Engaging on Additions to Reserve Policy Redesign
Engaging with First Nations on the redesign of the Additions to Reserve Policy.
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Draft redesigned Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy
As a result of previous engagement activities, nearly 1,300 recommendations have been received from:
- First Nations
- First Nation organizations
- provinces and territories
- government departments
- internal partners
Of those recommendations, 930 were received through First Nation-led engagement and a review of multiple reports advanced by First Nations and First Nation organizations. These recommendations directly informed the draft Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy and directives.
The draft Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy and directives are now ready for review and feedback.
There are multiple ways to provide feedback on the draft Setting Apart Lands as Reserve Policy and directives:
- 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
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, email politique.aar-policy.atr@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca
Preliminary engagement: what we heard
From January 2022 to March 2023, the Government of Canada focused on preliminary engagement discussions with First Nations, Chiefs and Council, nation based collectives, national and regional Indigenous organizations to seek direction on meaningful engagement for the Additions to Reserve (ATR) Policy redesign. These discussions prioritized relationship building, trust and transparency and created space for the meaningful development of shared visions.
As engagement continues, roadblocks are being identified as well as potential solutions. First Nations have already provided insight to the challenges they face while attempting to set lands apart as reserve. The themes identified include:
- meaningful engagement on the Additions to Reserve Policy redesign
- transparency and communication
- Additions to Reserve process delays and concerns
- limiting policy and process requirements
- urban reserves and economic development
For more information, consult the What We Heard Report.
Literature review
In 2 phases, CIRNAC analyzed a comprehensive body of literature spanning two decades of feedback on the Additions to Reserve Policy and process. The review examined 45 documents – including reports, audits, and proposals focused on Additions to Reserves, Treaty Land Entitlement Land Management, and Indigenous economic development. More than 30 of these documents were advanced by First Nations and Indigenous organizations.
The analysis identified 307 specific recommendations aimed at addressing persistent challenges in converting land to reserve. These recommendations were organized into 6 key themes for policy and process redesign. These themes include:
- Policy, Legislation and other Authorities
- Directives, Process and Procedure
- Strategic Planning, Administration and Operation
- Capacity Support and Resource Planning
- Communication and Relationship-building
- Oversight and Reporting
Should you wish to be provided a copy of the Additions to Reserve Reports – Summary of Analysis and Findings and the list of recommendations, email politique.aar-policy.atr@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca.
Call for proposals
As part of First Nation-led development of a redesigned policy, CIRNAC launched a call for proposals in March 2023, inviting First Nations and Indigenous organizations to submit funding proposals that would support First Nations-led engagement to identify considerations and recommendations that will contribute to a collaborative policy.
The interest was overwhelming as CIRNAC received proposals from many individual First Nations, Tribal Councils, regional Indigenous organizations and national organizations. Fifty-eight proposals were approved for funding, providing over $3.9 million in engagement activity funding.
Proposals approved for funding
Below are the First Nations and First Nation organizations who were funded:
National
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| Land Advisory Board and Resource Centre (LABRC) | LABRC is using a portion of their annual funding for engagement and did not receive specific additional funding. |
| National Aboriginal Land Managers Association (NALMA) | $218,900 |
Alberta
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| Bloodtribe - Kainaiwa Specific Claims Trust No. 1 and 2 | $40,000 |
| Enoch Cree Nation | $40,000 |
| Fort McKay First Nation | $32,120 |
| Loon River First Nation | $40,000 |
| Samson Cree Nation | $33,990 |
Atlantic
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| Lennox Island First Nation | $33,000 |
| Membertou | $40,000 |
| Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn Inc. (MTI) | $175,000 |
| Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skuitk | $40,000 |
| The Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq (CMM) | $114,491 |
| Wolastoqey Nation | $130,640 |
British Columbia
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| Cowichan Tribes | $40,000 |
| Esquimalt Nation - 644 | $40,000 |
| K'omoks First Nations | $38,500 |
| Mamalilikulla First Nation | $40,000 |
| Old Massett Village Council | $148,500 |
| Seabird Island Band | $40,000 |
| Quatsino First Nation | $40,000 |
| Tahltan Band Council | $40,000 |
| Takla Nation | $39,910 |
| Tsartlip First Nation | $40,000 |
| Tseshaht First Nation | $40,000 |
Manitoba
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| Dauphin River First Nation | $40,000 |
| Long Plain First Nation | $29,000 |
| Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) | $153,450 |
| Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation | $37,360 |
| Norway House Cree Nation | $40,000 |
| Skownan First Nation | $30,360 |
| Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO) | $175,000 |
| Tataskweyak Cree Nation | $40,000 |
Ontario
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| Alderville First Nation | $32,976 |
| Anishinabek Nation | $175,000 |
| Biigtigong Nishnaabeg | $27,500 |
| Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek | $17,487 |
| Chiefs of Ontario (CoO) | $175,000 |
| Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation | $38,500 |
| Long Lake #58 First Nation | $40,000 |
| Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation | $33,000 |
| Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte | $40,000 |
| Nishnawbe Aski Nation | $175,000 |
| Pays Plat First Nation | $40,000 |
| Six Nations of the Grand River | $40,000 |
| United Chiefs and Councils of Mndioo Mnising (UCCMM) | $175,000 |
| Wasauksing First Nation | $39,014 |
| Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve | $31,900 |
Saskatchewan
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| English River First Nation | $40,000 |
| Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) | $175,000 |
| James Smith Cree Nation | $33,000 |
| Kahkewistahaw First Nation #72 | $110,000 |
| Lac La Ronge Indian Band | $36,300 |
| Meadow Lake Tribal Council | $174,706 |
| Onion Lake Cree Nation | $40,000 |
| Pelican Lake First Nation | $40,000 |
Quebec
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| First Nation Lands Managers Association of Québec and Labrador (FNLMAQL) | $155,580 |
| Mohawks of Akwesasne | $40,000 |
Yukon
| Funding applicant | Funding amount |
|---|---|
| White River First Nation | $39,109 |
The call for proposals closed May 19, 2023. As a result of the call for proposals, 48 reports were received from 46 First Nations and First Nation organizations. 672 recommendations have been extracted from these reports, analyzed and published into the Insights from Engagement Report, and directly informed the draft redesigned policy suite.
Results from engagement activities
Through preliminary engagement, the call for proposals and a literature review, CIRNAC collected 930 recommendations from First Nations and First Nation organizations on how best to redesign the ATR Policy.
CIRNAC's analyses of these recommendations, together with the full set of recommendations, are available in the Pathways to Additions to Reserve Policy reform: First Nation voices in action report.
Engagement metrics
From April 1, 2023 to January 30, 2026, CIRNAC participated in 320 engagement discussions about how the Additions to Reserve Policy can be a more effective and efficient instrument. These engagement activities included:
- 72 discussions with First Nations
- 84 discussions with national First Nation organizations
- 65 discussions with regional First Nation organizations
- 10 discussions with provinces
- 1 discussion with a municipality
- 88 discussions with other government departments and internal partners
Engagement with First Nations, provinces, government departments and internal partners, combined with the comprehensive literature review, identified 1,300 recommendations for policy and process redesign - over two-thirds of which originated from First Nations.
Many of the engagement discussions with First Nation partners were supported through the funding made available from the call for proposals. First Nation-led engagement ensures the Additions to Reserve Policy redesign is informed by lived experiences in alignment with the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
CIRNAC is thankful for the contributions that First Nation partners have made towards the Policy redesign and look forward to continuing dialogue during ongoing engagement.
Guiding principles for Additions to Reserve Policy redesign
The Government of Canada has developed a set of principles to guide the process of redesigning the federal Additions to Reserve Policy. The principles were developed based on the review and analysis of past literature as well as what was heard during preliminary engagement with First Nations. First Nations' input through the engagement process informed the guiding principles for the redesigned policy. However, the final policy principles may end up being very different, depending on feedback received through engagement activities on the draft redesigned policy.
The Government of Canada's long-term objective for the policy redesign is to provide direction and guidance on the process for the timely, effective and efficient addition of lands to First Nations reserves driven by the input provided by First Nations. It is recognized that for effective implementation of this policy, the required capacity and resources will need to be provided and maintained for both First Nations and the Government of Canada, as well as making tools available to provincial, territorial and municipal governments.
The current draft principles for the redesign process are:
- Principle 1: This policy adheres to the spirit and intent of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and aims to help fulfill the Declaration's implementation
- Principle 2: This policy provides guidance on the effective implementation to advance economic, social and cultural reconciliation between First Nations and the Crown
- Principle 3: Meeting the needs of First Nations in a timely fashion will be the primary driver in implementing this policy
- Principle 4: This policy provides guidance so that opportunities aren't missed due to avoidable delays in the process
- Principle 5: This policy is based on shared accountability between the Government of Canada, First Nations, provincial/territorial governments and holders of third-party interests. The federal government will advance its areas of responsibility to the best of its ability
- Principle 6: The implementation of this policy is flexible in order to accommodate and respect the diverse governance structures, jurisdictions and capacities of First Nations
- Principle 7: A foundation for this policy is the recognition that risk will be different for different parties, and whereby the risk for the federal government will not override overall decision-making
- Principle 8: This policy is based on transparency and clarity, where comprehensive information will be shared in a timely fashion, where possible
- Principle 9: It is recognized that disputes will arise and that effective and culturally informed mechanisms for their timely resolution may be required
For further information or to provide comments and feedback, please send an email to the Additions to Reserve Policy Redesign Unit.
Next steps
Once the review timeframe closes, CIRNAC will work to make additional changes to the policy suite documents to ensure alignment with feedback received prior to finalizing the policy.