Question Period Note: Urban Supports

• Our government allocated $15 million through the Indigenous Community Support Fund to 94 organizations and groups that support First Nations off-reserve and Indigenous peoples living in urban centres.

• We want to be clear - the funding allocated for regional, urban, and off-reserve Indigenous organizations is just a start.

• We know more support will be needed and we are actively working to identify and deliver the supports to make sure no Indigenous community is left behind.

• We understand that Indigenous Peoples living in urban centres face unique needs and challenges.

• That is why this initial funding is designed to allow for maximum flexibility to fund according to local priorities and needs.

• We are working quickly to get funds out the door and streamlined the application and disbursement process to allow funds to flow directly to Indigenous communities and groups across the country.

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If pressed on urban supports:
• The $15 million allocated to off-reserve First Nations and urban Indigenous organizations was available through a proposal-based process that closed on April 13, 2020.
• More than 500 proposals were submitted, requesting approximately $480M in funding. This represents a demand that was significantly higher than what was available.
• We have streamlined the process to flow funds quickly and directly to Indigenous communities and groups across the country.

If pressed on Community Support Fund Allocation:
• The $15 million of funding allocated to regional, urban, and off-reserve Indigenous organizations is designed to allow for maximum flexibility to fund according to local priorities and needs.
• We are working quickly to get funds out the door and have streamlined the application process and disbursement process to allow funds to flow directly to Indigenous communities and groups across the country.
• This fund is intended to give communities the ability to fund according to their priorities and needs.
• It can, for example, provide support for:
o Increased transportation costs within and outside of communities for community members who can no longer use public transportation;
o Goods to community members who are in preventative isolation or quarantine;
o Support for Elders;
o Food bank/nutritional assistance: community care packages of food, water, cleaning products, nutritional supplements;
• Once again - this is just a start. We know more support will be needed and we are actively working with Indigenous communities to identify and deliver the specific supports they need.

If pressed on CAP Court Challenge:
• Indigenous Services Canada has been made aware of the court challenge brought forward by the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.
• Since the beginning of this pandemic, urban and off-reserve Indigenous organizations, along with local community organizations have been working around the clock to provide direct services to Indigenous Peoples.
• In response to these needs and in support of service-delivery organizations on the front-lines of COVID-19, ISC has taken immediate action to support these organizations through the Indigenous Community Support Fund within which $15 million was allocated to regional, urban, and off-reserve Indigenous organizations.
• Indigenous Services Canada has provided $250,000 to CAP to assist their efforts in supporting Indigenous Peoples during COVID-19.
• This funding allocation is just one part of ISC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is complemented by actions taken across the government to support the most vulnerable during this time.
• We know more support is needed and are actively working with communities to identify and deliver the supports to make sure no Indigenous community is left behind.