Budget 2016 includes $2.6 billion over five years for First Nations K-12 education towards primary and secondary education on reserve to address immediate pressures, keep pace with rising costs and also invest in literacy and numeracy programs and special needs education:
- $747.6 million to address immediate funding needs and program growth
- $275 million to support First Nations language and culture
- $577.5 million to support students with special needs
- $100 million to support literacy and numeracy
- $824.1 million to implement transformation in First Nations education
- $37.5 million to support innovation, research, measurement and evaluation
- $30 million to support the Martin Family Initiative’s partnerships with First Nations to improve literacy rate
Also:
- $969.4M over 5 years for construction, maintenance and repairs of First Nations education facilities
- $1.53B over 5 years to increase Canada Student Grants and $329M per year after that. Other changes will increase the amount of non-repayable Canada Student Grants and Canada Student Loans that Indigenous students may receive