Loss of Jordan's Principle Programs Affects First Nations
First Nations across Canada are experiencing a decline in Jordan's Principle programs due to reduced funding.
The funding for Jordan's Principle services decreased from $1.72 billion in 2023-24 to $1.64 billion in 2024-25.
Onigaming First Nation in northern Ontario is one of the affected communities, having 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. The community had been running various programs to address mental health issues, including crisis response teams and an after-hours safety team.
- Crisis response teams
- An after-hours safety team that patrolled homes and the community at night
These programs aimed to ensure the safety of residents, especially children and youth.
Author's summary: First Nations lose funding for children's programs.