Indigenous Services Canada Minister Mandy Gull-Masty announced $229 million in new funding to support tuberculosis elimination, food security, and child and family services across Inuit Nunangat. While the investments address immediate needs absent from the fall 2025 federal budget, northern leaders emphasize the need for structural changes rather than temporary financial boosts.
Renewal of Inuit Child First Initiative
The funding allocates $115 million to renew the Inuit Child First Initiative, a program launched in 2018 that provides essential support to Inuit children. This marks another one-year extension as officials develop a long-term Inuit-specific framework. Minister Gull-Masty described the measure as a stopgap while ongoing discussions shape permanent solutions.
“I want to be extremely respectful of what Inuit communities, organizations and families are looking to achieve,” Gull-Masty stated.
Statistics Canada data reveals that more than three-quarters of Inuit children in Inuit Nunangat faced food insecurity in 2022. Recent program changes, including individual applications and stricter requirements, have reduced accessibility. Families previously received six-month or multi-year approvals; now, most face one-month approvals or denials.
Jeneca Fanjoy, operations director at Qupanuaq in Nunavut’s Qikiqtaaluk region, highlighted the shift. “Many families used to see six month approvals or multi-year hamlet-wide programs. Now the majority of families are seeing one month approvals or denials,” she said.
Gull-Masty plans to announce adjustments soon to eliminate barriers. However, Nunavut NDP MP Lori Idlout expressed frustration over delays. “While she’s taking her time learning about [the possible changes], she’s doing it at the cost of keeping children in poverty,” Idlout said.
Federal data shows 7,000 unresolved funding requests under the initiative, with nearly 12,000 applications nationwide in 2024 totaling $167 million—two-thirds from northern regions. The 2025 budget imposed two percent cuts on Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.
Enhancements to Food Security Programs
An additional $30 million supports the Nutrition North Canada subsidy, currently under review by former Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Aluki Kotierk, with results expected this year. Idlout criticized the lack of preliminary findings. “I’ve been telling them for years that Nutrition North is not working,” she said.
Fanjoy advocated for greater family purchasing power, such as a universal basic income, to cover basic necessities.
Multi-Year Push Against Tuberculosis
The announcement includes $27 million over five years for Inuit-led efforts in tuberculosis prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment. This builds on a 2018 commitment with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami to eliminate the disease in Inuit Nunangat by 2030. Previous $44 million in funding was due to expire soon.
Public Health Agency of Canada figures indicate tuberculosis rates among Inuit in 2023 exceeded the national average by over 37 times. Nunavik reported a record number of cases in 2025, among the world’s highest.
Following the announcement at the Kativik Regional Government meeting in Kuujjuaq, chairperson Maggie Emudluk welcomed the support. “We have a very fragile population,” she said. “Tuberculosis should not exist in a country like Canada in this day and age.”
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami originally requested $131.6 million for tuberculosis initiatives. Gull-Masty noted complementary investments in nutrition and housing to bolster elimination efforts.
