Six First Nations Join Fiscal Management Act

Summary#

This is the Order Amending the Schedule to the First Nations Fiscal Management Act: SOR/2023-69. It adds 6 First Nations to the list of communities that can use the tools and services set up under the First Nations Fiscal Management Act. The order was registered and came into force on March 29, 2023, and was published in the Canada Gazette on April 12, 2023.

What it does#

• Adds the names of 6 First Nations to the schedule of the First Nations Fiscal Management Act so they can opt into that federal regime.
• The specific First Nations added are:
  • Attawapiskat
  • Dakota Plains
  • Little Grand Rapids
  • Lubicon Lake
  • Old Massett Village Council
  • Pinaymootang First Nation
• Being on the schedule lets those First Nations, if they choose:
  • work with national institutions such as the First Nations Finance Authority, the First Nations Tax Commission, and the First Nations Financial Management Board;
  • set up a property tax system under the Act and use those revenues for community projects; and
  • seek certification of their financial systems and apply for access to a bond-financing regime tied to their revenue streams.

Who's affected#

• The main parties affected are the six named First Nations and the people who live in their communities.
• The Canada Gazette item lists the First Nations with provinces: Attawapiskat (Ontario), Dakota Plains (Manitoba), Little Grand Rapids (Manitoba), Lubicon Lake (Alberta), Old Massett Village Council (New Brunswick), and Pinaymootang First Nation (Manitoba).
  • If the province listed looks surprising for any name, that reflects the Gazette text; the order itself just adds the names to the Act’s schedule.
• The national First Nation institutions named above will work with these First Nations if they choose to participate.
• Other governments, local service providers, and businesses that interact with those communities could notice effects if the First Nations implement new tax or financing tools.

Why it matters#

• Joining the Act gives those First Nations legal access to tools to raise and manage local revenue, strengthen financial management, and borrow for infrastructure.
• That can make it easier to fund local projects (roads, housing, utilities) and plan long-term investments without relying solely on other funding sources.
• For residents and local businesses, the most visible changes might be new property taxation rules or new projects funded by bond financing.
• The order itself simply records the communities’ requests to be added; it does not force them to take any of these steps.