A national organization representing over 100 service centers for Indigenous individuals in urban areas is uncertain about the federal funding it will receive in the upcoming fiscal year. Pamela Glode-Desrochers, president of the National Association of Friendship Centres and executive director for Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre in Halifax, expressed concerns about the potential impact on core social service programs provided by friendship centers.
Since 2017, both the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) and Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres have relied on core funding from the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples (UPIP) program, which is scheduled to conclude in March 2026. Glode-Desrochers highlighted the importance of continued funding but emphasized the uncertainty surrounding the program’s future structure, causing apprehension among friendship centers.
According to the 2021 Census, more than 60% of Indigenous individuals in Canada reside in urban settings. Friendship centers play a crucial role in offering services to over 1 million urban Indigenous clients annually, creating a sense of community and support for individuals away from their traditional homes.
The majority of NAFC’s funding, approximately 90%, comes from the federal government, which is then distributed to provincial friendship center associations. Celeste Hayward, executive director of B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, emphasized the challenges of planning without clarity on future funding details, particularly concerning vital programs such as housing, employment, and education.
A new funding model is anticipated following the end of the UPIP program, as indicated in the 2025 Federal Budget. Indigenous Services Canada assured that friendship centers will receive financial support in the next fiscal year through a new distribution model allocating $27.5 million annually. The National Association of Friendship Centres and Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres are designated as the exclusive beneficiaries of this program.
Budget 2024 pledged $60 million over two years to aid friendship centers, with the UPIP program disbursing over $70 million in 2024-25 to the network of 120 friendship centers nationwide. This transition to a new funding model aims to sustain the essential services provided by friendship centers to urban Indigenous communities.