The federal budget allocates $32 billion over 10 years for First Nations infrastructure and $2.9 billion over three years for Non-Insured Health Benefits.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
The new federal budget commits $32 billion over 10 years to repair, replace and build First Nations infrastructure, according to Global News. The Toronto Star reports the same figure and adds that the funding is intended to close the First Nations infrastructure gap.
The budget earmarks $11 billion over 10 years to maintain, renovate and build First Nations homes, and $18.5 billion to build roads, bridges and schools. It also commits $5.8 billion over five years for First Nations elementary and secondary education.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in prepared remarks: "Building a strong and united Canada also means continuing the important work of reconciliation."
Champagne also said: "It means ensuring Indigenous communities have the same foundations that every community needs to thrive: safe housing, clean water, good schools, reliable infrastructure, stable and culturally responsive policing services, and the ability to shape their own future."
The budget earmarks $2.9 billion over three years for Non-Insured Health Benefits, an Indigenous Services program. It also commits $290 million over four years to renew funding for public health workers and initiatives in Indigenous communities.
Additional funding includes $6 billion for Jordan’s Principle over six years, $575 million over five years for a similar program for Inuit, and $610 million over four years for the Nutrition North subsidy.
The budget also sets aside $4.6 billion for clean drinking water in First Nations communities, tied to proposed First Nations clean water legislation.
The Assembly of First Nations and the Conference Board of Canada estimate it would take around $375 billion to close the infrastructure gap between First Nations communities and the rest of Canada.
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said on Tuesday, ahead of the budget: "While we have made progress together over the past decade, discriminatory gaps continue to prevent First Nations and this country from meeting our full potential."
The budget includes $806 million over five years to implement a Trudeau-era Indigenous child welfare law, which is the only mention of Métis in the budget. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami says the Nutrition North program has failed to improve food security and reduce prices in the region.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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