Question Period Note: Funding Supports – COVID-19

• As of November 20th, we have committed $2.4 billion to support Indigenous communities and organizations through this crisis.

• The support provided to Indigenous communities and organizations is broad and intended to cover a range challenges that may be faced during the pandemic such as: public health responses; community safety; elder care; food security; and education and business supports.

• Canada has and continues to rely on local leadership to ensure that needs are met and communities remain able to respond effectively to the pandemic.

Recognizing that First Nation, Inuit and Métis are among the most at risk and face unique challenges in addressing COVID-19, Canada has established a number of supports that are targeted specifically to Indigenous peoples. These supports are also a reflection of the role that the federal government plays with respect to service delivery on reserve and to Indigenous populations in urban settings. Canada’s approach to supporting Indigenous peoples through this crisis recognizes the strength of Indigenous leadership, governments and organizations in determining and responding to the needs of their communities and the challenges faced by them.

Supports provided since the beginning of the pandemic have totaled $2.4 billion and include:
• Funding $344.1 million for public health supports to support the ongoing public health response to COVID-19 in Indigenous communities as well as for First Nations to adapt their on reserve community infrastructure to support the implementation of public health and safety measures in community buildings. This is in addition to $17.3M for northern air carrier supports to ensure public health support in northern communities.
o $105.1M of this public health funding and $76.3M of the Indigenous Community Support Fund funding has been allocated to support regional Indigenous communities and organizations particularly in the territories, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan in their response to the pandemic, and health and social services.
o $72.6M has been dedicated to the territorial for health and social support.
• $685M for the Indigenous Community Support Fund provided directly to Indigenous communities and groups across the country to provide leadership with the flexibility needed to address immediate needs as a result of COVID-19. Additional, needs-based funding is also available through an application driven process which is now open for applications.
• $95.6M in support for Family Violence Prevention, including emergency family violence prevention shelters on-reserve and in Yukon to support women and children escaping violence. This has included building 12 new shelters, 10 in First Nations communities on reserve and two in the territories, which will help protect and support Indigenous women and girls experiencing and escaping violence. Additionally, support has covered the operational cost of the shelters and will support engagement with Métis leaders and service providers on shelter provision and community-led violence prevention projects for Métis women, girls and LGBTQ and two-spirit people.
• $489.1M to support to help small and medium-sized Indigenous businesses, the Indigenous tourism industry, northern and territorial businesses and to support Aboriginal Financial Institutions that offer financing to these businesses. Financial support for Indigenous businesses will be provided through Aboriginal Financial Institutions, and administered by the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association and the Métis capital corporations in partnership with Indigenous Services Canada. This support will help ease businesses through COVID and into recovery.
• $333.8M to increase existing distinctions-based support for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation students.
o Supports are provided to students pursuing post-secondary education and well as to help Indigenous post-secondary institutions address increased costs and financial uncertainty resulting from the pandemic
o Investments has also focused on ensuring the safe return to elementary and secondary schools on reserves, and Indigenous early learning and child care facilities to safely operate in order to meet the needs of schools and students, including, for example, for salaries for teachers, custodians and bus drivers (who may work additional hours during this period), access to technology, purchase of e-learning software, and the development of take-home learning materials.
• Supplements to the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program in the amount of $270M to address increased demands on the program, which will help individuals and families meet their essential living expenses. It will also help hire additional staff to better serve First Nations communities and connect individuals to other government programs.
• Investments have also provided $82.5M to support the provision of mental health and wellness supports to help Indigenous communities adapt and expand mental wellness services, improving access and addressing growing demand, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• $25M in supports for communities and businesses in the North including Nutrition North Canada to increase subsidies so families can afford much-needed personal hygiene products and nutritious food.
It is important to note that First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, regardless of where they reside, also have access to all other measures provided through the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. These measures include the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB), and Employment Insurance (which has undergone temporary changes to replace the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

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