Current Reality
The 2021 census counted 1.8 million Indigenous people in Canada or 5.0% of the total population. About half (44%) of the Indigenous population—representing 801,045 First Nations people, Métis and Inuit—lived in an urban areas.
April 16, 2024: Budget 2024 – Invests $60M over 2 years starting in 2024-25 to support Friendship Centres, across the country, which provide much-needed supports and services to members of their communities including health, housing, education, recreation, language, justice, employment, economic development, culture and community wellness
April 15, 2024: A new section “11 Major City Reconciliation Initiatives” has detailed reconciliation actions undertaken by the 10 cities with the largest Indigenous populations (Total = 517,180), This represents 65% of the entire Indigenous population in large urban centres (801,045) according to the 2021 census (StatsCan)
Aug. 30, 2018: The very first Summit of First Nations and Municipalities on Reconciliation was held today, at Montréal city hall. Among other issues, today’s discussions focused on:
- the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
- the Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its impact on municipalities;
- examples of positive partnerships between municipalities and First Nations communities.
The Ville de Montréal, Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador, (AFNQL), the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) and the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM), all made multiple commitments towards Reconciliation:
51% identified as First Nations, 45% as Métis and 1% as Inuit.