Loss of Jordan's Principle Programs in First Nations Across Canada
First Nations across Canada are experiencing a loss of Jordan's Principle programs due to funding cuts.
Funding for Jordan's Principle services decreased from $1.72 billion in 2023-24 to $1.64 billion in 2024-25. This change has resulted in the loss of funding for children's programs after the federal government modified Jordan's Principle rules in February.
Onigaming First Nation in northern Ontario is one of the affected communities. The nation has been under a state of emergency since 2024 due to high death rates, including suicides.
Just in the past four years, we’ve had 46 deaths. That’s roughly about 5 per cent of our population overall,said Chief Jeff Copenace.
Onigaming had implemented various programs to address mental health issues, including crisis response teams and an after-hours safety team that ensured residents' safety, particularly children and youth.
Author's summary: Funding cuts affect First Nations' programs.