2017–18 Departmental Results Report

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Note: Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) was established as per the Orders in Council, effective November 30, 2017. The 2017−18 ISC Departmental Results Report (DRR) includes the full results and narrative for the programs that belong to ISC.

Note that the financial and human resources presented in the ISC DRR only covers the period of November 30, 2017 to March 31, 2018. ISC had no planned resources for fiscal year 2017−18 or actual resources for previous fiscal years.

 

* Programs for which elements have been split between Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) and ISC.

** Programs formerly with Health Canada, for which all elements are now fully delivered by ISC.

Minister’s message

I am pleased to present the 2017−18 Departmental Results Report for Indigenous Services Canada, the first Departmental Results Report as we build this new department. This report sets out the results the Department has achieved through services provided to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples based on activities detailed in the 2017-18 Departmental Plans for both Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and Health Canada.

As part of the journey towards Reconciliation, the Government of Canada is committed to renewing the relationship with Indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. In August 2017, the Prime Minister announced the creation of Indigenous Services Canada, a new Department that is improving access to high-quality services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis, supporting and removing barriers for Indigenous peoples to control the delivery of services to their members, and working to rectify health and socio-economic inequities in Indigenous communities across Canada.

On January 23, 2018, I outlined some of our current challenges, such as the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system, the significant challenges with access to clean drinking water on reserve, and the shorter life expectancy for Indigenous peoples compared to non-Indigenous peoples. To address these challenges, we need to take immediate action on five key interconnected priorities: children and families together, quality education, improving health outcomes, reliable infrastructure and economic prosperity including a new fiscal relationship. It is only in full partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis that we can close the socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Although we are making progress in many areas, there is still much more work to be done, in partnership with Indigenous peoples.

We have worked with Indigenous partners on strategies to fully reform the child welfare system. Following the January 2018 Emergency Meeting on First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation Child and Family Services, the Government of Canada committed to six points of action to address the number of Indigenous children in foster care. We continue to work together to put children and family first, keep families together, and keep children in their communities.

With the First Nations Inuit Health Branch now a part of Indigenous Services Canada, we are continuing to build on our previous success with the British Columbia Tripartite First Nations Health Plan to develop other regional First Nations health transformation initiatives in Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. We have advanced significantly on our joint review of Non-Insured Health Benefits with First Nations and are investing in Inuit-specific approaches to suicide prevention, tuberculosis and health survey research.

The Department continues to work in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis to advance their education priorities. This past year, we have made progress on education reform, completed First Nation education infrastructure projects ranging from school repairs to the building of new schools, and have increased funding to post-secondary programs.

We have made progress on the commitment to improve community infrastructure for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Thousands of new housing units have been built, renovated, retrofitted or serviced, investments have been made to construct educational facilities, and we have reduced the number of long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve. I am particularly pleased to say that since 2015, 73 of on-reserve public systems long-term drinking water advisories were lifted as of October 19, 2018, and we will continue to lift remaining long-term drinking water advisories on public systems by March 2021.

Finally, we have made significant strides in improving economic prosperity for Indigenous communities. Working in collaboration with First Nation partners, we engaged with First Nations Chiefs and administrators on A New Approach: Co-development of a New Fiscal Relationship that outlines the recognition of rights by supporting First Nations-led capacity building. We continue to work with urban First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners to provide sufficient, predictable, long-term funding to help contribute to their economic growth and path to self-determination.

In the coming year, we will continue to advance key priorities through collaboration and partnership with Indigenous peoples. An improved quality of life for Indigenous peoples is key to a better Canada for all.

 

The Honourable Jane Philpott, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Indigenous Services Canada

 

Results at a glance

Total actual spending: $4,287,798,604
Total full-time equivalent: 1,452
Strategic Outcomes Actual spending Full-time equivalents
The Government $230,147,029 123
Les People $1,590,059,974 158
The Lad and Economy $1,242,920,436 152
First Nations ans Inuit communities ans individuals receive health services and benefits $1,199,241,573 900
Internal Services $25,429,592 119

In August 2017, the Prime Minister announced the dissolution of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), and the creation of two new departments: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). The final structure of these two new departments is being developed with an objective to accelerate self-determination, contribute to the closing of socio-economic gaps, and to advance reconciliation.

On November 30th 2017, ISC was created, bringing together First Nation and Inuit health services (formerly with Health Canada), education, essential social services, child and family services programs and housing and infrastructure programs (formerly with INAC).

ISC continues the important work of improving the quality of services provided to First Nations, Inuit and Métis; supporting and empowering Indigenous control over the delivery of services; and improving the socio-economic conditions and quality of life in First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities.

In 2017−18, ISC focused, in partnership with Indigenous peoples, on the following five interconnected priority areas: children and families, education, health, infrastructure, and economic prosperity.

Keeping Children and Families Together

In 2017−18, the Department engaged with First Nations leadership, communities and youth, agencies and other service providers, provinces and the Yukon on how to reform the First Nations Child and Family Services program through regional and national sessions.

Establishing Quality Education

The Government of Canada acknowledges that a one-size-fits-all approach to First Nations’ education will not work. ISC has been working closely with various First Nation partners to design and implement an inclusive and comprehensive engagement process aimed at developing recommendations for strengthening First Nation student success and closing the educational attainment gap.

On August 16, 2017, the Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement was signed with 23 Participating First Nations. The Agreement recognized Anishinabek control over education and created the Anishinabek Education System (AES), which was launched April 1, 2018.

As part of Budget 2016’s five-year $2.6 billion investment, ISC invested in new funding for First Nations elementary and secondary education on reserve in 2017−18 which meant that:

A Joint Working Committee has been established with representatives from ISC, the AFN, the Chiefs Committee on Education and the National Indian Education Council to work together to address various issues of importance to First Nations education. Separate technical task teams were launched to look into the following specific issues: Funding Mechanisms; Education Statutory Funding; Post-Secondary Education; the Early Childhood Education; Development of results framework for First Nations kindergarten to grade 12 and issues specific to Northern and Remote communities.

Budget 2017 provided an additional $90 million over two years for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program, $45 million of which was allocated in 2017–18. In addition, in 2017−18, an investment of $5 million per year for five years was made to support the Indigenous-led organization Indspire.

Improving Health Outcomes

Canada is committed to working with Indigenous communities and organizations, as well as provinces and territories to improve health outcomes for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. The Government’s goal is to support Indigenous-led approaches for the effective design, management and delivery of health services for their members. Canada invests $2.7 billion annually to support First Nations and Inuit health, including over $341 million annually to support First Nations and Inuit mental wellness. The Government has worked with the AFN and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) to engage their constituents in identifying their respective health priorities. This engagement helped to inform Budget 2017 investments, which provided $828.2 million over five years, in First Nations and Inuit health funding to support maternal and child health; access to primary care and mental health services; and home and palliative care. A large portion of these investments are addressing the extensive gaps associated with the lack of investment in health programming over the previous ten years.

In 2017–18, the Department made progress on improving these services by leading a number of activities, including:

Examples of services provided under Jordan’s Principle:

  • Respite care, assisted living services;
  • Nursing services;
  • Vehicle purchase or modification, school transportation;
  • Speech therapy, physiotherapy;
  • Mental health services - assessments, therapy;
  • Teacher’s aids, educational assistants, school supplies;
  • Communication devices, ceiling lifts, adaptive seats;
  • Nutritional supplements;
  • Wheelchair ramps;
  • Traditional activities (e.g. Elder services).

In 2017-18, new investments made through Budgets 2016 and 2017 continued to make a difference in Mental Wellness:

Building Reliable Infrastructure, including Housing & Water

Budget 2017 invested $4 billion over ten years to build and improve community infrastructure, including housing.

In Budget 2016, the Government announced significant new funding to end all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by 2021.

ISC developed an interactive map to show infrastructure projects that are ongoing and completed in First Nations communities in all 10 provinces. Projects can include: feasibility studies; new system design work; interim repairs on existing systems; permanent repairs to existing infrastructure; construction of new infrastructure or improved training and monitoring.

As of March 31, 2018, $93.9 million has been invested to support 458 solid waste management projects on reserves across Canada through the First Nations Solid Waste Management Initiative.

Budget 2016 identified $319.9 million over 5 years to support investments in First Nations health facilities.

Economic Prosperity

The Department has committed to a new fiscal relationship with Indigenous Peoples that is sufficient, sustainable and predictable, and is advancing this relationship through creating ten-year-grants for qualified First Nations, with a goal of providing them to 100 First Nations by April 1, 2019.

Following 17 months of intensive co-development work with the First Nation partners and other federal departments and agencies, a joint final report with proposals for a new fiscal relationship was submitted to the AFN National Chief and the Minister of Indigenous Services Canada on December 6, 2017. Recommendations have been endorsed by both parties, who are moving forward with a number of proposals in 2018. Recommendations from the report, in addition to ten-year-grants, include: reviewing and revising the default prevention and management policy, building on the Default Prevention and Management Pilot Project with the First Nations Financial Management Board; co-development of a First Nations-led audit function and other measures to support mutual accountability; and establishment of an advisory body with a mandate to guide future co-development of a fiscal policy framework and other proposals.

The Department is now working with First Nation partners to move forward on these proposals. In addition to the goal of providing 100 First Nations with ten-year-grants by April 1, 2019, co-development of reforms to default prevention is underway, and the first meeting of the Advisory Committee will take place in Fall 2018.

For more information on Indigenous Service’s Canada’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the "Results: what we achieved" section of this report.

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

Raison d’être

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) works collaboratively with partners to improve quality of life and access to high quality services for Indigenous peoples. Our vision is to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis to design, manage and deliver services to their communities.

The Minister of Indigenous Services is responsible for this organization.

Mandate and role

In August 2017, the Prime Minister announced plans for the dissolution of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and the creation of two new departments: Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC). By Orders in Council on November 29, 2017, the Department of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) was created. The Minister of Indigenous Services is responsible for this organization.

Effective November 30, 2017, the following responsibilities were transferred to ISC:

1) from the Health Canada (HC);

  • the control and supervision of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch; and,

2) from INAC:

  • the Education and Social Development Programs and Partnership Sector, and
  • the Regional Operations Sector.

ISC has a mandate to support Canada’s Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) by:

  • Improving quality of life;
  • Supporting high-quality services for Indigenous peoples; and
  • Facilitating the path to self-determination in all sectors.

For the purpose of the 2017−18 ISC DRR, the priorities and results are aligned to the 2017−18 reporting frameworks of INAC and Health Canada under the following strategic outcomes:

  1. Government − Support good governance, rights and interests of Indigenous peoples;
  2. People − Individual, family and community well-being for First Nations and Inuit; /li>
  3. Land and Economy - Full participation of First Nations, Métis, Non-status Indians and Inuit individuals and communities in the economy; and
  4. First Nations and Inuit Health − First Nations and Inuit communities and individuals receive health services and benefits that are responsive to their needs so as to improve their health status.

For more general information about the department, see the "Supplementary information" section of this report. For more information on the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter.

Operating context and key risks

Operating context

On January 17, 2018, in recognition of the traditional Salish Territory the building is established on, a plaque is unveiled at the BC regional office. (From left to right stands Elder Bob Baker of Squamish Nation, Elder Dee George of Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Squamish Nation Council member Deanna Lewis, Squamish Nation Council member Dustin Rivers, Minister Philpott, and Catherine Lappe, RDG of BC).

As part of the journey towards Reconciliation, the Government of Canada has taken an important step to renew the relationship with Indigenous peoples, based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership, by announcing a profound shift in the way the Government delivers services and advances self-determination and self-government of Indigenous peoples.

In order to develop structures that are better aligned to support Reconciliation, on August 28, 2017, the Prime Minister announced the intention to create two new departments:

  • Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) is advancing nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown, and government-to-government relationships; supporting Indigenous peoples' vision of self-determination; and leading the Government of Canada's work in the North; and
  • Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), which is improving access to high-quality services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis; supporting and empowering Indigenous peoples to control the delivery of those services; and improving the socio-economic conditions, quality of life and safety in their communities.

A key step was taken on November 30, 2017, with the creation of ISC, formalizing the creation of a new Department that brings together essential and mutually reinforcing services: First Nations and Inuit health services (formerly with the Health Canada), education services, essential social services, child and family services programs, and housing and infrastructure services (formerly with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada).

ISC is focusing, in partnership with Indigenous peoples, on the following five interconnected priority areas: health, education, children and families, infrastructure, and a new fiscal relationship.

ISC has been mandated to create systemic change in how the federal government delivers services to Indigenous peoples and ultimately transfer the design, the planning, management and delivery of these services under to Indigenous control. This is to be achieved by promoting consistency and quality, improving accountability to Indigenous peoples, taking a distinctions-based approach in the delivery of services and developing partnership models.

In order to achieve this transformation agenda, the Department is building a culture of services and a supportive internal environment. This will be possible by engaging Indigenous partners in the governance of the Department and; by building the national and regional organizational structures that allow greater participation of Indigenous partners in departmental operations and create the foundations for the emergence of successful devolution models. It will also be sustained by promoting cultural safety and Indigenization of organizational practices, including an increased Indigenous representation in the workforce.

The Government of Canada recognizes that the relationship between the Crown and Indigenous peoples has been built on colonial structures, which has contributed to the current unacceptable socio-economic gap. While day-to-day realities in Indigenous communities must continue to be addressed directly, there must also be a path to systematic change.

Following the creation of the two new departments, there is now an opportunity for the federal government to implement a new organizational culture — a new way of delivering services — developed in collaboration with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners.

However, this is only the beginning. The full composition of the new Department, including the possible inclusion of additional services, is being shaped in partnership with Indigenous peoples, recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples and the distinctions between and among First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nations. The end goal is not only that the design, delivery and control of services — in all areas — are led by and for Indigenous peoples, but also that the Department will disappear over time.

Key Risks

ISC funds or delivers programs and services to diverse groups of people and individuals who have varied and distinct needs and priorities. These programs and services are delivered to communities, large and small, urban and remote, all across the country. Most ISC services are delivered through partnerships with Indigenous communities, the provinces and territories and Indigenous organizations. Although the Department strives to provide quality day-to-day services, there may be significant risks external and internal to ISC that may impede the achievement of the government’s objectives. In anticipation of these risks, the Department updates the Corporate Risk Profile each year to fit risk mitigation activities into its planning processes. The tables below, outlines ISC's four highest external risks (Environmental Risk, Legal Risk, Indigenous Relationship Risk, Implementation Risk) and provides a response strategy for each.

This year, the Department has successfully mitigated some of its most significant risks by developing a new interim governance structure, creating a national engagement plan and continuing to work with the Assembly of First Nations on the development of a new fiscal relationship. The Department also established a Working Group on Public Service Engagement with employees and working level Indigenous partners to provide an opportunity to reflect on past practices and explore new ways of working.

"Environmental Risk" is defined as the potential impact of human activities on the environment and its effects on the Department and its stakeholders. For the Department, this is the potential impact of human activities on the environment that may affect the Department and its stakeholders. A number of such issues are of concern to Northerners and Indigenous communities, including the cumulative effects of climate change and its impact on traditional lifestyles, food source contamination, and economic development activity (agriculture, mining, forestry, the building of infrastructure, etc.). ISC has taken various steps to mitigate this risk, including regulatory reform, increased monitoring, support to develop emergency management plans, and robust oversight of contaminated areas.

"Legal Risk" recognizes that past legal agreements and court decisions, current legal actions, and potential litigation or contingent liabilities have a big impact on Departmental activities and the lives of Indigenous and Northern peoples, especially with regard to legal obligations and treaty rights. Where negotiated settlements are not possible, ISC has made substantial efforts to respond to legal decisions in a timely, efficient and respectful manner, involving key stakeholders to ensure informed decisions. It has also explored and used alternate dispute resolution approaches to avoid unnecessary litigation.

"Indigenous Relationship Risk" concerns the fostering and maintenance of a broad range of relationships with Indigenous communities, persons, and representative organizations. ISC has taken concrete steps to renew its relationships with Indigenous peoples. It also continues to build open and trusted partnerships that take a fast-changing context into account and are based on efficient service delivery, recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership — including greater efforts to engage with Indigenous peoples in developing policies and programs, building a new fiscal relationship, boosting investment in infrastructure and social programs, supporting the national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and developing national frameworks.

"Implementation Risk" refers to the ability and capacity of the Department to successfully implement new initiatives, while sustaining current program delivery. ISC has taken the appropriate measures to oversee the systems, practices and governance needed during all phases of its initiatives (i.e. initiation, planning, delivering, monitoring, close-out). Successful implementation is a demonstration to the public and beneficiaries that the Department has the capability to fulfill its responsibilities and obligations. By effectively mitigating its implementation risks, ISC has enhanced its program delivery and results.

Environmental Risk

Environmental Risk is defined as the potential impact of human activities on the environment and its effects on the Department and its stakeholders.

Link to ISC’s Programs Link to mandate letter commitments or to government-wide and departmental priorities
  • Infrastructure and Capacity
  • Improve essential infrastructure for Indigenous communities
  • Amendment of environmental legislation
  • Implementing the Budget 2016 essential infrastructure engagements
Mitigating strategy and effectiveness
  • Emergency Management allocated resources to support service agreements with First Nations partners, provincial/territorial governments and third party service providers. This year, the program entered a trilateral collaborative agreement with the Tŝilhqot’in National Government and British Columbia, to secure emergency management resources during emergency events. Negotiations toward trilateral arrangements across other regions are, or will be, underway shortly. The Program supported First Nations in protecting the health and safety of 14,888 evacuees from emergencies. Notably, 1,915 of these evacuees were from BC where over 1,300 fires burned an estimated 1,212,794 hectares of land.
  • This year, the Department developed Building Back Better: A Strategy Guide for Emergency Management Assistance Program Response and Recovery Supports, which is a suite of seven emergency response and recovery policies that facilitate timely, durable, culturally competent, and holistic emergency response and recovery activities.
  • The application process for preparedness and non-structural mitigation funding has been streamlined to reduce the reporting burden on First Nations partners.
  • The Department is continuing to review the policies and guidelines for Water and Wastewater on reserve in 2018-19.
  • The Department continues to support the implementation of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Petroleum and Allied Petroleum Products Storage System Regulations in First Nations communities. The Department also provided funding for the removal and/or replacement of non-compliant fuel tanks on reserve lands.

Legal Risk

Legal Risk recognizes that past legal agreements and court decisions, current legal actions, and potential litigation or contingent liabilities have a big impact on Departmental activities and the lives of Indigenous and Northern peoples, especially with regard to legal obligations and treaty rights.

Link to ISC’s Programs Link to mandate letter commitments or to government-wide and departmental priorities
  • Governance and Institutions of Government
  • Education
  • Social Development
  • Infrastructure and Capacity
  • Urban Indigenous Participation
  • Review of laws, policies and practices
  • Identify best models for delivering improved services to Indigenous peoples and improve accountability
  • Renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership.
Mitigating strategy and effectiveness
  • Canada is working with the Parties to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal complaint through a Consultation Committee on Child Welfare on the implementation of the Tribunal orders.
  • ISC and CIRNAC are regularly consulting with Indigenous groups with the aim of developing programs and policies that meet their needs and avoid implementation risks.
  • ISC and CIRNAC undertook an in-depth review of litigation across various thematic groupings (e.g. operational/policy/program, Section 35, consultation and accommodation and historic land transaction litigation). This review identified various trends and risks. Operational and policy shortcomings related to these litigation groupings, as well as prevention and mitigation strategies were discussed and developed with implicated sectors and programs.
  • Sectors were regularly informed of significant decisions rendered by the courts so that sectors can update practices and policies as required to comply with legal obligations.
  • Sectors also actively participated in litigation management committees and working groups to discuss and advise on court decisions implicating a particular program or policy, and any needed policy or program responses.
  • The Department worked with Justice Canada to ensure that contingency planning is undertaken from a legal and departmental perspective for all significant litigation. Contingency plans identify key potential outcomes, risks and possible departmental responses.
  • The Department considered the advice of Justice Canada on whether to appeal court decisions. In deciding whether or not to appeal, the Department took into consideration the Principles respecting the Government of Canada's relationship with Indigenous peoples, as well as legal, policy, program, financial and reputational risks.

Indigenous Relationship Risk

Indigenous Relationship Risk concerns the fostering and maintenance of a broad range of relationships with Indigenous communities, persons, and representative organizations.

Link to ISC’s Programs Link to mandate letter commitments or to government-wide and departmental priorities
  • Governance and Institutions of Government
  • Education
  • Social Development
  • Infrastructure and Capacity
  • Urban Indigenous Participation
  • Review of laws, policies, programs and practices
  • Enhancing First Nations Child and Family Services
  • Ensuring First Nation Children on reserve receive a quality education
  • Identify best models for delivering improved services and improve accountability
  • Improve essential infrastructure for Indigenous communities
  • Implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action
  • Implementing a new fiscal relationship
  • Provision of community infrastructure
  • Renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership.
Mitigating strategy and effectiveness
  • The permanent bilateral mechanisms have been effective at developing strong, productive, and respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples, communities, organizations and governments. The process has been instrumental in leveraging results on a number of challenges facing Indigenous peoples.
  • ISC held ongoing engagements with Indigenous communities and leaders to better align program reforms to community needs.
    • Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples was implemented in 2017–18, replacing the Urban Indigenous Participation Program, based on feedback received during the 2016 Urban Aboriginal Strategy engagement process.
    • Child and Family Services reform was supported by establishing trilateral tables (federal/provincial/Indigenous) in every jurisdiction. Minister Philpott also convened a two-day emergency meeting on January 25 and 26, 2018 with Indigenous partners and provincial and territorial Ministers to identify shared priorities and a six-point path forward in reforming Indigenous child and family services.
    • Housing and Infrastructure Program reform continue to engage with stakeholders to develop a distinct housing strategy and to reform the housing programs to increase First Nations care, control and management.
    • The Emergency Management Assistance Program worked closely with First Nation partners, third party stakeholders, and industry experts in emergency management towards the Government’s commitment of building relationships. The Program participated in engagement activities with First Nations partners from the Kamloops region following the 2017 wildfires and engaged with First Nations and Tribal Councils across Saskatchewan.
    • On-reserve Infrastructure Program reform, which includes education facilities, held engagement sessions with stakeholders to discuss options. Engagements in British Columbia are exploring the transfer of First Nation infrastructure service delivery to the BC Housing and Infrastructure Council.
    • The Water and Wastewater program continued engaging with First Nations to address community concerns regarding safe drinking water.
  • As part of the process of modernizing the Band Support Funding program, the Department undertook a data validation exercise with twenty-five First Nation communities in order to validate a cost model that was created using First Nations’ financial statements.

Implementation Risk

Implementation Risk is associated with the systems, practices and governance needed during all phases of an initiative (initiation, planning, delivering, monitoring and close-out).

Link to ISC’s Programs Link to mandate letter commitments or to government-wide and departmental priorities
  • Governance and Institutions of Government
  • Education
  • Social Development
  • Community Economic Development
  • Infrastructure and Capacity
  • Urban Indigenous Participation
  • Internal Services
  • First Nations and Inuit Primary Health Care
  • Implementing the Truth and Reconciliation commission’s Call to Action
  • Review of laws, policies and practices
  • Enhancing First Nations Child and Family Services
  • Establishing a new First Nation Education System
  • Improving Health Outcomes
  • Approach to service delivery that is patient-centred, focused on community wellness and links effectively to provincial and territorial health care systems
Mitigating strategy and effectiveness
  • The Department had ongoing engagements and communication with Indigenous communities and leaders to support reforms to programs and the development of new laws, policies and programs, determining realistic expectations for the design and implementation of key policy and program commitments. Other jurisdictions (e.g. the provinces, territories, municipalities) were also consulted to ensure successful delivery of programs and services and reforms in inter-jurisdictional areas of operation.
  • Ministerial commitments were monitored through departmental governance efforts and ongoing communication occurred during the year, tracking departmental results on programs and policies. In support of the Government of Canada’s commitment to transparency, the progress on these commitments is available on the Mandate letter tracker website.
  • In 2017–18, the Department provided $16.7 million to support more than 200 high priority repair projects in First Nations health facilities. To address equipment and aging physical infrastructure, the Department, through its Long-Term Capital Plan, identified high priority capital repairs to be done based on building condition inspections.
  • Where primary care services are provided by departmental nurses working in remote and isolated locations, IT infrastructure support has been provided for eHealth tools such as telehealth and digital health records in order to improve access and delivery of health services.
  • To ensure the Nursing Recruitment and Retention Strategy continues to be implemented; the Department is working to better understand the nursing workforce by doing an analysis of workforce issues. This will help develop a strengthened marketing campaign to recruit and retain nurses.

Results: what we achieved

Strategic Outcome: The Government

Support good governance, rights and interests of Indigenous peoples

Program: Governance and Institutions of Government*

Description

This Program provides support to First Nation governments, as well as Indigenous governance institutions and organizations. The intent of this support is to facilitate capacity development in the Indigenous public service, the elected leadership, and entities that administer aggregate services on behalf of or to First Nation governments and their communities. Transparent and accountable First Nation governments attract investment, create opportunities, and effectively support their citizens. Transparent and accountable institutions and organizations strengthen the fabric of Indigenous governments across Canada, assist Indigenous communities and their governments in attracting investment, and support Indigenous participation in the Canadian economy. Ultimately, good governance practices are essential for active Indigenous participation in Canadian society and the economy.

The following program elements pertaining specifically to CIRNAC; support to Indigenous governance institutions and organizations, transparent and accountable institutions that strengthen Indigenous governments and assist Indigenous communities and their government in attracting investment are reported in the 2017−18 CIRNAC Departmental Results Report. Information on Governance and Institutions lower-level programs is available on both ISC and CIRNAC websites and in the GCInfobase.

Results

In support of renewing the relationship with Indigenous peoples, ISC continued to work with Indigenous partners in establishing the National Indigenous Community Development Strategy. Components of the National Strategy include: Indigenous Community Development Training for public servants; Comprehensive Community Planning; funding for regional and national Indigenous community planning workshops; and drafting of an implementation and evaluation framework.

Since November 2016, 20 Indigenous Community Development Training sessions have been held with 570 participants from different government departments and organizations across Canada. This training partially responds to Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action # 57, which concerns the provision of education to public servants on the history of Indigenous peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, by providing skills-based training in intercultural competency. The development of Comprehensive Community Plans helps First Nation communities determine their own unique priorities as well as increasing community engagement and resilience. In 2017−18, the Government of Canada invested $6.6 million in 76 communities across Canada through proposals submitted to the Professional and Institutional Development Program.

In 2017−18, the Department allocated funding to First Nations in-need through supplementary Band Support Funding (BSF). Supplementary BSF allocations contributed to 76 percent of First Nations scoring low risk in the Governance section of the General Assessment, surpassing the target of 70 percent by March 31, 2018. ISC also met the target of 90 percent of tribal councils scoring low risk on the General Assessment as of March 31, 2018.

The Professional and Institutional Development program provided First Nations with the tools to implement and govern their long-term vision, as well as articulate the needs and priorities of their communities. These investments supported First Nations in building their governance capacity on their path to self-determination. As of March 31, 2018, only 43 percent of First Nations received funding to develop Governance Capacity Plans, which fell short of the 80 percent target. In 2017–18, the demand for funding was greater than the resources available with only 137 First Nations receiving funding (55 communities in British Columbia; 14 communities in Alberta; 21 communities in Saskatchewan; seven communities in Manitoba; 27 communities in Ontario; four communities in Québec; seven communities in Atlantic Region; one community in the Northwest Territories; and one community in Nunavut). As of March 31, 2018, 138 communities having completed Governance Capacity Plans (108 communities in British Columbia; 21 communities in Saskatchewan; one community in Manitoba; four communities in Ontario; one community in Québec; two communities in Atlantic Region; and one community in the Yukon). Additional resources will be provided to First Nations interested in participating in the planning process in 2018−19.

Results achieved
Expected results Performance indicators Targets Actual results
First Nation governments and institutions are supported in their efforts to be transparent to their communities and membership Percentage of First Nations having adopted reporting of financial statements to their members 75% by March 31, 2018 2017–18: 91%

2016–17: 91%
2015–16: 97%a
a The performance indicator for 2015–16 may not be comparable to the 2017−18 performance indicator.
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
185,005,529 185,005,529
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
123

Program: Other Claims*

Description

This Program addresses payments related to the resolution of litigation and/or out-of-court settlements for any claim that cannot be designated to any other existing ISC program. Key activities could include: the assessment of the merits of the claim; the completion of a settlement agreement where appropriate; payment of any monetary compensation and funding and implementation of related activities pursuant to the terms of a settlement agreement and/or direction by a Tribunal or Court.

Information regarding out-of-court settlements, pertaining specifically to CIRNAC, are reported in the 2017–18 CIRNAC Departmental Results Report and are available on both ISC and CIRNAC websites and in the GCInfobase.

Results

The Government of Canada is committed to ongoing reconciliation and to renewing Canada’s relationship with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, based on recognition, rights, cooperation and partnership.

The Department continued to work closely with Justice Canada to settle claims out-of-court and resolve litigation through negotiation, where possible, instead of proceeding to trial. In 2017−18, one out-of-court settlement was made, relating to one First Nation Plaintiff in one province/territory.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
65,556,243 45,141,500
The difference between Total authorities available for use and Actual spending primarily reflects funding that was not required in 2017−18 and will be re-profiled to future years when they will be available for the intended purpose (-$20.4 million).
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
0
This Program addresses payments related to the resolution of litigation and/or out-of-court settlements. Expenditures relate to the settlement amounts only; no full-time equivalents are associated with this program.

Strategic Outcome: The People

Individual, family and community well-being for First Nations and Inuit

Program: Education

Description

This Program’s overarching goal is to work in partnership with First Nations, provincial and territorial governments and other education stakeholders, to provide eligible First Nation and Inuit students with support in order to achieve educational outcomes that are comparable to those of other Canadians. The Education Program provides funding for culturally-appropriate elementary and secondary education for eligible First Nation students ordinarily resident on reserve, and financially supports post-secondary education for eligible First Nation and Inuit students.

Results

December 2016, the Government of Canada signed the Manitoba First Nations School System Education Governance Agreement with the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre, leading to the establishment of the Manitoba First Nations School System for the 2017–18 school year. Ten First Nations in Manitoba currently participate in this agreement, and more may join in the coming years. This new approach will provide First Nations with "equity plus" funding to ensure that First Nations students receive a high quality, linguistically and culturally-appropriate education that improves outcomes.

The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening partnerships and ensuring that Indigenous students receive a high-quality and culturally-appropriate education that improves outcomes.

Budget 2016 invested $2.6 billion over five-years in new funding for First Nations elementary and secondary education on reserve. With this funding, First Nation communities were able to improve recruitment and retention of teachers by increasing salaries and providing additional training, as well as professional development opportunities. First Nations were able to develop and enhance curriculum through departmental investments in language and culture, which increased cultural events for students and teachers, and provided more opportunities for elder and community involvement in school programs. Additionally, students who attended high school outside of their communities were supported with more opportunities to travel home during the school year, enhanced accommodation funding, and increased access to supports. (e.g. guidance and counselling services).

In 2017−18, we invested $244.5 million in the High Cost Special Education Program helped First Nations to hire additional specialized staff, special education teachers and teachers’ aides, as well as professionals to complete more student assessments. These investments also assisted First Nations with purchasing the specialized equipment and technology needed to support students with high cost special needs.

The Department also provided increased support for initiatives in the areas of innovation and research. Nineteen new national projects were supported under the themes of land-based education and Indigenous physical activity and sport. The Department also funded 13 research-oriented projects aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge of best practices in Indigenous education that can support improved First Nation student outcomes.

Under Education Partnerships, ISC funded 47 First Nations organizations for partnership or capacity development work to transform First Nations education. The Department engaged in extensive discussions with the First Nations Education Steering Committee and the province of British Columbia to renew the 2012 Tripartite Education Framework agreement, with a renewed Agreement expected for the 2018−19 school year. The Department also reached an agreement with four Alberta Maskwacîs Cree First Nations (Ermineskin Cree Nation, Louis Bull Tribe, Montana First Nation and Samson Cree Nation) to transform their education system and establish the new Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission, which began operations in July 2018.

In 2017−18, the Department concluded an extensive multi-year engagement process to co-develop an improved policy framework for supporting First Nations elementary and secondary education. As part of this process, the Department funded 37 Indigenous representative organizations to lead community-level discussions and launched an online survey that received over 1,700 responses. In addition, the Department supported technical task teams and regional technical discussions to address key education issues at both a national and regional level. Finally, leadership dialogue sessions were hosted in five regions across the country between Chief and council, Departmental officials, and education experts. The engagement process culminated in a co-developed policy proposal between the Department and the Assembly of First Nations, which was endorsed at the AFN Special Assembly by Chiefs, in December 2017.

In 2015, 20 years of negotiations concluded with a draft agreement that was ratified in 2016–17. In August 2017, the Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement was signed with 23 Participating First Nations. The Agreement recognized Anishinabek control over education and created the Anishinabek Education System (AES), which was launched April 1, 2018.

Between 2015−16 and 2016−17, the number of First Nations students who met or exceeded the standard assessment for literacy increased by 1735 (122 percent), while the total number of students who met or exceeded the standard assessment for numeracy increased by 861 (24 percent). Notwithstanding these results, when literacy and numeracy are assessed on a percentage basis by province from year to year, the results show decreases for literacy, and both increases and decreases for numeracy. These results must be considered in light of the significant increase in the overall number of students included in the analysis and the fact that each province has its own approach to standardized testing. Additionally, not all First Nation administered schools administer the standardized tests, and the total number of students included in the analysis changes on an annual basis. The Department is working in collaboration with First Nations to identify meaningful targets and data collection strategies for this indicator to better measure outcomes in the future.

Budget 2017 provided an additional $90 million over two years for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program and University and College Entrance Preparation Program to ensure that Indigenous students have the same opportunities for success as other Canadian students. In 2017−18, $45 million was allocated to support Indigenous students through these programs. In addition, an investment of $5 million per year over five years, starting in 2017−18, was provided to support the Indigenous-led organization Indspire. The Department also began engaging national Indigenous organizations and post-secondary education stakeholders to undertake a comprehensive review of all federal programs supporting Indigenous post-secondary students. The purpose of this review is to develop recommendations that will support Indigenous students to pursue and complete post-secondary education. This review and the development of recommendations is continuing in 2018−19.

The Education Program provides post-secondary education to Inuit who are not covered under the provisions of the Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. Most Inuit receive programs and services via this Agreement, which is adminstered by CIRNAC.

ISC is one of 11 Federal Government partners, delivering programs as part of the Youth Employment Strategy. The Department has been working closely with the lead Department, Employment and Social Development Canada, to deliver the program and has continued participating in interdepartmental meetings on renewing the Strategy. Budget 2017 announced an additional investment of more than $100 million over three years for the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy, and $36.6 million of this investment was allocated in 2017−18, providing more First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy with access to the Skills Link and Summer Work Experience Programs.

Results achieved
Expected results Performance indicators Targets Actual resultsa
First Nation and Inuit students are enabled, through funding, to progress in their education Percentage of funded First Nation students ordinarily resident on reserve who graduate from high school Incremental increase year after year (ongoing) 2016−17: To come December 2018

2015–16: 41%
Number of funded First Nation and Inuit Post-Secondary Student Support Program students who graduate with a post-secondary degree/diploma/certificate Incremental increase year after year (ongoing) 2016−17: To come December 2018

2015−16: 3686 students
Percentage of First Nation and Inuit population with post-secondary degree/certificate Incremental increase over five years relative to the 2011 National Household Survey First Nation
2016: 40.4%
2011: 34.6%

Inuit
2016: 32.7%
2011: 26.4%
a Data reflects the graduation of students from the previous academic year; this data also spans fiscal years.
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
823,010,411 820,010,411
The difference between Total authorities available for use and Actual spending primarily reflects funding that was not required in 2017−18 and will be re-profiled to future years when they will be available for the intended purpose (-$3.0 million).
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
106

Information on Education’s lower-level program is available on ISC’s website and in the GCInfoBase.

Program: Social Development

Description

This Program provides funding to four social sub-programs: Income Assistance, Assisted Living, First Nations Child and Family Services, and Family Violence Prevention. Together, these sub-programs assist First Nation individuals and communities in becoming more self-sufficient, protect individuals and families at risk of violence, provide prevention supports that allow individuals and families to better care for their children, and support greater participation in the labour market. The Program assists First Nation men, women and children to achieve greater independence and self-sufficiency in First Nation communities across Canada by providing funding for First Nations, First Nation organizations, provinces and others that provide individual and family services to on-reserve residents (and Yukon First Nation residents). These services help First Nation communities meet basic and special needs, support employability and participation in the workforce, and support the safety of individuals and families. Through these four social sub-programs, First Nations are better able to advance their own development, leverage opportunities and actively contribute to the broader Canadian economy and society.

Results

In January 2018, at a two day emergency meeting, the federal government committed to working together with partners on six points of action, to address the over-representation of Indigenous children and youth in care in Canada. These include:

  • Continuing the work to fully implement all orders from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal;
  • Shifting the programming focus to prevention and early intervention;
  • Exploring the potential for co-developed federal child welfare legislation;
  • Supporting Inuit and Métis Nation leadership to advance culturally-appropriate reform;
  • Developing a data and reporting strategy with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners; and
  • Accelerating the work of trilateral technical tables that are in place across the country.

Between 2013 and 2017 more than 10,400 on-reserve young adults received case management supports, which enabled approximately 7,400 youth to exit income assistance.

ISC provided $973 million in income assistance funding to help eligible individuals and families on reserve meet their basic and special needs; and continued to invest in pre-employment supports to help individuals transition to, and remain in, the workforce. The percentage of First Nation communities providing case management and pre-employment supports has increased to 35 percent, from 34 percent last year, improving the capacity of communities to deliver social programming and achieving the expected target for performance. Since implementing increased case management and pre-employment supports for income assistance clients (ages: 18 to 24), the dependency rate has decreased from 33.6 percent in 2013 to 30.5 percent in 2017.

In 2017−18, $114 million in Assisted Living program funding helped provide individuals living on reserve or ordinarily resident on reserve with non-medical, social support services, including in-home care, adult foster care, and institutional care. These support services have enabled seniors, adults with chronic illness, children and adults with both mental and physical disabilities to maintain their functional independence.

As part of the engagement process to reform the First Nation Child and Family Services Program, communities submitted project proposals about new ways and best practices to provide protection and prevention services to First Nation children and families. A number of these proposed projects were selected as pilots. Based on the lessons learned, the First Nation Child and Family Services Program will expand the opportunities for communities to run their own prevention services under the new Community Well-being and Jurisdiction Initiatives in 2018−19. Following the February 1, 2018 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision, the Minister announced that the Federal Government would immediately begin to cover all 105 First Nations Child and Family Services agencies’ actual costs for prevention, intake and investigation, legal fees, building repairs, among others, and would be reimbursing these costs retroactively to January 26, 2016. These changes are supporting front-line service delivery by increasing staff and resources to meet the needs of First Nation children and families.

In 2017−18, ISC supported anti-violence initiatives led by Indigenous partner organizations. The Department also supported the work led by other federal departments including the Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-based Violence being led by Status of Women Canada and efforts by Public Safety Canada to address the issue of human trafficking. In 2017-18, ISC invested approximately $8.4 million to support community-driven family violence prevention projects such as public awareness campaigns, conferences, workshops, stress and anger management seminars, support groups, and community needs assessment both on and off-reserve.

Results achieved
Expected results Performance indicators Targets Actual results
Communities and organizations have the capacity to deliver the social development programs provided to meet the basic, special and self-sufficiency needs of First Nations men, women and children Percentage of communities and organizations using community-led approaches to program delivery Increasing year over year by March 31, 2018 Income Assistance Case Management and Pre-Employment Supports
2017−18: 35%

2016–17: 34%
2015–16: 32%

Family Violence Prevention Program
2017−18: To come November 2018a

2016–17: 64%
2015–16: not applicablebb
a Due to data collection timelines for external partners, this information is expected to be available in November 2018.
b New indicator created for 2016−17.
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
770,049,563 770,049,563
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
52

Information on Program lower-level is available on ISC’s website and in the GCInfobase.

Strategic Outcome: The Land and Economy

Full participation of First Nations, Métis, non-Status Indians and Inuit individuals and communities in the economy

Program: Community Economic Development*

The following program elements pertaining specifically to CIRNAC; results for lands and economic development services, investments in economic opportunities, administration of reserve land and efforts towards contaminated sites (on-reserve), are reported in the 2017–18 CIRNAC Departmental Results Report. Information on the lower-level programs is available on the CIRNAC website and in the GCInfobase.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
32,490,796 0
This authority represents a carryover to future years for the Payment from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of guaranteed loans issued out of the Indian economic development account.
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
0

Program: Infrastructure and Capacity*

Description

This Program provides funding and advisory assistance to First Nation communities for the construction, acquisition, operation and maintenance of community infrastructure assets on reserves. These assets include drinking water systems, wastewater systems and community buildings. The Program also includes support for emergency management assistance, climate change adaptation projects, and funding and advisory support for water and wastewater systems, education facilities, housing and other community infrastructure such as roads and bridges, electrification, and community buildings (these four sub-programs are collectively known as the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program). Ultimately, this Program enables First Nations to participate more fully in the Canadian economy by establishing infrastructure that meets established standards, and the needs of First Nation communities.

The CIRNAC program element, climate change, is reported in the 2017−18 CIRNAC Departmental Results Report. Information on lower-level programs is available on both ISC and CIRNAC websites and in the GCInfobase.

Results

In 2017−18, $1.16 billion in targeted funds was allocated to support infrastructure projects in First Nations communities. To date, $776.5 million has been spent to support 468 water and wastewater projects, 156 of which are completed. As of March 31, 2018, 57 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted. ISC has also invested in measures to prevent short-term advisories from becoming long-term.

Investing in infrastructure is about investing in people and communities. In Budget 2016, the Government of Canada invested $3.9 billion over five years, beginning in 2016−17, to support infrastructure on reserve and to improve the socio-economic conditions of Indigenous communities. The current and on-going investments will lay the foundation for a long-term investment strategy in Indigenous community infrastructure, in order to build healthy, safe and prosperous communities.

In 2017−18, approximately $1.16 billion was invested in First Nation community infrastructure projects. This includes: water and wastewater systems, education facilities, housing, and other community infrastructure such as roads and bridges, electrification, culture and recreation facilities, solid waste management, sustainability and connectivity.

In Budget 2016, the Government announced significant new funding to end long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserves by 2021. Between November 2015 and March 31, 2018, 57 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted from public drinking water systems on reserve through collaboration with First Nation communities and other partners. During this same period, 30 long-term drinking water advisories have been added. As of March 31, 2018, there were 78 long-term drinking water advisories affecting public drinking water systems on reserve, down from 105 in November 2015. For example, in March 2018, Slate Falls Nation officially opened their new water treatment plant, lifting 11 long-term drinking water advisories in the community.

On January 23, 2018, the Government of Canada announced it would expand its commitment to end long-term drinking water advisories on public drinking water systems on reserve, and added additional systems, including 24 with long-term drinking water advisories. For 2018-19, the target of no more than 31 long-term drinking water advisories remaining in place by March 31, 2019, has been revised to no more than 46 long-term drinking water advisories remaining by March 31, 2019 due to the expanded scope of the systems within the responsibility of the federal government. However, the Government of Canada remains committed to eliminate all long-term drinking water advisories and is on track to achieve this by March 2021.

In addition to ending long-term drinking water advisories by 2021, the department is also working with First Nations communities to strengthen on-reserve water infrastructure, including addressing health and safety needs, supporting proper facility operation and maintenance, enhancing the training and certification of water system operators and increasing capacity. To date, close to $776.5 million has been spent to support 468 water and wastewater projects, 156 of which are completed.

These investments have resulted in an improvement in the percentage of public water and wastewater systems on reserve that have low risk ratings versus medium or high risk ratings. Water systems that have low risk ratings increased from 56 percent in 2016−2017 to 57 percent in 2017–18. There was also an improvement in the percentage of public wastewater systems on reserve that have low risk ratings from 43 percent in 2016−17 to 45 percent in 2017–18.

The current target for the percentage of public systems that have low risk ratings is 65 percent for both water and wastewater. The target will be met by March 31, 2021 rather than the established target of March 31, 2019. This adjustment in the target is due to the timelines for the completion of water and wastewater projects funded by Budget 2016 and Budget 2018 investments.

The Department also continued to invest in the Circuit Rider Training Program and in centralized water and wastewater service delivery models as part of the continuing effort for First Nations to increase their capacity and support the effective operations and maintenance of public drinking water and wastewater systems on reserve. This has resulted in an increase in the percentage of public drinking water and wastewater systems on reserve that have primary operators certified to the level of the system(s) they operate (i.e. operators are trained and tested according to provincial standards in order to operate their type of water or wastewater system(s)). In relation to public water systems on reserve, the percentage of primary operators who had been certified to the level of the system they operate increased from 69 percent in 2016−17 to 71 percent in 2017–18. In relation to public wastewater systems on reserve, the percentage of primary operators who had been certified to the level of the system they operate increased from 59 percent in 2016−17 to 62 percent in 2017–18.

In order to ensure that the public drinking water and wastewater systems on reserve are well-operated and maintained, the Department continues to fund annual performance inspections and tri-annual asset condition inspections of the systems. The percentage of inspected public water and wastewater systems projected to remain operational for their life-cycles decreased from 82 percent in 2016–17 to 77 percent in 2017–18. The target of 80 percent will be met by March 31, 2019, as more infrastructure projects funded through Budget 2016 are completed. The percentage of public drinking water systems on reserve with treated drinking water that meets prescribed standards in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality remained steady at 92 percent between 2016–17 and 2017–18. This result is above the 2019 target of 90 percent and is likely due to the ongoing increased efforts in relation to eliminating and preventing long-term drinking water advisories on reserve.

The percentage of public wastewater systems on reserve producing treated wastewater that meets effluent quality regulations and guidelines dropped from 75 percent in 2016–17 to 69 percent in 2017–18. The target of 85 percent will be met by March 31, 2021, as more infrastructure projects funded through Budget 2016 are completed.

As of March 31, 2018, and Budget 2016, 13,964 housing units were under construction, renovation/retrofit or servicing (5,506 units through ISC and 8,458 units through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation). Of these units, more than 63 percent (8,786 housing units) have been completed. These investments are only a first step. In the spirit of a renewed, respectful, and inclusive relationship, First Nations and the federal government have been collaborating, since May 2016, to develop an effective long-term approach to on-reserve housing that meets the needs and aspirations of First Nations. This long-term approach seeks to increase First Nations’ care, control, and management of housing and infrastructure on reserve.

ISC is helping to improve primary and secondary education on reserve by building and renovating school facilities. Since Budget 2016, more than $301.8 million has been invested to build or upgrade First Nations schools. In 2017–18, $184.1 million was allocated to improve education facilities on reserve. These investments supported 72 new schools and 84 renovated or upgraded schools. As of March 31, 2018, 11 of the 72 new schools have been constructed, and renovations and upgrades on 15 of the 84 schools have been completed. To highlight some these completed projects: new schools were constructed for children in First Nation communities of Fort Severn, Poplar Hill, and Pikangikum in Ontario; O’Chiese and Siksika in Alberta; and Esk’etemc, Lower Kootenay, and Prophet River in British Columbia. Investments in education facilities are contributing to the academic achievement of First Nations children, as well as their health and well-being.

Of particular note are two initiatives, the Manitoba Schools Initiative and Lake Winnipeg Schools Bundle, adopted an innovative approach by incorporating joint governance and a partnership delivery model with eight First Nations in Northern Manitoba.

The School Maintenance Training Program, and programs similar to Circuit Rider that train First Nation operators to operate and maintain education facilities, have been in place in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec for several years. To expand this program to First Nation communities in other parts of Canada, guidelines were developed and shared with the Circuit Rider Training Program Association for review and working group meetings were held to share best practices amongst regions. As a result, the other regions are considering implementation of pilot programs when and where they are deemed appropriate.

In 2017–18, $27.6 million in targeted investments were allocated to develop new cultural and recreation infrastructure. Since 2016, 131 projects have been completed and the remaining 80 projects are currently in progress. As of March 31, 2018, $75.1 million has been spent to support 211 projects. In addition to several other projects that are benefitting First Nation communities across Canada, this allowed for the construction of: traditional pow-wow sites for Sipekne’katik, Eel River Bar First Nation, and Conseil de la Première Nation Abitibiwinni; seniors and elders cultural centre for Bande des Innus de Pessamit, Long Point First Nation, and Pelican Lake; youth centres for Conseil de la Première Nation Abitibiwinni, Pasqua First Nation #79, and Wahpeton Dakota Nation; and community/recreation/fitness centres for Montagnais du Lac St-Jean Nation, the Nation Huronne-Wendat, Makwa Sahgaiehan First Nation, Sik-e-dakh (Glen Vowell), and Katzie First Nation. These investments aid in supporting First Nations communities in expressing, preserving, developing, revitalizing and promoting their culture, language and heritage.

As of March 31, 2018, $146.7 million has been spent on 199 energy, sustainability and connectivity projects; 34 projects have been completed and 165 are currently ongoing. These investments have supported 68 energy projects, 14 of which have been completed and 54 are ongoing. These projects included the replacement of community lighting systems with light emitting diode lights for several First Nation communities in Quebec and Ontario. In other First Nation communities in Alberta and British Columbia solar panels were installed. These projects collectively contribute to an overall reduction in energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. In Da’naxda’xw First Nation, located in northern Vancouver Island, a new hybrid-solar-diesel plant was developed to replace old diesel generators. This resulted in a significant part of the community’s current diesel-generated electricity supply being replaced with solar power. These investments contribute to achieving sustainable and reliable energy sources for Indigenous communities.

These investments have also supported 20 connectivity projects, of which, eight have been completed and 12 are ongoing. To highlight some of these completed projects: broadband connectivity was established for community buildings in Eastmain and Timiskaming First Nation communities in Quebec; an implementation plan and pre-design to connect 63 First Nation communities across Manitoba was completed; and broadband connectivity was enhanced for three First Nation communities in British Columbia.

Further, these investments have supported 111 planning and skills development projects. Twelve of these projects have been completed while 99 are ongoing. To highlight some of these completed projects: capacity building and comprehensive community planning workshops have taken place in the Atlantic, Alberta and Quebec regions; an infrastructure summit conference was held in Ontario; and, Manitoba held sessions on developing land-use plans, resource management, and comprehensive community planning.

ISC has leveraged $92.8 million in funding from the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s Connect-to-Innovate program to co-fund three large broadband connectivity projects:

  • The Connected Coast Project will bring a new fibre-optic network to 44 First Nations along the coast of British Columbia as well as on Vancouver Island with completion expected in 2021.
  • Clear Sky Communications has proposed a project that will bring connectivity to 48 First Nation communities in northern Manitoba and provide the opportunity for these communities to own, operate and control their own broadband networks. The project is initial planning phases and the projected completion date has not yet been forecasted.
  • Matawa First Nations Management is leading a project to bring modern fibre-optic cable to the communities of Nibinamik, Neskantaga, Eabametoong, Marten Falls, Webequie, and Aroland expected to be completed in 2020.

In 2017–18, the Department made improvements to the Level of Service Standards for Fire Protection. Investments in fire-fighting infrastructure, firefighting vehicles and equipment, as well as capacity development including training and education occurred across Canada in 2017–18. Fire halls were constructed for eight First Nation communities located in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Manitoba and Alberta. Seven new firefighting vehicles were acquired and are now operating in First Nation communities in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta. In support of fire prevention, ISC continued to distribute smoke alarms to all First Nation communities that requested them. Other investments in supporting infrastructure for fire prevention, as well as capacity development were also made.

In 2017–18, nearly $10 million was invested in innovative and community-directed preparedness and non-structural mitigation initiatives which support First Nation partners in building community-based resilience towards emergency events. ISC also entered into a trilateral collaborative agreement with Tŝilhqot’in National Government and British Columbia to secure emergency management resources during emergency events. Similar discussions and/or those leading to a trilateral Emergency Management Service Agreement for emergencies on reserve are, or will be, underway in the next short while region by region.

In 2017–18, ISC supported First Nation communities in emergency events that caused 14,888 Indigenous peoples to evacuate their homes. The 2017 British Columbia wildfires resulted in over 1,300 wildfires burning an estimated 1,212,794 hectares. These wildfires in this one province resulted in 1,915 evacuees from First Nation communities alone.

The Emergency Management Assistance Program continued to modernize funding and operational policies to ensure that the program’s activities align with the needs of First Nation communities. Pursuant to this, the program was granted approval for Building Back Better: A Strategy Guide for Emergency Management Assistance Program Response and Recovery Supports which facilitates timely, durable, culturally competent, and holistic emergency response and recovery activities.

Results Achieved
Expected results Performance indicators Targets Actual results
First Nation communities have infrastructure that protects their health and safety Percentage of inspected department-funded infrastructure assets projected to remain operational for their life-cycles By March 31, 2019:
  • Schools: 60%
  • Water/wastewater: 80%
  • Roads and Bridges: 70%
  • Other community infrastructure: 50%
See Chart A below.
Percentage of on-reserve department-funded First Nation drinking water systems with treated water that meets prescribed standards in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality 90% by March 31, 2019 2017–18: 92%

2016–17: 92%
2015–16: 92%
Percentage of on-reserve department-funded First Nation wastewater systems producing treated wastewater that meets effluent quality regulations and guidelines 85% by March 31, 2019 2017–18: 69%

2016–17: 75%
2015–16: 80%
CHART A:
Percentage of inspected department-funded infrastructure assets projected to remain operational for their life-cycles
Asset type Target by March 31, 2019 2017-18a 2016-17 2015-16
Schools 60% 55%a 58% 55%
Water/Wastewater 80% 77% 82% 77%
Roads and Bridges 70% 69%b 68% 66%
Other community Infrastructure 50% 47%c 48% 44%
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
1,235,052,599 1,205,535,539
The difference between Total authorities available for use and Actual spending primarily reflects funding for the Operation Return Home that was not required in 2017−18 and will be re-profiled to future years when they will be available for the intended purpose (-$29.5 million).
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
147

Program: Urban Indigenous Participation

Description

This Program supports participation of urban Indigenous individuals and communities in the economy. It is comprised of two streams: Community Capacity Support and Urban Partnerships. The Community Capacity Support stream provides funding to urban Indigenous community organizations to deliver programs and services that are designed to remove barriers and encourage innovative partnerships. The Urban Partnerships stream is comprised of a planning component and an implementation component. The planning component supports communities with multi-stakeholder engagement (private sector, municipalities, and Indigenous groups) in the design and development of regional strategic plans and the identification of community priorities. These plans are then shared with the National Association of Friendship Centres which, in turn, implements the priorities through community projects.

Results

Budget 2017 invested $118.5 million over five years in Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples (UPIP). The Government is providing $53 million each year to UPIP for five years, beginning in 2017−18. The new programming, launched in 2017−18, was developed using, among other things, feedback received during the 2016 Urban Aboriginal Strategy engagement process. Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples provides support to address challenges faced by some of the most at-risk community members, including Indigenous women. As well, the new programming supports organizations that offer programs and services to help meet the needs of urban Indigenous peoples and facilitate their transition to life in an urban centre.

In 2017−18, ISC provided funding to 236 organizations, including the Friendship Centre movement, the five Métis Nation Governing Members, Inuit organizations, and other urban Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations (e.g. YMCA-YWCA), to serve clients and to deliver effective culturally appropriate programs/services to urban Indigenous peoples. The Department also funded 22 coalitions to promote local collaboration, identify local needs and develop local plans to address community priorities. Examples of projects funded in 2017−18 include: funding to Mokami Status of Women Council (Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador) for programming which provides a supportive and culturally-sensitive healing environment for Innu and Inuit women in Labrador; support to the Council of Yukon First Nations for a new Yukon Justice Caucus Coalition initiative, which aims to collaborate on a strategic plan to address the factors contributing to the over representation of vulnerable urban Indigenous peoples in the justice system; and core funding to the Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (Calgary, Alberta) to provide them with a stable foundation to support more than 3,000 urban Indigenous youth that access their programming annually.

Results achieved
Expected results Performance indicators Targets Actual results
Indigenous organizations have organizational capacity to serve clients Number of organizations receiving organizational capacity funding (in each province and territory) 135 by March 31, 2018 2017–18: 147b
Coalitions are active or established Number of coalitions funded 20 by March 31, 2018 2017–18: 22
a Expected results, performance indicators and targets are new for 2017−18.
b One of these projects is for 120 Friendship Centers and there are 27 other organizations.
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
37,384,897 37,384,897
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
5

Strategic Outcome: First Nations and Inuit Health

First Nations and Inuit communities and individuals receive health services and benefits that are responsive to their needs so as to improve their health status

Program: First Nations and Inuit Primary Health Care**

Description

The Department of Health Act (1996) and the Indian Health Policy (1979) provide the authority for the delivery of the First Nations and Inuit Primary Health Care program to First Nations and Inuit in Canada. Primary health care includes health promotion and disease prevention, public health protection (including surveillance), and primary care (where individuals are provided diagnostic, curative, rehabilitative, supportive, palliative/end of life care, and referral services). The Department administers contribution agreements and direct departmental spending related to child development, mental wellness and healthy living, communicable disease control and management, environmental health, clinical and client care, as well as home and community care. The program objective is to improve the health and safety of First Nations and Inuit individuals, families, and communities.

Results

Through its implementation of Jordan’s Principle - Child First Initiative, Canada made significant progress to ensure that First Nations children have access to the health, educational and social supports they need. In 2017–18, Canada approved over 68,507 products, supports and services totalling $150 million for First Nations children and youth under Jordan's Principle. In April 2017, the Choose Life pilot project was initiated under Jordan’s Principle, with the 49 Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) communities. This two-year initiative is aimed at providing immediate funding relief to any NAN First Nations community or related service in Ontario with children and youth at risk of suicide, by fast-tracking proposals for group child and youth mental health prevention programs/services regardless of the timing of their submission. Additionally, Canada has also taken a series of proactive measures to support Jordan’s Principle, including:

  • Implementing a proactive and multi-faceted communications and marketing strategy to increase awareness of Jordan's Principle amongst First Nations families, health providers, provincial school boards and provincial/territorial stakeholders;
  • Launching the Jordan’s Principle National Call Centre and updating the Jordan's Principle webpages to help First Nations children access the products, services and supports they need;
  • Undertaking a Client Satisfaction Survey in consultation with the parties to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision to help assess the impact of Jordan's Principle; and
  • Undertaking a national engagement process with First Nations coordinated by the Assembly of First Nations, to co-develop the future direction of Jordan's Principle.

Information gathered as part of the Interim Approach to Jordan’s Principle will be used as the basis for a more comprehensive sex and gender analysis to inform the longer-term policy approach.

Canada provided, through Budget 2017, $828.2 million over five years to improve health outcomes of First Nations and Inuit through new investments in areas such as primary care, maternal and child health, home and community care, and, communicable disease control and management. A targeted Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) was conducted on these health programs to explore their specific impact on women, men, boys and girls. Ongoing monitoring for emerging GBA+ impacts will be carried out through mandatory program reporting and data collection activities.

The Children’s Oral Health Initiative (COHI) also received additional funding of $45.5 million in Budget 2017 over five years to expand programming up to 145 additional communities; this will result in an increase in the total number of communities from 228 to 373 by 2022−23. In 2017–18, year one of this additional funding, programming was expanded to ten additional communities, and regions have engaged with stakeholders, such as Chiefs and Councils, within their respective jurisdictions to discuss implementation plans for years two to five of this additional funding.

Through the ongoing implementation of an Opioid Action Plan, the Department provided increased access to Naloxone to help temporarily reverse the effect of opioid overdose, thereby improving the evidence base and supporting additional community-based wrap around opioid replacement therapies at eleven sites in five regions.

To support the provision of safe and clean drinking water, ISC supported the monitoring of all drinking water systems, regardless of who funds the infrastructure, with the exception of private wells. ISC works in close collaboration with First Nations communities to establish their own drinking water quality monitoring services and provides guidance and recommendations to assist communities in addressing any unacceptable test results. In 2017–18, the Department worked jointly with First Nations to ensure communities have access to Community-Based Drinking Water Quality Monitors or Environmental Health Officers to sample and test drinking water quality at the tap. Water quality is also being monitored more regularly to ensure it is safe and clean. As a result of enhanced capacity and increased monitoring frequency, the ability of First Nations and the Department to detect potential problems sooner has improved.

Since the June 2016 announcement of immediate and targeted mental wellness investment in the amount of $69 million for Indigenous communities, 34 new Mental Wellness Teams have been created, bringing the total to 45 teams. This has increased the number of communities with access to services of a Mental Wellness Teams from 86 to 344. Crisis response capacity has increased in all regions across the country. Funding has also been included in this investment to create the Hope for Wellness Line, which received 4,233 calls between October 2016 and March 2018 and funding to support the implementation of the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy to support youth programs, student and family support workshops, and support for an Inuit men’s and Inuit counsellor’s program.

Local access to physicians has been an issue for First Nations living in remote and isolated communities. In 2017-18, the Department worked with provinces and Regional Health Authorities to ensure that 100 percent of nursing stations have collaborative arrangements for primary care service providers. This enables greater access to physicians for remote and isolated First Nations communities.

  • Ensuring clinical practice guidelines are current to support remote nursing services, the Department published two high priority Clinical Practice Guidelines online (i.e., Bacterial Pharyngotonsillitis and Rheumatic Fever (Carditis);
  • Twenty-three draft Clinical Practice Guidelines on Communicable Diseases have been prepared for web publication. Twenty-five draft Clinical Practice Guidelines related to Skin Conditions have been updated. Forty-six Clinical Practice Guidelines updates for Genitourinary, Mental Health and Adolescent Health have been initiated. The development of Clinical Practice Guidelines on Opioid Use Disorder has also been initiated; and
  • Ensuring the continued implementation of primary care reform in remote and isolated First Nations communities helps address issues associated with the sustainability and predictability of programs. The Department’s primary care reform includes the interdisciplinary model, which has been re-oriented to support team composition changes that optimize a mix of skills (including nurse practitioners).
Results Achieved
Expected results Performance indicators Targets Actual results
First Nations and Inuit are healthy and safe Percentage of First Nations living on reserve and Inuit adults reporting being in excellent or very good health 45% by March 31, 2018 2017-18:
First Nations: 37.8%
Inuit: To come November 2018

2016-17:
First Nations: 44.1%
Inuit: 42.2%

2015-16:
First Nations: 44.1%
Inuit: 42.2%
Percentage of First Nations and Inuit who reported being injured in the past 12 monthsa 15% by March 31, 2025 2017-18:
First Nations and Inuit : To come October 2018c
Life expectancy of First Nationsb By March 31, 2025:
  • First Nations Males: 71.2
  • First Nations Females: 76.2
2017–18:
First Nations Males: 70.4d
First Nations Females: 75.4d

2016-17:
First Nations Males: 70.4
First Nations Females :75.4
a New indicator created for 2017−18.
b New indicator created for 2016−17.
c Due to data collection timelines, this information is not currently available.
d Data for this indicator is collected every five years. Projections for 2017 based on custom tabulations from Statistics Canada (2015).
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
409,849,583 384,025,187
The difference between Total authorities available for use and Actual spending primarily reflects funding for Jordan’s Principle that was not required in 2017−18 and will be re-profiled to future years when they will be available for the intended purpose (-$25.8 million).
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
609

Information on Program lower-level is available on ISC’s website and in the GCInfobase.

Program: Supplementary Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit**

Description

Under the Supplementary Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit program, the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program provides registered First Nations and recognized Inuit residents in Canada with a specified range of medically necessary health-related goods and services, which are not otherwise provided to eligible clients through other private or provincial/territorial programs. NIHB include: pharmaceuticals; medical supplies and equipment; dental care; vision care; short term crisis intervention mental health counselling; and, medical transportation to access medically required health services not available on reserve or in the community of residence. Benefits are delivered through registered, private sector health benefits providers (e.g., pharmacists and dentists) and funded through NIHB's electronic claims processing system or through regional offices. Some benefits are also delivered via contribution agreements with First Nations and Inuit organizations and the territorial Governments in Nunavut and Northwest Territories. The program objective is to provide benefits in a manner that contributes to the improved health status of First Nations and Inuit. This program uses funding from the following transfer payment: First Nations and Inuit Supplementary Health Benefits.

Results

The Department continued to engage First Nations and Inuit partners on improving the delivery of non-insured health benefits (NIHB). Recommendations and priorities identified through Joint Reviews with First Nations and Inuit partners were advanced. The Department: expanded coverage for professional mental health counselling to non-crisis situations on or off reserve, where there has been an increase of nearly 100 percent in funding since 2014−15. ISC also expanded the mental health counselling benefit to include traditional healer services; expanded the medical transportation benefit to cover escorts for all pregnant women travelling for childbirth; established Navigator resources, to serve as a liaison between individuals and communities and the NIHB program, for Inuit clients in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. In addition, increased coverage of preventive dental services following a review by independent dental professionals, where there has been an increase of close to 25 percent in expenditures and 10 percent in the number of clients who accessed the benefit since 2014−15. The NIHB Program conducted a GBA+ analysis to consider any differential impacts of these investments based on gender, age, or geographic location. Ongoing monitoring for emerging GBA+ impacts will be carried out through regular program reporting and data collection activities. Data collected for the appropriate indicators in the program performance information profiles can be disaggregated by sex to see if men and women are differentially impacted.

The NIHB Program continued its surveillance activities over the course of 2017–18 by monitoring prescribing patterns through a review of prescriptions claims data for Prescription Drug Abuse drugs of concern. Since the implementation of dose limits for opioids (2013), benzodiazepines (2013), gabapentin (2013) and stimulants (2015), regular reviews of high-dose cases have been conducted by the NIHB Program to improve client safety. The Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) continues to be an important component of the Prescription Drug Abuse Strategy to increase client and community safety. Clients that are receiving opioid addiction treatment are monitored through the PMP. The NIHB Program also provides coverage for naloxone kits (to help treat opioid overdoses) as an open benefit (no prior approval required). Kits are dispensed by pharmacies under a prescription or provided as an "Over-the-Counter" benefit.

Canada has continued to administer pharmacy, dental, and other medical benefits as a transition measure since the transfer of the delivery of Health Benefits for First Nations residing in British Columbia from the Government of Canada to the British Columbia First Nations Health Authority in 2013. On October 1, 2017, the successful transfer of the pharmacy benefits administration to BC PharmaCare took place. The NIHB Program continues to support the British Columbia First Nations Health Authority as they work towards the full administrative transfer of the remaining Health Benefits.

Results achieved
Expected results Performance indicators Targets Actual results
First Nations and Inuit have access to non-insured health benefits Percentage of eligible First Nations and Inuit population who accessed at least one Non-Insured Health Benefit 72% by March 31, 2018 2017–18: 72%

2016–17: 71%
2015–16: 72%
Percentage of eligible First Nations and Inuit clients accessing defined preventative dental services per year which includes scaling and fluoride applicationsa 71% by March 31, 2018 2017–18: 72.1%

2016–17: 71.9%
Dental Predetermination Centre (DPC) requests are handled within 10 days service standard Percentage of DPC requests handled within 10 days service standarda 95% by March 31, 2018 2017–18: 0%b

2016–17: 65%
a New indicator created for 2016−17.
b The Dental Predetermination Centre (DPC) faced challenging operational circumstances in 2017–18. DPC expects to meet the 10 days service standard by the end of December 2018. To date, 95% of the requests were handled within 30 days.
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
605,012,076 563,071,305
The difference between Total authorities available for use and Actual spending primarily reflects reduced spending for the non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit (-$41.9 million).
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
217

Information on the Program lower-level is available on ISC’s website and in the GCInfobase.

Program: Health Infrastructure Support for First Nations and Inuit**

Description

The Department of Health Act (1996) and the Indian Health Policy (1979) provide the authority for the Health Infrastructure Support for First Nations and Inuit program to administer contribution agreements and direct departmental spending to support the delivery of health programs and services. The program promotes First Nation and Inuit capacity to design, manage, deliver, and evaluate health programs and services. To better meet the unique health needs of First Nations and Inuit individuals, families, and communities, this program also supports: innovation in health program and service delivery; health governance partnerships between ISC, the provinces, and First Nation and provincial health services; and, improved integration of First Nation and provincial health services. The program objective is to help improve the health status of First Nations and Inuit, to become comparable to that of the Canadian population over the long term. The program objective is to help improve First Nations and Inuit capacity to influence and/or control the delivery of health programs and services to First Nations and Inuit individuals, families and communities.

Results

On July 24, 2017, the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) signed the Charter of Relationship Principles Governing Health System Transformation in the NAN Territory. The Charter is a commitment between the partners to support First Nations-driven solutions to transform the delivery of healthcare to First Nations communities in northern Manitoba. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Canada and the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) was signed on March 28, 2018 to pursue the development of a First Nations health authority that would take a leadership role in the transformation of clinical care in Northern Manitoba. MOUs were also advanced in Quebec with the First Nations Health and Social Services Commission of Quebec and Labrador (FNHSSCQL) and in Saskatchewan with the Onion Lake Cree Nation to support transformation and promote greater control by First Nations over health services.

The Department supported community health infrastructure through the ongoing implementation of Long-Term Capital Plans and the investments announced in Budget 2016 to undertake renovations and repairs to health facilities on reserve as part of the Social Infrastructure Fund (SIF). In alignment with Gender -based Analysis Plus (GBA+) initiatives, infrastructure investments suggest having the potential to result in differential impacts on individuals of different genders and demographics based on their interactions with the health care system. Investments here aim to support the integration of federal/provincial health systems for the benefit of First Nations, and increases First Nations community health services capacity to address their own health needs.

The Department prioritized $16.7 million through the Long-Term Capital Plan process to support more than 200 high priority First Nations health facility repair projects. Additionally, the Department provided First Nations with $31.4 million from Budget 2016 as part of the SIF to repair and/or replace facilities used by First Nations for the delivery of the Aboriginal Head Start On-Reserve (AHSOR) program. In 2017−18, 49 AHSOR repair and/or replacement projects were completed. In addition, $83.7 million from Budget 2016 as part of the SIF was used to complete ten health facility design and/or construction projects.

The eHealth Infostructure Program (eHIP) worked in partnership with First Nations organizations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces to support the implementation of Budget 2017 investments in remote-presence technologies. The projects, including tele-robotics, telehealth, remote-presence communication and initiatives for mixed use, have received a total of $5 million over five years and span a range of technologies.

Broadband connectivity is essential for the delivery of health care services via eHealth technologies. The eHIP has been working to identify opportunities for improvements in broadband connectivity implementation. The work includes analysis based on visits to nursing stations to gain a realistic view of the state of broadband connectivity in First Nations health facilities.

The Department continued to provide funding to the First Nations Health Managers Association (FNHMA) to revise the Health and Wellness Planning Guide, and to develop a plan for a repository of capacity-building tools and resources to support First Nations to assume a greater responsibility for health programs and services in their communities. A new Health and Wellness Planning Guide, which supports a culturally appropriate and holistic approach to community planning, has been completed for review by partners. The successful development of the Mental Wellness Planning Guide is being put forward as a best practice and may inform broader efforts to develop comprehensive community planning.

Results achieved
Expected results Performance indicators Targets Actual results
First Nations and Inuit are collaborating with federal, provincial and territorial partners in the delivery of health programs and services Number of new inter-jurisdictional health agreements or arrangements that address health system access, quality of care, or data sharinga 2 by March 31, 2018 2017−18: 36

2016−17: 4
Percentage of activities of the P/T trilateral health committees' joint work plans that are completed on time 66% by March 31, 2018 2017−18: To come fall 2018

2016−17: To come
2015−16: To come
First Nations and Inuit are able to influence and/or control (design, deliver and manage) health programs and services Percentage of First Nations and Inuit communities assuming control over the design, delivery and management of health programs and services 80% by March 31, 2018 2017−18: 85%

2016−17: 80%
2015−16: 75%
a New indicator created for 2016−17.
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
263,043,773 252,145,081
The difference between Total authorities available for use and Actual spending primarily reflects reduced spending under this program in 2017−18.
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
74

Information on Program lower-level is available on ISC’s website and in the GCInfobase.

Internal Services

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services.

Results

In August 2017, the Prime Minister announced that the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada would be dissolved and replaced by two departments, namely CIRNAC and ISC. CIRNAC is focusing on advancing nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown, and government-to-government relationships, supporting Indigenous Peoples’ visions of self-determination; and leading Canada’s work in the North. ISC is improving access to high-quality services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, supporting and removing barriers to the Indigenous control of the delivery of services, and working to improve health and socio-economic outcomes in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. The transformation process is being supported through common internal services. Therefore, the internal services results section is the same for both departments.

The Department exceeded its goal of 35 projects and carried out over 38 major initiatives related to data development, analytics, targeted research, and knowledge transfer projects. These projects ensure the sharing and dissemination of results with a variety of partners and stakeholders.

Management and Oversight Services

In our commitment to evidence-based policymaking, the Department continued to strengthen its demographic and socio-economic research and analytical capacity. Significant investments were made both in the collection and dissemination of Indigenous survey data, including the Aboriginal Peoples Survey and the First Nations Labour and Employment Development Survey. As part of these efforts, the Department also continued to work with partners such as the First Nations Information Governance Center, Statistics Canada, and academia to better understand socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. With the recent release of the 2016 Census of Population data, the Department is updating many measurement tools and research products, including the Community Well Being Index, the Community Remoteness and Environmental Indices, and Indigenous demographic projections.

The Department also strengthened its efforts towards ensuring greater performance transparency and accountability. In this regard, the Department successfully implemented the Policy on Results, introduced by Treasury Board on July 1, 2016. This involved the development and subsequent approval of two transitional Departmental Results Frameworks for both CIRNAC and ISC. The Department also developed forty-nine Program Performance Information Profiles to facilitate performance monitoring and evaluation. In addition, a total of 113 performance indicators have been made publicly available through the Government of Canada InfoBase system to enable a clearer communication of results to Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The Department also supports reporting on the progress of Minister Philpott’s Mandate Letter Commitments via the Mandate Letter Commitment Tracker.

Internally, departmental efficiency and effectiveness were strengthened in ISC and CIRNA through a number of assurance activities including: six internal audits projects; seven evaluation projects; sixteen risk management projects and seventeen financial reviews and investigations. Specific audit and risk assessment work were completed in support of the transformation activities of the departments. Some evaluation and audit activities have been canceled, delayed or rescheduled due to the ongoing transformation of both departments and some new activities added.

Communications Services

The Communications Branch undertook several innovative activities in 2017–18 as part as its objective of raising awareness and creating bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and especially young people. These included extensive awareness-raising through Web and social media on #IndigenousSuccess and innovation, celebrating Indigenous language and culture, progress on GC commitments to Indigenous peoples and Northerners (for example, infrastructure progress through mapping) and on the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. Web, social media and outreach activities also focused on amplifying Indigenous voices, whether it was through #IndigenousReads, #IndigenousSuccess or work with Indigenous youth groups, and groups that support Indigenous youth, like Canadian Roots Exchange, We Matter, Indspire and youth involved in the North American Indigenous Games.

While the Branch was involved in many events, a notable example was YouthLive Canada in collaboration with Canadian Roots Exchange. The live webcast from Sudbury featured open-style discussions with six young Indigenous panelists, the objective being to encourage youth from across Canada to engage through social media in an interactive dialogue on four themes: language and cultural revitalization, towards a renewed relationship, identity and stereotypes, and advice/wisdom.

Human Resources Management Services

The organization’s desire to have a workforce that is culturally sensitive and representative of Indigenous communities is directly related to its mission. It employed focused, innovative, strategic and culturally considerate recruitment approaches while increasing awareness of employment opportunities among Indigenous peoples and communities. The Departments continue to address the pay issues related to the implementation of the Phoenix Pay System. The in-house Phoenix Response Team provided support to employees and the organizations on pay and other issues associated with the challenges resulting from the transformation. The process of integrating employees into the newly created ISC was started, including the transfer of employees from the Regional Operations and Education, Social Development Programs and Partnerships sectors of the former INAC and from the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada.

Financial Management Services

In 2017–18, the Department modernized and enhanced its funding processes to ensure funding was allocated to First Nations in a more timely and efficient manner. In this regard, the Department improved its Federal Budget process and was successful in securing Federal Budget funding to improve the lives of Indigenous peoples. It also further developed its Costing Centre of Expertise, which was instrumental in providing cost estimation direction, assistance and guidance to stakeholders.

Information Management and Information Technology Services

The Department continues to move forward with the implementation of key initiatives as detailed in the three year (2016−19) Information Management Strategy, and has established an Information Management Transformation Office to support its implementation. In support of the Government of Canada led e-mail transformation initiative (ETI), the Department has completed onboarding efforts. In addition, GCDOCS’ implementation is progressing as planned, scheduled for completion in 2019−20. The Department also continues to support Shared Services Canada with the migration of specific operating system upgrades (Win2003) and other infrastructure related initiatives. The overall number of corporate systems in the Department continues to be reduced through decommissioning and rationalization efforts. The Department continues to mature data management practices through the implementation of key governance, processes and tools. In addition to the progress on these commitments, transition of FNIHB’s IM/IT environment from Health Canada is a new priority requiring significant time and resources.

Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services

As part of its commitment to improving service delivery and to advance the Government’s procurement modernization agenda, the Department’s procurement Case Management System (implemented in 2016) was successfully automated in 2017–18. The Case Management System is fully in line with the Government’s information technology (IT) modernization strategy and will improve service levels to Departmental clients by increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of procurement services and by applying deliverology principles.

In 2017–18, the Department also continued the implementation of its three-year Real Property Management Action Plan (2016−19) in order to address the Department’s real property issues, including health and safety risks in the Department’s off-reserve structures. Significant progress was made in a number of areas, including fire protection inspections, designated substances surveys (including asbestos), and building condition assessments. Remedial measures to address the results of these assessments have been implemented, with the remaining recommendations and asset-specific strategic planning expected to be implemented in the final year of the Real Property Management Action Plan (2018−19).

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2017–18 Total authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual spending (authorities used)
37,790,472 25,429,592
The difference between Total authorities available for use and Actual spending primarily reflects the re-profile of operating funds for transition activities to 2018−19.
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2017–18 Actual
119

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

Departmental spending trend

Note: Due to rounding, figures may not add to totals shown.
Decisions on the future of sunset programs will be taken in future budgets and reflected in future Estimates.

Description of the bar graph

This stacked bar graph depicts actual spending from 2017–18 and the forecast and planned spending trend that spans from 2018 to 2021:

  • In 2017–18, total actual spending was $4,288 million. Of this amount, $4,238 million is voted spending and $49 million is statutory spending.
  • In 2018–19, total planned spending is $10,635 million. Of this amount, $8,246 million is voted spending, $79 million is statutory spending, and $1,310 million is sunset programs spending (anticipated).
  • In 2019–20, total planned spending is $10,734 million. Of this amount, $9,286 million is voted spending, $50 million is statutory spending, and $1,398 million is sunset program spending (anticipated).
  • In 2020–21, total planned spending is $11,015 million. Of this amount, $9,512 million is voted spending, $50 million is statutory spending, and $1,453 million is sunset program spending (anticipated).

ISC was established as per the Orders in Council, effective November 30, 2017, and therefore has no actual spending for the previous fiscal years. The 2017−18 actual spending reflected in the table above, represents expenditures incurred by ISC for the period of November 30, 2017 to March 31, 2018. Expenditures incurred for these programs previously with Health Canada or CIRNAC between April 1, 2017 and November 29, 2017 are reported by those Departments.

Spending is expected to increase by $380.1 million by 2020−21, compared to 2018−19, primarily due to:

  • Increase in funding for the non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit (+$132.6 million);
  • Net increase in spending for the Elementary and Secondary as well as Post-Secondary Programs (+$91.6 million);
  • Net increase in spending for the Child and Family Services Program (+$73.0 million) and;
  • Increase in funding for the British Columbia Tripartite Health Governance (+$54.8 million).

Decisions on the renewal of the sunset initiatives will be taken in future budgets and reflected in future estimates.

Budgetary performance summary for Programs and Internal Services (dollars)
Strategic Outcomes, Core Responsibilities and Internal Services 2017−18 Total Authorities available for use 2017–18 Actual Spending (authorities used) 2018−19 Planned 2019−20 Planned
Strategic Outcome: The Government
Governance and Institutions of Government 185,005,529 185,005,529 Reported under the Core Responsibilities below. Reported under the Core Responsibilities below.
Other Claims 65,556,243 45,141,500
Strategic Outcome: The People
Education 823,010,411 820,010,411 Reported under the Core Responsibilities below. Reported under the Core Responsibilities below.
Social Development 770,049,563 770,049,563
Strategic Outcome: The Land and Economy
Infrastructure and Capacity 1,235,052,599 1,205,535,539 Reported under the Core Responsibilities below. Reported under the Core Responsibilities below.
Community Economic Development 32,490,796 0
Urban Indigenous Participation 37,384,897 37,384,897
Strategic Outcome: First Nation and Inuit Health
First Nations and Inuit Primary Health Care 409,849,583 384,025,187 Reported under the Core Responsibilities below. Reported under the Core Responsibilities below.
Supplementary Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit 605,012,076 563,071,305
Health Infrastructure Support for First Nations and Inuit 263,043,773 252,145,081
Core Responsibilities
Individuals and Families - - 4,343,203,558 4,496,939,009
Community and Regional Development - - 1,824,658,041 1,756,240,920
First Nations and Inuit Health - - 3,092,364,290 3,023,004,344
Subtotal 4,426,455,470 4,262,369,012 9,260,225,889 9,276,184,273
Internal Services 37,790,472 25,429,592 64,986,485 59,549,343
Total 4,464,245,942 4,287,798,604 9,325,212,374 9,335,733,616
Note: ISC was established as per the Orders in Council, effective November 30, 2017. Therefore, ISC has no planned spending for fiscal year 2017−18, and has no actual spending for the previous fiscal years. The 2017-18 actual spending reflected in the table above represents expenditures incurred by ISC for the period of November 30, 2017 to March 31, 2018.

The Total Authorities Available for Use in 2017–18 primarily reflects:

  • The deemed appropriations from Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (+2,805.1 million) and Department of Health (+$1,057.7 million) to Indigenous Services Canada as per the Orders in Council;
  • Additional funding provided through Supplementary Estimates (+$359.6 million) for activities such as to reimburse First Nations and emergency management service providers for on-reserve response and recovery activities; Non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit; for the Indspire and expansion of the Post-Secondary Student Support Program/University and College Entrance Preparation Program; and
  • Allocation from Treasury Board Vote 5 (+$160.2 million) for activities such as the non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit; Jordan's Principle and building healthier First Nations and Inuit Communities.

The $176.5 million difference between Total Authorities Available for Use ($4,464.3 million) and Actual Spending ($4,287.8 million) in 2017–18 primarily reflects reduced spending for the non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit (-$41.9 million) as well as the deferral of funding related to: Operation Return Home (-$49.9 million); Jordan’s Principle (-$25.9 million); and the funding to support transition activities (-$20.0 million). Funding for these initiatives is not required in 2017−18 and has been re-profiled to future years when it will be available for the intended purpose.

Additional details by program are provided in Section III and details by sub-program are provided in Section IV.

Actual human resources

Human resources summary for Programs and Internal Services (full-time equivalents)
Strategic Outcomes, Core Responsibilities and Internal Services 2017–18 Actual 2018−19 Planned 2019−20 Planned
Strategic Outcome: The Government
Governance and Institutions of Government 123 Reported under the Core Responsibilities below. Reported under the Core Responsibilities below.
Other Claims 0
Strategic Outcome: The People
Education 106 Reported under the Core Responsibilities below. Reported under the Core Responsibilities below.
Social Development 52
Strategic Outcome: The Land and Economy
Infrastructure and Capacity 147 Reported under the Core Responsibilities below. Reported under the Core Responsibilities below.
Community Economic Development 0
Urban Indigenous Participation 5
Strategic Outcome: First Nation and Inuit Health
First Nations and Inuit Primary Health Care 609 Reported under the Core Responsibilities below. Reported under the Core Responsibilities below.
Supplementary Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit 217
Health Infrastructure Support for First Nations and Inuit 74
Core Responsibilities
Individuals and Families - 496 491
Community and Regional Development - 611 611
First Nations and Inuit Health - 1,985 1,960
Subtotal 1,333 3,095 3,062
Internal Services 119 695 685
Total 1,452 3,787 3,747
Note: ISC was established as per the Orders in Council, effective November 30, 2017. Therefore, ISC has no planned full-time equivalents for fiscal year 2017−18, and has no actual full-time equivalents for the previous fiscal years. The 2017−18 full-time equivalents reflected in the table above represents the total for the period of November 30, 2017 to March 31, 2018. The total for internal services only includes FTEs that provide Internal Services in ISC regions, and excludes Headquarters FTEs.

Expenditures by vote

For information on Indigenous Services Canada’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, please see the Public Accounts of Canada 2017–18 on the Public Works and Government Services Canada website.

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of Indigenous Services Canada’s spending with the Government of Canada’s spending and activities are available in the GC InfoBase.

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

Indigenous Services Canada was created by Orders in Council on November 30, 2017 based on the transfer of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) from Health Canada and the Regional Operations (RO) and Education Social Development Program and Partnership (ESDPP) sectors of the former Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

ISC’s financial statements (unaudited) are for the period ended November 30, 2017 to March 31, 2018, and are available on the departmental website.

Financial statements highlights

Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for the Period Ended November 30, 2017 to March 31, 2018 (dollars)
Financial Information* 2017−18 Actual
Total expenses 4,539,282,596
Total revenues 7,970,310
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 4,531,312,286
*Totals may not match financial statements due to rounding.

Expenses by Type

Total expenses were $4,539 million in 2017–18. Transfer payments, the majority to Indigenous peoples; and to Provincial and Territorial governments and institutions, amounted to $3,096 million (68 percent) and $494 million (11 percent) respectively. Other significant operating expenses included utilities, materials and supplies totaling $193 million (4 percent), professional and special services totaling $185 million (4 percent), and salaries and employee future benefit totaling $184 million (4 percent).

Revenues by Type

The Department’s total revenues for 2017–18 amounted to $8 million. Respendable revenues from the provision of services of a non-regulatory nature constitute the majority of the Department’s revenues and amount to $7.9 million (99 percent).

Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as of March 31, 2018 (dollars)
Financial Information* 2017−18
Total net liabilities 1,897,335,623
Total net financial assets 1,611,692,704
Departmental net debt 285,642,919
Total non-financial assets 28,071,732
Departmental net financial position (257,571,187)
*Totals may not match financial statements due to rounding.

Liabilities by Type

Total net liabilities were $1,897 million at the end of 2017−18. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities represent the largest portion of total liabilities at $973 million (51 percent). Other significant liabilities include trust accounts of $646 million (34 percent) and the provision for contingent liabilities of $197 million (10 percent).

Net Financial Assets by Type

Total net financial assets at the end of 2017−18 were $1,612 million. The asset due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund accounted for $1,548 million (96 percent) of total net financial assets and accounts receivable and advances accounted for $64 million (4 percent).

Non-Financial Assets by Type

Non-financial assets are composed of tangible capital assets in the amount of $28 million at the end of 2017−18.

Supplementary information

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister: The Honourable Jane Philpott

Ministerial portfolio: Department of Indigenous Services Canada

Enabling instrument: Paragraph 3(1)(a) of the Financial Administration Act and P.C. 2017-1464, P.C. 2017-1465, and P.C. 2017-1466.

Year of incorporation: November 30, 2017

Other: None

Reporting framework

Given that Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) was established as per the Orders in Council, effective November 30, 2017, the strategic outcomes and Program Alignment Architecture of record is based on the 2017−18 reporting frameworks of INAC and Health Canada as shown below.

The Government

Support good governance, rights and interests of Indigenous peoples

Program: Governance and Institutions of Government*

  • Sub-Program: First Nation Governments
  • Sub-Program: Indigenous Governance Institutions and Organizations

Program: Other Claims*

The People

Individual, family and community well-being for First Nations and Inuit

Program: Education

  • Sub-Program: Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Sub-Program: Post-Secondary Education

Program: Social Development

  • Sub-Program: Income Assistance
  • Sub-Program: Assisted Living
  • Sub-Program: First Nations Child and Family Services
  • Sub-Program: Family Violence Prevention
The Land and Economy

Full participation of First Nations, Métis, Non-Status Indians and Inuit individuals and communities in the economy

Program: Community Economic Development*
Program: Infrastructure and Capacity*

  • Sub-Program: Water and Wastewater
  • Sub-Program: Education Facilities
  • Sub-Program: Housing
  • Sub-Program: Other Community Infrastructure and Activities
  • Sub-Program: Climate Resilience*
  • Sub-Program: Emergency Management Assistance

Program: Urban Indigenous Participation

First Nations & Inuit Health**

First Nations and Inuit communities and individuals receive health services and benefits that are responsive to their needs so as to improve their health status

Program: First Nations and Inuit Primary Health Care

  • Sub-Program: First Nations and Inuit Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
    • Sub-Sub Program: Healthy Child Development
    • Sub-Sub Program: Mental Wellness
    • Sub-Sub Program: Healthy Living
  • Sub-Program: First Nations and Inuit Public Health Protection
    • Sub-Sub Program: Communicable Disease Control and Management
    • Sub-Sub Program: Environmental Public Health
  • Sub-Program: First Nations and Inuit Primary Care
    • Sub-Sub Program: Clinical and Client Care
    • Sub-Sub Program: Home and Community Care
    • Sub-Sub Program: Jordan’s Principle — A Child First Initiative

Program: Supplementary Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit
Program: Health Infrastructure Support for First Nations and Inuit

  • Sub-Program: First Nations and Inuit Health System Capacity
    • Sub-Sub Program: Health Planning and Quality Management
    • Sub-Sub Program: Health Human Resources
    • Sub-Sub Program: Health Facilities
  • Sub-Program: First Nations and Inuit Health System Transformation
    • Sub-Sub Program: Health Systems Integration
    • Sub-Sub Program: e-Health Infostructure
    • Sub-Sub Program: Tripartite Health Governance
Internal Services

Note: The 2017−18 ISC Results and full narrative will only be reflected in the Departmental Results Report belonging to the applicable Department, as per the Orders in Council that created ISC on November 30, 2017.

*Programs for which elements have been split between CIRNAC and ISC.
**Programs formerly with Health Canada, for which all elements are now fully delivered by ISC.

Supporting information on lower-level programs

Supporting information on lower-level programs is available in GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Indigenous Services Canada’s website.

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs. The tax measures presented in this report are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Organizational contact information

Indigenous Services Canada
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
10 Wellington Street, North Tower
Gatineau, Quebec
Mailing Address: Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0H4
Internet: https://www.canada.ca/en/indigenous-services-canada.html
Email: aadnc.webmestre-webmaster.aandc@canada.ca

General and statistical inquiries and publication distribution
Telephone (toll-free): 1-800-567-9604
TTY (toll-free): 1-866-553-0554
Email: aadnc.infopubs.aandc@canada.ca

Departmental library
Telephone: 819-997-0811
Email: aadnc.reference.aandc@canada.ca

Media inquiries — Communications
Telephone: 819-953-1160
Email: SAC.media.ISC@canada.ca

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

Core Responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a Core Responsibility are reflected in one or more related Departmental Results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a three-year period. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

Departmental Result (résultat ministériel)

A Departmental Result represents the change or changes that the department seeks to influence. A Departmental Result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

Departmental Result Indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a Departmental Result.

Departmental Results Framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

Consists of the department’s Core Responsibilities, Departmental Results and Departmental Result Indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on an appropriated department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

Evaluation (évaluation)

In the Government of Canada, the systematic and neutral collection and analysis of evidence to judge merit, worth or value. Evaluation informs decision making, improvements, innovation and accountability. Evaluations typically focus on programs, policies and priorities and examine questions related to relevance, effectiveness and efficiency. Depending on user needs, however, evaluations can also examine other units, themes and issues, including alternatives to existing interventions. Evaluations generally employ social science research methods.

Experimentation (expérimentation)

Activities that seek to explore, test and compare the effects and impacts of policies, interventions and approaches, to inform evidence-based decision-making by learning what works and what does not.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])

An analytical approach used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The "plus" in GBA+ acknowledges that the gender-based analysis goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ considers many other identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability. Examples of GBA+ processes include using data disaggregated by sex, gender and other intersecting identity factors in performance analysis, and identifying any impacts of the program on diverse groups of people, with a view to adjusting these initiatives to make them more inclusive.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2017–18 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda from the 2015 Speech from the Throne, namely; Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and a Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada's Strength; and Security and Opportunity.

horizontal initiatives (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

Management, Resources and Results Structure (Structure de la gestion, des ressources et des résultats)

A comprehensive framework that consists of an organization’s inventory of programs, resources, results, performance indicators and governance information. Programs and results are depicted in their hierarchical relationship to each other and to the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute. The Management, Resources and Results Structure is developed from the Program Alignment Architecture.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)

The process of communicating evidence-based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.

plans (plans)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts that receive Treasury Board approval by February 1. Therefore, planned spending may include amounts incremental to planned expenditures presented in the Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

priorities (priorité)

A plan or project that an organization has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired Strategic Outcome(s) or Departmental Results.

program (programme)

A group of related resource inputs and activities that are managed to meet specific needs and to achieve intended results and that are treated as a budgetary unit.

Program Alignment Architecture (architecture d’alignement des programmes)

A structured inventory of an organization’s programs depicting the hierarchical relationship between programs and the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute.

Program Inventory (Répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all of the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s Core Responsibilities and Results.

result (résultat)

An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

Strategic Outcome (résultat stratégique)

A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.

sunset program (programme temporisé)

A time-limited program that does not have an ongoing funding and policy authority. When the program is set to expire, a decision must be made whether to continue the program. In the case of a renewal, the decision specifies the scope, funding level and duration.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The Vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

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