SUMMARY:
- The federal budget was tabled in the House of Commons on April 7, 2022.
- The Budget 2022 commits a total of $11 billion over 6 years for Indigenous priorities, an average of $1.8 billion per year.
- The $11 billion is a substantial reduction from the rate of investment this government had made over its first 6 years in office and falls short in addressing the urgent and long-term needs identified by First Nations.
- The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is pleased to see the investment in child and family services, specifically the $4 billion to support the full application of Jordan’s Principle.
- The AFN conducted a thorough analysis of First Nations housing needs, identifying a required investment of $44 billion over 10 years. The $3 billion over five years for First Nations housing falls short of the AFN’s well-researched identified need.
- Many of the priorities identified in the AFN’s pre-budget submission, such as governance, implementing the MMIWG Calls to Justice and post-secondary education, saw no new investments. This will slow First Nations’ recovery and participation in the economy.
- The AFN will continue to advocate for consistent and sustained investments to support the ongoing healing of First Nations and to close the socio-economic gap.
The 2022 federal budget tabled Thursday April 7, 2022 by federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland commits a total of $11 billion for Indigenous priorities.
The $11 billion over six years – an average of $1.8 billion per year – is a substantial reduction from the rate of investment the federal government had made over its first 6 years in office and falls short in addressing the urgent and long-term needs identified by First Nations. For comparison, the 2018 Budget committed $18 billion to Indigenous priorities over five years.
Many of the priorities identified in the AFN’s pre-budget submission, such as governance, implementing the MMIWG Calls to Justice and First Nations post-secondary education programs, saw no new investments. This will slow First Nations’ recovery and participation in the economy.
Much more is needed to meet current needs, account for growth and repair the systemic inequalities faced by First Nations for generations. When First Nations are strengthened, so too are Canada’s economy and its social fabric, and we can all enjoy a more prosperous future.
The majority of the investment for Indigenous priorities is committed to child and family services, namely Jordan’s Principle, and housing.
Child and Family Services
Budget 2022 commits to addressing past harms and discrimination related to Indigenous children and families. This commitment includes $4 billion over six years to support the full application of Jordan’s Principle.
Housing
The federal budget commits $3 billion over five years for First Nations housing. This falls short of the AFN’s well-researched identified need of $44 billion over 10 years, $60 billion when population growth is taken into account. First Nations have been living with the impacts of a housing shortage for generations – investing appropriately will empower First Nations to exercise jurisdiction over housing, and to see more positive outcomes in health, education and economic progress.
Additional information on these commitments, along with investments for residential institutions, health, education, infrastructure, UNDRIPA, climate change, natural resources, economic development, tourism and firefighting, are detailed in the attached chart.
The AFN will continue to advocate for consistent and sustained investments to close the socio-economic gap which widened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For further details on all programs included in the $11 billion investment for Indigenous peoples, please see the attached chart.
For further information and updates, please follow @AFN_Updates or visit www.afn.ca.
Summary Chart: Federal Budget 2022 Investments in First Nations Issues
| Subject | Amount | Timeline | Notes | Budget Page |
| Child and Family Services | $4.427.3 B | Pg. 168-169 | ||
| Jordan’s Principle | $4B | 6 years | Includes $200M in 2021-22 | |
| W.I.N. agreement | $340M | 10 years | ||
| C-92 implementation | $87.3M | 3 years | ||
| Residential Schools | $274.5M | Pg. 170 | ||
| Burial Sites, memorials, NCTR, documents | $209.8M | 5 years | ||
| Special Interlocutor | $10.4M | 2 years | Recipient -Department of Justice | |
| RCMP support | $5.1M | 5 years | Recipient – RCMP | |
| Documentation | $25M | 3 years | Recipient – Library & Archives Canada | |
| Commemoration | $25M | 3 years | Recipient – Parks Canada | |
| Health | $686.1M | Pg. 171-172 | ||
| NIHB | $268M | 1 year | ||
| Indigenous Community Support Fund | $190.5M | 1 year | ||
| Mental Wellness | $227.6M | 2 years | ||
| Education | $310.6M | Pg. 172 | ||
| Regional Education Agreement | $310.6M | 5 years | Recipient – 22 Quebec First Nations | |
| Infrastructure | $733M | Pg. 172-173 | ||
| Community infrastructure | $398M | 2 years | Minimum $247M for water and wastewater | |
| Atlantic First Nations Water Authority | $173.2M | 10 years | Recipient – 17 Atlantic First Nations | |
| Lubicon Lake Band | $162.6M | 3 years | Settlement agreement | |
| Housing | $3.085B | Pg. 174 | ||
| First Nations on-reserve | $2.4B | 5 years | ||
| SGA Holders | $565M | 5 years | ||
| NWT | $60M | 2 years | ||
| Yukon | $30M | 2 years | ||
| UNDRIPA | $75.3M | Pg. 175 | ||
| National Action Plan | $65.8M | 5 years | $11M ongoing | |
| Department of Defence | $9.5M | 5 years | ||
| Climate Change | $209.6M | Pg. 176 | ||
| Indigenous climate leadership | $29.6M | 3 years | ||
| Indigenous Leadership fund | $180M | Announced March 29 as part of Climate Plan | ||
| Natural Resources | $131.3M | |||
| Benefit Agreements | $103.4M | 5 years | Includes $25M for engagement and capacity building | |
| Line 3 and Trans Mountain Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committees | $27.9M | 2 years | ||
| Economic Development | $200M | Pg. 177 | ||
| “Shovel-ready” opportunities | $150M | 5 years | ||
| Northern Economic Development Agency | $15M | 5 years | ||
| Economic capacity supports | $35M | 5 years | ||
| Tourism | $24.8M | Pg. 83 | ||
| New Indigenous tourism fund | $20M | 2 years | ||
| Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada | $4.8M | 2 years | ||
| Firefighting | $39.2M | Pg. 103 | ||
| Equipment for First Nations | $39.2M | 5 years |
Relevant legislative and non-monetary announcements in the budget:
- Amendments to the Children’s Special Allowances Act and to the Income Tax Act
- First Nations Land Management Act will be replaced by the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management Act
- Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Act
- Creation of an optional Fuel, alcohol, cannabis and tobacco (FACT) sales tax for Indigenous governments
- Amending the Income Tax Act to exclude from taxation income from the Safe Drinking Water Trust established class action settlement
- Re-commitment to repeal the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act
- Up to 50% of loans under the COVID-Indigenous Business Initiative can be forgiven
Also of note, $2 billion over 9 years for the Oceans Protection Plan and a signal of amendments coming to the Canada Shipping Act to protect the marine environment.