The Government of Canada says it is moving ahead with long-term changes to the First Nations Child and Family Services program, working in partnership with First Nations communities across the country.
On Tuesday, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty announced that Canada will submit a detailed reform plan to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. The plan supports First Nations–led regional agreements, allowing communities to design child and family services that reflect their own cultures, needs, and realities, while still working within a national framework.
The federal government has committed $35.5 billion in funding through 2033–34, with an additional $4.4 billion each year after that. The goal is to ensure First Nations children and families have long-term, stable support and fewer children are removed from their homes.
Officials say the changes are urgently needed, as too many First Nations children remain in care. The proposed reforms focus on keeping children safely connected to their families, cultures, and communities, and strengthening families rather than separating them.
The approach builds on a similar agreement reached in Ontario earlier this year and includes added funding for First Nations representatives who help protect children’s rights and provide cultural and legal support.
Canada is expected to submit the plan to the tribunal later today, with talks set to begin with interested First Nations groups early in the new year.
