Sustain IRSSS funding

AI summary

Petitioners ask Canada to commit sustained funding and clarify federal responsibility by establishing a stable, needs-based funding framework for IRSSS. The government responds FNHA decides IRSSS funding and Canada pledged $630M for Indigenous wellness.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the House of Commons For 30 years, the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) has delivered Indigenous led healing, wellness, and crisis support services to Survivors, families, and communities affected by colonial policies and the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit people; The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report reaffirmed that healing is long term and that governments must continue supporting Survivors and those impacted across generations; The harms caused by these systems constitute a federal fiduciary responsibility that persists regardless of changes in government, policy direction, or funding mechanisms Originally funded directly by the Government of Canada via Indigenous Services Canada, core program funding later transitioned to provincial level through First Nations Health Authority, with assurances that funding would not sunset; Despite these assurances, IRSSS now faces funding uncertainty that places critical support services at risk; This uncertainty heightens jurisdictional challenges, weakens Indigenous led solutions, and risks access to culturally safe, self determined care aligned with UNDRIP; The loss or disruption of these services would cause significant harm to those who rely on consistent, trusted, culturally appropriate support for ongoing healing, wellness, and safety; We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to :1. Commit to sustained federal funding to prevent IRSSS program lapses. 1. Commit to sustained federal funding to prevent IRSSS program lapses. 2. Honour past federal promises to avoid gaps in Survivor centered services; 3. Clarify long term federal responsibility for stable funding of Indigenous led healing, wellness, and crisis support programs related to Residential School impacts; 4. Work with IRSSS, Indigenous leadership, and partners to create a stable, long term funding framework that reflects actual service needs.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Indigenous Services Signed by GINETTE LAVACK The Minister of Indigenous Services would like to thank the petitioners for raising the issue of sustained federal funding and the importance of Indigenous-led healing, wellness, and crisis support services that address the ongoing impacts of Indian Residential Schools. Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) does not directly fund the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) for the delivery of health services. IRSSS is located in British Columbia and receives health-related funding through the First Nations Health Authority. In 2013, pursuant to a Tripartite Agreement on First Nation Health Governance that was signed in 2011 between Canada, British Columbia and BC First Nations Leadership, a province-wide First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) was created that assumed responsibility for the management and delivery of First Nations health programs and services. As a result of this agreement, a new model of health service delivery was put in place to create a new First Nations health governance structure that is responsible for day-to-day operations and decision-making over First Nations health matters and to work in a more coordinated and integrated way with the provincial health system. Indigenous Services Canada provides funding to the FNHA who is then responsibility for health decision-making, including the allocation of resources to communities and other partners. The FNHA is an incorporated not-for-profit corporation that is accountable to a Board of Directors and the First Nations communities that it serves. The FNHA partners with First Nations and other health organizations across the province to provide services, including the IRSSS. More information on the FNHA’s partnership with the IRSSS can be obtained from the FNHA or the IRSSS directly. As such, ISC does not determine whether IRSSS continues to receive funding for specific programs, including resolution health support, cultural support, or Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)-related services. More broadly, the Government of Canada recently announced $630,000,000 over two years (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028) to support Indigenous communities and organizations in the provision of services that maintain the availability, accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of mental wellness services for Indigenous Peoples across Canada. This investment includes the renewal of the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Program, which provides culturally relevant mental health counselling and emotional and cultural supports to individuals, families, and communities healing from Indian Residential Schools, Indian Day Schools, the ongoing crisis of MMIWG and 2SLGBTQI+ people, related settlement processes, and other colonial harms. The funding will also support programs that connect communities with trauma-informed healing supports grounded in culture, ceremony, and community knowledge. This includes wraparound supports at opioid agonist therapy sites across the country, mental wellness teams, and continued access to crisis lines. The First Nations Health Authority will receive their proportional allocation of these funds and will make the determination on how it wishes to utilize these in the province. The Government of Canada remains committed to advancing reconciliation by upholding Indigenous rights and self-determination, implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, and supporting community-led healing efforts that respond to the lasting impacts of Indian Residential Schools.