2025-2026 Reporting on the Calls for Justice: 3.1 to 3.7: Health and Wellness

During the 2025-2026 fiscal year, CIHR, through Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health and in collaboration with partners across CIHR continued to support Indigenous-led, community-based, and distinctions-based health research. Notable examples include:

• CIHR-Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health completed 18 months of national engagement to inform its strategic directions, bringing together Indigenous partners, communities, researchers, trainees, and organizations to identify priorities and opportunities for Indigenous health research
  • This engagement helps ensure Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health -supported research reflects Indigenous-defined priorities, including those related to safety, wellness, healing, and culturally grounded care
• Support for the Indigenous Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative cohorts, advancing Indigenous-led research focused on health and wellness across the life course, including early life, families, and future generation

CIHR responds to Call for Justice 3.1 by advancing Indigenous-led, distinctions-based health research that supports Indigenous Peoples' rights to equitable health and wellness and strengthens culturally safe approaches to health systems and services. CIHR supports funding opportunities, partnerships, and research capacity building that prioritize Indigenous self-determination in research, strengthen Indigenous governance and leadership in health knowledge production, and promote approaches grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems. By strengthening policy, funding, and evaluation approaches that uphold Indigenous rights, CIHR helps to reduce systemic barriers to equitable participation in health research and supports the use of evidence grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and doing. CIHR, in partnership with the Department of Women and Gender Equality, also leads the National Women's Health Research Initiative (NWHRI) which is advancing a coordinated research program to address under-researched and high-priority areas of women's health. The NWHRI promotes an intersectional lens to research to reflect the diversity of women in Canada, aiming to ensure new evidence improves women's and gender-diverse people's care and health outcomes across the life course. Several research projects funded through the NWHRI focus on generating and mobilizing evidence to improve the health of Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people, such as the Inuit Perinatal Health Hub, which aims to improve health outcomes in Nunavut through the co-development of perinatal health resources designed with and for Inuit women.

• Indigenous-led health research leadership: CIHR-IIPH leads a national research agenda on Indigenous health and wellness and supports innovative research that can improve the health and wellbeing of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples
• Strengthened Indigenous self-determination in research: CIHR advances Indigenous self-determination in health research and supports Indigenous governance and leadership in health knowledge production through funding opportunities, partnerships, and research governance approaches
• Increased Indigenous research capacity and workforce pathways: CIHR supports training and mentorship for Indigenous researchers and health practitioners, including through partnerships with the Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research, post secondary institutions, and Indigenous organizations
• Culturally safe and community-based health evidence: CIHR funds research grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems and community defined priorities that can inform culturally safe, community-based health services and improve responsiveness of health systems
• Trauma-informed and culturally grounded healing approaches: CIHR supports Indigenous-led research that addresses intergenerational and collective healing and advances culturally grounded healing and wellness pathways, including the development and use of community defined indicators of wellness, including support for the National Women's Health Research Initiative focused on improving the health of Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people
• Distinctions-based Inuit research capacity and infrastructure: Through relationship building and partnerships with Inuit organizations, CIHR supports Inuit-led research capacity and infrastructure within Inuit Nunangat and strengthens conditions for Inuit defined research priorities, including continued support for the Inuit Research Network towards self-determination in interdisciplinary research and capacity building
• Inclusive research and improved evidence on 2SLGBTQI+ health realities: Through inclusive and community driven approaches, and where projects prioritize 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion, CIHR strengthens the potential for more accurate representation and improved evidence on the health realities of Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ people to inform culturally safe services and supports

The Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR) Program represents a commitment of $105.5 million over six years by CIHR to strengthen Indigenous health research capacity in Canada.

ISC remains committed to working collaboratively with partners to improve access to high-quality and culturally relevant health services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Work on distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation is currently paused due to broader changes within the federal government and a need to assess how it aligns with this government's legislative agenda. ISC continues to advance Indigenous health priorities through existing programs, funding, and other targeted initiatives.

The co-development of distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation responds to Call for Justice 3.1 by creating opportunities to support systemic transformation in Indigenous health through the recognition and advancement of Indigenous health and wellness priorities. The initiative enables distinctions-based policy and/or legislative development that centres Indigenous perspectives and participation in the design and delivery of health systems. Through ongoing engagement, the initiative promotes Indigenous-led solutions in health and wellness that reflect the distinct realities of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.

Indigenous survivors, families, and communities impacted by systemic inequities in health care benefit from this initiative through the development of policy and/or legislative options that promote accessible, culturally grounded, and community-driven health systems. By enabling Indigenous Peoples to define and lead their own health priorities, the initiative has the potential to strengthen accountability, transparency, and long-term investment in Indigenous wellness.

• Advances self-determination: Supports the co-development of distinctions-based policy and/or legislative options
• Promotes health equity: Works towards the co-development of culturally relevant policy and/or legislative options that address systemic health disparities
• Centers diverse voices: Ensures participation of Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and other partners with an intersectional lens in policy and/or legislative co-development
• Improves access to care: Strengthens the foundation for distinctions-based health systems that are responsive to needs
• Supports long-term reform: Establishes a collaborative process for transformative change in Indigenous health policy and/or legislative co-development

$15.6 million over two years, starting 2021-2022, was provided to support capacity for engagement, policy, and experts. Funding for this initiative sunset in 2022-2023. There is no additional funding at this time.

The Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund support a wide range of hunting and harvesting initiatives, and have collectively assisted more than 15,000 traditional harvesters. Through these programs, over 700 new food-sharing initiatives and 400 community hunts and harvests have been carried out across more than 112 remote communities, in partnership with 24 Indigenous governments and organizations. These new partnerships are fostering innovative supply networks, increasing access to country foods, promoting food sharing initiatives, and helping create low-cost food options that complement—and in many cases inspire—the restoration of traditional harvesting practices.

In the spirit of self-determination and to respect the principles of, for example, OCAP^®, projects are autonomously designed and implemented at the community level, and the specific, detailed results of each initiative remain with the funding recipients. As a result, detailed examples cannot be included in this report. This approach reflects and upholds the principle of self-determination, ensuring that Indigenous governance structures maintain full authority over their decision-making processes.

CIRNAC receives progress reports from recipients on the harvesting and food-sharing activities supported through the Harvesters Support Grant. These reports provide valuable qualitative insight into how the Grant benefits vulnerable groups, such as women and Elders, and continues to shape program development. Ongoing engagement with Indigenous partners further strengthens CIRNAC's understanding of the lived experiences of women and other vulnerable groups within eligible communities.

The Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund respond Call for Justice 3.1 by supporting access to traditional hunting, harvesting and food sharing, thereby affirming the rights to health and wellness of Indigenous Peoples.

• Increased food security: Funds traditional harvesting, food production, and food sharing initiatives
• Supporting traditional practices: Encourages the revitalization of Indigenous harvesting and food sharing customs. Strengthens Indigenous food systems and respects traditional hunting and harvesting rights
• Self-determination: Enables Indigenous communities to design and implement food security solutions that align with their needs and cultural traditions
• Community-driven solutions: Enables Indigenous communities to design and implement food security solutions that align with their needs and cultural traditions, and supports the capacity of Indigenous-led shelters, transition homes, and second-stage housing to provide adequate, healthy food to vulnerable people in crisis
• Supporting traditional practices:
  • Encourages the revitalization of Indigenous harvesting and food sharing customs. Programs that restore traditional food practices, such as community harvesting, land-based food systems, and food sovereignty initiatives
  • Shelters and safe spaces that incorporate land-based food programming can support healing, cultural connection, and self-sufficiency, particularly for those recovering from violence or displacement
• Holistic support: Funding supports a range of activities, including hunting, transportation, storage, and local food production
• Sustainable food access: Supports community-led food production and harvesting. Strengthens local food systems, including country foods (hunting, trapping, and fishing). Reduces dependency on external food sources, and the cost burden of food in remote communities
• Community food sovereignty: Ensures decisions about food security and resource allocation are community-driven and culturally appropriate, as Indigenous organizations govern and determine how funding supports their unique food security priorities and needs
• Support for Inuit harvesting practices: Funds harvesting equipment, transportation and storage infrastructure to ensures Inuit communities can continue traditional hunting and harvesting activities
• Enhanced food sharing networks: Strengthens community-driven, self-sufficient local food production and food distribution systems. Reduces reliance on store-bought food, which is often nutritionally inadequate and prohibitively expensive in northern communities
• Culturally relevant food security solutions: Supports Inuit-led initiatives to improve food sovereignty

In 2024, $96.7 million was allocated to the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund (HSG/CFPF) for the 2024–2027 funding cycle. Together, this brings the total investment in the HSG/CFPF programs over the three-year period to $120.7 million ($118.4 million has already been allocated, with the remainder in progress). This is in addition to funding allocated in 2021 to expand the Nutrition North Canda program.

Overall, from 2019 to 2027, a total of $255.1 million has been invested in HSG/CFPF programs. This includes $64 million in ongoing funding (based on $8 million per year from 2019 to 2027), along with an additional $191.1 million investments over the eight-year period.

Throughout the 2025-2026 fiscal year, meaningful progress was advanced by Indigenous partners and the IELCC Secretariat towards ensuring all Indigenous children have access to high-quality, culturally strong ELCC. Federal IELCC investments continued to be delivered to Indigenous partners through a distinctions-based approach, guided by approximately 60 Indigenous ELCC National and Regional Partnership Tables and/or bilateral arrangements. This partnership‑driven model supports Indigenous leaders at national and regional levels to direct funding allocations toward a wide range of community-identified priorities. In 2025-2026, investments supported governance and capacity building, enhancements to programs and services, infrastructure repairs and renovations (both minor and major capital), and continued strengthening of legacy programs, including the Aboriginal Head Start and First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative programs. Indigenous partners also advanced workforce development by investing in wage-grid development, targeted training, and partnerships with colleges/training institutions to recruit, train and retain Indigenous ECEs.

In addition to the progress achieved through the IELCC Initiative's distinctions-based funding, Indigenous organizations also advanced meaningful work supported by investments from the IELCC Quality Improvement Projects fund.

Highlights include:

• $649,187 was allocated to 2-Spirited Peoples of the First Nations' 2-Spirit Children and Caregiver Knowledge Sharing Project as part of IELCC's Quality Improvement Projects funding
  • This project aims to develop a specialized resource guide and deliver culturally tailored training for Two-Spirit children and caregivers. Rooted in the teachings of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, these resources and training sessions will ensure that care providers offer culturally appropriate and inclusive support for Two-Spirit children and their caregivers
• $546,940 was allocated to Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak's Enriching Métis Early Learners and Creating Métis-Specific Early Learning Tools as part of IELCC's the Quality Improvement Projects funding
  • This project aims to develop high quality, culturally-relevant and accessible tools and resources for Métis early learners and IELCC staff
• $635,421 was allocated to Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society's Improving Early Learning and Child Care Quality for Indigenous Children with Disabilities in Nunavut project as part of IELCC's Quality Improvement Projects funding
  • This project supports efforts to identify existing opportunities and gaps for children with disabilities; actively involve families in shaping an inclusive child care system; develop culturally relevant curricula and training on inclusive programs; and implement a quality assurance and evaluation framework to ensure programs effectively meet the unique needs of children with disabilities in Nunavut
• $354,149 was allocated to Gift Lake Métis Settlement Association's Gift Lake Aboriginal Head Start Improvement Initiative as part of IELCC's the Quality Improvement Projects funding
  • This project will support the development of new Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) programming, including the establishment of language nests, opportunities for children to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning, the creation of culturally sensitive learning environments, and the expansion of land-based learning initiatives

The IELCC Transformation Initiative responds in part to Call for Justice 3.1 by strengthening Indigenous led and federally supported early learning and child care programs that provide culturally grounded, holistic supports for Indigenous children and families. These programs integrate Indigenous languages, cultures, and traditions into early learning environments, ensuring that children have access to culturally affirming education from their earliest years. The initiative also enhances access to community-based resources, including health, education, social supports, and child care, that foster strong community connections and promote overall wellbeing. Through these investments, Indigenous children benefit from improved school readiness, strengthened cultural identity, and enhanced health and wellness from early childhood through adulthood.

• Equitable access to education:
  • Ensures that Indigenous children and families have access to high-quality, culturally appropriate early learning education
  • Targeted investments are made based on a recognition of the barriers that Inuit communities face in accessing education, including geographic isolation, lack of resources, and the need for culturally relevant curriculum
• Investment in Indigenous-led educational programs: Supports Indigenous-led, community-driven education that reflects community specific knowledge, language, and traditions
• Inuktut language integration: Expands Inuit-led language immersion programs in child care settings
• Investment in Inuit-led educational programs: Supports Inuit-led, community-driven education that reflects Inuit knowledge, language, and traditions, and expands programs that preserve and revitalize Inuit culture, particularly in early learning settings
• Michif language integration: Expands Michif-led language immersion programs in child care settings
• Investment in Métis-led educational programs: Supports Métis-led, community-driven education that reflects Métis knowledge, language, and traditions and expanding programs that preserve and revitalize Inuit culture, particularly in early learning settings

The IELCC Initiative is supported by a permanent and ongoing funding structure.

In 2025-2026 the total IELCC funding for each distinction includes $574.4 million for First Nations-led child care; $57.8 million for Inuit-specific early learning programs; and $194.4 million for Métis Nation-directed child care services.

The remaining 2025-2026 IELCC funding is not dedicated to the distinctions-based funding envelopes. Instead, $16 million is dedicated to the Quality Improvement Projects fund that finances projects that foster innovation and quality improvement in IELCC. Similarly, funding is also provided through the three IELCC Legacy funding streams. In 2025-2026, $42 million was dedicated to the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve program, $29 million to the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities program, and $55 million to the First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative. The first three years of repair and renovation funding was federally administered to existing legacy sites, beginning in 2025-2026 Repair and renovation funding is distinction led and within the distinction specific envelopes. This is in addition to any funding that may be allocated to Indigenous communities for ELCC, via funding agreements with provinces and territories.

As of March 31, 2026, $395.97 million has been conditionally or financially committed toward the construction of 38 new shelters and 42 transitional homes.

• Initial capital funding to projects: $398 million
  • $7.2 million per facility in Territories and Inuit Nunangat
  • $3.48 million per facility in Provinces
• $22 million in administrative funding

The ISTHI responds to Call for Justice 3.1 by providing emergency and transitional housing for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. Access to these essential supports and services support their health and wellness.

• Housing expansion: Expanded emergency and transitional housing for Indigenous survivors of gender-based violence, including Indigenous-led projects
• Enhanced Indigenous-led supports: Strengthened Indigenous-led victim services and housing supports, including increased access to safe, culturally appropriate housing
• Culturally relevant support services: Increased access to culturally appropriate, trauma-informed, community-led, wraparound support services for survivors
• Enhanced safety and stability for survivors: Increased safety and security for Indigenous women and families escaping violence, including long-term options
• Sustainable housing solutions: Support for long-term housing solutions and wraparound services
• Indigenous leadership and capacity building: Strengthened Indigenous leadership in family violence prevention and provided funding for community-led violence prevention
• Métis-led violence prevention and leadership in housing services: Strengthened Métis-led violence prevention efforts and leadership in shelter and housing services
• Expansion of culturally appropriate supports: Expansion of culturally appropriate, community-driven supports

Since 2021, $395.97 million has been committed towards the construction of new shelters, with construction funding managed by CMHC and flowed to Indigenous partners.

In the 2025-2026 fiscal year, CMHC funded four new projects through ISTHI and provided $16.7 million in funding.

The Pan-Canadian Health Data Charter responds to Call for Justice 3.1 call by grounding pan-Canadian health data practices in a person-centred, equity- and rights-informed approach, including commitments to common standards and policies that make it easier for people to access their own health information and have it securely shared across care settings with privacy protections. The Charter also positions governments to work closely together to foster Indigenous data sovereignty and Indigenous-led health data governance, which supports recognition of Indigenous Peoples' rights and authority over how data about them is collected, governed, accessed, and used. By improving comparability, timeliness, and governance alignment for health data, the Charter can strengthen the evidence base needed to identify inequities affecting Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people and to track whether system changes are producing more equitable outcomes over time.

• Improved continuity of care through interoperable data: Establishes a shared pan-Canadian direction for data standards and portability so health information can follow individuals across providers and jurisdictions, supporting more consistent care experiences and reducing administrative barriers when people move or seek services in different settings
• Stronger privacy, security, and trust in health data use: Reinforces privacy-protective sharing, quality, and security expectations across jurisdictions, helping reduce risks of misuse and improving public confidence that personal health information is handled responsibly
• Greater transparency and meaningful access for patients and families: Advances principles that support timely access to one's own health information and clearer public reporting on system outcomes, strengthening patient participation in care decisions and enabling families to better navigate services
• More timely, comparable public health data for preparedness and response: Supports PHAC's public health data modernization objectives by promoting consistent data collection and reporting approaches, strengthening surveillance, emergency readiness, and the ability to identify and respond to emerging health threats
• Better identification and monitoring of inequities, including for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people: Improves the foundation for disaggregated, comparable data and coordinated governance, enabling clearer measurement of disparities and tracking of whether reforms are advancing equitable health and wellness outcomes over time
• Advances Indigenous data sovereignty and Indigenous-led governance: Explicitly affirms First Nations, Inuit, and Métis data sovereignty and supports Indigenous-led governance frameworks, strengthening Indigenous authority over how health data about their Peoples and communities is governed, accessed, and used
• More ethical, evidence-informed policy and service improvement: Encourages ethical use of health data to improve policies, programs, and services, supporting better decision-making and stronger accountability through more reliable evidence
• Enables innovation and builds system capacity: Promotes coordinated governance, best practices, and health data literacy, helping build workforce and institutional capacity to use health data effectively while supporting responsible innovation across jurisdictions

The SRHF provided:

• $403,602 ($221,652 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to the Canadian Association of Pharmacists' project to develop a comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health care toolkit for pharmacists on abortion, contraception, fertility, and broader supports care for Indigenous and Two-Spirit patients
  • The project will partner with the Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada to increase access to culturally appropriate care by ensuring the toolkit addresses the unique health system navigation needs of Indigenous individuals, applicable to the Non-Insured Health Benefit program
  • Led by an advisory board of experts and people with lived experience, the project will conduct needs assessments, implement awareness building campaigns, and develop multi-lingual culturally appropriate sexual and reproductive health resources and content
• $442,713 ($223,713 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to Support Network for Indigenous Women and Women of Colour's project to improve sexual and reproductive health access for Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities in British Columbia and Alberta by providing essential and culturally relevant information to facilitate informed decision-making
  • Evidence-based project activities guided by an advisory working group of subject matter experts and people with lived experience include trainings, workshops, monthly conversation cafes and community outreach
• $171,854 ($85,002 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to Northern Birthwork Collective's (under the care of Makeway Charitable Society) project to address challenges faced by individuals seeking abortion services in the Northwest Territories through on-call birthworkers that provide comprehensive abortion and health system navigation support. Northern Birthwork Collective's project is designed to provide holistic support through additional financial assistance for medical escorts, community outreach and education
  • Project activities are guided by a steering committee of people with lived experience, Indigenous Elders and birthworkers to ensure the project remains culturally safer and grounded in Indigenous values and traditions
• $747,870 ($362,717 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to the project led in partnership between the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC), the Partnership for Women's Health Research, and Ganawishkadawe - The Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health, to reduce barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care among Indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities
  • Project activities are aimed at improving digital literacy, and fostering confidence in navigating an increasingly complex information landscape
  • In collaboration with these underserved communities and subject matter experts, the project will co-create sexual and reproductive health information and resources and distribute them through social media campaigns and in-person community events
• $728,305 ($224,094 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to the Canadian Association of Midwives' (in partnership with the National Council of Indigenous Midwives) project that works towards the goal of reproductive health equity for all
  • It is addressing the needs of underserved communities in Canada by developing professional development training for midwives, as well as developing culturally relevant tools and public awareness campaigns to enhance access to sexual and reproductive health services for underserved populations including immigrant populations, racialized people, 2SLGBTQI+ clients, and women and youth in rural and remote communities
• $966,884 ($327,758 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to the Endometriosis Network Canada's (in partnership with Moon Time Connections) project with the goal of building a better future for the next generation of Canadians living with endometriosis
  • The project supports youth through accessible resources, digital tools, and outreach activities that are developed and distributed in close collaboration with youth to increase the capacity of youth living with endometriosis to better navigate their access to care
• $860,078 ($257,909 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to Fertility Matters Canada's (in partnership with ParriagGroup) project to improve access to fertility care and assisted human reproduction for Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ communities
  • The project supports the development, publication and dissemination of an online tool that will help people understand and navigate fertility information and care by asking a series of simple questions. This will help them prepare for conversations with their health care provider and facilitate shared decision making

The Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund responds to Call for Justice 3.1 by providing funding for up to 7 projects to develop informational and educational resources on abortion, contraception, endometriosis, fertility, and other sexual and reproductive health topics for Indigenous communities (including Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+) and their health care providers to improve access to culturally appropriate information and care.

• Improves access to timely sexual and reproductive health care for underserved populations: By funding community-based projects, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund reduces practical barriers to care (for example, navigation supports, service outreach, and travel-related supports where applicable), improving access to contraception, abortion-related information and supports, and other services for those facing systemic barriers, including Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people
• Expands culturally appropriate, Indigenous-centered information and services: Funding for Indigenous-focused projects strengthens access to culturally relevant resources and supports for sexual and reproductive health care, which reflect community priorities and distinctions-based contexts and support safer pathways to care for Indigenous families and survivors impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis
• Strengthens Indigenous-led capacity and community control in health service delivery: By supporting Indigenous-led projects and Indigenous-led third-party organizations, the Fund increases community capacity to co-design and deliver initiatives that are grounded in Indigenous governance, local knowledge, and community-defined needs, advancing longer-term self-determined approaches to health programming
• Improves provider knowledge and service quality through targeted education and training: Provider-facing resources and training (including for midwives, pharmacists, and other health and service providers) support more consistent, culturally safer, and gender-inclusive sexual and reproductive health R care, helping to reduce harms linked to stigma, misinformation, and discriminatory service experiences
• Supports Inuit-relevant maternal and reproductive care pathways where projects align: The Fund supports projects that strengthen access to midwifery, birthworker, and pharmacist-related supports can contribute to improved access for Inuit, particularly where projects are tailored to northern and remote service realities and strengthen culturally appropriate care options
• Centers 2SLGBTQI+ community guidance to improve cultural safety and program relevance: By funding projects that engage 2SLGBTQI+ communities to guide design and implementation, the Fund strengthens community-informed approaches to a range of sexual and reproductive health programs, including initiatives that address misinformation and barriers affecting both 2SLGBTQI+ and Indigenous communities
• Improves the evidence base for equitable SRH access: The Fund's investments that support data collection and knowledge-building help identify service gaps and effective community-based approaches, strengthening accountability for addressing inequities in access over time, including inequities experienced by Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ communities

Since it was established, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund has received $81 million in federal investments to support community-based projects. For 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, it is receiving an additional $10 million annually. As of 2027-2028, it will have $20 million per year ongoing. In 2025-2026, $12.6 million has been allocated to the Government of Quebec and 24 newly funded projects. Up to $1.7 million is allocated to six projects that contribute to the federal Calls to Justice.

Stream Three of the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) program operates on a two-year intake cycle. Final reports and the data extracted from them (such as the number of participants and the number of communities reached) will be available after June 2026.

For the 2025-2026 42 projects are being delivered across Canada. The 42 projects are multi-year and a continuation from the 2024-2025 fiscal year. They will conclude on March 31, 2026.

The following are some examples of funded projects.

• The Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan was allocated $40,000 in funding to have a Coaches Mentorship Program that pairs mentee coaches with professional mentors for a 16-week program, offering coaching education, workshops, and cultural sessions to support physical, mental, and spiritual development. Additionally, the project hosts Female and Gender Diverse Camps, providing all-girls and 2SLGBTQI+ athletes with basketball, wellness workshops, cultural education, and travel support.
• Minwaashin Lodge: Indigenous Women's Support Centre was allocated $60,000 in funding to host a land-based healing and cultural empowerment program for Indigenous women, youth, and children, aiming to support healing from violence and trauma through seasonal traditions and land-based activities like sweat lodge ceremonies, medicine walks, and snowshoeing. The program will provide holistic health support by reconnecting participants to culture, community, and elders, while offering a culturally safe environment for healing and resilience, particularly for those in urban areas facing intersecting vulnerabilities like poverty, violence, and homelessness.
• 2Spirit Manitoba Inc. was allocated $84,614 in funding to support two-spirit individuals in remote, rural, and urban areas by providing access to land-based programs, cultural activities, and ceremonies, while fostering community connections through virtual and in-person sharing circles. The project includes equipment purchases, travel support, and the facilitation of various events such as sweat lodge ceremonies, drum groups, and seasonal camps to build capacity and strengthen ties within two-spirit communities.
• Whitefish Lake Band #128 was allocated $50,000 in funding. The Whitefish Lake Band's project focuses on promoting mental, physical, and emotional well-being by offering culturally-relevant activities, such as traditional games and healing workshops, while addressing critical issues like suicide prevention, sexual trafficking, and violence prevention. It also emphasizes creating inclusive spaces and programs that support indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, fostering empowerment, safety, and community cohesion.

This initiative responds to Call for Justice 3.1 by ensuring that Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples have equitable access to sports, recreational, and physical activities that align with their self-identified health and wellness goals. By investing in culturally-relevant and community-led programming, SSDIC Stream Three supports holistic approaches to wellness and addresses the systemic barriers that limit participation in sports. Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from this program as it fosters health and wellness through Indigenous-led sport-based initiatives.

• Improved access to sport and recreation: Reduces financial and systemic barriers that prevent Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples from participating in sports and recreational activities. Supports initiatives that ensure Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples have access to projects that improve health and wellness outcomes
• Enhanced social development outcomes: Addresses key social issues, including suicide prevention, sexual trafficking awareness, sexual positivity, physical and mental health, and safe relationships
• Strengthened Indigenous leadership and self-determination: Builds capacity within Indigenous communities to sustain and expand wellness-focused programming. Invests in Indigenous-led organizations designing initiatives that reflect Indigenous cultural values, traditions, and community priorities
• Increased community-led sports programming: Funds Indigenous organizations to develop and deliver culturally relevant sport and recreation initiatives
• Healing and well-being through sport: Provides families and survivors who have experienced trauma, violence, or loss access to safe and supportive recreational spaces that promote mental and physical healing
• Greater access to safe and inclusive spaces: Supports initiatives that ensure Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples have safe, welcoming environments to engage in sport and recreation

With an annual budget of $2.5 million, SSDIC – Stream Three ensures that Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples have meaningful opportunities to engage in activities that promote well-being. In 2021 $14.3 million over five years, with $2.9 million in ongoing funding was allocated to sustain and expand program access. To date, $2.5 million has been allocated for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Indigenous partner involvement, through consultation and co-operation on implementation of the UN Declaration Act Action Plan, remains ongoing, including through approx. 197 Justice-led meetings held between April 2025 and March 2026, with Indigenous partners. Justice Canada has also supported the creation of the UN Declaration Act Action Plan Advisory Committee (APAC), which began its work in Spring 2025. The Committee will provide valuable expertise and advice as the Minister implements the Shared Priorities measures in the Action Plan, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples and with other federal ministers. This could include advice on measures relating to Indigenous participation in decision-making, free, prior, and informed consent, and mechanisms for oversight and accountability, among others. The APAC is an Indigenous-led, independent body made up of 10 experts from diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis backgrounds and experiences, including Historic and Modern Treaty partners. The Committee reflects distinct perspectives shaped by Indigenous cultures, languages, traditions, and experiences, including Indigenous people living in urban areas, regional and gender diversity. The establishment is an important step in advancing implementation of measure 22 of the Shared Priorities chapter of the UN Declaration Act Action Plan.

In line with section 7 of UN Declaration Act, the 2025-2026 annual report on implementation will be prepared by June 30, 2026, and tabled in Parliament thereafter. The 2025-2026 annual report, as well as previous annual reports, can be found on the Department of Justice Canada's website when it becomes available: Annual progress reports on implementing the UN Declaration Act. Ongoing engagement is focused on supporting implementation of the UN Declaration Act Action Plan, monitoring progress, and ensuring opportunities for periodic renewal and co-development of new priorities.

The UN Declaration Act fulfills Call for Justice 3.1 by establishing a legislative framework to support the full and effective implementation of the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canadian law, in alignment with the UN Declaration. The UN Declaration Act mandates that the Government of Canada, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples, take all necessary measures to ensure federal laws are consistent with the Declaration. It further requires the co-development of a national UN Declaration Act Action Plan that identifies concrete measures to achieve the objectives of the Declaration and establishes annual reporting requirements to promote transparency and accountability. This framework reflects a commitment to transforming the relationship between the Crown and Indigenous Peoples by embedding principles of shared governance, legal recognition of inherent rights, and the co-creation of solutions. Implementation of the UN Declaration Act contributes to the structural and legislative changes necessary to address the root causes of systemic inequality, colonialism, and discrimination, and aligns with the federal government's broader commitments to reconciliation and justice.

Implementation of the UN Declaration Act Action Plan supports Indigenous-led processes that advance culturally grounded, distinctions-based solutions in areas such as safety, justice, healing, and governance. Targeted capacity funding further enables the participation of Indigenous women's organizations, 2SLGBTQI+ groups, and other community-based partners in UN Declaration Act's implementation. Collectively, these measures contribute to long-term institutional transformation and reinforce the rights of Indigenous Peoples to participate fully and equitably in the design of laws, policies, and systems that affect their lives.

• Reduces systemic barriers: Supports review and amendment of Canadian laws over time to align with Indigenous rights, reducing legislative and policy barriers rooted in colonialism
• Centers Indigenous rights and priorities: Affirms Indigenous Peoples' right to self-determination, and leadership in the development and implementation of the UNDA Action Plan
• Supports gender and identity inclusion: Provides capacity funding for Indigenous women's organizations, youth, Elders, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and urban Indigenous organizations to participate in implementation
• Advances legal and policy transformation: Initiates broad legal and policy shifts through the implementation of the UN Declaration across all federal departments and agencies
• Provides accountability mechanisms: Requires annual reports to Parliament and supports transparency and progress tracking through indicators and engagement

The Government invested $26 million over two years starting in 2021 for Indigenous partners to participate in developing the UN Declaration Act Action Plan. A further investment of $37 million over five years, starting in 2023-2024, supports consultation and cooperation, with $4 million ongoing, to support Indigenous partners participation in UN Declaration Act implementation.

UPIP provided funding to urban Indigenous organizations delivering culturally relevant programs and services across Canada in 2025-2026. Examples of funding projects and partner organizations are available on the Government of Canada website at:

• Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples: Programs and services funded projects
• Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples: Organizational capacity funded organizations

Projects funded through the 2023-2025 call for proposals continued to be funded through the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

UPIP responds to part of Call for Justice 3.1 by supporting culturally appropriate wellness and social services delivered through Indigenous-led urban service organizations that are designed around local priorities and community defined needs. UPIP strengthens the ability of funded organizations to provide outreach, transition and navigation services, and community wellness initiatives that help reduce barriers to accessing supports in urban centres. Through project based funding, UPIP can also support programming for women, vulnerable populations, and youth, including culturally grounded activities and service connections that respond to complex needs linked to housing insecurity, violence, and social exclusion. Alignment is partial because the scope, intensity, and mix of services vary by community and by funded organization, and not all locations will have the same service coverage. Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from improved access to culturally safe wellness and social supports that can strengthen safety and wellbeing for Indigenous people in cities, including Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

• Indigenous-led urban service delivery capacity: funds more than 120 Indigenous organizations, including Friendship Centres, Métis organizations, and Inuit service providers, strengthening consistent service delivery in urban centres and in rural and northern hub communities
• Immediate safety and culturally safe supports: expands access to outreach, transition and navigation services, and community defined wellness programming that responds to heightened risks of violence, homelessness, and exclusion for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people in cities
• Housing stability and safer pathways out of homelessness: supports Indigenous housing projects, including purchases, new construction, repairs, and renovations, improving access to housing related supports for people who are homeless, near homeless, or fleeing violence
• Safer and more accessible service spaces: invests in infrastructure upgrades that increase capacity and strengthen safety, security, and accessibility of service delivery facilities so organizations can deliver programming in safer environments and respond to increased demand
• Social and economic security supports: funds community defined youth programming, mentoring, transition supports, and pre employment activities that strengthen pathways to education, skills development, and employment, particularly for populations experiencing heightened vulnerability.
• Coordinated and evidence informed urban programming: supports local coalitions and research and innovation to identify priorities, strengthen coordination, gather promising practices, and pilot new approaches that improve urban Indigenous service delivery over time

• Approximately $91.1 million was invested through UPIP in 2025-2026 to support urban Indigenous service delivery organizations providing culturally relevant programs, services, and community-based initiatives across Canada including:
  • $27.5 million in ongoing annual program funding
  • $33.6 million in one-year renewal funding to address sunsetting pressures in 2025-2026
  • And the final year of the $60 million provided in Budget 2024 to support Friendship Centres over two years

UPIP received a funding decision in March 2026, of $168 million over 5 years to enhance the on-going direct service delivery model through the National Association of Friendship Centres and the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres. This funding is in addition to the ongoing annual program funding; this funding is intended to provide additional support to the Friendship Centre Movement under the Organizational Capacity and Programs and Services funding streams.

With funding allocated since 2024, ISC has supported various Indigenous partners and health organizations to implement Indigenous-led initiatives nationally in 2025-2026. These initiatives address anti-Indigenous racism in health systems and improve access to high quality and culturally safe health services for Indigenous Peoples across all provinces and territories, and in urban settings. Various Health System Navigator and Patient Advocate positions across the country are being supported through this initiative.ese positions are improving access to culturally safe care, and in some cases, offering spiritual support and services to clients in their Indigenous language. First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations also continue to be supported in their ongoing work to advance the restoration of Indigenous midwifery through the development or expansion of Indigenous midwifery programs, including Indigenous midwifery education. Furthermore, national Indigenous health organizations continue to be supported.

In 2025-2026, AAIR Indigenous health system navigators and advocates responds to MMIWG Calls for Justice by improving access to culturally safe, trauma-informed, and Indigenous-led health supports for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. These roles help patients navigate complex health systems, access advocacy and recourse pathways, understand their rights, and address experiences of racism and discrimination in care settings. Examples of ongoing work include:

• Métis Nation British Columbia developed a Métis Health Experience Guidebook to support Métis patients in navigating health systems, understanding their rights, and accessing culturally safe care.
• 46 Indigenous health system navigators have been hired across the country. 18 are First Nations–specific, 6 are Métis-specific, and 22 serve all distinctions through National Association of Friendship Centers (NAFC) in urban areas.
• 6 Indigenous patient advocates have been hired nationally, including 5 who are First Nations–specific and 1 who is Métis-specific.
• The First Nations Health Ombudsperson Office in Saskatchewan continues to provide culturally safe advocacy, complaint resolution, and accountability mechanisms for First Nations patients experiencing racism, discrimination, or inequitable treatment within health systems.

In 2025-2026, AAIR supported national Indigenous health professional organizations to strengthen Indigenous-led advocacy, workforce development, patient support, mentorship, wellness initiatives, and system transformation efforts. Examples of ongoing work include:

• Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) co-developed wellness and healing resources for Indigenous physicians and learners in partnership with Canadian Medical Association. They delivered mentorship initiatives reaching 14 Indigenous medical student while strengthening partnerships with the Conference Board of Canada to produce quantitative & qualitative reports identifying gaps and recommendations to improve supports for Indigenous medical learners. They also collaborated with Black Physicians of Canada, Federation of Medical Women of Canada, and Resident Doctors of Canada to advance equitable residency reforms and anti-racism in medical education.
• Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada developed educational modules on equity, diversity, inclusivity and Indigenous health to all pharmacy faculties and students. They partnered with pharmacy faculty members to create Indigenous-led pharmacy training, assignments and frameworks, applying Indigenous cultural and health equity learnings. They also launched a 6-module series on Indigenous Cultural Competency Training for pharmacy professionals: EDI and Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety Training for Pharmacy Professionals. And they translated best practices into self-regulated models for pharmacy professionals.
• First Nations Health Managers Association continues to develop training curriculum for Indigenous health system navigators to support standardization, education and network building for AAIR Indigenous navigators across the health system.
• National Collaborating Center for Indigenous Health's (NCCIH) Hearts-based Education and Anti-colonial Learning in Healthcare (H.E.A.L) project used arts-based, anti-colonial, and anti-oppressive learning approaches to address systemic racism and bias in health care. It was developed in collaboration with the Health Arts Research Centre and serves as an open-access initiative that uses storytelling, poetry, and visual arts to humanize patient experiences, strengthen culturally safe care, and support health providers, educators, and institutions in confronting colonial harms and inequities impacting First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse peoples.

In 2025-2026, the Indigenous midwifery funding continues to support the work being done by Indigenous midwives, communities, and advocates to restore Indigenous birth practices. Examples of this ongoing work include:

• The National Council of Indigenous Midwives' new Indigenous Midwifery Education Framework is supporting Nations to educate their own midwives and bring birth back to community
  • As of fall 2025, 13 Indigenous midwifery students in 8 communities are completing their education while living and working in their Nations, an approach that strengthens cultural continuity, supports family wellness, and advances Indigenous self-determination in health care
• Sturgeon Lake First Nation, one of the original Budget 2017 Indigenous Midwifery demonstration projects, celebrated its first midwife assisted birth in the community in over 50 years in 2022
  • The community received additional investments for construction of their new standalone birthing centre, the Shirley Bighead Nihtāwiki and Ohpikihāwasowin Birthing and Childrearing Lodge, which opened on April 29, 2026
• New Métis-specific midwifery and doula projects are underway, including work by the Métis Nation Saskatchewan towards the development of a Métis midwifery education and training program, and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government's wraparound supports for expectant Métis families in Alberta provided and coordinated by Aunties.
• The development and implementation of a network of Indigenous birth support workers in Saskatchewan to increase the accessibility of culturally appropriate services during hospital births
  • These birth workers have access to training and provide one-on-one advocacy and support to First Nations families.
  • They also coordinate a network of referrals connecting families with community-based services to maximize the potential for a safe return home.
• Meadow Lake Tribal Council has begun work toward a community-based midwifery program and birth lodge in Canoe Lake
  • They have developed an Elders' committee and have begun community consultation to plan the path forward
• First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) has developed a series of certificate level programs: Indigenous Birth Support Workers, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and End-of-Life Care
  • Training is available both in-person and online to maximize accessibility
  • The courses may be used toward a degree in midwifery
  • FNUniv has also developed a series of online micro-credentials for people who provide care and comfort during pregnancy, childbirth and/or the postpartum period
  • Courses focuses on understanding the unique needs of families during this crucial time

The AAIR initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 3.2 by funding Indigenous communities and organizations to develop or expand Indigenous midwifery and doula education pathways, services and infrastructure. These funds increase access to community-based culturally safe reproductive care. By supporting culturally grounded education pathways, the initiative is helping to grow a workforce of Indigenous midwives and birth workers and expand access to culturally safe prenatal, birthing, and postpartum care.

Indigenous survivors, families, and communities impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis benefit from sexual and reproductive health services that affirm Indigenous birthing practices, restore cultural continuity, and reduce risk factors associated with colonization, isolation, and systemic neglect in the healthcare system.

• Strengthens cultural safety: Supports culturally appropriate services across the health system
• Supports system navigation: Supports the training and employment of Indigenous health navigators and patient advocates
• Increases representation: Creates pathways for increasing Indigenous representation in health professions
• Prevents violence in care: Improves awareness and accountability through culturally safe training
• Supports reproductive justice: Expands access to Indigenous midwives, birth workers, and wraparound supports

Building on the success of 2021 investments, in 2024 the government reinvested $167.6 million over five years, starting in 2024-2025, to combat anti-Indigenous racism in Canada's health systems. Funding allocations are guided by distinctions-based approaches, community needs, and collaboration with Indigenous health leaders and regional tables to ensure ongoing relevance and impact.

Funding continued to support a range of municipal and Indigenous-led projects, including those delivered by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations, to expand access to culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and evidence-based services. Planned investments focused on approved, project-ready initiatives addressing urgent, community-identified needs and demonstrating the ability to deliver immediate impact.

The ETF supported 51 projects focused on Indigenous populations, representing a total investment of over $35 million, across multiple regions, including remote and northern Indigenous communities. Contribution funding is intended to expand mobile outreach and treatment access, deliver harm reduction services such as overdose prevention and naloxone distribution, strengthen crisis response and stabilization supports, and support community-based care models, including culturally responsive addiction supports, peer- and Elder-led programming, and land-based healing approaches.

Health Canada launched the 2025 Call For Proposals for the ETF to distribute remaining ETF funding allocated under Budget 2024. The CFP closed on November 4, 2025. New projects selected for funding are set to begin as early as April 1, 2026, with announcements of new projects to follow.

As of March 31, 2026, the ETF has committed funding to 68 Indigenous-focused projects across Canada worth over $61 million (this is inclusive of the 51 projects / $35 million figure provided above). Additional information on ETF and future funding opportunities can be found on Emergency Treatment Fund: About the Fund. The ETF webpage is updated on an ongoing basis as further project announcements are made.

The ETF helps respond to Call for Justice 3.2 by funding First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations to strengthen access to culturally appropriate, Indigenous-led mental health and substance use services. These projects offer a range of services including community programming and on-the-land healing, increased access to Knowledge Keepers, Elders and other Indigenous professionals, support services and navigation for individuals about to enter treatment, recovery and wraparound services, expanded mobile outreach services to underserved or remote communities, education, access to prevention and harm reduction approaches, and overdose response services. ETF funding requires recipients to integrate of sex- and gender-based analysis plus considerations in project design to ensure that supported activities are responsive and inclusive, including meaningfully addressing the needs of key target populations such as Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

Indigenous families and survivors benefit from these ETF-funded services because they are designed and led by Indigenous communities themselves, ensuring that supports reflect local realities, cultural values, priorities, and strengths. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from improved community-defined access to culturally appropriate, community-based health and wellness services that reduce barriers to care and strengthen local capacity to respond to the overdose crisis.

• Strengthens community-based care: Expands access to culturally appropriate, Indigenous-led mental health and substance use services across First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities
• Builds local capacity: Supports local staff recruitment, training, and development to deliver trauma-informed, community-driven care
• Expanded access to culturally relevant, trauma-informed supports: ETF-funded activities increase availability of Indigenous-led programming across the continuum of care, including cultural/community programming and on-the-land healing, recovery supports, and wraparound services that improve access and continuity
• Strengthened harm reduction and frontline capacity: Funding supports critical life-saving interventions, harm reduction and overdose prevention measures (including naloxone), overdose response services, and training/education that improve community readiness and reduce immediate risks of overdose-related harms
• Promotes self-determination, equity and inclusion: Ensures Indigenous communities design and lead projects that respond directly to their needs, guided by principles of equity, flexibility, and collaboration
• Expands reach and representation: Engages and funds a diverse range of rights-holders, regional and national Indigenous governments and organizations, including First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Self-Governing Nations, and Modern Treaty Holders. This demonstrates strong engagement and readiness to fund the delivery of culturally grounded services where Indigenous leaders identify capacity
• Improves accessibility: Provides timely and flexible funding to ensure communities can respond rapidly to urgent health and wellness challenges

Through Budget 2024, the Government of Canada committed $150 million over three years, starting in 2024-2025, to expand the ETF. Funding is available to municipalities and Indigenous communities to provide rapid responses to emergent, critical needs related to the substance use and overdose crisis.

In 2025-2026, the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program continued to fund a national network of an estimated 1,000 community-based Cultural Support Providers and Emotional Support Workers through over 250 funding agreements, to provide access to cultural supports, emotional supports for eligible individuals, and funded access to mental health counselling and medical transportation assistance to support access when counselling services were not readily available.

The Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program also continued to fund the Hope for Wellness Helpline, National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line.

The Mental Wellness Program responds to part of Call for Justice 3.2 by funding and supporting culturally appropriate, accessible, and trauma-informed mental health and substance use services for Indigenous Peoples. Through investments in Indigenous-led suicide prevention and life promotion initiatives, 24/7 crisis intervention services, and mobile Mental Wellness Teams, the program enhances immediate and culturally grounded responses to mental health needs. The program strengthens the delivery of substance use prevention and treatment services in Indigenous communities, incorporating traditional healing practices and wraparound supports that reflect Indigenous knowledge systems. Indigenous Survivors, families, and communities benefit from this program as it provides safe, culturally rooted pathways to healing and wellness, reduces barriers to care, and empowers communities to lead and define their own approaches to mental health and well-being.

Survivors, family members, and Indigenous people affected by the loss of missing or murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people can access trauma-informed mental wellness services regardless of Indigenous status or place of residence within Canada. This includes access to cultural supports (Elders, Knowledge Holders, Traditional Healers, ceremony), emotional supports (community-based health workers, peer supports), mental health counselling services (registered psychologists, registered social workers), and medical transportation assistance to support access to Traditional Healing, ceremony and mental health counselling services when not available locally. Cultural support and emotional support services are delivered through approximately 250 funding agreements, while mental health counselling is delivered through a fee-for-service model. There are no costs to individuals for accessing any of the services through this program.

Accessibility to services is further supported through three national helplines (The Hope for Wellness Helpline, The National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line, The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line).

Funding for the Mental Wellness Program for 2026-2027 is approximately $768 million. This amount includes recent funding investments from 2021, 2022, and 2024. Specifically, 2024 investments provided $630.2 million over two years, starting in 2024-2025, to support Indigenous people's access to mental health services, including through distinctions-based mental wellness strategies.

On March 27, 2026, a total investment of $630 million over two years, starting in 2026-2027, was announced to support the availability, accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of mental wellness services for Indigenous Peoples across the country, including the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program, wraparound supports at opioid agonist therapy sites, mental wellness teams and continued access to crisis lines.

The SRHF provided:

• $403,602 ($221,652 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to the Canadian Association of Pharmacists' project to develop a comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health care toolkit for pharmacists on abortion, contraception, fertility, and broader supports care for Indigenous and Two-Spirit patients
  • The project will partner with the Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada to increase access to culturally appropriate care by ensuring the toolkit addresses the unique health system navigation needs of Indigenous individuals, applicable to the Non-Insured Health Benefit program
  • Led by an advisory board of experts and people with lived experience, the project will conduct needs assessments, implement awareness building campaigns, and develop multi-lingual culturally appropriate sexual and reproductive health resources and content
• $442,713 ($223,713 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to Support Network for Indigenous Women and Women of Colour's project to improve sexual and reproductive health access for Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities in British Columbia and Alberta by providing essential and culturally relevant information to facilitate informed decision-making
  • Evidence-based project activities guided by an advisory working group of subject matter experts and people with lived experience include trainings, workshops, monthly conversation cafes and community outreach
• $171,854 ($85,002 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to Northern Birthwork Collective's (under the care of Makeway Charitable Society) project to address challenges faced by individuals seeking abortion services in the Northwest Territories through on-call birthworkers that provide comprehensive abortion and health system navigation support. Northern Birthwork Collective's project is designed to provide holistic support through additional financial assistance for medical escorts, community outreach and education
  • Project activities are guided by a steering committee of people with lived experience, Indigenous Elders and birthworkers to ensure the project remains culturally safer and grounded in Indigenous values and traditions
• $747,870 ($362,717 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to the project led in partnership between the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC), the Partnership for Women's Health Research, and Ganawishkadawe – The Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health, to reduce barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care among Indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities
  • Project activities are aimed at improving digital literacy, and fostering confidence in navigating an increasingly complex information landscape
  • In collaboration with these underserved communities and subject matter experts, the project will co-create sexual and reproductive health information and resources and distribute them through social media campaigns and in-person community events
• $728,305 ($224,094 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to the Canadian Association of Midwives' (in partnership with the National Council of Indigenous Midwives) project that works towards the goal of reproductive health equity for all
  • It is addressing the needs of underserved communities in Canada by developing professional development training for midwives, as well as developing culturally relevant tools and public awareness campaigns to enhance access to sexual and reproductive health services for underserved populations including immigrant populations, racialized people, 2SLGBTQI+ clients, and women and youth in rural and remote communities
• $966,884 ($327,758 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to the Endometriosis Network Canada's (in partnership with Moon Time Connections) project with the goal of building a better future for the next generation of Canadians living with endometriosis
  • The project supports youth through accessible resources, digital tools, and outreach activities that are developed and distributed in close collaboration with youth to increase the capacity of youth living with endometriosis to better navigate their access to care
• $860,078 ($257,909 allocated to fiscal year 2025-2026) to Fertility Matters Canada's (in partnership with ParriagGroup) project to improve access to fertility care and assisted human reproduction for Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ communities
  • The project supports the development, publication and dissemination of an online tool that will help people understand and navigate fertility information and care by asking a series of simple questions
  • This will help them prepare for conversations with their health care provider and facilitate shared decision making

The Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund responds to Call for Justice 3.2 by providing funding for up to 7 funded projects that are Indigenous-led or resource third-party organizations who are Indigenous-led to collaboratively support distinctions-based, Indigenous-centered sexual and reproductive health services.

• Improves access to timely sexual and reproductive health care for underserved populations: By funding community-based projects, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund reduces practical barriers to care (for example, navigation supports, service outreach, and travel-related supports where applicable), improving access to contraception, abortion-related information and supports, and other services for those facing systemic barriers, including Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people
• Expands culturally appropriate, Indigenous-centered information and services: Funding for Indigenous-focused projects strengthens access to culturally relevant resources and supports for sexual and reproductive health care, which reflect community priorities and distinctions-based contexts and support safer pathways to care for Indigenous families and survivors impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis
• Strengthens Indigenous-led capacity and community control in health service delivery: By supporting Indigenous-led projects and Indigenous-led third-party organizations, the Fund increases community capacity to co-design and deliver initiatives that are grounded in Indigenous governance, local knowledge, and community-defined needs, advancing longer-term self-determined approaches to health programming
• Improves provider knowledge and service quality through targeted education and training: Provider-facing resources and training (including for midwives, pharmacists, and other health and service providers) support more consistent, culturally safer, and gender-inclusive sexual and reproductive health R care, helping to reduce harms linked to stigma, misinformation, and discriminatory service experiences
• Supports Inuit-relevant maternal and reproductive care pathways where projects align: The Fund supports projects that strengthen access to midwifery, birthworker, and pharmacist-related supports can contribute to improved access for Inuit, particularly where projects are tailored to northern and remote service realities and strengthen culturally appropriate care options
• Centers 2SLGBTQI+ community guidance to improve cultural safety and program relevance: By funding projects that engage 2SLGBTQI+ communities to guide design and implementation, the Fund strengthens community-informed approaches to a range of sexual and reproductive health programs, including initiatives that address misinformation and barriers affecting both 2SLGBTQI+ and Indigenous communities
• Improves the evidence base for equitable SRH access: The Fund's investments that support data collection and knowledge-building help identify service gaps and effective community-based approaches, strengthening accountability for addressing inequities in access over time, including inequities experienced by Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ communities

Since it was established, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund has received $81 million in federal investments to support community-based projects. For 2025-2026 to 2027, it is receiving an additional $10 million annually. As of 2027 to 2028, it will have $20 million per year ongoing. In 2025-2026, $12.6 million has been allocated to the Government of Quebec and 24 newly funded projects. Up to $1.7 million is allocated to six projects that contribute to the federal Calls to Justice.

SUAP continued to implement contribution agreements supporting Indigenous-led and Indigenous-focused projects across the continuum of substance use services. It supported 20 projects that are focused on Indigenous populations, representing total investments of over $9 million, across multiple regions, including remote and northern Indigenous communities.

The SUAP helps respond to Call for Justice 3.2 by providing funding to Indigenous-led and/or focused initiatives that emphasize, culturally grounded approaches to substance use prevention, harm reduction, and treatment and recovery. SUAP supports First Nations, Inuit, and Métis programs that integrate traditional healing and medicine, land-based care, and holistic wellness models across the continuum of services for substances such as opioids, alcohol, and cannabis.

The SUAP also requires funding applicants to complete sex- and gender-based analysis plus and report demographic information of project activities. As part of this analysis, consideration is given to addressing the needs of key target populations such as Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people where appropriate, and designing services that are inclusive, culturally relevant, and equitable.

Indigenous families and survivors benefit from SUAP-funded projects that are shaped and led by their own communities, ensuring that supports reflect local priorities, build capacity, and improve access to culturally relevant care, including in rural and remote regions. Through ongoing investment and collaboration, SUAP helps create stable pathways to healing, connection, and community-driven wellness.

• Provides holistic support across the continuum of care: Funds initiatives that address prevention, harm reduction, and treatment and recovery services tailored to Indigenous communities
• Strengthens community capacity: Invests in training, knowledge sharing, and evidence-building to enhance local expertise and sustainable service delivery
• Promotes Indigenous self-determination: Creates opportunities for Indigenous governments and organizations to identify their specific needs and design and deliver culturally appropriate programs and services
• Improves access in rural and remote areas: Supports innovative approaches to overcome geographic barriers and ensure equitable access to care for all Indigenous communities

Federal investments allocated in 2023 supported a renewed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS), which provided $144 million to SUAP to fund additional innovative and evidence-based projects. Since 2017, SUAP has committed over $762.1 million to more than 470 projects across Canada. This fundings supports initiatives that reduce the harms of substance use and improve health outcomes for all people in Canada, including Indigenous communities.

Additional information on SUAP and future funding opportunities can be found on Substance Use and Addictions Program.

• Continued funding in support of 27 Indigenous-led projects in all regions of Canada to assist families of missing and murdered Indigenous people
• While many of the projects underway are focused on families of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls, activities also included community-based supports and healing services for families of men and boys
• A Community of Practice led by Justice Canada was launched in 2025-2026 designed to build connections among the projects to foster opportunities for shared learning and meaningful knowledge exchange on good practices in supporting families

The CSHF responds to part of Call for Justice 3.3 by making available project funding for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to design and deliver culturally grounded, community-based support systems that assist families and survivors in coping with grief and trauma. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from this program through increased access to safe spaces that promote emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being, and to culturally relevant support needed to heal from the trauma of loss.

• Strengthening family and community healing: By offering healing circles, ceremonies, and family-centered supports, the initiative fosters collective healing
• Increased access to culturally grounded supports and culturally specific trauma-informed approach:
  • The initiative funds community-based healing services that integrate Indigenous cultural and spiritual practices
  • Services are designed to create safe spaces for families, incorporating Indigenous knowledge and Western therapeutic practices
  • Services are delivered by Métis, First Nations, and Inuit organizations to ensure they reflect cultural values, traditions, and knowledge
  • The initiative funds activities such as land-based healing, sharing circles, and counseling with Elders. Families receive support through culturally specific, relevant project activities that promote healing and resilience
• Trauma-informed and survivor-centered approach: Services prioritize the safety, dignity, and empowerment of families
• Culturally safe and Inuit-led supports: Projects are designed and delivered by Inuit communities, ensuring cultural relevance
• Greater access to trauma-informed support: Families receive grief counseling, healing circles, and community gatherings

2023 investments allocated $20 million over five years, with $4.15 million annually to sustain and expand the initiative. This funding has allowed for the growth in the number of projects funded each year, and since the funding is ongoing, multi-year workplans and activities can be funded. In 2025-2026, just over $4.4 million was committed for funding to support Community Supports and Healing for Families activities.

In 2025-2026, the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program continued to fund a national network of an estimated 1,000 community-based Cultural Support Providers and Emotional Support Workers through over 250 funding agreements, to provide access to cultural supports, emotional supports for eligible individuals, and funded access to mental health counselling and medical transportation assistance to support access when counselling services were not readily available.

The Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program also continued to fund the Hope for Wellness Helpline, National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line.

The Mental Wellness Program responds to part of Call for Justice 3.3 by continuing to expand and enhance access to trauma-informed, culturally grounded health and wellness services for all Indigenous people, including survivors, family members, and Indigenous people affected by the loss of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. Access to cultural supports (Elders, Knowledge Holders, Traditional Healers, ceremony) is delivered through 250 funding agreements with community-based Indigenous organizations that offer cultural and emotional support that is trauma-informed and respectful of Indigenous cultures.

Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from this program as it supports the restoration of pathways to healing, affirms cultural identity, and provides safe, community-based supports that honour and respond to lived experiences of trauma.

Funding for the Mental Wellness Program for 2026-2027 is approximately $768 million. This amount includes recent funding investments from 2021, 2022, and 2024. Specifically, 2024 investments provided $630.2 million over two years, starting in 2024-2025, to support Indigenous people's access to mental health services, including through distinctions-based mental wellness strategies.

On March 27, 2026, a total investment of $630 million over two years, starting in 2026-2027, was announced to support the availability, accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of mental wellness services for Indigenous Peoples across the country, including the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program, wraparound supports at opioid agonist therapy sites, mental wellness teams and continued access to crisis lines.

$285,749 in funding was provided to the Maskwacis Cree Tribal Council's Maskwacis Cree Four Nations Pathways to Healthy Lifestyles Program. The purpose of this project is to address the significant issues and root causes of the safety issues facing the four Maskwacis Nations, focusing on holistic health and wellness sessions in all 4 communities. The sessions enhance physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellness by addressing topics including violence prevention, healthy relationships, pro-social activities, language and cultural activities.

Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government was provided $167,240 to fund the Mi'gmaq Youth Leadership Peer Program. This is a custom designed youth leadership program to instill leadership skills amongst youth of Listuguj between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age. Project activities include youth participating in discussions, team building exercises, workshops and cultural events to promote pro-social behaviours and self-esteem growth.

Woodstock First Nation received $112,025 to address increased criminal activity and high traffic from non-community members by installing enhanced solar-powered street lighting and surveillance cameras. By improving visibility and coverage, the project seeks to create a safer environment for community members and strengthen long-term resilience.

The ACSPI hosted a Gathering of communities in Edmonton, Alberta, bringing together representatives from participating communities to learn from shared experiences, discuss and support best practices, and provide resources and measures that support Indigenous-led safety planning. The theme of the Gathering was ‘Our Voices, Our Safety: Crafting Resilient Strategies from Within,' and topics included strengthening Indigenous-led safety models, working toward a community-centered approach to information management, youth engagement, and best practices for recruiting and retaining volunteers.

Throughout 2025-2026, the ACSPI worked with communities across Canada to complete safety planning through facilitator-guided workshops and knowledge-sharing across communities. Of these communities, 11 submitted completed Community Safety Plans within the fiscal year and 35 processes remain ongoing.

The ACSPI responds to part of Call for Justice 3.4 by supporting Indigenous communities in developing Community Safety Plans, in which communities identify their safety priorities, which could include Indigenous-led no-barrier, accessible, and wraparound services. Through direct support and funding, ACSPI can help communities to identify trauma-informed, culturally relevant safety and wellness goals and solutions to address root causes of community safety issues, promoting long-term resilience and healing. Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from ACSPI by gaining access to culturally grounded safety planning processes that empower them to shape and implement their own wellness and security initiatives.

• Holistic, community-driven, culturally-informed, and self-determined safety planning:
  • Indigenous communities develop Community Safety Plans that integrate cultural, social, safety and mental health needs and perspectives into safety and wellness strategies
  • Indigenous communities lead the development of their safety plans and any associated initiatives, reinforcing self-governance, and supporting initiatives that reflect Indigenous traditions, governance, and knowledge systems
• Strengthened local crisis response capacity: Offers funding for projects designed by the community to meet their unique community safety and well-being needs, which could include projects aimed at strengthening crisis response
• Community-led crime prevention: Indigenous communities receive support to develop and implement projects to achieve goals identified in their Community Safety Plans
• Sustainable and community-led initiatives:
  • Once a community has a Community Safety Plan, they are able to apply for funding to implement safety projects tailored to their distinct needs
  • Funding can be for projects designed to build capacity or increase readiness, as well as for longer term (five year) project implementation
• Partnerships: Encourages partnerships between Indigenous organizations, local service providers, and governments to enable the achievement of community safety and well being goals

In 2020 $6.27 million was allocated over five years (starting in 2021), with an additional 2021 investment of $40.5 million allocated over five years (starting in 2021), with $11.6 million ongoing.

With funding allocated since 2024, ISC has supported various Indigenous partners and health organizations to implement Indigenous-led initiatives nationally in 2025-2026. These initiatives address anti-Indigenous racism in health systems and improve access to high quality and culturally safe health services for Indigenous Peoples across all provinces and territories, and in urban settings. Various Health System Navigator and Patient Advocate positions across the country are being supported through this initiative.ese positions are improving access to culturally safe care, and in some cases, offering spiritual support and services to clients in their Indigenous language. First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations also continue to be supported in their ongoing work to advance the restoration of Indigenous midwifery through the development or expansion of Indigenous midwifery programs, including Indigenous midwifery education. Furthermore, national Indigenous health organizations continue to be supported.

In 2025-2026, AAIR Indigenous health system navigators and advocates responds to MMIWG Calls for Justice by improving access to culturally safe, trauma-informed, and Indigenous-led health supports for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. These roles help patients navigate complex health systems, access advocacy and recourse pathways, understand their rights, and address experiences of racism and discrimination in care settings. Examples of ongoing work include:

• Métis Nation British Columbia developed a Métis Health Experience Guidebook to support Métis patients in navigating health systems, understanding their rights, and accessing culturally safe care.
• 46 Indigenous health system navigators have been hired across the country. 18 are First Nations–specific, 6 are Métis-specific, and 22 serve all distinctions through National Association of Friendship Centers (NAFC) in urban areas.
• 6 Indigenous patient advocates have been hired nationally, including 5 who are First Nations–specific and 1 who is Métis-specific.
• The First Nations Health Ombudsperson Office in Saskatchewan continues to provide culturally safe advocacy, complaint resolution, and accountability mechanisms for First Nations patients experiencing racism, discrimination, or inequitable treatment within health systems.

In 2025-2026, AAIR supported national Indigenous health professional organizations to strengthen Indigenous-led advocacy, workforce development, patient support, mentorship, wellness initiatives, and system transformation efforts. Examples of ongoing work include:

• Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) co-developed wellness and healing resources for Indigenous physicians and learners in partnership with Canadian Medical Association. They delivered mentorship initiatives reaching 14 Indigenous medical student while strengthening partnerships with the Conference Board of Canada to produce quantitative & qualitative reports identifying gaps and recommendations to improve supports for Indigenous medical learners. They also collaborated with Black Physicians of Canada, Federation of Medical Women of Canada, and Resident Doctors of Canada to advance equitable residency reforms and anti-racism in medical education.
• Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada developed educational modules on equity, diversity, inclusivity and Indigenous health to all pharmacy faculties and students. They partnered with pharmacy faculty members to create Indigenous-led pharmacy training, assignments and frameworks, applying Indigenous cultural and health equity learnings. They also launched a 6-module series on Indigenous Cultural Competency Training for pharmacy professionals: EDI and Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety Training for Pharmacy Professionals. And they translated best practices into self-regulated models for pharmacy professionals.
• First Nations Health Managers Association continues to develop training curriculum for Indigenous health system navigators to support standardization, education and network building for AAIR Indigenous navigators across the health system.
• National Collaborating Center for Indigenous Health's (NCCIH) Hearts-based Education and Anti-colonial Learning in Healthcare (H.E.A.L) project used arts-based, anti-colonial, and anti-oppressive learning approaches to address systemic racism and bias in health care. It was developed in collaboration with the Health Arts Research Centre and serves as an open-access initiative that uses storytelling, poetry, and visual arts to humanize patient experiences, strengthen culturally safe care, and support health providers, educators, and institutions in confronting colonial harms and inequities impacting First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse peoples.

In 2025-2026, the Indigenous midwifery funding continues to support the work being done by Indigenous midwives, communities, and advocates to restore Indigenous birth practices. Examples of this ongoing work include:

• The National Council of Indigenous Midwives' new Indigenous Midwifery Education Framework is supporting Nations to educate their own midwives and bring birth back to community
  • As of fall 2025, 13 Indigenous midwifery students in 8 communities are completing their education while living and working in their Nations, an approach that strengthens cultural continuity, supports family wellness, and advances Indigenous self-determination in health care
• Sturgeon Lake First Nation, one of the original Budget 2017 Indigenous Midwifery demonstration projects, celebrated its first midwife assisted birth in the community in over 50 years in 2022
  • The community received additional investments for construction of their new standalone birthing centre, the Shirley Bighead Nihtāwiki and Ohpikihāwasowin Birthing and Childrearing Lodge, which opened on April 29, 2026
• New Métis-specific midwifery and doula projects are underway, including work by the Métis Nation Saskatchewan towards the development of a Métis midwifery education and training program, and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government's wraparound supports for expectant Métis families in Alberta provided and coordinated by Aunties.
• The development and implementation of a network of Indigenous birth support workers in Saskatchewan to increase the accessibility of culturally appropriate services during hospital births
  • These birth workers have access to training and provide one-on-one advocacy and support to First Nations families.
  • They also coordinate a network of referrals connecting families with community-based services to maximize the potential for a safe return home.
• Meadow Lake Tribal Council has begun work toward a community-based midwifery program and birth lodge in Canoe Lake
  • They have developed an Elders' committee and have begun community consultation to plan the path forward
• First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) has developed a series of certificate level programs: Indigenous Birth Support Workers, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and End-of-Life Care
  • Training is available both in-person and online to maximize accessibility
  • The courses may be used toward a degree in midwifery
  • FNUniv has also developed a series of online micro-credentials for people who provide care and comfort during pregnancy, childbirth and/or the postpartum period
  • Courses focuses on understanding the unique needs of families during this crucial time

The AAIR initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 3.4 through the establishment and support of Indigenous health system navigators and patient advocates. These professionals assist Indigenous individuals in navigating complex health systems, addressing discriminatory treatment, and accessing care with dignity and cultural safety.

For Indigenous families, survivors, and communities affected by the MMIWG2S+ crisis, this support strengthens access to trauma-informed and respectful care. Navigators play an important role in addressing immediate safety concerns and ensuring that the voices and needs of patients are heard and respected.

• Strengthens cultural safety: Supports culturally appropriate services across the health system
• Supports system navigation: Supports the training and employment of Indigenous health navigators and patient advocates
• Increases representation: Creates pathways for increasing Indigenous representation in health professions
• Prevents violence in care: Improves awareness and accountability through culturally safe training
• Supports reproductive justice: Expands access to Indigenous midwives, birth workers, and wraparound supports

Building on the success from investments in 2021, in 2024 the government reinvested $167.6 million over five years, starting in 2024-2025, to combat anti-Indigenous racism in Canada's health systems. Funding allocations are guided by distinctions-based approaches, community needs, and collaboration with Indigenous health leaders and regional tables to ensure ongoing relevance and impact.

The Family Violence Prevention Program collaborated with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Indigenous partners to advance the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, which seeks to establish new shelters and transition homes across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQI+ people escaping violence.

• As of March 2026, a total of 80 projects have been selected, 38 shelters and 42transitional homes.
• The Family Violence Prevention Program supports new shelters with start up costs prior to the completion of construction.
• Ongoing funding to support operations is available once facilities are built and ready to receive clients.

The Family Violence Prevention Program supported over 400 community-driven violence prevention projects across Canada, including but not limited to public outreach and awareness campaigns, workshops, support groups, stress and anger management seminars, Indigenous knowledge land-based programming.

• The Family Violence Prevention Program supports the EmpowerMen project that engages men and boys in the prevention of family violence, that hosted a large gathering in its 2nd Law Enforcement Conference: Journey to Justice, to address the critical issues of sexual exploitation and human trafficking in Canada, affecting women, children, Indigenous people, and gender-diverse individuals. Professionals from various sectors, including survivors, law enforcement, crown prosecutors, Indigenous leaders, policymakers, social workers, educators, and community leaders, came together to explore strategies to combat technology-facilitated trafficking, and the exploitation of Indigenous youth.
• The National Indigenous Circle Against Family Violence, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, and Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak received funding to lead culturally specific programming tailored to their respective communities.
• At the regional and grassroots level, organizations like Circling Buffalo, Three Eagle Wellness Society and the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition were supported to deliver community-rooted interventions.
  • Circling Buffalo created a series of radio announcements and informative videos that were broadcasted on local radio stations in Manitoba and shared via social media to promote awareness of family violence and prevention efforts.
• The Lethbridge and Area Métis Association was supported in their family violence prevention project to conduct a series of culturally specific workshops for Métis families, including Indigenous non-status individuals or families. The project aimed at preventing family violence in providing an opportunity for families to come together to learn about Metis traditions in an inclusive and wholistic healthy family unity. Workshops incorporate a language component, shared in Métis history and knowledge systems that instilled pride, confidence and positive self-image to prevent family violence.
• The Tunngasugit Inuit Resource Centre led a culturally relevant series of workshops aimed at addressing family violence among Inuit in Winnipeg. This family violence project was rooted in Inuit cultural practices and values, offering support for women, men, and youth to break the cycle of violence and build healthier family and community dynamics.

The FVPP responds to part of Call for Justice 3.4 by supporting the establishment of sustainable, permanent, no-barrier, preventative, accessible, holistic, wraparound services provided by Indigenous-led emergency shelters and transitional housing addressing family violence across Canada. Shelters and transitional housing not only offer immediate protection but also integrate wraparound supports for Indigenous women, children, families, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals fleeing violence.

• Indigenous-led violence prevention and capacity building: Funds Indigenous organizations to design and deliver community-led prevention programming (for example, workshops, outreach, support groups), including education and awareness campaigns and training that strengthen long-term local prevention capacity
• Safe, low-barrier shelter and housing access: Expands and sustains Indigenous-led emergency shelters, transitional housing, and second-stage housing that provide immediate safety and longer-term housing stability for survivors fleeing violence, including in remote, rural, northern, and urban contexts
• Trauma-informed, culturally safe wraparound supports: Increases access to crisis intervention, counseling, peer supports, referrals, and healing programming grounded in Indigenous cultural knowledge, Elders' guidance, and land-based approaches, aligned to survivor needs (including trauma, mental health, and addictions)
• Targeted supports for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people: Improves access to safer spaces and culturally relevant supports for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people facing elevated risk of gender-based violence
• Distinctions-based reach for Inuit and Métis communities: Strengthens access to shelter/housing, prevention programming, and culturally relevant supports that reflect Inuit- and Métis-specific realities, including Inuit access in northern and urban regions and Métis-led prevention initiatives

The initiative is funded as part of the Comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy which receives $96.6 million annually to support the operation of new shelters and transitional homes, as well as to fund culturally appropriate violence prevention activities. In 2025-2026, the Family Violence Prevention Program spent $96.6 million, including $56.1 million to support facility operations, $0.7 million to support shelter project development, and $39.8 million to programs and services for Indigenous peoples facing gender-based violence.

As of March 31, 2026, $395.97 million has been conditionally or financially committed toward the construction of 38 new shelters and 42 transitional homes.

• Initial capital funding to projects: $398 million, including:
  • $7.2 million per facility in Territories and Inuit Nunangat
  • $3.48 million per facility in Provinces
• $22 million in administrative funding

ISTHI responds to part of Call for Justice 3.4 by providing some immediate and necessary resources and funding for shelters and transitional homes that improve safety and security for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. The initiative contributes to wraparound support services that include mental health, trauma recovery, and violence prevention. Continued investment is needed to ensure comprehensive, no-barrier, and permanent services. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit by gaining access to safe, culturally grounded spaces and shelter services for healing and protection.

• Housing expansion: Expanded emergency and transitional housing for Indigenous survivors of gender-based violence, including Indigenous-led projects
• Enhanced Indigenous-led supports: Strengthened Indigenous-led victim services and housing supports, including increased access to safe, culturally appropriate housing
• Culturally relevant support services: Increased access to culturally appropriate, trauma-informed, community-led, wraparound support services for survivors
• Enhanced safety and stability for survivors: Increased safety and security for Indigenous women and families escaping violence, including long-term options
• Sustainable housing solutions: Support for long-term housing solutions and wraparound services
• Indigenous leadership and capacity building: Strengthened Indigenous leadership in family violence prevention and provided funding for community-led violence prevention
• Métis-led violence prevention and leadership in housing services: Strengthened Métis-led violence prevention efforts and leadership in shelter and housing services.
• Expansion of culturally appropriate supports: Expansion of culturally appropriate, community-driven supports

Since 2021, $395.97 million has been committed towards the construction of new shelters, with construction funding managed by CMHC and flowed to Indigenous partners.

In the 2025-2026 fiscal year, CMHC funded four new projects through ISTHI and provided $16.7 million in funding.

In 2025-2026, the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program continued to fund a national network of an estimated 1,000 community-based Cultural Support Providers and Emotional Support Workers through over 250 funding agreements, to provide access to cultural supports, emotional supports for eligible individuals, and funded access to mental health counselling and medical transportation assistance to support access when counselling services were not readily available.

The Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program also continued to fund the Hope for Wellness Helpline, National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line.

The Mental Wellness Program responds to part of Call for Justice 3.4 by investing in the immediate and long-term mental wellness needs of Indigenous communities through trauma-informed, culturally safe, and community-driven services. The program funds Indigenous-led suicide prevention, life promotion, and crisis response initiatives that integrate traditional healing practices and culturally grounded approaches to care. It supports mobile community based, multi-disciplinary mental wellness teams, residential and community-based substance use treatment, and 24/7 crisis lines tailored to families and Survivors of the MMIWG2S+ crisis. Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from this program as it provides accessible, culturally meaningful mental health supports that prioritize safety, dignity, and the restoration of wholistic well-being.

Funding for the Mental Wellness Program for 2026-2027 is approximately $768 million. This amount includes recent funding investments from 2021, 2022, and 2024. Specifically, 2024 investments provided $630.2 million over two years, starting in 2024-2025, to support Indigenous people's access to mental health services, including through distinctions-based mental wellness strategies.

On March 27, 2026, a total investment of $630 million over two years, starting in 2026-2027, was announced to support the availability, accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of mental wellness services for Indigenous Peoples across the country, including the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program, wraparound supports at opioid agonist therapy sites, mental wellness teams and continued access to crisis lines.

In autumn 2024, Public Safety Canada held a call for applications for three programs in the National Crime Prevention Strategy. These programs were the Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund, the Crime Prevention Action Fund, and the Youth Gang Prevention Fund. This was the first open call for applications for the Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund. This public call for applications was to increase community participation and enhance opportunities for Indigenous-led crime prevention initiatives. In 2025-26, 13 agreements were signed.

For administrative purposes, Indigenous community safety projects that would have been eligible under the Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund are instead being advanced through the Crime Prevention Action Fund.

The NICPF responds to part of Call for Justice 3.4 by supporting the establishment of sustainable, community-led safety programs that prioritize capacity building and holistic crime prevention strategies. By addressing known risk and protective factors related to crime, NICPF contributes to breaking cycles of violence that disproportionately impact Indigenous communities.

Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from this program through increased access to community-driven safety initiatives, ensuring that culturally appropriate resources are available to support healing and resilience.

• Preventative approach to community safety: Funds the development of local, community-led safety strategies that address crime prevention and community safety through an Indigenous lens. Supports sustainable, preventative, and accessible services
• Capacity building: Funds initiatives that strengthen the ability of Indigenous and northern communities to implement and sustain crime prevention strategies
• Knowledge sharing and Indigenous designed responses: Facilitates the dissemination of best practices in Indigenous crime prevention to ensure culturally relevant approaches are widely accessible. Support Indigenous-designed safety strategies that integrate cultural knowledge and address systemic factors contributing to crime and victimization
• Culturally responsive crime prevention: Supports the development of community-led programs that integrate Indigenous cultural values into crime prevention strategies
• Increased accessibility: Expands opportunities for Indigenous organizations and communities to secure funding for crime prevention initiatives

The Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund is supported by $22,783,865 over five years allocated in 2021 and $6 million ongoing.

$285,749 in funding was provided to the Maskwacis Cree Tribal Council's Maskwacis Cree Four Nations Pathways to Healthy Lifestyles Program. The purpose of this project is to address the significant issues and root causes of the safety issues facing the four Maskwacis Nations, focusing on holistic health and wellness sessions in all 4 communities. The sessions enhance physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellness by addressing topics including violence prevention, healthy relationships, pro-social activities, language and cultural activities.

Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government was provided $167,240 to fund the Mi'gmaq Youth Leadership Peer Program. This is a custom designed youth leadership program to instill leadership skills amongst youth of Listuguj between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age. Project activities include youth participating in discussions, team building exercises, workshops and cultural events to promote pro-social behaviours and self-esteem growth.

Woodstock First Nation received $112,025 to address increased criminal activity and high traffic from non-community members by installing enhanced solar-powered street lighting and surveillance cameras. By improving visibility and coverage, the project seeks to create a safer environment for community members and strengthen long-term resilience.

The ACSPI hosted a Gathering of communities in Edmonton, Alberta, bringing together representatives from participating communities to learn from shared experiences, discuss and support best practices, and provide resources and measures that support Indigenous-led safety planning. The theme of the Gathering was ‘Our Voices, Our Safety: Crafting Resilient Strategies from Within,' and topics included strengthening Indigenous-led safety models, working toward a community-centered approach to information management, youth engagement, and best practices for recruiting and retaining volunteers.

Throughout 2025-2026, the ACSPI worked with communities across Canada to complete safety planning through facilitator-guided workshops and knowledge-sharing across communities. Of these communities, 11 submitted completed Community Safety Plans within the fiscal year and 35 processes remain ongoing.

The ACSPI responds to Call for Justice 3.5 by supporting Indigenous communities in leading the development and implementation of community safety initiatives tailored to their unique circumstances. These could include culturally responsive crisis response strategies that address trauma and promote long-term healing. Through the development of Community Safety Plans, ACSPI helps communities identify and address safety concerns in ways that reflect Indigenous traditions, values, and governance structures. For example, these plans could include the formation of crisis response teams to provide immediate support after traumatic events—such as violence, accidents, or deaths—while also strengthening communities' capacity to navigate trauma and ensure long-term safety and wellbeing.

Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from ACSPI's community safety planning process through support that enables them to design and implement projects to address their specific safety and wellbeing needs. This could include providing the community with timely, accessible, and culturally responsive support after traumatic events, if the community was to identify this as an objective, leading to community healing and improved safety and well-being.

• Holistic, community-driven, culturally-informed, and self-determined safety planning:
  • Indigenous communities develop Community Safety Plans that integrate cultural, social, safety and mental health needs and perspectives into safety and wellness strategies
  • Indigenous communities lead the development of their safety plans and any associated initiatives, reinforcing self-governance, and supporting initiatives that reflect Indigenous traditions, governance, and knowledge systems
• Strengthened local crisis response capacity: Offers funding for projects designed by the community to meet their unique community safety and well-being needs, which could include projects aimed at strengthening crisis response
• Community-led crime prevention: Indigenous communities receive support to develop and implement projects to achieve goals identified in their Community Safety Plans
• Sustainable and community-led initiatives:
  • Once a community has a Community Safety Plan, they are able to apply for funding to implement safety projects tailored to their distinct needs
  • Funding can be for projects designed to build capacity or increase readiness, as well as for longer term (five year) project implementation
• Partnerships: Encourages partnerships between Indigenous organizations, local service providers, and governments to enable the achievement of community safety and well being goals

In 2020 $6.27 million was allocated over five years (starting in 2021), with an additional 2021 investment of $40.5 million allocated over five years (starting in 2021), with $11.6 million ongoing.

ISC remains committed to working collaboratively with partners to improve access to high-quality and culturally relevant health services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Work on distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation is currently paused due to broader changes within the federal government and a need to assess how it aligns with this government’s legislative agenda. ISC continues to advance Indigenous health priorities through existing programs, funding, and other targeted initiatives.

The co-development of distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation responds to Call for Justice 3.6 by supporting the participation of Indigenous partners who represent an intersectional lens in engagement and co-development processes. These partners include organizations that represent the voices and priorities of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, as well as youth, elders, and Indigenous people living in urban areas, ensuring that their lived experiences and health needs are reflected in the co-development of distinctions-based Indigenous health policy and/or legislative options. ISC has prioritized inclusive engagement to ensure that gender, identity, and geographic considerations are integral to the development of distinctions-based approaches to health.

Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from this inclusive process through increased visibility and responsiveness to the unique health needs of diverse populations. By ensuring representation of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people in policy and/or legislative co-development, the initiative has the potential to support health system transformation that promotes safety, equity, and culturally appropriate care.

• Advances self-determination: Supports the co-development of distinctions-based policy and/or legislative options
• Promotes health equity: Works towards the co-development of culturally relevant policy and/or legislative options that address systemic health disparities
• Centers diverse voices: Ensures participation of Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and other partners with an intersectional lens in policy and/or legislative co-development
• Improves access to care: Strengthens the foundation for distinctions-based health systems that are responsive to needs
• Supports long-term reform: Establishes a collaborative process for transformative change in Indigenous health policy and/or legislative co-development

$15.6 million over two years, starting 2021-2022, was provided to support capacity for engagement, policy, and experts. Funding for this initiative sunset in 2022-2023. There is no additional available funding at this time.

In 2025-2026, the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program continued to fund a national network of an estimated 1,000 community-based Cultural Support Providers and Emotional Support Workers through over 250 funding agreements, to provide access to cultural supports, emotional supports for eligible individuals, and funded access to mental health counselling and medical transportation assistance to support access when counselling services were not readily available.

The Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program also continued to fund the Hope for Wellness Helpline, National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line.

The Mental Wellness Program responds to part of Call for Justice 3.7 by investing in trauma-informed, culturally-grounded health and wellness services that support Indigenous people impacted by intergenerational trauma. Survivors, family members (including children), and Indigenous people affected by the loss of missing or murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people can receive support through the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People Health and Cultural Support Program. The program funds a national network of cultural support providers and emotional support workers, crisis response services, and community-based mental health and substance use initiatives that are designed and led by Indigenous communities. These offer immediate, accessible support rooted in Indigenous worldviews. By centering community leadership, the program contributes to the development of healing services that are safe, responsive, and reflective of Indigenous lived experiences. Indigenous survivors, families, and communities benefit from this program as it restores access to culturally safe care, promotes holistic healing, and strengthens supports for those who have experienced intergenerational trauma.

Funding for the Mental Wellness Program for 2026-2027 is approximately $768 million. This amount includes recent funding investments from 2021, 2022, and 2024. Specifically, 2024 investments provided $630.2 million over two years, starting in 2024-2025, to support Indigenous people's access to mental health services, including through distinctions-based mental wellness strategies.

On March 27, 2026, a total investment of $630 million over two years, starting in 2026-2027, was announced to support the availability, accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of mental wellness services for Indigenous Peoples across the country, including the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program, wraparound supports at opioid agonist therapy sites, mental wellness teams and continued access to crisis lines.

Under the Support for the Wellbeing of Families and Survivors of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ People Contribution Program, funding provided in 2025-2026 enabled Indigenous recipients to offer culturally appropriate and trauma informed care and services that support the healing journey of Indigenous families and survivors that have been impacted by violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people. In 2025-2026, the funding was fully allocated, supporting ongoing existing multi-year projects, two new multi-year projects and one new single-year project. The initiatives funded focused on supporting family members and survivors of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people to find healing in a form that is meaningful to them. The program supports projects such as holding celebrations of life and legacy for individual survivors, families or communities of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people and resource centres or navigators to assist family members and survivors in accessing the culturally relevant supports that are available to them.

In 2025-2026, just over $3 million was allocated to successful Indigenous organizations and community-led project recipients of the program. This was above the $2.5 million in annual funding as it included deferred allocations from fiscal year 2024-2025. The funding provided Indigenous groups with the ability to offer culturally appropriate and trauma informed care and services that support the healing journey of Indigenous families and survivors that have been impacted by violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

The approved funding for fiscal year 2025-2026 supported 10 existing multi-year projects, two new multi-year projects and one single-year project. Thirteen Indigenous organizations were approved for funding to support the projects.

This initiative responds to part of Call for Justice 3.7 by investing dedicated funding into projects that provide assistance and support services to Indigenous families and survivors of gender-based violence. Indigenous families, survivors, and communities benefit from this initiative's investment in accessible culturally safe healing projects that provide emotional, psychological, and spiritual support.

• Culturally relevant healing services: Funding supports projects that incorporate traditional Indigenous practices and ceremonies
• Sustained funding for healing programs: Funding allows for long-term program sustainability and community-driven solutions
• Accessible and low-barrier support: Ensures that funding reaches communities in need without complex bureaucratic hurdles and reduces barriers to accessing essential healing services for Indigenous victims and families
• Holistic support services: Provides Indigenous victims and families with trauma-informed care, counseling, and community-driven healing initiatives
• Sustained community-led programs: Supports Indigenous-led organizations in developing long-term support networks
• Métis-led healing initiatives: Ensures services are designed and delivered by Métis communities for Métis people

The program offers ongoing funding of $2.5 million per fiscal year to support healing journeys of Indigenous families and survivors that have been impacted by violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people (MMIWG2S+) initiatives.