Health Update: Canada Invests $1.4B to Boost Indigenous Health and Wellness – What Experts Say

On March 27, 2026, in Toronto, Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty announced nearly $1.4 billion in federal investments to support Indigenous health, wellness, and community services. The funding targets urban Indigenous populations, mental health and trauma programs, and assisted living services on reserve, aiming to provide stable, distinctions-based, and culturally grounded support that improves health and wellness outcomes across the country.

The federal government is investing $168 million over five years in Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples, supporting Friendship Centres to deliver essential services to over 1 million Indigenous people in urban centres. This funding complements existing annual support of $27.5 million and focuses on vulnerable populations, including women, youth, seniors, 2SLGBTQI+ peoples, persons with disabilities, and individuals facing addictions.

An additional $630 million over two years will strengthen mental wellness services for Indigenous Peoples nationwide. This includes the renewal of the Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support program, providing culturally relevant mental health counseling and support for individuals, families, and communities affected by Indian Residential and Day Schools, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, and other colonial harms. The funding also supports community-led Mental Wellness Teams, opioid therapy programs, and crisis line access for survivors and affected families.

The government will also invest $592.4 million through 2034 in the Assisted Living Program, which provides non-medical support services for low-income individuals on reserve, including seniors and people with disabilities. Funding will support in-home care, institutional care, and adult foster care, enabling community members to maintain independence while staying close to family and their home communities.

These investments reinforce Canada’s commitment to Indigenous-led, community-driven care, ensuring culturally rooted services, advancing healing and dignity, and strengthening health and wellness supports both in urban centres and on reserves for generations to come.