Call to Action # 11

Why “In Progress”?

April 16, 2024: Budget 2024 proposes to increase support for First Nations post-secondary students:

• $242.7 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, to increase access to post-secondary education for First Nations students through the Post- Secondary Student Support Program.

The federal government will continue to support Inuit and Métis postsecondary education through their Post-Secondary Education Strategies funded in Budget 2019 which invested $487.5 million over ten years, and $61.8 million ongoing.

April 19, 2021 – Budget 2021 proposes $150.6M over two years to support Indigenous students through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program and the Inuit and Métis Nation Post-Secondary Student Education Strategies as well as $26.4M in 2021-22 during COVID-19.

Oct. 23, 2020: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada – A 13-member Task Force on Northern Post-Secondary Education will assist in delivering on objectives identified in the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework that seek to close gaps in education and skills training that exist between the North and the rest of Canada. Government of Canada is working with Provincial, Territorial, Indigenous, and community partners in the North and Arctic to develop long-term opportunities that provide greater access to quality education build healthier communities, and support a sustainable and dynamic economy. The committee will deliver recommendations on how to improve education.

Sept. 5, 2019 – The government has completed the comprehensive and collaborative review of post-secondary programs to ensure resources and support are available. Budget 2019 provides funding to support Post-Secondary Student Support Program for First Nations: $815 million over 10 years, starting in fiscal year 2019 to 2020, and $61.8 million ongoing in support of Indigenous post-secondary education:

• First Nations: $327.5M over 5 years
• Métis: $362M over 10 years and $40M per year ongoing
• Inuit: $125.5 million over 10 years and $21.8M per year ongoing

The annualized amount of $114.2M for the first 5 years shrinks considerably in year 6 to $48.7M for the Métis and Inuit and nothing for First Nations. By year 10 the annualized amount increases to $61.8 that is far LESS than the annual budget allocations for 2017 and 2018 of $90M for First Nations and Inuit.