The call comes following the Fall Chiefs Assembly, held November 18th and 19th in Toronto, where leaders said the current system is breaking down and leaving thousands of children without essential services. They are asking Canada to revise a federal policy introduced in February 2025, which they say has created major barriers and long wait […]
The call comes following the Fall Chiefs Assembly, held November 18th and 19th in Toronto, where leaders said the current system is breaking down and leaving thousands of children without essential services. They are asking Canada to revise a federal policy introduced in February 2025, which they say has created major barriers and long wait times.
Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict said the province’s First Nations want to work with Canada to build a regional system that actually meets the needs of families. Earlier this year, Ontario chiefs passed a resolution supporting the development of an Ontario-focused agreement to fix long-standing gaps in the program.
Ontario has the largest number of Jordan’s Principle requests in the country, and leaders say the backlog continues to grow because of federal delays and administrative roadblocks. They are urging Canada to put short-term fixes in place immediately while working with First Nations on a long-term solution.
Leaders also called on the federal government to honour the original purpose of Jordan’s Principle: to ensure no First Nations child is denied or delayed in receiving care because of government disputes over who should pay.
Ontario First Nations are pressing Ottawa to overhaul the flawed February 2025 policy and move toward meaningful national reforms that ensure children get timely, equitable support.
