Building a Better Future for First Nations Families, Together

The strength of the national framework

Even without a regional agreement, the national framework will ensure that core reforms underpinned by guiding principles—including substantive equality, cultural safety, and the inherent right of self government—will be implemented across the country. The national framework guarantees:

• A research-driven, prevention-first, evidence-based funding approach
• Equal treatment for First Nations exercising jurisdiction under An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families or other mechanisms
• National standards for data, outcomes, and planning

However, negotiation of regional agreements will focus on the implementation of these core reforms, and adjustments that will further enhance the national framework's ability to reflect each region's unique context.

How regional agreements will enable regional diversity

Prevention

In 2027-2028, funding for prevention services or activities would be set at $2,762.90 multiplied by a First Nation's registered First Nations population on-reserve or in the Yukon. A First Nation will be provided with a minimum of $75,000 in cases where the calculated amount by population would otherwise be less.

Prevention funding would be adjusted annually for population and inflation. Where applicable, funds will also be adjusted to account for remoteness.

The allocation of the prevention funding between First Nations and FNCFS agencies will be discussed as part of negotiations.

A First Nation may bring a service provider funding adjustment request if it is unable within its current funding, for reasons beyond its reasonable control, to deliver prevention services under the reformed FNCFS Program.

Baseline funding

Under the national framework, each FNCFS agency will receive annual baseline funding based on the agency's 2022-23 operations and maintenance expenditures, including claims for maintenance, intake and investigations, legal fees, building repairs, child service purchase, and small agency costs.

Baseline funding will include funding for least disruptive measures, which seek to prevent the separation of children from their families and to reunify children with their families.

Where an FNCFS agency was unable to deliver legislated services or least disruptive measures within its current funding for reasons beyond its reasonable control, the agency could submit a service provider funding adjustment request.

Top-ups, adjustments and supports

Emergency:

• Equal to 2% of annual baseline funding
• Support with responding to unexpected situations affecting or related to the provision of the program

Information technology:

• Equal to 6% of annual baseline funding
• Support with IT needs, funding can be used for the purchase, installation and maintenance of IT hardware, software, or subscriptions

Results:

• Equal to 5% of annual funding baseline
• Support with collecting and analyzing data and measuring performance

Household supports:

• Calculated based on the "poverty gap" on reserve determined by the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy
• Intended to mitigate poverty-related circumstances that may result in a family being involved in the child welfare system

First Nation Representative Services

First Nation representatives will support First Nations in having a voice when children and families from their communities are involved, or at risk of involvement, with child and family services. First Nation representatives will also ensure the rights and cultural needs of First Nations children, youth and families are upheld.

Under the national framework, starting April 1, 2027, First Nation Representative Services funding outside Ontario would be calculated based on First Nation Representative Services funding provided to First Nations in Ontario. This enhancement to the Final Agreement's reform framework represents an additional investment of $406 million beyond the 2024 Final Agreement, from 2027-28 to 2033-34.

Post-Majority Support Services

First Nations youth and young adults eligible for FNCFS funded post-majority support services include youth aging out of care and young adults formerly in care who:

• were ordinarily resident on reserve or in the Yukon at the time they were taken into care, regardless of where they were placed in care
• are now ordinarily resident on reserve or in the Yukon
• are taking active steps to reside on reserve or in the Yukon

Youth and young adults remain eligible until their 26th birthday or the age to which post-majority support services are offered in the region's child and family services legislation.

Funding will support First Nations youth and young adults in the transition to adulthood and independence. Funding will be based on cost-of-living estimates to allow for provision of comprehensive supports to First Nations youth and young adults.

Remoteness

The national framework's remoteness adjustment funding will reflect the increased costs of delivering child and family services in remote First Nations.

The Remoteness Quotient Adjustment Factor, developed by Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Canada, will apply to funding for:

• prevention
• First Nation Representative Services
• post-majority support services
• household supports
• information technology
• results
• emergency

Funding will be adjusted for a First Nation or its affiliated FNCFS Agency where the First Nation's 2021 Index of Remoteness score is 0.40 or greater. Funding will be adjusted by nearly 30% on average across the country to account for remoteness.

Each individual First Nation's adjustment will depend on its 2021 Index of Remoteness score (which is based on a community's proximity to population centres) and whether the First Nation is connected by road to the main road network.

Capital

The national framework's approach to capital funding supports greater stability and security to FNCFS service providers in planning for the delivery of FNCFS services in alignment with community goals. Capital funding will support service delivery for the reformed program, including:

• needs assessments and feasibility studies
• the purchase and construction of capital assets
• the repair and renovation of existing buildings
• the lifecycle costs of owned assets

Under a regional agreement, capital funding will be provided to First Nations and to FNCFS agencies through an annual proposal-based intake process to request funding for capital assets. This proposal process would be simplified and streamlined for accessing funding.

Housing

The primary goal of these funds will be to prevent children and youth from being placed in care and to support reunification of families where housing is a barrier.

The total amount of housing funding to which an individual First Nation is entitled is determined by a formula that combines:

• the First Nation's on-reserve and in the Yukon, population count from the Indian Registration System
• the First Nation's 2021 Index of Remoteness score
• the Census 2021 percentage of the First Nation's population living in overcrowded dwellings
• a $250,000 base amount

These funds can be used to support the purchase, construction, renovations, major/minor repairs, lot servicing, and sub-division development in their First Nations communities.

Canada has committed $2 billion over 5 years starting in 2023-24. Each region will receive its remaining share of that funding for its final year in 2027-28.