Budget 2023 Ontario - First Nation Policy and Funding Envelopes

Making Progress on Modernizing Ontario’s Tobacco Tax Administration

Investing in a new Emergency Response Fund, to provide urgent relief for municipalities, First Nations and communities often needed in the first 24 to 72 hours after an emergency arises. The funding could be used to assist communities by mobilizing skilled volunteer resources, deploying coordination teams, and providing equipment and financial assistance to ensure a strong and swift recovery after an emergency.

Moving forward, the review will identify additional opportunities to further reduce administrative burden, align the legislation to the changing tobacco marketplace and best practices in other jurisdictions, and modernize compliance by enhancing digitization. The government will engage First Nations, industry and trade associations including those representing convenience stores, law enforcement and public health stakeholders to inform proposed legislative changes.

Building on the recommendations of the engagement with First Nations on unregulated tobacco in 2021, led by two independent Indigenous facilitators, the government is strengthening its partnerships with First Nations by focusing on community safety, economic development and business regulation

Land Claims Allocations

$6.3 billion projected, including for costs associated with ongoing land and land‐related claims with Indigenous communities, where Ontario is in active negotiations, or claims are accepted for negotiation or are under review. These one‐time expenses are broken out to provide greater transparency regarding their temporary nature

Education and Postsecondary Education

$5.4 billion in the Postsecondary Education sector, including over $2 billion in capital grants over the next 10 years to help colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutesmodernize classrooms by upgrading technology, carrying out critical repairs and improving environmental sustainability

Advancing Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy

Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure the province’s position as a reliable global supplier and processor of responsibly sourced critical minerals. The Critical Minerals Strategy is a five‐year roadmap that focuses on six pillars that will support better supply chain connections between industries, resources and workers in Northern Ontario and manufacturing in Southern Ontario, including Ontario‐based EV and battery manufacturing. The six pillars of the strategy are:

• Enhancing geoscience information and supporting critical minerals exploration;
• Growing domestic processing and creating resilient local supply chains;
• Improving Ontario’s regulatory framework;
• Investing in critical minerals innovation, research and development;

• Building economic development opportunities with Indigenous partners; and growing the labour supply and developing a skilled labour force

Assisting Mining Projects Through Improvements to the Mining Act

To help seize the economic potential of the province’s minerals, and to support the geopolitical need for secure access to resources, Ontario introduced legislation in March 2023 to amend the Mining Act. If passed, the Building More Mines Act, 2023 would ensure Ontario has a modern and competitive regime for mineral exploration and development. The proposed amendments aim to save companies time and money by reducing administrative burden, clarifying requirements for rehabilitation and creating regulatory efficiencies.

These changes will help Ontario attract mining investments to support the unlocking of critical minerals and the Ring of Fire, while maintaining Ontario’s strong standards for environmental protection and meeting the Duty to Consult with Indigenous communities.

Supporting Entrepreneurship in Ontario

Expanding Support for Young Entrepreneurs

Previous investments in Futurpreneur Canada have helped 221 Ontario businesses from April to December 2022 and have resulted in the creation of 1,105 jobs. To help entrepreneurs achieve their business goals, the government is providing an additional $2 million in 2023–24 to Futurpreneur Canada. The non‐profit organization helps businesses led by people aged 18 to 39 by offering mentorship programs and loan capital worth up to $20,000. The government’s investment will also help address some of the unique economic barriers facing youth and women, as well as racialized and Indigenous entrepreneurs, to transform their entrepreneurial passions into thriving businesses.

Supporting Racialized and Indigenous Communities and Businesses

To help address systemic racism, Ontario is investing an additional $15 million over three years for the Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs (RAISE) Grant Program that includes support for Indigenous, Black and other racialized people, as well as an additional $3 million in the Black Youth Action Plan. Together, this funding will provide Indigenous, Black and other racialized youth and entrepreneurs with support to help overcome barriers and participate in the economy.

Addressing Homelessness through Supportive Housing

Many of Ontario’s most at‐risk residents do not have a safe place to call home. To help those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, Ontario is investing an additional $202 million each year in the Homelessness Prevention Program and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program.

Many of Ontario’s most at‐risk residents do not have a safe place to call home. To help those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, Ontario is investing an additional $202 million each year in the Homelessness Prevention Program and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program

This new funding builds on the government’s investment of nearly $4.4 billion over the past three years to grow and enhance community and supportive housing, respond to COVID‐19 and address homelessness for vulnerable people — including over $1.2 billion to service managers and Indigenous program administrators through the Social Services Relief Fund.

Connecting People to Mental Health Services

More than one million people in Ontario experience a mental health or addictions challenge annually — with COVID‐19 exacerbating the need for support — but a broken and fragmented system has made it challenging to access the care they need.

Ontario launched the Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions System to better connect people to mental health services that are convenient for them. Building on this historic investment of $3.8 billion over 10 years, the government is providing an additional $425 million over three years, mainly to

• Work with Indigenous partners and communities to maintain co‐developed programs and services that support Indigenous people’s access to high‐quality, culturally appropriate care

Investigating Indian Residential School Burial Sites

Across Canada, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were removed from their families and communities and sent to Indian Residential Schools between 1870 and 1996. The government is committed to working with Indigenous partners to support meaningful reconciliation and a broader understanding of the legacy of Residential Schools.

The government is providing an additional $25.1 million in 2023–24 to support the identification, investigation, protection and commemoration of Residential School burial sites across the province, as well as mental health supports for First Nation communities.

Funding will provide resources for community coordinators, researchers and technical expertise, ongoing engagement with survivors, mental health supports, archival analysis, and the deployment and interpretation of groundscanning technologies. Investigating Indian Residential School Burial Sites

Across Canada, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were removed from their families and communities and sent to Indian Residential Schools between 1870 and 1996. The government is committed to working with Indigenous partners to support meaningful reconciliation and a broader understanding of the legacy of Residential Schools.

The government is providing an additional $25.1 million in 2023–24 to support the identification, investigation, protection and commemoration of Residential School burial sites across the province, as well as mental health supports for First Nation communities. Funding will provide resources for community coordinators, researchers and technical expertise, ongoing engagement with survivors, mental health supports, archival analysis, and the deployment and interpretation of groundscanning technologies.