Minister Carolyn Bennett. Screenshot from AFN General Assembly stream.
The federal government is making a couple of changes to make it easier for First Nations to plan long-term projects and fund essential services.
The announcement was made today at the AFN General Assembly in Regina. Beginning April 1 of next year, federal funds will no longer have to be spent during a single fiscal year, but can instead be rolled over from one year to the next.
AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde says it gives First Nations a lot more flexibility, especially for long-term projects. He says it is something the assembly has been pushing for.
“So again, it just shows that by coming together and dialoguing it, and identifying what I call low-hanging fruit, we should be able to pick that and keeping moving forward because the bigger issue is looking toward long-term sustainable, predictable funding,” he said.
Indigenous Affairs Minister, Carolyn Bennett, says it is another step in providing First Nations with more fiscal control.
“But again, as we move government to government, nation-to-nation, it is about the previous paternalism,” she said. “It was about, if you hadn’t spent it by the end of the year, you had to give it back, right, it just didn’t make any sense.”
Bennett also announced a new arrangement will be worked out for funding essential services. Under the current policy, First Nations have to raise part of the funds for the project, something she says many First Nations could not afford.
She says a more equitable plan will be worked and put in place in the coming months. Both changes take effect April 1, 2018.