Fund Friendship Centres
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to provide predictable multi‑year funding and capital upgrades to modernize and expand Friendship Centres. The government responds that it already provides multi‑year funding and infrastructure through urban Indigenous programs.
Why we would sign this petition
- Secures stable funds allowing centres to maintain and expand culturally appropriate health, housing, employment and youth services.
- Multi‑year predictable funding supports strategic planning, staff recruitment and retention, and development of culturally relevant resources.
- Capital investments modernize and expand facilities so centres can respond to emergencies, climate impacts and growing community needs.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Costs may be high and compete with other federal priorities, making large funding commitments politically or fiscally difficult.
- The government already provides urban Indigenous program funding and infrastructure, so the petition could duplicate existing efforts or overlook past investments.
- Multi‑year funding and capital projects are administratively complex and risk delays, inefficiencies, or mismatches with local priorities.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following: Whereas: Friendship Centres serve as vital community hubs for Indigenous peoples offering offer culturally appropriate services in areas such as health, education, housing, employment, and youth programming; Governments at all levels have increasingly depended on the services of Friendship Centres to respond to socioeconomic conditions, climate events, and public health emergencies like the toxic drug crisis; The funding for Friendship Centres has failed to keep pace with the rate of inflation or actual cost of services since 2005; and Enhanced, stable funding is needed for Friendship Centres to meet the needs of the urban, rural and remote communities they serve. Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Commit to enhanced core funding to ensure Friendship Centres have sufficient financial resources to maintain and expand their services to meet community needs; 2. Provide multi-year, predictable funding agreements to allow Friendship Centres to plan strategically, recruit and retain qualified staff and develop culturally appropriate resources to support growing responsibilities; 3. Invest in the modernization and expansion of Friendship Centre facilities to ensure they are equipped to address new and emerging challenges, such as climate change; and 4. Recognize and support the role of Friendship Centres in reconciliation.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Indigenous Services Signed by GINETTE LAVACK Indigenous Services Canada recognizes the critical role Friendship Centres play in supporting the well-being of urban Indigenous Peoples across Canada. Friendship Centres provide much-needed supports and services to members of their communities across a range of areas including health, housing, education, recreation, language, justice, employment, economic development, culture and community wellness. Indigenous Services Canada provides funding to Friendship Centres throughout the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples program which was created in 2017 to achieve greater collaboration across all levels of government, Indigenous communities, private and not-for-profit sectors to leverage resources and maximize strategic investments. The Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples program supports Indigenous organizations across the country in providing holistic and culturally appropriate programs and services to First Nations peoples (status and non-status), Inuit, and Métis. The Program has provided over $70 million in 2024-2025 to a network of 120 Friendship Centres across Canada. Additionally, through the Indigenous Community Infrastructure fund, from 2020-2021 to 2024-2025, Indigenous Services Canada allocated nearly $94 million in infrastructure funding to Friendship Centres to address urgent infrastructure needs for urban Indigenous Peoples. Of this, $7.9 million supported 54 minor repair projects, and $86 million funded 16 major acquisitions, renovations, and new builds. Friendship Centres are key partners in advancing reconciliation. Their work fosters cultural revitalization, healing, and equity in urban Indigenous communities. Indigenous Services Canada is committed to strengthening this partnership and ensuring that the role of Friendship Centres is fully supported and recognized in the shared journey toward reconciliation. This commitment has been reflected in successive federal budgets, which have included targeted investments to support the sustainability, growth, and modernization of Friendship Centres across the country. In Budget 2016, the Government committed to renew the Urban Aboriginal Strategy and engage with partners on how to better meet the needs of urban Indigenous Peoples. Budget 2017 provided $118.5 million over five years to create the new Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples program (replacing the Urban Aboriginal Strategy). Budget 2019 provided $60 million over five years in infrastructure investments to ensure that facilities delivering urban Indigenous programming are safe and accessible. Budget 2022 provided $101.1 million over three years to renew and expand the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples program, as well as support urban Indigenous research and data collection. Budget 2024 provided $60 million over two years for Friendship Centres. These investments will help ensure that Friendship Centres can continue to support the local needs and priorities of urban, off reserve, and outside of community Indigenous peoples in a manner that is safe, secure, accessible, and culturally relevant. The Government of Canada provided an additional $33.6 million in funding for the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples program, in 2025-2026. Through these recent budget commitments, the Government of Canada remains dedicated to strengthening financial support that allow Friendship Centres to meet the evolving needs of their communities.