CRE Explains - Budget 2023

BUDGET 2023 AT A GLANCE

In this issue of CRE Explains, we break down some of the Budget 2023 investments that will impact Indigenous youth and their communities the most.

With the cost of everything soaring, this budget was expected to include ways to bring down the cost of living while also spending big chunks of money on things like the national dentalcare program to secure NDP support for the budget (and avoid an early election).

UNDRIP implementation, housing for Indigenous communities, and continuing to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic were also expected to take up budget funds.

In its report summarizing what it heard from 32 witnesses and 706 written briefs, the Standing Committee on Finance drafted 9 recommendations specifically related to funding for Indigenous communities and for addressing Indigenous issues. These include: funding for the Indigenous Guardians program (rec. 61) and other Indigenous-led conservation projects (rec 62), funding to create a national Indigenous youth program (rec. 96), and funding to address the backlog of land claim and self-government negotiations with Indigenous nations (rec. 228).

The Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak, and Pauktuutit all submitted public briefs with their budget recommendations.

FUNDING SET ASIDE FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

$811 million for medical travel, mental health, dental, vision and medication for Indigenous peoples over five years

$16 million for reducing tuberculosis rates in Inuit communities

$76 million to advance selfgovernment initiatives

$35 million for a First Nations lands advisory board

$125 million envelope of funding for measures related to missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, LGBTQQIA+ and Two-Spirit people

$4 billion over seven years for a co-developed urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing strategy that will help Indigenous people living outside their home communities.

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES & RECONCILIATION

Note: this is not an exhaustive list - check out the full budget for more detail!

RECONCILIATION & SELF-DETERMINATION

$11.4 million over three years to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to engage with Indigenous communities and update the federal guidelines on the Crown’s duty to consult Indigenous peoples.

This aims to support the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and provide clarity on how the government can “ ensure an effective and efficient whole-of-government approach to consultation and accommodating rights” (p 91)

$2.8 billion as part of the Band Class settlement, to establish a trust supporting healing, wellness, education, heritage, language, and commemoration activities (p. 132)

$76.3 million to Indigenous Services Canada to continue supporting First Nations governments and tribal councils delivering programs and services to their members (p 125)

$5 million to Indigenous Services Canada to support the co-development of an Economic Reconciliation

Framework with Indigenous partners with the goal of increasing economic opportunities for Indigenous peoples, communities, and businesses (p. 127)

$8.7 million to Natural Resources Canada to support deeper engagements with Indigenous partners and rights-holders to develop the National Benefits-Sharing Framework (p. 128)

$35.3 million over three years to co-develop a new First Nations-led National Land Registry that will provide communities in First Nations Land Management with more opportunities to realize the economic benefits arising from local control over their lands (p 128)

RECONCILIATION & SELF-DETERMINATION (CONTINUED)

$1.6 million over two years, starting in 2023-24, for the Northern Projects Management Office to support Indigenous communities participation in environmental assessments and consultation on major projects in the territories (p. 126)

$19 4 million over five years to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada for the Northern Participant Funding Program to increase the participation of Indigenous Peoples and other Northerners in environmental and regulatory assessments of major projects (p, 126)

HOUSING

$4 billion over seven years, starting next year, to implement an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, currently under co-development with Indigenous partners (p. 46)

HEALTHCARE

Earlier in March 2023, the government committed $2B over the next 10 years to the Indigenous Health Equity Fund

$810.6 million over five years to support medical travel and to maintain medically necessary services through the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program, including mental health services, dental and vision care, and medications (p. 129)

$16.2 million over three years for interventions to reduce rates of tuberculosis in Inuit communities (p. 129)

$171 million in 2022-23 to Indigenous Services Canada to ensure First Nations children continue to receive the support they need through Jordan’s Principle (p 131)

VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIGENOUS WOMEN, GIRLS, TWO-SPIRIT AND LGBTQQIA+ PEOPLES

Implementing the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ (p 130 – 131):

$95.8 million over five years and $20.4 million ongoing to help Indigenous families access information about their missing and murdered loved ones, and to enhance victim services to support their healing journeys

$2 6 million over three years to support the National Family and Survivors Circle in keeping families and survivors at the center of the implementation of the National Action Plan and the Federal Pathway

$2.2 million over five years to establish an oversight mechanism to monitor and report on the progress of implementation

$1.6 million over two years to support the Ministerial Special Representative appointed to provide advice and recommendations on the creation of an Indigenous and Human Rights Ombudsperson

$2 5 million over five years to facilitate and coordinate work on advancing the National Action Plan by establishing a standing Federal-Provincial-Territorial-Indigenous table on MMIWG and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People (focusing on shared roles and responsibilities, and creating a “Red Dress Alert” to notify the public when an Indigenous woman or 2S person goes missing)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING & THE COST OF LIVING

$2.5 billion for a one-time “Grocery Rebate” which will be delivered to "low and modest income" folks, through the GST credit program. The rebate will provide couples with two children with up to $467, single people without children up to $234, and seniors with $225, on average (p. 34).

Starting April 1, 2023, financial institutions will be able to offer people looking to buy their first home a Tax-Free First Home Savings Account, which will be tax-deductible (p. 44)

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

$85 1 million over five years for the creation of the Canada Water Agency, which will work with provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, and other entities to manage and keep safe the waters within Canada (p. 135)

$184 million over three years for continuing to monitor, protect, and promote the recovery of species at risk (p 135)

$151.9 million over three years starting in 2023-24 for the continued protection of endangered whales and their habitats (p. 135)

Multiple avenues of funding supporting the use and manufacturing of clean energy and products, including $20 billion total for the support of clean electricity through the Canada Infrastructure Bank (p. 81)

EDUCATION

$813 6 billion for enhancing financial assistance for post-secondary students (p 39): The Canada Student Grant will be increased by 40%, bringing the grant up to a possible $4,200 for full time students.

Mature students will no longer need to undergo a credit check before accessing federal student loans for the first time

$197.7 million for the Student Work Placement Program, which gives post-secondary students paid work experience in their field of study (p. 101)

$13 billion over five years, and $4.4 billion in ongoing funding for the implementation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan. The plan will provide dental coverage for folks making under $90K a year, with no copays (contributions from the patient) for those making under $70K a year (p.62)

Starting in 2025, $250 million will also be invested to create an Oral Health Access Fund This will go toward targeted measures to addressing oral health gaps in vulnerable communities, as well as increasing oral health care access in rural and remote areas (p. 62)

$36 million over three years (starting in 2024) to renew the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund, which supports community-based organizations to provide access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, more accessible to vulnerable populations (p. 60)

$158.4 million over three years for the implementation of the 988 phone service. This service will provide mental health crisis support to through calling or texting the 988 number (p 60)

$359.2 million over five years for renewing the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, which includes funds for community-based supports through the Substance Use and Addictions Program, funding for a new community-based program aiming to prevent substance use in young people, and for authorizations for safe consumption sites, among other measures (p 58-59)

FIGHTING SYSTEMIC DISRIMINATION

$25.4 million over five years and $0.6 million ongoing, for supporting Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy (p. 142)

$1 5M over two years, starting in 2023-24, to create a new Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion Secretariat, which will aim to ensure Anti-Racism considerations are included in federal policies (p. 142)

$25 million (starting in 2024) for the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, which aims to empower Black-led and serving community organizations (p. 142)

$160 million over three years for the Women’s Program, which provides funding to organizations that serve women, focusing on Indigenous women, women with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIIA+ communities, Black, newcomer, racialized and migrant women (p. 144)

COMMUNITY RESPONSES

NATIONAL FAMILY AND SURVIVORS CIRCLE

“The $124.7 million towards MMIWG2s+ priorities announced in today’s Budget 2023 is a significant step forward these types of ongoing and concrete financial commitments by all governments are necessary to ending this genocide.” [source]

ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS

"We welcome the investments in implementing the national action plan on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and 2S+ peoples the remainder of the budget reflects a cyclical process perpetuating poverty and third-world conditions for many of our communities."

- AFN National Chief RoseAnne Archibald [source]

GOVERNMENT OF NUNAVUT

"Today’s federal budget announcements contribute to our government’s efforts to improve access to housing and health care services here in Nunavut. We will continue to press for federal commitments that will allow for nation-building investments that further social and economic reconciliation for our Inuit region.”

MÉTIS NATIONAL COUNCIL

"The Métis National Council put forward a strong budget proposal to support Métis citizens on issues of health, economic development, education, and languages This budget fails to invest in these areas. ”

- Cassidy Caron, MNC President [source]

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDSHIP CENTRES (NAFC)

“We welcome the investments in urban Indigenous housing, but none of the other NAFC’s prebudget submissions were announced [...] the ongoing investments for Friendship Centres are crucial in order to help us support our communities and help the federal government meet its stated Reconciliation objectives We fear that urban Indigenous peoples are being asked to wait once again.”

- Hon PJ Akeeagok, Premier of Nunavut [source]

-Kelly Benning, NAFC President [source]

CRE'S IMPRESSIONS

CRE welcomes the Government of Canada’s re-commitment to reforming child welfare through An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, and is pleased to see funds set aside to implement the MMIWG2S+ Calls to Justice.

We are also glad to see funds allocated to implement an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy for Indigenous people living off-reserve, though we also recognize that the $4 billion over five years that has been set aside is a fraction of what is needed to secure safe, affordable, quality housing for all Indigenous peoples.

Much of the environment and climate change interventions in Budget 2023 are specifically targeted toward the energy and manufacturing industries and outweigh the investments for conserving and protecting the environment. However, CRE is encouraged to see the Government of Canada’s commitment for the Canada Water Agency to begin operating by the end of this year.

We look forward to seeing the Government of Canada continue to invest in UNDRIP implementation, recommit to improving Indigenous youth education and employment, and address more systemic reforms Indigenous youth continue to call for.

The needs of Indigenous youth as defined by the youth themselves must be embedded in all funding and policy measures impacting Indigenous communities CRE will continue to advocate for that space whenever and wherever possible, and to capacitate Indigenous youth to lead those conversations

Stay

tuned to CRE’s social media for follow-ups related to Budget 2023 as we keep an eye on how all these commitments will play out!

FURTHER READING

Budget 2023 homepage

Budget 2023: Feds announce $2B for housing, $125M on MMIWG,

$811M on health. (28 March 2023). Fraser Needham for APTN.

The UNDA 101: Canada’s Declaration Action Plan. (28 March 2023). Hayden King for Yellowhead Institute.

New Indigenous-led economic reconciliation framework to guide the way forward (21 June 2022)

Simon Fraser University News.

For more information, to let us know your thoughts, or to suggest a topic for the CRE Explains series, please contact:

Kim Wakeford Policy and Research Manager, CRE kimwakeford@canadianroots.ca