Published plans and annual reports 2025–2026: Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation

Ministry overview

Ministry's vision

The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation’s (IAFNER) (formerly the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs) vision is to create lasting wellness and prosperity with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across Ontario to help make reconciliation meaningful to people.

Ministry programs

The ministry carries out its obligations under four main areas of responsibility (also referred to as vote-items):

Indigenous Affairs

The Indigenous Affairs program captures the breadth of work the ministry undertakes related to strategic policy and planning, Indigenous relationship management, delivery of funding programs, and addressing Ontario’s legal obligations on Indigenous related matters. Within each of these areas of work, IAFNER offers a range of services that are internal to government or external to relevant Indigenous partners. Internal to government services include operations such as: leading Ontario’s policy agenda on Indigenous priorities; directly supporting the Premier’s Office and other provincial ministers; developing tools/services to support cross-ministry collaboration on Indigenous files; assisting with the delivery of key government priorities; sharing best practices on developing and building relationships with Indigenous communities; providing feedback on Cabinet submissions; partnering and coordinating with the federal government where possible; working across government to seek negotiated resolutions to claims brought by Indigenous communities; among others.

The ministry provides assistance and advocates to improve Indigenous people’s access to provincial government programs, services, and information. The ministry also plays a role both internally and externally in supporting the province’s response to declared states of emergencies in First Nation communities. Beyond this, a majority of the ministry’s annual allocation for Indigenous Affairs is devoted to its funding programs. This includes:

• The New Relationship Fund (NRF): The NRF provides support to eligible Indigenous communities to meaningfully participate in engagements with governments and the private sector, while also increasing skills training opportunities and enabling long-term land and resources management.
• The Participation Fund (PF): Through the PF, the ministry builds collaborative relationships through the Leadership and Relationship Tables with Indigenous organizations in Ontario to support organizational capacity and to address priority issues for the member communities.
• The Indigenous Economic Development Fund (IEDF): The IEDF provides targeted economic development funding to assist with: the success and competitiveness of Indigenous-owned businesses through improved access to financing; the diversification of Indigenous economies through supporting the development and implementation of long-term economic plans; and the participation and adaptability of Indigenous people in the labour market by improving access to training and employment opportunities.
• Support for Community Negotiations Fund (SCNF): This fund provides financial support for eligible costs to Indigenous communities that are engaged in negotiations with Ontario regarding land and land-related claims. The fund supports Indigenous communities’ capacity to participate in negotiations, to reach settlement agreements that remove uncertainty with respect to geography, restore relationships and advance reconciliation, which contributes to investment certainty and economic prosperity.
• Policy Development Engagement Fund (PDEF): The PDEF supports Indigenous communities and organizations in relation to the development of Ontario policy initiatives that impact Indigenous people. Eligible recipients are identified by the ministry as requiring financial support to participate in policy initiatives under development by the province.
• Support for Indian Residential School Burial (SIRSB) Sites: This funding provides financial support for work related to the identification, investigation, protection, and commemoration of burials at the sites of former Indian Residential Schools (IRS) in the province. It also includes IRS-specific financial supports for mental health and trauma supports for those involved in investigations as well as Survivors, communities, and families.
• Capacity and Growth Fund (CGF): This funding supports a range of Indigenous-led economic development and food security initiatives. Projects funded help to support regional initiatives, promote innovative business models, partnerships and practices, improve economic development capacity, diversification of Indigenous economies, support long-term strategic planning, and increase knowledge, business training, skills development and growth of Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs.

This program supports the following ministry key performance indicators:

1. Creating Jobs in Ontario;
2. Increasing Economic Opportunities for Indigenous People in Ontario;
3. Ontario is Resolving Outstanding Land Claims and Land Related Issues with Indigenous People;
4. Policies and Programs Across Government Reviewed by IAFNER;

Land Claims and Self-Government Initiatives

The Land Claims and Self-Government Initiatives program supports the settlement of land and land-related claims brought against the province and negotiated by the ministry. There is no allocation for these funding lines as payments are only made once a settlement agreement has been reached and approved by the necessary parties. This program is funded through the Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet (TB/MBC) Contingency Fund; however, it is disbursed through the ministry’s transfer payment funding lines.

Ministry Administration

The Ministry Administration program provides executive direction and strategic planning services, which are critical for ministry operations. The range of strategic services captured under this item include human resources planning and management; communications; fiscal controllership; strategic financial planning; audit coordination and response; and other matters of compliance. This item also provides support for: procurement, transfer payment administration and management, records and information management, the administration of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act, as well as fees related to the provision of legal services to the ministry.

This program supports the following ministry key performance indicators:

1. Increasing Administrative Efficiency;
2. Ensuring Government Capacity to Meet the Government’s Legal Obligation to Offer Services in French;
3. Ontario is Prepared for Emergencies and Natural Disasters.

Indigenous Affairs Capital Program

The ministry’s capital program supports projects related to building or maintaining Indigenous community infrastructure both on and off-reserve. Funding supports costs related to construction, renovation, or retrofitting costs, which helps support economic development, job creation, and social benefits for the recipient communities.

2025-26 strategic plan

IAFNER's strategic plan demonstrates a commitment to effectively use public funds, providing greater value for money, and implementing government policies, while supporting Indigenous peoples and communities.

In 2025-26, IAFNER will be:

• Investing in the Indigenous economy by:
  • partnering with Ontario’s network of Indigenous Financial Institutes (IFIs) to deliver low-interest loans and grants to Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs and delivering a digitalization and e-commerce grant program to enhance the level of business digitalization of small and medium sized Indigenous businesses.
  • targeted funding to the Ontario First Nations Economic Developers Association (OFNEDA) to strengthen province-wide supports for community-level and community-led economic development priorities by enhancing Economic Development Officers salaries and supporting other community economic priorities, and delivering training, mentorship, and professional networks for First Nation Economic Development Officers, businesses, and entrepreneurs.
  • targeted funding to the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) for ongoing delivery of the First Nations Economic Growth and Prosperity Table, which provides direction and advice on First Nations economic development priorities.
• Working in partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations to deliver $17.1 million in operational funding for the identification, investigation, protection, and commemoration of burial sites at former Indian Residential Schools (IRS) schools across the province, while also delivering the $15 million in IRS-related mental health and trauma support to Indigenous communities, Regional Indigenous Organizations (RIOs), families and communities.
• Building upon the Regional Social Emergency Manager (RSEM) Program to continue to support the expansion of the RSEM program to central and southern Ontario communities in 2025-26. The investment will fund 11 SEM positions in central and southern communities reflecting the government’s commitment to provide continued funding to address ongoing staff retention, expertise and availability, enable long-term planning of activities, and increase the likelihood in achieving positive outcomes.
• Continuing the delivery of the Capacity and Growth Fund to address unmet food sovereignty and economic development needs identified by Indigenous communities across the Province. This funding supports a range of Indigenous-led economic development and food security initiatives. Projects funded help to support regional initiatives, promote innovative business models, partnerships and practices, improve economic development capacity, diversification of Indigenous economies, support long-term strategic planning, and increase knowledge, business training, skills development and growth of Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Continuing to pursue certainty through land claim settlements by leading negotiations on behalf of Ontario through a strategic, whole-of-government approach that supports partner ministry interests and government priorities. Negotiated agreements remove uncertainty with respect to geography, restore relationships and advance reconciliation, which contributes to investment certainty and economic prosperity.
• Continuing to mitigate legal risks related to land and treaty claims and historical grievances on behalf of Ontario through delivery of Ontario’s Land Claim Process as set out publicly on Ontario.ca, by:
  • researching and assessing 8 Land Claim Assertions;
  • progressing on the current 51 claims accepted for negotiation, as well as any new claims that may be accepted;
  • supporting the 23 other land-related matters including litigation claims and non-claim related land transfers;
  • carrying-out Ontario’s commitments in implementing 25 claim settlements that have been successfully negotiated.

Table 1: Ministry planned expenditures 2025–26

Ministry 2025-26 allocation by standard account

Ministry 2025-26 allocation by vote item

Table 2: Combined operating and capital summary by vote

For additional financial information, see:

• Expenditure Estimates
• Public Accounts
• 2025 Budget

Ministry organization chart

Effective May 2025

• Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation
  • Deputy Minister
    • Legal Services Branch
    • LRC IT Services
    • Communications Services Branch
    • Corporate Management Division ^{footnote 3[3]} 
      • Corporate Management Branch
      • Human Resources Business Branch ^{footnote 3[3]} 
    • Indigenous Relations and Programs Division
      • Indigenous Relations and Ministry Partnerships Branch
      • Programs and Services Branch
    • Negotiations and Reconciliation Division
      • Claims Negotiations Branch
      • Strategic Coordination and Claims Services Branch
    • Strategic Policy and Planning Division
      • Strategic Initiatives Social Policy Branch
      • Strategic Planning and Economic Policy Branch

2024-25 annual report

In 2024-25, the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation played a leading role in strategic Indigenous policy for Ontario while working to deliver on its vision to create lasting wellness and prosperity with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across Ontario.

As part of these efforts, IAFNER made the following accomplishments: 

• Delivered the third year of funding for the ministry’s three-year $25 million in economic development and recovery commitment (Indigenous Economic Recovery Initiative), as announced through the 2022 Ontario Budget, which included:
  • partnering with Ontario’s network of Indigenous Financial Institutes (IFIs) to increase Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs’ access to low-interest loans and grants, as well as delivery of a digitization and e-commerce grant program;
  • partnering with Ontario First Nations Economic Developers Association (OFNEDA) to increase training and professional development opportunities for Indigenous businesses and Economic Development Officers and providing economic capacity resources and supports for First Nations communities;
  • supporting Chiefs of Ontario (COO) to better understand First Nations’ supply chains and procurement opportunities, including the development of a First Nations Business Directory and ongoing delivery of the Economic Growth and Prosperity Table;
  • working with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) and Indigenous Institutes to support Indigenous apprentices and skills trades.
• Worked in partnership to support Indigenous communities and organizations to deliver funding for the identification, investigation, protection, and commemoration of burial sites at former Indian Residential Schools (IRS) schools across the province, while also delivering activities in IRS-related mental health and trauma support to Indigenous communities, Regional Indigenous Organizations (RIOs), families and communities.
• Increased awareness on procurement opportunities with the provincial government for Indigenous businesses through the Indigenous Procurement Program and its program review. The Program has directly supported over 290 new procurements across 11 ministries valued at over $200 million for Indigenous businesses in Ontario since 2015.
• Worked across ministries and with First Nation partners to continue to address the recommendations of the Seven First Nations Youth Inquest and submitted Ontario’s seventh annual progress report to the Office of the Chief Coroner. To date, of the 61 recommendations directed to the province, Ontario has completed 55 recommendations, with 6 recommendations in progress.
• Ongoing delivery of the Capacity and Growth Fund (CGF) to address unmet food sovereignty and economic development needs identified by Indigenous communities across the Province. The CGF supported a variety of initiatives with 16 Indigenous partners, including a variety of training and operations funding supports, including projects such as the development of a food security mental health application, the development of greenhouse productions and aquaculture management tools, supports for development and expansion of traditional food production of wild rice, sugar bush, and butcher shop and tannery projects.
• Worked to address legal obligations on Treaties, land claims, and land related matters by:
  • continuing to deliver Ontario’s Land Claim Negotiation Process as set out publicly on Ontario.ca, through the ongoing assessment, negotiation, and implementation of land claims;
  • delivering $14 million in funding through the Support for Community Negotiations Fund (SCNF) to support Indigenous communities’ meaningful participation in the negotiations process.
• Sought Ministerial approval to enter into negotiations with:
  • Red Rock First Nation: Minister’s decision July 25, 2024;
  • Whitesand First Nation: Minister’s decision July 25, 2024;
  • Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation: Minister’s decision July 25, 2024.
• Finalized negotiations and settlement agreements with:
  • Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation: Reached settlement agreement in March 2025;
  • Robinson Superior Treaty (RST) Annuities: Led court-directed, tripartite negotiations regarding past annuities with RST plaintiffs; followed by Ontario making a decision to issue a payment for past annuities.
• Completed key implementation milestones, including:
  • Chapleau Cree First Nation: Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) Phase 1 lands (2,153 hectares) transferred to Canada March 31, 2025;
  • McDowell Lake First Nation: Additions to Reserve (ATR) Phase 1 Lands (4,536.32 hectares) transferred to Canada March 31, 2025;
  • Pays Plat First Nation: Lands and Larger Land Base (LLLB) Lands (1,701 hectares) transferred to Canada March 31, 2025.

2025–26 detailed financials

Ministry summary information

The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation's (IAFNER) mandate is to: lead strategic Indigenous policy for Ontario by coordinating cross-government initiatives that improve outcomes for Indigenous people; lead provincial negotiations of Indigenous land claims; and support economic and community development for Indigenous partners.

The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation is responsible for settling land and land-related claims brought against the province. As the ministry does not receive a budget allocation for this activity, there may be significant variances between the ministry’s estimated versus actual expenditures. This is due to the recognition of liabilities associated with these claims or settlement payments that occurred during the fiscal year. For this reason, Actuals could be significantly higher when compared to Estimates.

The ministry’s 2025-26 Estimates are 4.3% greater than the 2024-25 Estimates. This increase is largely driven by additional funding to strengthen economic opportunities for Indigenous businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities across Ontario and time-limited capital investments for the construction of a new Indigenous Women’s Healing Centre to provide culturally grounded supports for Indigenous women and their families.

Ministry 2025-26 allocation by standard account

Ministry 2025-26 allocation by vote item

Vote summary information

The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation’s (IAFNER) mandate is to: lead strategic Indigenous policy for Ontario by coordinating cross-government initiatives that improve outcomes for Indigenous people; lead provincial negotiations of Indigenous land claims; and support economic and community development for Indigenous partners.

Item/sub-item summary information

Vote/item: 2001-01 
Vote: Indigenous Affairs program 
Item: Indigenous Affairs 
Type: Operating expense

Item/sub-item description: Indigenous Affairs

The Indigenous Affairs program captures the breadth of work the ministry undertakes related to strategic policy and planning, Indigenous relationship management, delivery of funding programs, and addressing Ontario’s legal obligations on Indigenous related matters. Within each of these areas of work, IAFNER offers a range of services that are internal to government or external to relevant Indigenous partners. Internal to government services include operations such as: leading Ontario’s policy agenda on Indigenous priorities; directly supporting the Premier’s Office and other provincial ministers; developing tools/services to support cross-ministry collaboration on Indigenous files; assisting with the delivery of key government priorities; sharing best practices on developing and building relationships with Indigenous communities; providing feedback on Cabinet submissions; partnering and coordinating with the federal government where possible; working across government to seek negotiated resolutions to claims brought by Indigenous communities; among others.

The ministry does offer some external facing services such as providing assistance, while also working to improve, Indigenous people’s access to provincial government programs, services, and information. The ministry also plays a role both internally and externally in supporting the province’s response to declared states of emergencies in First Nation communities. Beyond this, a majority of the ministry’s annual allocation for Indigenous Affairs is devoted to its funding programs. This includes:

• The New Relationship Fund (NRF): The NRF provides support to eligible Indigenous communities to meaningfully participate in engagements with governments and the private sector, while also increasing skills training opportunities and enabling long-term land and resources management.
• The Participation Fund (PF): Through the PF, the ministry builds collaborative relationships through the Leadership and Relationship Tables with Indigenous organizations in Ontario to support organizational capacity and to address priority issues for the member communities.
• The Indigenous Economic Development Fund (IEDF): The IEDF provides targeted economic development funding to assist with: the success and competitiveness of Indigenous-owned businesses through improved access to financing; the diversification of Indigenous economies through supporting the development and implementation of long-term economic plans; and the participation and adaptability of Indigenous people in the labour market by improving access to training and employment opportunities.
• Support for Community Negotiations Fund (SCNF): This fund provides financial support for eligible costs to Indigenous communities that are engaged in negotiations with Ontario regarding land and land-related claims. The fund supports Indigenous communities’’ capacity to participate in negotiations, to reach settlement agreements that remove uncertainty with respect to geography, restore relationships and advance reconciliation, which contributes to investment certainty and economic prosperity.
• Policy Development Engagement Fund (PDEF): The PDEF supports Indigenous communities and organizations in relation to the development of Ontario policy initiatives that impact Indigenous people. Eligible recipients are identified by the ministry as requiring financial support to participate in policy initiatives under development by the province.
• Support for Indian Residential School Burial (SIRSB) Sites: This funding provides financial support for work related to the identification, investigation, protection, and commemoration of burials at the sites of former Indian Residential Schools (IRS) in the province. It also includes IRS-specific financial supports for mental health and trauma supports for those involved in investigations as well as Survivors, communities, and families.
• Capacity and Growth Fund (CGF): This funding supports a range of Indigenous-led economic development and food security initiatives. Projects funded help to support regional initiatives, promote innovative business models, partnerships and practices, improve economic development capacity, diversification of Indigenous economies, support long-term strategic planning, and increase knowledge, business training, skills development and growth of Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs.

This program supports the following ministry key performance indicators:

1. Creating Jobs in Ontario;
2. Increasing Economic Opportunities for Indigenous People in Ontario;
3. Ontario is Resolving Outstanding Land Claims and Land Related Issues with Indigenous People;
4. Policies and Programs Across Government Reviewed by IAFNER.

The increase in the ministry’s 2025-26 Estimates for vote-item 2001-01 is largely driven by additional funding to support economic and community development for Indigenous partners, in addition to adjustments required for labour compensation. The line reductions are the result of an intra-ministry transfer to vote-item 2001-04 to manage fiscal pressures related to operational requirements.

Vote/item: 2001-02 
Vote: Indigenous Affairs program 
Item: Land Claims and Self-Government Initiatives 
Type: Operating expense

Item/sub-item description: Land Claims and Self-Government Initiatives

The Land Claims and Self-Government Initiatives program supports the settlement of land and land-related claims brought against the province and negotiated by the ministry. There is no allocation for these funding lines as payments are only made once a settlement agreement has been reached and approved by the necessary parties. This program is funded through the Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet (TB/MBC) Contingency Fund and disbursed through the ministry’s transfer payment funding lines.

Vote/item: 2001-04 
Vote: Indigenous Affairs program 
Item: Ministry Administration 
Type: Operating expense

Item/sub-item description: Ministry Administration

The Ministry Administration program provides executive direction and strategic planning services, which are critical for ministry operations. The range of strategic services captured under this item include human resources planning and management; communications; fiscal controllership; strategic financial planning; audit coordination and response; and other matters of compliance. This item also provides support for: procurement, transfer payment administration and management, records and information management, the administration of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act, as well as fees related to the provision of legal services to the ministry.

This program supports the following ministry key performance indicators:

1. Increasing Administrative Efficiency;
2. Ensuring Government Capacity to Meet the Government’s Legal Obligation to Offer Services in French;
3. Ontario is Prepared for Emergencies and Natural Disasters.

The increase in the ministry’s 2025-26 Estimates for vote-item 2001-04 is due to an intra-ministry transfer from vote-item 2001-01 to manage fiscal pressures related to operational requirements as well as centrally driven requirements for labour compensation.

Vote/item: 2001-03 
Vote: Indigenous Affairs program 
Item: Indigenous Affairs capital program 
Type: Capital expense

Item/sub-item description: Indigenous Affairs capital program

The ministry’s capital program supports projects related to building or maintaining Indigenous community infrastructure both on and off-reserve. Funding supports costs related to construction, renovation, or retrofitting costs, which helps support economic development, job creation, and social benefits for the recipient communities.

The increase in the ministry’s 2025-26 Estimates for vote-item 2001-03 is due to time-limited capital investments for the construction of a new Indigenous Women’s Healing Centre to provide culturally grounded supports for Indigenous women and their families.

Appendix: Time-limited and discretionary transfer payments