BEARSPAW FIRST NATION, TREATY 7 TERRITORY, AB, Nov. 13, 2026 /CNW/ -- Advancing reconciliation requires supporting strong Indigenous communities and ensuring that Indigenous Peoples have the tools, resources, and services needed to determine their futures on their own terms.

Indigenous partners have long called for stable, predictable funding they can count on. Budget 2026 responds with historic, long-term investments that will help communities plan with greater certainty, maintain essential services and build for future generations.

Today, the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, met with Bearspaw First Nation in Treaty 7 territory in Alberta to highlight more than $50 billion in proposed investments from Budget 2026: Masters of our destiny to ensure Indigenous Peoples have long-term predictable funding in core programs.

This includes $32 billion over 10 years for First Nations housing and infrastructure and more than $18 billion over 6 years to support Indigenous education and skills training, health and community safety, support for children and families, and emergency management.

In Bearspaw First Nation, the Mînî Thnî subdivision project shows what can be achieved when communities have the resources to advance their own priorities. Through $4.1 million in Phase I funding from Indigenous Services Canada, this project will lay the groundwork for new homes, providing the foundation for a stronger, healthier, more prosperous community.

Across the country, the Government of Canada is working with Indigenous governments and organisations to strengthen local economies, build housing and infrastructure, improve educational and health outcomes, support children and families, and deliver services that reflect communities' needs. 

Budget 2026 provides greater certainty for First Nations housing and infrastructure:

• $18.5 billion over 10 years to improve First Nations infrastructure on reserve with the launch of a new First Nations On-Reserve Infrastructure Program. This funding will support the construction and maintenance of a broad range of assets, from roads and bridges to schools and health facilities, while extending investments in water and wastewater infrastructure for six years beyond funding announced in June 2026. The new program will consider opportunities to consolidate existing First Nations on reserve infrastructure programs and provide greater flexibility to plan the timing and sequencing of investments across assets according to specific circumstances rather than typical annual funding allocations.
• $11 billion over 10 years to improve First Nations housing. This funding will help communities manage and preserve 119,000 existing housing units through regular maintenance and repairs, construct more than 6,900 new homes, and renovate more than 10,900 existing homes over the next decade.
• An additional $1.7 billion over five years to accelerate housing construction for housing in First Nations communities on reserve. This funding will enable faster delivery of shovel-ready housing projects while freeing up core funding to plan, deliver, and maintain housing over the next 10 years.
• An additional $13 billion over ten years, on a cash basis, starting in 2028-29, to boost the capital of Build Canada Homes and supercharge non-market housing across this country. At least 10% of Build Canada Homes' expanded envelope will be dedicated to Indigenous housing projects using a distinctions-based formula.
• $451.8 million over four years and $48 million ongoing (including new and existing funding) to launch a new Partnerships for Indigenous Workforce Readiness Fund, which could align Indigenous workforce investments with national economic priorities.

Budget 2026 also transforms financing:

• $657.5 million over 10 years to explore new approaches that could transform how First Nations housing and infrastructure are supported in the future. This will be done via three initiatives:
  • $500 million over 10 years for a Monetisation Pilot to test a First Nations-led model for financing infrastructure projects.
  • $150 million over five years for the Yänonhchia' Revolving Housing Finance Fund, a First Nation-led initiative that works with Indigenous Financial Institutions to provide First Nations individuals with housing loans, helping them on the path to home ownership.
  • $7.5 million over five years for a Surety-Bonding Pilot to test a model for helping First Nations contractors overcome barriers to bidding on large construction contracts.
• $78.5 million over four years and $20.6 million ongoing to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to support the funding renewal for the First Nations Financial Management Board, the First Nations Tax Commission, and the First Nations Infrastructure Institute.

Supporting Indigenous children and families

Canada is committed to removing systemic barriers that make it difficult for Indigenous children and youth to access the services and supports they need. Budget 2026 proposes to provide longer-term funding for Jordan's Principle to help ensure First Nations children can access government-funded services without delay, while supporting greater Indigenous control over child and family services within their communities:

• $6 billion over six years for Jordan's Principle. This funding will support continued access to health, social, and educational services for First Nations children and ongoing work to address barriers.
• $806.7 million over five years to renew funding for the implementation of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families. This funding will help Indigenous communities provide culturally appropriate supports and services that better meet the needs of children, youth, and families.

A sustained, 10-year commitment focused on providing greater certainty, accelerating construction, and transforming the way projects are financed would help communities make strategic investments and progressively close housing and infrastructure gaps over time. The initiatives outlined in will ensure that communities have the resources they need to succeed in the long term, advancing self-determination, and building stronger First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities across the country.

Quote: 

"Building a strong and united Canada also means continuing the important work of reconciliation. It means ensuring Indigenous communities have the same foundations that every community needs to thrive: safe housing, clean water, good schools, reliable infrastructure, stable and culturally responsive policing services, and the ability to shape their own future. Because being masters of our destiny must mean having the tools to shape a better future."

-     The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue 

"The progress we are seeing here at Bearspaw First Nation shows what can be achieved when communities have the resources to advance their own priorities. Budget 2026's long-term investments in housing, infrastructure and workforce development provide the certainty and stability required to plan ahead, build more homes, and create lasting opportunities close to home. We are building on a plan that is already delivering results and setting out the next phase of building a stronger, more affordable economy for all Canadians, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis. "

-     The Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

Associated links:

• Budget 2026: Masters of our destiny
• Spring Economic Update 2026: Canada Strong For All

Quick Facts

Additional investments for Indigenous Peoples:

Budget 2026 measures in education

• $5.8 billion over five years for the Elementary and Secondary Education Program on reserve to support high-quality, culturally relevant education and improve long-term outcomes for First Nations students.
• $437.9 million over five years through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program to maintain access to post-secondary education and support the next generation of First Nations leaders, professionals, and skilled workers.

Budget 2026 measures in health and safety

• $2.9 billion over three years to support access to health products and services through the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program.
• $290.7 million over four years to help Indigenous communities access the public health services and support they need to live healthy lives.
• $865.6 million in 2026-27 for the Emergency Management Assistance Program to respond to emergencies that occurred on reserve and an additional $446.2 million ongoing to support future response and recovery from emergencies.
• $7.8 million in ongoing funding to support First Nations with wildfire protection where First Nations community boundaries are next to wildland.
• $7 million in ongoing funding for the First Nations Fire Protection Strategy, which supports fire safety priorities identified by First Nations communities.
• $633.7 million over four years and $250.9 million ongoing to support stable and effective Indigenous policing agreements and infrastructure.
• $140 million over four years to enable First Nations and Inuit communities to develop and implement approaches tailored to their priorities and circumstances to support community-led safety initiatives.
• $3.6 million in 2027-28 to renew the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Secretariat and the Red Dress Alert pilot to support faster, culturally informed responses to missing persons cases, improving safety and reducing the risk of violence for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

Budget 2026 measures for fiscal and institutional capacity 

• Update the First Nations Personal Income Tax arrangements by proposing to increase the revenue sharing rate in conjunction with introducing a revenue sharing mechanism.
• Update the First Nations Goods and Services Tax arrangements by proposing a revised cost-sharing arrangement for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
• Amendments to the First Nations Fiscal Management Act. In Budget 2026, the government proposes to amend the First Nations Fiscal Management Act to allow the First Nations Finance Authority to lend to Indigenous-owned Special Purpose Vehicles.

SOURCE Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada