Budget offers mixed-bag on infrastructure for Indigenous communities
While Finance Minister Jim Flaherty mentioned funding for First Nations infrastructure at least twice during a press conference Thursday, the 2013 federal budget provides no new funding for things like on-reserve housing, water and wastewater treatment or schools.
APTN National News
OTTAWA–While Finance Minister Jim Flaherty mentioned funding for First Nations infrastructure at least twice during a press conference Thursday, the 2013 federal budget provides no new funding for things like on-reserve housing, water and wastewater treatment or schools.
The federal government, however, says it will be spending $100 million over the next two years to build about 250 housing units in Nunavut. The funding will flow through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, according to the budget document.
The budget sets aside $155 million for First Nations infrastructure over 10 years under the Harper government’s Building Canada Fund, but the primary focus of the money will be for things like linking to power grids, sustainable energy systems, broadband connectivity, road and bridge projects and garbage disposal.
The Harper government tabled its spending blueprint for 2013 in the House of Commons Thursday.
The budget does highlight the $7 billion over the next 10 years that has already been slated for on-reserve infrastructure for housing, schools and water projects. The money is used both for maintaining existing infrastructure and new projects.
The government’s own reports, however, have called for a much larger injection of funds to get on-reserve infrastructure up to par, including an immediate $1 billion to upgrade all water and waste water systems on reserves to meet the department of Aboriginal Affairs’ own standards. A Harper government and Assembly of First Nations backed panel also found that about 100 First Nations schools were in desperate need of renovation or replacement and failed to provide students with a safe learning environment.
The AFN has estimated that about $500 million was needed to close the gap between on-reserve First Nation schools and provincial facilities.
The $155 million set aside for specified First Nations will flow from the new Building Canada Fund to the First Nations Infrastructure Fund, which is administered by the department of Aboriginal Affairs. Additional investment is also expected to flow to First Nations communities from the Gas Tax Fund, which has already sent about $25 million a year over the past few years.
The budget document, however, highlights the federal government’s previous investment for First Nations infrastructure, including about $1 billion spread out over the past six years and the completion of 48 water and wastewater projects between 2010 and 2012.
The government also spent $200 million to build and renovate 12 schools since 2009. The federal government says it built 30 schools and renovated 200 others in First Nations communities since 2006.
The budget also sets aside $54 million over two years to settle specific claims, which primarily stem from historic grievances such as the federal government selling never-surrendered reserve lands, the mishandling of First Nations band money held in trust or the destruction of land as a result of projects like hydro dams.
The federal government said in the budget document that it has settled more than 84 claims totally about $1.7 billion since 2007.
The budget also unveiled $9 million to be spent over the next two years to expand the First Nations Land Management Regime, which allows bands to set their own rules around on-reserve land use.
The budget document says the investment will allow 33 additional First Nations to join in the program. About 61 First Nations are already involved in the land management program.
