Additions to reserve: Policy redesign
First Nations informed policy developed through a collaborative process.
On this page
- Draft redesigned Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy
- Why redesign the 2016 Additions to Reserve policy?
- Engagement
- Technical Advisory Committee
- Nine interim changes to the 2016 Additions to Reserve Policy Directive
- Related Legislative Framework
- Land Code First Nations
- Past and current Additions to Reserve Policies
- Contact us
Draft redesigned Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy
Work has been ongoing to redesign the current Additions to Reserve Policy and process, and a draft of a redesigned policy and accompanying directives has been distributed for feedback. The draft redesigned policy and directives will continue to evolve in the coming months through review by First Nations and First Nation organizations. Various streams of review will also occur following direct outreach to First Nations and First Nation organizations.
As a result of previous engagement activities, the Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy and directives has been drafted to replace the 2016 Additions to Reserve Policy Directive. The draft Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy and directives are now ready for review and feedback.
The draft policy suite includes 3 parts: the policy, the directives, and the guidelines that are undergoing development led by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) is now seeking review and feedback on the policy and directives to ensure they appropriately address the issues identified throughout the Additions to Reserve Policy redesign engagement activities.
The draft Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy and directives are directly informed by nearly 1,300 recommendations with 930 of those received through First Nation-led engagement and a review of multiple reports advanced by First Nations and First Nation organizations. The draft introduces flexibility, clear roles and a results based approach with service standards and performance monitoring. Please note that while CIRNAC received recommendations regarding the need for increased capacity funding and legislative changes, these issues are beyond the scope of the policy redesign.
The draft Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy outlines broad government commitments comprised of statements and principles, whereas the directives outline the minimum requirements for the Crown to acquire lands to set apart as reserve.
As part of this policy suite, ISC is working to develop guidelines through working groups that will support implementation. These guidelines will further reflect the recommendations provided through engagement.
You may also email politique.aar-policy.atr@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca to receive the policy and directives for review.
How to provide feedback
- complete the online feedback form
- email the Additions to Reserve Policy Redesign Unit to provide general feedback
- set up a virtual meeting with the Additions to Reserve Policy Redesign Unit
Deadline
The feedback period will close September 22, 2026 at 11:59pm PST.
Feedback received will be considered to finalize the Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy and directives. For any questions or technical issues related to the links or documents mentioned above, contact us.
Why redesign the 2016 Additions to Reserve policy
Lands are central to First Nations' traditions, identity and prosperity. They are a crucial asset for advancing self-determination, economic development and well-being. Canada is committed to working with First Nations to remove systemic barriers, and to co-develop transformative changes to the Additions to Reserve Policy. These changes will meet First Nations' needs, and will help build healthier and more sustainable communities and regions.
For information on the administration of Additions to Reserve, consult Additions to Reserve: Implementation and process.
Since its introduction in 1972, the Additions to Reserve Policy has been incrementally updated, most recently in 2016, but the changes have not addressed First Nations' concerns regarding the complex, time-consuming process.
Budget 2021 provided $43 million between CIRNAC and ISC, starting in 2021. This money was used to work with First Nations partners and other stakeholders to redesign the federal Additions to Reserve Policy and to accelerate work on existing requests from First Nations across the country.
CIRNAC's policy redesign includes engagement and review with First Nations organizations, rights holders and communities across the country. The goal is to support First Nations-led engagement to advance recommendations that will contribute to a co-developed policy. Supporting First Nation-led engagement is an important first step in a collaborative Additions to Reserve Policy redesign process.
Engagement
Through engagement, CIRNAC has been working alongside First Nations and First Nation organizations to redesign the Additions to Reserve Policy and collaborating in ways that best suits their communities.
To learn more about past and current engagement activities on the Additions to Reserve Policy redesign, consult Engaging on Additions to Reserve Policy Redesign.
Technical Advisory Committee
In summer 2024, CIRNAC launched a Technical Advisory Committee to facilitate the development of the Additions to Reserve Policy redesign with committee membership comprised of representatives from:
- Assembly of First Nations
- First Nations Land Management Resource Centre
- National Aboriginal Land Managers Association
- self-governing First Nations
- Crown Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services ATR units
The intent of this committee is to ensure that the Additions to Reserve Policy aligns with the diverse needs of First Nations, advances reconciliation through the recognition of rights, and is consistent with Canada's commitment to renewing relationships with First Nations, including implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
The committee gathers technical experts to provide advice and help facilitate the development of policy options for a streamlined approach to Additions to Reserve Policy redesign. Through First Nation-led engagement, First Nations and First Nation organizations have brought forward recommendations and policy options to redesign the Additions to Reserve Policy. The committee oversees the development of the policy options brought forward by First Nation-led engagement while providing First Nation technical expertise and perspectives.
The committee is one piece of many facets of engagement. The development work of the committee is complementary to parallel engagement processes and working groups on Additions to Reserve Policy redesign undertaken by the Government of Canada.
To get in touch with the Technical Advisory Committee Secretariat, contact CCT-TAC@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca.
Nine interim changes to the 2016 Additions to Reserve Policy Directive
In May 2024, the Lands Advisory Board recommended 9 interim changes to the 2016 Additions to Reserve Policy Directive to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations to be implemented as work on broader policy redesign continued. A preliminary analysis of the engagement reports submitted by First Nations and First Nation organizations allowed CIRNAC to confirm that the recommendations put forward by the Land Advisory Board were in line with the issues and recommended solutions submitted by First Nation partners. These changes focused on reducing restrictive requirements and streamlining the Additions to Reserve process.
In August 2024, with the recommendation from Technical Advisory Committee, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations approved 2 of the interim changes to the 2016 Additions to Reserve Policy Directive. With the immediate implementation of these 2 changes, First Nations are no longer required to justify their need for additional land and no longer need to fit their Additions to Reserve proposals into narrow categories of reserve creation.
Members of the Technical Advisory Committee then collaborated to draft the 7 remaining interim changes to the 2016 Additions to Reserve Policy Directive and recommended that they be implemented. The Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations agreed with the recommendation put forward by the Technical Advisory Committee and announced, on December 5, 2024, that CIRNAC would be moving forward with the remaining 7 interim changes.
The additional 7 interim changes impacted the following aspects of the Additions to Reserve Policy and process:
- Additions to Reserve proposal intake form
- streamlines the Additions to Reserve proposal intake form and removes the need to provide information that isn't needed until later in the process
- environmental site assessments
- removes the 5 year 'stale date' on environmental site assessments, as long as no significant changes have occurred on the proposed reserve land
- provides that First Nations can enter into an agreement with a third party that accepts financial responsibility for addressing contamination on the proposed reserve land
- dispute resolution
- recognizes that dispute resolution mechanisms should be informed by First Nations and not by Canada or third parties
- clarifies that despite outstanding issues or concerns, where dispute resolution options have been explored Canada may agree to support a reserve creation proposal
- improvements to proposed reserve land
- clarifies that First Nations may want to discuss improvements to lands proposed for reserve with ISC to identify potential concerns and how to best mitigate them
- notifying provinces, territories, and other federal departments
- removes the 90 day mandatory waiting period for other federal departments to review reserve creation proposals.
- clarifies that issues identified by provinces and territories may not need to be resolved for an Additions to Reserve proposal to advance
- municipal service agreements
- adds flexibility by clarifying that servicing lands proposed for reserve could take many forms and does not always involve neighboring municipalities
- outlines scenarios where services may not be required for reserve creation
- supports a flexible approach to servicing lands proposed for reserve
- joint reserves
- eliminates the one-size-fits-all approach and minimizes the requirements for joint reserve creation
- clarifies that proposals for joint reserves will be considered where First Nations governance and management of a joint reserve have been addressed
The interim changes have been effective since their announcement in December 2024, and government officials have been instructed to apply them to both new Additions to Reserve proposals and those already in the system.
As of January 2026, Indigenous Services Canada has updated Canada's Additions to Reserve/Reserve Creation Policy Directive to reflect the 9 interim changes as well as additional administrative updates. Guidelines for the Interim Policy Redesign Measures have also been published to provide implementation guidance.
Related legislative framework
The policy and process is supported jointly between the departments of CIRNAC and ISC. The Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations is responsible to set apart land as reserve pursuant to the Addition of Lands to Reserves and Reserve Creation Act (ALRRCA) by way of Ministerial Orders. The Minister of Indigenous Services is responsible for the administration of reserve lands under the Indian Act, as well as the operational aspects of the policy and processes for additions to reserve and reserve creation.
ALRRCA came into force in 2019, to facilitate the setting apart of lands as reserves for the use and benefit of First Nations.
Through ALRRCA, all First Nations have access to the same procedural tools available through the former Claim Settlements (Alberta and Saskatchewan) Implementation Act of 2002:
- Additions to Reserve proposals are now approved by Ministerial Order
- First Nations have the option to designate or zone lands prior to lands being set apart as reserves to address the continuity of existing third-party interests
Land Code First Nations
Through the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management (FAFNLMA), the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations may, by order, and at the request of a First Nation with a land code in force, set land apart as a reserve for the use and benefit of that First Nation. Alternatively, First Nations that are operational under the Framework Agreement can also use ALRRCA to add land to reserve, before transferring administrative control of the newly added lands under its land code.
For more information, consult First Nation Land Management: Policy and legislation.
Past and current Additions to Reserve Policies
Since the first appearance of an Additions to Reserve Policy in 1972, there have been small incremental changes to the policy over 3 revisions. The current 2016 policy can be accessed through the Land Management Manual - Chapter 10.
Contact the Additions to Reserve Policy Redesign Unit to request a copy of the past policies.
- 1991 Additions to Reserve Policy
- 2001 Additions to Reserve Policy
Contact us
Additions to Reserve Policy Redesign Unit
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
25 Eddy Street, 6th Floor
Mail stop – 25E-32
Gatineau, QC K1A 0H4
Toll-Free: 1-833-860-7778