and non-Indigenous communities, as well as variations across First Nations and Inuit communities.

National socio-economic trends for First Nations communities

Between 2016 and 2021, the gap in overall Community Well-Being Index scores narrowed, marking the largest gap closure in the past four decades. In addition, the gaps for labour force activity, income and housing also narrowed during the period.

The overall Community Well-Being Index and all four component scores for First Nations communities have increased over the long and short term. The impact of each component on the change in overall Community Well-Being scores between 2016 and 2021 varies. Income had the largest positive impact on the increase in the overall score. Housing contributed the second largest positive impact, contributing to fewer houses requiring major repairs or being crowded. The 2021 housing gap remains the largest among all components, but this gap has narrowed over the long and short terms. The education component contributed the third most improved overall scores, contributable to improved high school and university graduation scores. Of note, and for careful monitoring, while the secondary education gap has decreased, the post-secondary education gap has widened slightly over the long and short terms.

To increase access to post-secondary education for First Nations students, Indigenous Services Canada supports the Post-Secondary Student Support Program, which provides financial assistance to First Nations students pursuing post-secondary education. Indigenous Services Canada also supports the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy, which provides wage subsidies to employers to hire and retain students aged 15–30 who are First Nations living on reserve or Inuit living outside of their land-claim areas to gain work experience to bolster First Nations and Inuit labour force participation.

The labour force activity component had the smallest positive impact on the overall score because an improved employment rate was counteracted by a decreasing labour force participation rate between 2016 and 2021. The decrease in the labour force participation rate may be attributed to various factors, such as demographic shifts, changes in mobility and other COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. The labour force activity gap is the smallest among all components but has narrowed only in the short term.

National socio-economic trends for Inuit communities

Overall, the Community Well-Being scores for Inuit communities also increased over the long term (1981 to 2021) but decreased over the short term (2016 to 2021). The gap in overall Community Well-Being scores between Inuit and non-Indigenous communities has been steadily widening since 2001 and widened even more between 2016 and 2021.

All four Community Well-Being component scores for Inuit communities have increased over the long term, but only the income component score increased over the short term. Combined, these components contributed to a decrease in the overall Community Well-Being score for Inuit communities between 2016 and 2021. Income had the largest positive impact. The income gap is the smallest among all components and has narrowed over the long and short terms. Housing had virtually no impact, whereby an improved score for crowded housing balanced a lower score for housing requiring major repairs. The housing gap is the largest among all components and has decreased over the long term but increased in the short term. Education had the largest negative impact due to lower high school and university attainment scores. The education gap has grown significantly in the long and short terms. To increase post-secondary education access for Inuit students, Indigenous Services Canada supports the Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy, which provides Inuit partners with funding for academic and living expenses to Inuit students pursuing post-secondary education. The strategy also provides additional non-academic programs and service supports for post-secondary students, community engagement, education governance, and national coordination, such as counselling and mentoring sessions for prospective students about post-secondary opportunities and courses and program eligibility. The labour force activity component had the second largest negative impact, whereby an improved employment rate score was outweighed by a lower labour force participation score. The labour force activity gap has grown over the long and short terms.

Source: Indigenous Services Canada, Custom Tabulations, Censuses of Population, 1981 to 2006, 2016, 2021 and National Household Survey, 2011.

Text alternative for Figure 1. Overall Community Well-Being scores, 1981 to 2021, First Nations, Inuit and non-Indigenous communities

Overall CWB Score 30 to 90 over Year 1981 to 2021 for Non-Indigenous Communities, Inuit Communities and First Nations Communities

• In 1981, 45 for First Nations Communities, 46.1 for Inuit Communities, 64.5 for Non-Indigenous Communities
• In 1991, 49.3 for First Nations Communities, 54.5 for Inuit Communities, 68 for Non-Indigenous Communities
• In 1996, 52.7 for First Nations Communities, 57.5 for Inuit Communities, 68.9 for Non-Indigenous Communities
• In 2001, 54.9 for First Nations Communities, 58.5 for Inuit Communities, 70.7 for Non-Indigenous Communities
• In 2006, 55.4 for First Nations Communities, 58.9 for Inuit Communities, 73.8 for Non-Indigenous Communities
• In 2011, 56.4 for First Nations Communities, 59.8 for Inuit Communities, 75.8 for Non-Indigenous Communities
• In 2016, 58.4 for First Nations Communities, 61.3 for Inuit Communities, 77.5 for Non-Indigenous Communities
• In 2021, 62.4 for First Nations Communities, 60.6 for Inuit Communities, 78.7 for Non-Indigenous Communities

Regional and socio-economic trends for First Nations and Inuit communities

There are significant regional differences in Community Well-Being scores. For First Nations communities, the Atlantic region had the highest overall Community Well-Being score, while the Prairie provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta) had the lowest scores. However, First Nations communities in the Prairie provinces experienced the largest gap reductions with non-Indigenous communities between 2016 and 2021. There are various factors for regional disparities, including but not limited to historical phenomena such as differential treaty development and historical government policies according to Treaty/region.

While overall Community Well-Being scores increased in all four regions of Inuit Nunangat between 1981 and 2021, scores in Nunavut and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region decreased between 2016 and 2021. The gap between Inuit communities and the Canada-wide average for non-Indigenous communities widened for all four Inuit regions between 2016 and 2021. Indigenous Services Canada is undertaking an analysis regarding the wider gap for Inuit communities.

Community-level socio-economic trends among First Nations and Inuit communities

The number of First Nations communities with an overall Community Well-Being score over 50 has increased significantly since 1981. The overall Community Well-Being scores for a majority remained stable or increased by one to nine points between 2016 and 2021. While First Nations communities had greater variation in overall Community Well-Being scores compared to non-Indigenous communities, the range of scores for First Nations communities decreased between 2016 and 2021—indicating reduced disparity amongst First Nations communities. The number of Inuit communities with a Community Well-Being score below 50 has also decreased significantly since 1981 but increased between 2016 and 2021. The range of scores for Inuit communities increased between 2016 and 2021, indicating increasing inequality among Inuit communities over this period.

Key considerations for the Community Well-Being Index

Data for the Community Well-Being Index were gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the interpretation of 2021 Community Well-Being scores should take into account the varying effects of the pandemic and associated restrictions. For example, all four Community Well-Being components have been affected by altered patterns of mobility into and out of Inuit and First Nations communities because of the pandemic and temporary pandemic-related government transfers. Regarding these impacts and others, the upcoming 2026 Census will help us better understand the temporary impacts of the pandemic compared to longer-term changes in community socio-economic well-being.

While the Community Well-Being Index clearly illustrates gaps in socio-economic well-being between First Nations, Inuit and non-Indigenous communities over time, it cannot directly assess the influence of specific social policies, government programs or practices on the closure of socio-economic gaps. More generally, socio-economic change over time, as measured by the Community Well-Being Index, cannot be attributed to isolated driving forces such as individual government programs or policies. However, several tools are available to evaluate the direct implications of individual programs and policies, which are able to focus on specific policy and program inputs and outputs, as well as desired outcomes. For example, the 2016 Policy on Results lays out the requirements for performance measurement and program evaluation to track results against established targets and identify opportunities to improve program relevance, effectiveness and efficiency. The Community Well-Being Index is only able to measure the collective effects of all government policies and programs together with other drivers of change that are external to government policies and programming.

The four components of the Community Well-Being Index do not form a complete list of dimensions of well-being. While the Index's four components benefit from broad data coverage across First Nations and Inuit communities and offer important insights into well-being, the Index does not fully reflect First Nations, Inuit and Métis perspectives of socio-economic change, which may include other dimensions. Other dimensions of well-being do exist that more fully align with First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures and worldviews and are strengths-based instead of deficit-based. While the Community Well-Being Index is restricted to Census of Population data, given that it captures data for the majority of Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities across Canada, various Indigenous Services Canada programs incorporate a much broader range of indicators in their design, implementation and evaluation activities that reflect and respect the perspectives of Indigenous partners and communities.

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of First Nations, Inuit and Métis self-determination, including its relationship to the well-being of their communities. In recognition of the need to extend First Nations, Inuit and Métis self-determination to the care, control, and management of data, the initiative Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data was established in 2022. This Initiative promotes the development of culturally relevant measures for well-being developed by and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations. This Initiative and others support First Nations, Inuit and Métis data sovereignty and self-led data strategies to help ensure that Indigenous organizations and populations have sufficient and sustained data capacity. Initiatives such as this will support Indigenous Peoples to control, manage, protect and use their data to deliver effective services to their communities, tell their own stories, participate in federal decision-making processes related to their priorities and realize their respective visions for self-determination.

Indigenous Services Canada services are supporting positive community change

Across service areas, evaluations cited a variety of positive socio-economic impacts as a result of Indigenous Services Canada programs and services. For example, solid waste management awareness and education campaigns served to divert recycling away from landfills; the percentage of public water systems meeting national guidelines for water quality increased from 69 percent to 94 percent between 2012–13 and 2019–20; and Jordan's Principle has approved more than 4.86 million products, services and supports for First Nations children between July 2016 and March 31, 2024. Of this total, 45 percent (2.17 million products, services and supports) were approved in 2023–24 alone.

Indigenous Services Canada programs make an important contribution to supporting the development of the Indigenous public sector

Note: Indigenous public sector refers to First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations that provide a wide range of services to Indigenous communities, including direct service delivery, regulatory functions, and policy and advocacy support. The ongoing growth of an Indigenous public sector supports transferring departmental programs and service responsibilities to Indigenous control. Investments are being used to support the recruitment, retention and development of First Nations, Inuit and Métis service providers in delivering high-quality services to their communities. For example, the Circuit Rider Training Program is considered to be an effective way to provide ongoing training and support to operators of water and wastewater systems, and the model has been expanded to other areas of infrastructure. The Health and Human Resources sub-program was found to have made progress toward increasing the number of First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations studying and working in health care. According to an evaluation of land management, First Nation organizations can offer communities a network of support, training and peer-learning opportunities, provide 'political advocacy' services to First Nations, and could further offset demand on the department's human resources.

While many services are delivered directly at the community level, evaluations also noted the significant role of aggregate service providers, like tribal councils and technical service organizations, that can facilitate economies of scale in various matters ranging from education guidelines and standards to technical inspections for infrastructure. For example, the annual solid waste management forum held by the First Nations Technical Services Advisory Group in Alberta and discussions at the Advisory Group's Chief's steering committee are important venues for sharing knowledge, expertise and best practices. In Ontario, the tribal council United Chiefs and Councils of Mnidoo Mnising hired a waste coordinator to serve its six member First Nations. The coordinator's duties include providing education on blue box programs and recycling tires, white metals, electronics and other materials.

Perhaps most significantly, several programs were found to have supported community-level service plans that contribute to high-quality, holistic, community-endorsed approaches and support the path toward self-determined services. For instance, the Giishkaandago'lkwe Health Services (Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services) works with ten Treaty 3 First Nations in the Fort Frances region to improve community health and wellness. Giishkaandago'lkwe has had control of their Environmental Public Health programming and has since hired a water quality analyst and performed water testing and operations, created and enacted policies and procedures related to physical infrastructure work (septic fields, coding, animal bites) and increased planning efforts related to education and community to raise awareness and education of their water system.

While services are improving social determinates of health and contributing to better outcomes, Indigenous Services Canada does not have complete outcome-level performance data to quantify its impact on socio-economic gaps

Evaluation reports consistently noted that it is difficult to assess the full impact of Indigenous Services Canada services on socio-economic gaps for several reasons:

• Indigenous Services Canada does not have concrete supply and demand forecasting to measure gaps in all service areas. For example, while Indigenous Services Canada can demonstrate that its funding supported First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals in accessing post-secondary education, it does not have an accurate measure of demand and, therefore, cannot clearly determine the overall funding gap. (Of note: Indigenous Services Canada does not measure demand or prospective uptake. Indigenous partners and post-secondary institutions indicated that funding per student is inadequate and does not cover the costs associated with being a post-secondary student, including housing, child care and school supplies. In addition, First Nation communities have autonomy to set priorities and make decisions about how eligible students receive funding for post-secondary education.) Reporting captures students funded by Indigenous Services Canada; however, it does not capture the number that partners were not able to fund. Reports consistently identified a "lack of available and adequate data to properly assess the achievement of the program's progress towards immediate and intermediate outcomes.";
• The Cluster Evaluation of Health Infrastructure Support for First Nations and Inuit noted that performance measurement and reporting requirements are often misaligned with operational outcomes and First Nations and Inuit ways of knowing, creating barriers to collecting accurate and meaningful data and presenting an incomplete reflection of progress. To address this misalignment and remove these barriers, the Government of Canada has committed to supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous-led data strategies to help ensure that First Nations and Inuit have the sufficient, sustainable data capacity they need to control, manage, protect and use their data to deliver effective services to their peoples, tell their own stories, participate in federal decision-making processes on matters that impact them and realize their respective visions for self-determination. Co-developed approaches to strengthening Indigenous-led data governance and collaboration on outcome measures enable Indigenous Services Canada to work with partners to prioritize Indigenous-led solutions to closing critical information gaps. As an example, the First Nations-led National Outcome-Based Framework, engaged with First Nations data leaders, could support First Nations-led socio-economic reporting. It can be adapted as communities identify their own measures of success and well-being based on their own Indigenous ways of knowing; and,
• Inconsistencies exist in tracking indicators for established frameworks. For instance, training supports for solid waste management services were found to be tracked differently across regions, preventing consistent total expenditures. Regional inconsistencies are being addressed through an annual national review of program tracking indicators.

Despite data gaps, Indigenous Services Canada recognizes that current funding levels are not sufficient to close socio-economic gaps

A 2018 Office of the Auditor General of Canada audit found that Indigenous Services Canada "did not have a comprehensive picture of the well-being of on-reserve First Nations Peoples compared with other Canadians." The 2024 Reports 2 to 4 of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada – Housing in First Nations Communities found that "[m]any people living in First Nations communities do not have access to housing that is safe and in good condition." A wide range of respondents to evaluations validated this statement, citing challenges in accessing sufficient and predictable funding in the health, infrastructure and social sectors. These supply shortages in funding are causing real-world constraints such as:

• Shortages in Indigenous public sector capacity. Many communities are in need of additional finance professionals, receptionists, intake clerks and other practitioners;
• Affordability of special education approaches for students with special needs on reserve. In areas where general education services were widely available, schools were often unable to afford the higher-cost, alternative approaches for students with special needs;
• A lack of operations and maintenance funding for on-reserve infrastructure in areas such as wastewater and solid waste that is necessary to make repairs before issues threaten the functioning of the longevity of community infrastructure;
• Outdated Indigenous Services Canada databases and processes, which cause delays in accessing Individual Affairs services, notably registration and Treaty Annuities; and,
• Current funding levels and funding formula do not adequately prepare First Nations for developing capacity in terms of land management and the reality of land management of many First Nations.

Evaluation interviewees are signalling that, in some areas, Indigenous Services Canada has improved the quality of its services, especially in the health sector

Respondents to the Cluster Evaluation of Health Infrastructure Support for First Nations and Inuit, most notably, indicated that the quality of programming had increased over time. For example, taking a 'cluster approach' to the Nutrition North and Healthy Living programs, which have clear ties through nutritional education and availability, prompted positive results. Fifty-seven percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that access to holistic health services had improved since 2015, and fifty percent agreed or strongly agreed that the quality of care had improved through funding designed to support the integration of First Nation, Inuit and provincial health care regimes.

Evaluations also surfaced a range of practical improvements that Indigenous Services Canada can continue to make

These include:

• Ongoing improvements to align its services to First Nation and Inuit partners—the Assisted Living program, for example, is delivered independently of most health programming because it is viewed as a 'social' program. However, interviewees expressed that this program sits on a continuum with health services, and continuing to operate separate funding envelopes for related needs may not make sense in the long run;
• Integrating Indigenous Early Learning and Childcare (led federally by Employment and Social Development Canada) with on-reserve health education, social and other children's programming (supported by Indigenous Services Canada) aligns with internationally recognized best practices. These practices generally recommend integrating early childhood development and learning directly into existing systems supporting Indigenous childhood development of children's services. Since April 2019, the department has implemented a new co-developed policy and funding approach to transform how education on reserve is funded. This approach includes national common investments supporting full-day kindergarten for children ages four and five, language and culture programming, and before- and after-school programming and provides flexibility for First Nations on reserve to allocate education resources according to the unique needs of the students in their communities. The Assembly of First Nations noted that First Nations Early Learning and Child Care goal is to prepare a child for a good life grounded in their culture and language and not just to prepare a child for a "mainstream" or euro-centric child care system;
• Ensuring programs and services effectively target the whole population—evaluations found gaps in services across several programs. For example:
  • Interviewees for the Evaluation of First Nations Individual Affairs noted challenges accessing services in urban areas, as there are only 16 Indigenous Services Canada-operated registration kiosks in urban areas despite sixteen percent of Status Indians and forty-five percent of Non-Status Indians living off reserve. The Management Response and Action Plan section of the Evaluation identified steps to address the gaps, including engaging urban community groups and other areas of the department to leverage/expand service offerings;
  • The 2018 Evaluation of the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program called for meaningful engagement of First Nations in the design and delivery of the Program. Budget 2018 provided Indigenous Services Canada with $8.5 million over two years for a regionally-specific First Nations-led engagement process, which led to the completion of the National Report on the 2018 to 2020 First Nations-Led Engagement on Income Assistance. In response to the findings of this report, the Government of Canada continues to work with First Nations partners to ensure the Program is more responsive to the needs of individuals on reserves;
  • Conversely, limited funding for eHealth connectivity has meant individuals living in remote areas continue to have difficulty accessing health services. Funding levels for the eHealth program have generally remained unchanged since 2018 at $21.31M, which has impeded its ability to expand its reach to additional remote areas. Budget 2018 renewed core program funding at existing levels. Additional investments in eHealth connectivity would mean that individuals living in remote areas could have improved access to health services; and,
  • In addition, to ensure First Nations have access to and ownership of their lands-related data, the National Additions to Reserves Tracking System was completed in March 2023. With First Nations partners, the Chief Data Officer is working to address the critical need for data access and ownership by 2026.
• Continuing to identify and address shortfalls—the COVID-19 pandemic showed that despite significant progress in many service areas, communities remain at risk from unexpected events. Health and human resources were drawn away from other pressing health needs and challenges, such as food insecurity and disease or illness control, which are exacerbated as a result. Despite this, Indigenous Services Canada and partners showed flexibility and perseverance. Evaluations found that community representatives generally felt Indigenous Services Canada responded effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic by showing greater agility in program delivery; for example, reporting requirements were generally relaxed so everyone could focus on pressing needs; and,
• Sharing of knowledge and expertise—in some regions, staff from Indigenous Services Canada have been sent on exchange assignments with Regional Land Associations so that they can share their knowledge and skills with those organizations.

Evaluations also show that harmonizing service delivery efforts with other levels of government is helping to improve quality of service

Several evaluations noted the benefits of partnerships between First Nations and Inuit partners and provincial and municipal service providers. Interviewees of the Cluster Evaluation of Health Infrastructure Support for First Nations and Inuit expressed that Health Systems Integration funding improved health care quality by supporting collaboration between First Nations, Inuit and provincial/territorial health services, resulting in a higher quality of care. Evaluators also heard stories of solid waste management business opportunities and economies of scale through partnerships between First Nations and municipalities.

The examples outlined in this section are concrete illustrations of the importance of the two key objectives reported on in this annual report—to close socio-economic gaps and to transfer responsibility of services to First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners—which are best accomplished together. Indigenous Services Canada monitors and reports on the progress made towards implementing evaluation findings with Management Response Actions Plans, informed by evaluation recommendations and management commitments. The evaluation reports, nonetheless, are clear in their review and analysis that First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners are best placed to design, deliver and manage their own self-determined services to close socio-economic gaps between their populations and non-Indigenous populations.

The next section of this report provides an update on and key highlights of the department's commitment to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in support of First Nations, Inuit and Métis-driven and led self-determined services.

Jordan's Principle

Jordan's Principle, named in honour of Jordan River Anderson from Norway House Cree Nation, ensures that First Nations children have substantively equal access to government services, taking into account their unique circumstances, experiences and needs. Since 2016, nearly $8.1 billion has been committed to meet the health, social and education needs of First Nations children through Jordan's Principle. This includes the most recent investment of $1.6 billion over two years, starting in 2023–24, noted in Budget 2024.

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

Inuit Child First Initiative

The Inuit Child First Initiative ensures that Inuit children have substantively equal access to government services, taking into account their unique circumstances, experiences and needs. The Initiative was modeled after Jordan's Principle, and endorsed by Cabinet in 2018, as an interim measure, with the understanding that a long-term Inuit-specific approach would be co-developed with Inuit partners. The initiative addresses the long-standing critical gaps in the health, educational, and social services available to Inuit children in Canada and has proven to be an important source of support for Inuit families. Between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, 93,267 products, services, and supports were approved through the Inuit Child First Initiative, which is a 68 percent increase compared to the previous fiscal year. The top 3 categories for approved products, services, and supports through the Inuit Child First Initiative in Fiscal Year 2023-24 are Economic Supports, Education and Health Services.

Significant progress is also being made on the co-development of a new, Inuit-specific long-term approach to the Inuit Child First Initiative.

Since January 2023, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Inuit Treaty Organizations and Canada have been working closely together through the co-development process. In the Fall of 2023, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Inuit Treaty Organizations, brought forward a Shared Responsibility Model and Guiding Principles to increase Inuit responsibility in the delivery and administration of the Inuit Child First Initiative and better meet the health, social and education needs of Inuit children. In July 2024, Canada endorsed the principle of a shared responsibility model and committed to continue working with Inuit partners to elaborate this model through the co-development of a National Framework, including flexible regional delivery approaches, which will guide the long-term implementation of the initiative.

Co-development on Education Priorities

Indigenous Services Canada has been participating in Permanent Bilateral Mechanisms with Inuit and Métis partners to identify joint education priorities, co-develop policy options and monitor progress. Under the purview of these Permanent Bilateral Mechanisms, and as per the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act's Inuit and Métis Nation education-specific commitments, the department has been working to co-develop options for policies and approaches on Inuit and Métis Nation elementary and secondary education. This work includes identifying strategic areas for federal support with provinces/territories and supporting research on education gaps.

In 2024–25, Regional Chiefs, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations leaders, and Federal Cabinet Ministers will continue to work toward a new relationship as they advance the mutual priority of education. This progress will be reported on in next year's report.

Distinctions-Based Health Legislation

Indigenous Services Canada is engaging with partners on the co-development of distinctions-based First Nations, Inuit and Métis health legislation to improve access to high-quality, culturally relevant health services. To this end, the Government of Canada established distinctions-based working level groups, or co-development tables, with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners with diverse, intersectional identities and experiences to meet regularly and transform what was heard through engagement into proposed legislative options. In total, 12 working-level tables or co-development tables were held across distinctions between October 2022 and June 2023 (six First Nation tables, one Inuit table, four Métis tables, and one Intersectional table). These tables helped identify potential federal legislative measures necessary for supporting First Nations, Inuit and Métis-led approaches to improve health equity.

Informed by engagement and co-development discussions, Indigenous Services Canada prepared a Key Legislative Elements document that presented a high-level compilation of potential legislative measures to address key themes raised by partners. The document was shared for partner feedback in August 2023 and generated extensive and mixed feedback and reactions from First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners with diverse, intersectional identities and experiences. While some partners like the overall content and priority areas, others expressed significant concerns with the process and/or content. For example, many partners highlighted significant issues related to the lack of a co-development process, constrained timelines, the legislative approach generally, as well as the exclusion of certain key partners from the document. Partners across distinctions highlighted the importance of advancing the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, supporting the social determinants of health, and the need for long-term sustainable, flexible and equitable funding for health programs and services, as well as investments in mental health, capacity, human resources and other critical required for the design, management, and delivery of Indigenous health services to communities. Since fall 2023, Indigenous Services Canada has continued to receive and analyze feedback from partners and is reflecting on options that would provide Indigenous Services Canada and partners more time to develop a shared understanding of co-development throughout the federal legislative development and increase transparency to help the process move forward in a meaningful way, based on partners' needs and ongoing engagement.

The department is currently awaiting confirmation on the way forward and, meanwhile, engaging in discussions with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis partners to map out a shared understanding of the co-development process and the implementation of co-development principles as it relates to the federal legislative development process.

Health Transformation

First Nations health transformation is a collaborative process between the Government of Canada, First Nations and provincial governments, where new partnerships based on reciprocal accountability are established, and decisions over health for First Nations are made by First Nations. The Health Transformation process facilitates large-scale transfers of health funding that currently support federally administered health programs and services. Funding is transferred to First Nations-led health organizations that have secured a mandate from their leadership to deliver health services on their behalf.

Since 2018, the Health Transformation initiative has served as the flagship federal initiative to support greater self-determination in health by supporting First Nations health organizations in building tripartite partnerships and establishing new models of health service delivery. The Health Transformation initiative follows the roadmap laid out in the 2013 First Nations Health Authority service transfer. The end result of Health Transformation aims to implement new health systems and governance models that transfer the responsibility over the design, management and administration of federally funded health services to First Nations-led health organizations. This approach provides First Nations organizations with the space to incorporate a more holistic approach to health and wellness which will incorporate First Nations ways of knowing, culture and language into health service delivery and reduce reliance on the department in Indigenous health service delivery. The Health Transformation initiative supports greater self-determination in health and also supports commitments relating to the co-development of systems and policies and the departmental mandate.

Significant progress and momentum have been achieved since 2018, and there are currently six sub-regional Health Transformation initiatives across Canada (Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. and Southern Chiefs Organization in Manitoba, Tajikeimɨk in Nova Scotia, Nishnawbe Aski Nation in Ontario, La Commission de la santé et des services sociaux des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador in Quebec and Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs in Saskatchewan). Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. and Southern Chiefs Organization in Manitoba. In April 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Tajikeimɨk and the Province of Nova Scotia and the partners working to conclude Agreements-in-Principle in 2024–25. All the partners to these agreements have expressed an interest in immediately moving forward on Framework Agreement negotiations.

In 2023, Canada renewed its 10-year funding agreement for ongoing support to the First Nations Health Authority in its work to improve health outcomes for First Nations in British Columbia. The $8.2 billion funding agreement will support the Health Authority as it advances to deliver and improve the health systems that serve and support over 200 First Nations communities in the province. Health transformation efforts undertaken by the department, First Nations, and Inuit partners have been very effective in securing provincial involvement, investments, and in-kind and direct contributions.

Indigenous Health Equity Fund

The Government of Canada is also working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners to provide additional support for their health priorities by providing $2 billion over ten years, distributed on a distinctions basis through the Indigenous Health Equity Fund. Over the past year, Indigenous Services Canada has worked with a wide range of national and regional Indigenous partners on its design, representing a flexible approach and a long-term commitment to supporting Indigenous self-determination in health. This fund will support Indigenous-led approaches to increasing access to quality and culturally safe healthcare services and for the first time, represents a long-term commitment to Métis health priorities.

While still early in its implementation, through the Indigenous Health Equity Fund, the Métis Nation British Columbia has identified plans to support a range of priorities, including mental health and harm reduction services, mobile clinics for remote communities, and other community-based programs in support of Elders and long-term continuing care. In addition, the Indigenous Health Equity Fund is also providing over $18 million annually to the First Nations Health Authority in support of a range of priorities, including better access to Indigenous health service providers, enhanced cultural safety and humility through British Columbia's health care system, and better access to health care closer to home for First Nations communities.

In addition, Indigenous Services Canada continues to collaborate with Statistics Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, including the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council, as well as other organizations such as the First Nations Information Governance Centre on establishing health indicators that can identify gaps and be routinely reported. This work is essential to the identification of outcome measures that are inclusive and reflective of First Nations, Inuit and Métis perspectives.

Advancing Economic Reconciliation by Unlocking the Potential of First Nations Lands - Land Registration Pilot Projects

In Budget 2023, the Government of Canada committed $35.3 million over five years, starting in 2023–24, to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Natural Resources Canada to co-develop, with the Lands Advisory Board, a new First Nations-led National Land Registry. This new registry will provide signatories to the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management with more opportunities to realize the economic benefits arising from local control over their lands.

Indigenous Services Canada supports the vision outlined in this Budget commitment and has been working with First Nation partners to explore the feasibility of transfer of land registry functions under the First Nations Lands Registry System to an Indigenous organization. This work has included the signing of a Non-Disclosure Agreement to transfer the Information Technology Design of the existing land registry system to LandSure, a subsidiary of the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia, which has been retained by First Nations to build the new land registry system. An Information Sharing Agreement to share land instruments in the First Nations Lands Registry System with LandSure was signed on June 18, 2024.

Land Management Initiatives

Indigenous Services Canada is committed to supporting initiatives that return control and decision-making over the use of First Nations lands back to First Nations communities. These initiatives support economic growth and self-determination for First Nations and move Canada further along the path of reconciliation. In that regard, Budget 2023 provided $30 million over five years, starting in 2023–24, to expand and enhance the Reserve Land and Environment Management Program, supporting First Nations to build capacity to exercise increased responsibility over their reserve lands, natural resources, and environment under the Indian Act. This investment enabled Indigenous Services Canada to establish a base level of funding for program participants and open the program to between 25 and 44 new First Nations participants by 2027–28. In 2023–24, the department welcomed 11 new First Nations entrants into the Program and established a base level funding of $70,000 for participants at the Operational Level.

Budget 2023 also provided $187 million over five years, starting in 2023–24, and $34.5 million per year ongoing to ensure the continued growth and success of the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management. Under this First Nations-driven arrangement, First Nations opt out of the 44 lands-related sections of the Indian Act, replacing them with their own laws about land use, the environment and natural resources, and taking advantage of cultural and economic development opportunities. This investment facilitates enhanced funding to First Nations to support lands and environmental governance under a new Memorandum of Understanding on Operational Funding, successfully negotiated with the Lands Advisory Board in the 2023–24 Fiscal Year. Budget 2023 also increased access to the Framework Agreement by supporting the addition of 50 new entrants by 2027–28. In 2023–24, six new signatories were added to the Framework Agreement and 11 First Nations became operational with ratified land codes. In addition, Indigenous Services Canada supports Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada in the Additions to Reserve Policy Redesign.

Transferring infrastructure service delivery to First Nations

Indigenous Services Canada is investing in First Nations' capacity and working in partnership with First Nations organizations to advance self-determination in housing and community infrastructure on reserve.

Budgets 2017 and 2021 committed $108.89 million (until 2025–26) to support engagement, institution building, and implementation activities related to the transfer of housing and infrastructure services to First Nation-led organizations.

As of December 31, 2023, thirteen First Nations organizations are partnering with Indigenous Services Canada to determine new models of service delivery, including housing and infrastructure services, that meet their own diverse needs and priorities.

To date, Indigenous Services Canada has reached three Framework Agreements to transfer services to First Nations-led organizations, including the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority in 2020 and the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq in 2023. The Atlantic First Nations Water Authority and the department signed a Service Delivery Transfer Agreement in 2022, and Budget 2022 committed $173.2 million over ten years to support the implementation of the Agreement. The Water Authority is now delivering high-quality water and wastewater services to participating First Nations, supported by long-term, sustainable funding from Indigenous Services Canada.

Through the Institution Building funding, a number of partners have built technical and management capacity in preparation for transfer. For example, the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq has developed an in-house asset management and capital planning program.

These are just some of many ongoing efforts, all at varying stages of progress, to support First Nations in providing housing and infrastructure services to their communities independently. First Nations organizations are determining new models of housing and infrastructure service delivery that meet their own diverse needs, priorities, and approaches. All models are opt-in and must be supported by their leadership.

Multilateral Emergency Management

With First Nations partners, Indigenous Services Canada is taking concrete next steps to help transform emergency management programs, whether through the development of new multilateral emergency management service agreements or funding First Nations-led emergency management initiatives that build the foundation for further service transfer to First Nations.

To enhance the delivery of emergency management services, including emergency preparedness and response and recovery efforts, to First Nations communities on reserve, Indigenous Services Canada has bilateral agreements with provincial and territorial governments and third-party service delivery partners across the country. Eight bilateral agreements were put in place to ensure First Nations had access to emergency response services comparable to other residents in their jurisdiction, which include Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Prince Edward Island. Although these bilateral agreements were a good starting point, Indigenous Service Canada recognizes that First Nations were not at the table or party to these agreements. The department is committed to improving emergency management services and transferring control of emergency management programs to First Nation partners.

Through the development of emergency management multilateral service agreements, First Nations Peoples are full and equal partners with the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments in emergency management and support the inclusion of all partners in decision-making and implementation mechanisms. Further, multilateral agreements support the formalization of First Nations-led emergency management through clarifying the roles and responsibilities of each party during emergency events, thereby strengthening preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts in communities.

Currently, Indigenous Services Canada has eight bilateral emergency management service agreements with provincial and territorial governments and third-party emergency management service providers. These agreements were put in place to ensure First Nations had access to emergency response services comparable to those within the same jurisdiction. The Government of Canada has identified opportunities to engage with First Nations and provincial and territorial governments across all jurisdictions and efforts to prioritize the advancement of multilateral service agreements in a way that ultimately supports First Nations' right to self-determination.

Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative

In response to Indigenous communities' requests for self-determined community safety solutions, Indigenous Services Canada provided $123.8 million over five years (2021–22 to 2025–26) to fund the Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative. This initiative funds First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and partners (on and off reserve) to implement First Nations, Inuit, and Métis-designed programs, interventions, and services that improve community safety and well-being based on First Nations, Inuit and Métis definitions of safe, secure, and resilient communities. It allows for greater community control, innovation and alternative approaches that recognize the importance of traditional knowledge and practices in contributing to greater community safety and well-being. It also specifically supports programs, services and interventions that address needs relating to the safety and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People.

In 2023–24, the Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative provided $28 million in funding to 52 community-led safety and well-being projects. These projects supported a variety of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis-led programs and activities, including the creation of a British Columbia Indigenous Women's Justice Plan; support for addressing barriers to the enforcement and prosecution of First Nations by-laws; the development of a national Inuit women's support and awareness network; and culturally relevant safety and well-being programming to support Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people in urban centres.

Governance Modernization

The Governance Modernization Working Group is co-chaired with the Assembly of First Nations and has worked with expert Indigenous organizations to carry out targeted research and develop options for new approaches to supporting First Nations governance capacity. This work is continuing into 2024–25.

Community Development Wrap-Around Initiative

Through investments identified in Budget 2021 of $151.4 million over five years (2022–23 to 2026–27), the Community Development Wrap-Around Initiative provides holistic wrap-around support to twenty-two participating First Nation communities across Canada. Through this Initiative, participating First Nation communities identify and lead the implementation of their community development priorities while working closely with Indigenous Services Canada regional staff to build partnerships with existing government programs, private sector and non-profit agencies. The Initiative works with these partners to identify opportunities for collaboration between internal and external partners and programs to leverage project funding, support capacity development, and reduce barriers to community development through flexible funding.

Bill C-38

In June 2021, on behalf of 16 individual plaintiffs, Juristes Power Law launched a Charter challenge seeking to end the inequities and exclusion faced by families descended from persons who were enfranchised under earlier versions of the Indian Act. This is referred to as the Nicholas v. AGC civil claim. From August to December 2022, Indigenous Services Canada held engagement activities to inform the drafting of legislative amendments to the Indian Act. On December 14, 2022, Bill C-38, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements), was introduced in Parliament. The Bill reached the second reading stage on October 20, 2023.

The proposed amendments would ensure that individuals with a family history of enfranchisement are treated the same as those without and fully address legislative inequities related to enfranchisement. The Bill would also proactively address other issues raised during consultations held in 2018–19, including voluntary deregistration, natal band membership, and some outdated and offensive language in the estates provisions of the Indian Act related to dependent persons, where solutions identified during consultations and engagements were clear.

Following the introduction of Bill C-38, information sessions and direct engagement with interested individuals and organizations have continued.

Service Improvements

The Individual Affairs Program is dedicated to enhancing service delivery by implementing innovative solutions and fostering collaboration with First Nations communities. As this work continues to progress, information is available on the department's website at Bill C-38, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements).

Consultation: Second-generation cut-off and section 10 voting thresholds

On November 20, 2023, Indigenous Services Canada launched the Collaborative Process on the Second-Generation Cut-Off and Section 10 Voting Thresholds, a consultation process to seek First Nations recommended legislative remedies to those issues.

The Minister of Indigenous Services Canada issued invitations welcoming 22 organizations to an Indigenous Advisory Process as part of the co-development of the consultation process ahead.

The co-development and information-sharing phase includes:

• The Indigenous Advisory Process; and,
• The Rights-Holders Information Sharing Initiative

The consultation activities and events phase will be designed and implemented based on the research and recommendations provided through the Indigenous Advisory Process during the Co-Development and Information Sharing Phase and any preliminary feedback from Indigenous rights-holders.

Rights-holders information sharing kit

A Rights-Holders Information Sharing Kit has been developed to support First Nations and impacted Indigenous rights-holders in preparation for consultation events on the second-generation cut-off and section 10 voting thresholds.

The Kit aims to support rights-holders' readiness for consultation by providing community-specific demographic data and a robust description of the issues, namely, the second-generation cut-off and section 10 voting thresholds. The Rights-Holders Information Sharing Kit includes a broad distribution strategy by mail, email and is accessible online.

Beginning in June 2024, Information Sessions on the Collaborative Process on the Second Generation Cut-off and Section 10 Voting Thresholds launched publicly on the department's website.

Registration Administrators

Registration Administrators in First Nations communities, also known as membership clerks or other professional titles, are persons selected by First Nations to assist with registration, membership, and status cards in a culturally informed manner specific to their community members.

• Online training has improved their support to expand and strengthen community-level and community-led service provision.
• Currently, 600 Registration Administrators are trained to support applicants across 523 First Nations communities.
• Training is provided on an ongoing basis to account for new Registration Administrators or enhance existing knowledge.
• The number of training participants increased from 273 in 2022 to 311 in 2023.
• 168 Registration Administrators have been certified to examine original proof of birth documents for registration applications to ensure authenticity and better assist applicants who no longer need to mail in their original documents.

Trusted Sources and Designated Partners

In addition to Registration Administrators, Indigenous Services Canada designates trusted source partners to support individuals in the application process. These organizations help fill service gaps and expand service points in urban and other areas. A trusted source is a designated Registration Administrator, organization or provincial, territorial, or federal government department that can help individuals complete an application for registration and a status card. They serve as additional points of service to expand access beyond departmental regional offices, including for persons residing off reserves, and support wider efforts to transfer service delivery to First Nations partners.

Additionally, some trusted sources expanded their services to facilitate registration applications, with 45 individuals successfully trained from 11 partner organizations. The department is continuously developing and funding new partnerships to help bring services closer to individuals and encourages new and existing trusted sources to find out how they can support the application process by emailing sourcesfiables-trustedsources@sac-isc.gc.ca.

Government-to-Government

Intergovernmental engagement with provinces and territories, as well as National Indigenous Organizations has been a particular focus for the department over the past two years. In February 2023 and November 2023, the Minister of Indigenous Services Canada convened leaders of the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council, and provincial and territorial ministers responsible for Indigenous Affairs to discuss their shared interest in working collaboratively to close socio-economic gaps and improve the well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. Topics at the first meeting included source water protection legislation and the implementation of Bill C-92, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families. Ministers of the Environment and of Social Services were also invited to this meeting. At the second meeting, leaders focused on economic reconciliation, where conversations identified a number of areas critical to economic equality and prosperity for Indigenous Peoples. In addition, the Minister of Indigenous Services Canada continues to advocate for Indigenous perspectives to be taken into account by attending Federal-Provincial/Territorial meetings hosted by other ministerial colleagues (e.g., Public Safety, Emergency Management, Health, etc.).

In the area of service delivery modernization, Indigenous Services Canada coordinates and convenes other federal government departments and provincial and territorial governments. For example, the department worked in conjunction with Correctional Services Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, and provincial Ministries of Finance to support individuals with the application process or to validate the registration of individuals seeking benefits and services. Some of these partnerships also help the program provide targeted support to vulnerable populations.

Digital Transformation

Indigenous Services Canada is implementing digital solutions to modernize the application process as a more efficient alternative to paper-based and mail-in applications. At this time, applicants can apply for the Secure Certificate of Indian Status (secure status card) in regional offices across Canada through a digital application process. When using the new digital application process, applicants 18 years or older can also choose to have their treaty payment paid to them. Based on user experience, Indigenous Services Canada is enhancing this process with the intention of building an online application, including registration services in the future, for use anytime, anywhere, from a smart device.

More than 19,451 secure status card applications were received through the digital application process, with an average time of 8 minutes per application, compared to 20 minutes or more through the paper-based process.

The Estates Management Funding Program

The Estates Program is committed to providing meaningful support to First Nations partners seeking to take on a greater role in estates administration.

Beginning in 2022, a comprehensive redesign of the Estates Management Funding Program has been underway. The Program is now an annual program with stabilized funding until 2028. In the 2023–24 fiscal year, 57 Indigenous entities with unique proposals in estates administration were funded.

Standing up the New Estates Settlement Response Team

Beginning in 2022, catalyzed by numerous settlements with implications for dependent adults ordinarily resident on a reserve and for the estates of those deceased while ordinarily resident on a reserve, Indigenous Services Canada has established a new team. In 2023, the Estates Settlement Response Team was established to supplement the Estates Program with a cohesive, centrally coordinated national team that will work directly with Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Regional Offices.

This new team will deliver culturally appropriate, trauma-informed, quality, and timely estate services that focus on estates impacted by settlements, for which timelines can play a significant role in an estate's eligibility for compensation under a given settlement.

While centrally coordinated, the Estates Settlement Response Team has a national footprint, operating in each Indigenous Services Canada or Crown-Indigenous Relations Northern Affairs Canada region and reallocating its resources as demand necessitates.

Repatriation of Trust Moneys Held by Indigenous Services Canada

Trust moneys are all moneys collected, received or held in trust by Indigenous Services Canada for the use and benefit of First Nations and their members. Trust moneys are held in the Consolidated Revenue Fund, where public moneys are deposited, as defined under the Financial Administration Act. There are two types of trust moneys:

• Individual moneys: managed by the department on behalf of registered First Nations minors, dependent adults, and estates of certain deceased individuals; and,
• Band moneys: managed by the department on behalf of First Nations according to sections 61 to 69 of the Indian Act.

Significant ongoing efforts are underway to repatriate these funds held in trust by Indigenous Services Canada back to the individuals and First Nations to which they belong. In the 2023–24 fiscal year, joint Minor Accounts Payout Initiative and regional efforts were able to repatriate $1,206,449.59 to 253 individuals.

In parallel, Indigenous Services Canada has been leveraging existing authorities to repatriate Band Moneys to the First Nations to which they belong. Since 2006, well over a billion dollars has been repatriated to First Nations. The department has since expanded and continues to expand its outreach and informational tools to better engage First Nations on the various options available to them to access and/or reclaim their funds held in trust. Since 2022, an additional $35,120,253.06 has been returned to First Nations.

Transition to Self-determined Services

As Indigenous Services Canada supports the transition to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis-led and self-determined services, eventual indicators of progress and outcomes, decided through a distinctions-based approach, will be part of a broader Service Transfer Policy Framework (co-developed as per Action Plan Measure 1.27). This transition will be characterized by incremental steps toward a decolonized reporting approach that respects First Nations, Inuit and Métis self-determination and supports the primary accountability to their respective citizens. This reporting approach will be founded on the principle of mutual accountability, co-developed, and aligned with ongoing work with co-development partners on a mutual accountability framework that reduces administrative reporting to the Government of Canada.

The distinctions-based approach will entail establishing comprehensive, holistic indicators pertinent to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to tell their stories and report on results and progress to their communities in their own way. This is significant as partners have said that federally established indicators or measurement strategies use and impose Eurocentric, settler colonial measurement standards that disregard the potential for vast differences in First Nations, Inuit and Métis social norms and values (Gunthro, 2021). The Department's Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data is a key enabler of this work. Through this initiative, the Department is working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners to explore their visions for data sovereignty and to support the building of distinctions-based statistical capacity as part of the foundation for service transfer. This approach recognizes data infrastructure's essential role in informing policy development, program design, and service delivery. Through this initiative, Indigenous Services Canada is also working to enhance the department's capacity to share departmental data with Indigenous partners with a view to eventual data transfer and supporting collaborative projects.

The approach to track progress on the transfer of responsibilities will not replace the need for a separate yet comprehensive framework to measure the closure of socio-economic gaps and mutual accountability. In this respect, the department has been working closely with the Assembly of First Nations since 2019 on a National Outcome-Based Framework as part of the effort to build a new fiscal relationship with First Nations. Engagement with First Nations data leaders on this Framework has yielded valuable information that has directed this work to align with complementary initiatives in the Indigenous data landscape. It focuses on Indigenous Data Sovereignty and emphasizes the importance of First Nations having sufficient, sustainable data capacity to control, manage, protect, and use their data effectively. Engagement also resulted in the transition from government-prescribed reporting mechanisms towards providing a draft toolkit of resources that First Nations communities can leverage as they advance their data and statistical capacities. This approach removes barriers to First Nations-led design and delivery of effective services to their peoples, telling their own stories, participating in federal decision-making processes on matters that impact them, and realizing their respective visions for self-determination.