Everyone in Canada deserves to have the support they need to live a healthy and prosperous life. Due to the legacies of colonialism, access to opportunities and supports can be further from reach in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. The federal government is committed to supporting Indigenous communities in building healthy communities.

Since 2015, the federal government has made significant investments to build more homes, deliver better health care, and ensure Indigenous communities have clean drinking water. Every Indigenous person deserves access to what they need to build a healthy and vibrant life.

Budget 2024 is investing in better health care and critical infrastructure, codeveloped and co-led with Indigenous communities, to ensure better health outcomes for all Indigenous Peoples.

Key Ongoing Actions

• $4 billion over seven years, starting in 2024-25, to implement an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, currently under codevelopment with Indigenous partners.
• $2 billion over ten years, starting in 2024-25, for a distinctions-based Indigenous Health Equity Fund. This fund, currently being co-developed with Indigenous partners, will address the unique challenges Indigenous Peoples face when accessing health care services, and support immediate and long-term Indigenous health priorities.
• $811 million over five years, beginning in 2023-24, to support medical travel and to maintain medically necessary services through the Non- Insured Health Benefits Program, including mental health services, dental and vision care, and medications.
• $8.2 billion over ten years, starting in 2023-24, to renew the First Nations Health Authority Funding Agreement in British Columbia.
• $1.6 billion over two years, starting in 2024-25, to ensure access to safe drinking water and treated wastewater in First Nations communities.

First Nations and Inuit Health

The federal government is working with Indigenous partners to improve access to health care services. Co-developed essential health care reforms aim to ensure Indigenous people feel safe and heard while accessing health care services in Canada, no matter where they live.

To ensure First Nations and Inuit across the country have fair and equal access to the health care they deserve, Budget 2024 proposes to provide:

• $562.5 million in 2024-25 to support medically necessary services through the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program, which supports a range of benefits for First Nations and Inuit people, including mental health services, medical travel, medications, and more;
• $390.4 million over four years, starting in 2024-25, to build or renovate health facilities, including to support the Virtual Health Hub led by the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies. This funding will also improve the safety of primary care workers in remote and isolated onreserve First Nations communities;
• $104.9 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, for health transformation initiatives to support First Nations self-determination in the design and delivery of health services in their communities; and,
• $57.5 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, which builds on previous federal investments to construct a mercury care home in Grassy Narrows First Nation.

Supporting Indigenous Mental Health

Mental health is health. Due to the legacy of colonialism, Indigenous Peoples face their own unique challenges when it comes to mental health and wellbeing, which may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use, and depression.

A high proportion of Indigenous youth are diagnosed with mood and anxiety disorders, as well as chronic health conditions. First Nations youth living on reserve reported low mental health nearly twice as often as non-Indigenous youth. Indigenous youth struggle to access health care due to long
transportation times and costs from missing school or work.

Supporting Indigenous people’s access to mental health doesn’t just mean increasing access to care, it also means ensuring services respect, value, and use cultural knowledge, approaches, languages, and ways of knowing. These investments aim to end the legacies of intergenerational trauma and build up healthier, stronger, and more resilient future generations.

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $630.2 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to support Indigenous people’s access to mental health services, including through distinctions-based mental wellness strategies.

Addressing Anti-Indigenous Racism in Health Care

Anti-Indigenous racism has tragic consequences for Indigenous Peoples
seeking health care. In 2020, tragic circumstances contributed to the death of
Joyce Echaquan at the Centre hospitalier régional De Lanaudière in Quebec, near
the Atikamekw community of Manawan. In memory of her death, Joyce’s
Principle was created, which aims to guarantee to all Indigenous people the
right of equitable access, without any discrimination, to all social and health
services. It also includes the right to enjoy the best possible physical, mental,
emotional, and spiritual health.

Recognizing and respecting Indigenous Peoples’ traditional and living knowledge in all aspects of health is essential to fulfilling Joyce’s Principle. This measure aims to help foster health systems free from racism and discrimination where Indigenous Peoples are respected and safe by supporting patient advocates, health system navigators, midwives, and birth support workers, as well as initiatives to increase Indigenous representation in the health profession.

• Budget 2024 proposes to provide $167.6 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, to combat anti-Indigenous racism in health care to help ensure Indigenous Peoples are treated with the respect and safety they deserve.

TOTAL HEALTH BUDGET: $1,962M

	2024-2025	2025-2026	2026-2027	2027-2028	2028-2029	TOTAL
First Nations and Inuit Health	646	178	162	51	21	1,058
Supporting Indigenous Mental Health	315	315	0	0	0	630
Addressing Anti-Indigenous Racism in Health Care	33	34	34	34	34	168
Northern Food Security	57	34	34	0	0	124
Strengthening Access to Culturally Important Foods	14	18	8	0	0	40

NOTE: First Nations budget is lessened by $58M for “Funds Sourced from Existing Departmental Resources”