Background and overview of the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Transformation Initiative

On this page

• Background on Indigenous early learning and child care
• The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework
• Indigenous early learning and child care and the Canada-wide early learning and child care
• Reconciliation
• Indigenous early learning and child care funding
• A shared path forward for Indigenous early learning and child care
• Indigenous collaboration on Canada-wide early learning and child care
• Federal Indigenous early learning and child care legacy programs
• Quality Improvement Projects

Background on Indigenous early learning and child care

The Government of Canada believes that all children in Canada deserve a real and fair chance to succeed, and that access to high-quality early learning and child care (ELCC) provides a solid foundation for future success.

For First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and families, culturally appropriate programs that reflect their languages, traditions, values and customs are essential in building a child’s sense of identity and self-worth.

The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework

In 2017, the Government of Canada and Indigenous partners undertook a comprehensive engagement process on Indigenous early learning and child care. Over 100 engagement activities were held across the country, reaching over 3,000 participants through town halls, regional and national meetings, and online surveys.

Informed by this engagement, the Government worked with Indigenous partners to co-develop the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) Framework.

The IELCC Framework is the foundation for ongoing collaborative work between the Government of Canada and Indigenous partners to achieve a shared path forward. The Framework guides all actors in the early learning and child care field and aims to achieve the shared vision that all Indigenous children should have the opportunity to experience high-quality, culturally strong early learning and child care.

The Framework represents an important shift in federal policy and ways of working. It changes the focus of implementation from federally led, to Indigenous led with support from the federal government. Over time, the ultimate objective will be to transfer early learning and child care to Indigenous partners that are interested.

Indigenous early learning and child care and the Canada-wide early learning and child care system

In addition to the IELCC Framework, a broader early learning and child care framework was also developed. In June 2017, the federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for early learning and child care signed the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework. Through this agreement, governments committed to working together to increase access to high-quality, affordable, inclusive and flexible early learning and child care for all families across the country. To support this, the Government of Canada made a transformative investment of $27 billion over 5 years as part of Budget 2021 to build a Canada-wide early learning and child care (ELCC) system with provinces and territories. In March 2025, the Government of Canada signed 5 year (from fiscal year 2026 to 2027 to fiscal year 2030 to 2031) extension agreements with provinces and territories. These agreements provided predictable and sustainable federal support for early learning and child care.

The Indigenous and Multilateral ELCC Frameworks complement one another. IELCC funding enhances the Canada-wide ELCC funding provided to provinces and territories. This approach recognizes the unique needs in Indigenous communities and aims to ensure that Indigenous governments can participate alongside federal, provincial and territorial governments in the design of a Canada-wide ELCC system.

On March 19, 2024, the Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act received Royal Assent. The Act cemented the Government of Canada’s vision for a Canada-wide ELCC system. It also committed to maintaining long-term funding for early learning and child care to provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners.

Reconciliation

The Government of Canada is committed to achieving reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

The IELCC Framework, along with the collaborative efforts to implement it over time responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action number 12. This call to action urges the development of culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Indigenous families.

Indigenous early learning and child care funding

The IELCC Framework sets out guiding principles and a shared vision for Indigenous children and families to grow up happy, safe, and connected to their cultures. It supports a coordinated system rooted in self-determination, centred on children, and grounded in Indigenous identity and traditions.

To work towards achieving this vision, the Government of Canada has committed $3.776B (through existing funding, Budget 2017, the 2020 Fall Economic Statement and Budget 2021) to strengthen early learning and child care programs and services for Indigenous children and families. This commitment spans from fiscal year 2018 to 2019 through to fiscal year 2024 to 2025. Moving forward, IELCC committed a further $2.014B in planned investments from fiscal year 2025 to 2026 through to the 2026 to 2027 fiscal year. Starting in 2027 to 2028, $903 million per year has been allocated on an ongoing basis, which is subject to a 3% annual escalator and intended to account for inflation.

These resources can be used to support IELCC activities in the following areas:

• the expansion of programs and services
• strengthening governance capacity
• funding infrastructure (including repairs and renovations to existing sites and new builds)

A portion of IELCC funding is also dedicated to projects that foster innovation and quality improvement in the child care space.

A shared path forward for Indigenous early learning and child care

Reconciliation is a cornerstone for federal and Indigenous partnerships in early learning and child care. IELCC programs are designed by and with Indigenous families and communities to help Indigenous children get the best start in life. For that reason, self-determination is a guiding objective. IELCC has also embraced a distinctions-based approach. This means that the federal government works with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation in a way that recognizes the specific rights, interests, priorities and concerns of each group. It also respects and acknowledges these distinct Peoples, who have unique cultures, histories, rights, laws, and governments.

As a result, the majority of IELCC investments are allocated on a distinctions basis. These funds are jointly managed through national and regional partnership tables or bodies with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation governments. This partnership model enables Indigenous-led decision-making and envisions the eventual transfer of high-quality IELCC programs to Indigenous governing bodies or entities at a pace of their own choosing.

Under this model, national Indigenous leadership makes decisions on the share of distinction-based funding across regions, while regional governing bodies make decisions on shares of funding, specific priorities and activities to be funded within their region.

At the national level, the Government of Canada works primarily with Indigenous working groups made up of ELCC experts brought together by National Indigenous Organizations, as well as other bilateral partners.

In addition, to implement the IELCC Framework and advance the vision of a Canada-wide ELCC system, the Government of Canada actively maintains over 65 different regional and bilateral relationships with:

• Indigenous governments
• Modern Treaty and Self-Governing Nations
• leadership appointed organizations and representatives

Once decisions on funding shares and work plans are finalized at the regional level, Indigenous leadership collaborate with federal partners of the IELCC Initiative, including:

• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
• Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)
• Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

These federal IELCC partners implement regional funding directions by modifying existing funding agreements, establishing new agreements, or transferring funding between departments to ensure the necessary resources are made available.

Indigenous collaboration on Canada-wide early learning and child care

Federal, provincial and territorial governments are committed to working collaboratively with Indigenous partners to achieve a Canada-wide ELCC system. As such, provinces and territories are engaging with Indigenous partners to implement the commitments outlined in the ELCC agreements.

For instance, in British Columbia, a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding was developed between the First Nations Leadership Council, the Government of Canada, and the Province of British Columbia. This formalized Memorandum of Understanding sets out the parties’ mutual commitment to collaborate, engage in dialogue, and jointly enable initiatives related to ELCC as self-determined by First Nations in British Columbia. This collaborative agreement could serve as a model for other jurisdictions to improve relationships between the federal government, provincial and territorial governments, and Indigenous Peoples moving forward.

Federal Indigenous early learning and child care legacy programs

In the early 1990s, the federal government recognized the limited access to ELCC programming in many Indigenous communities and the lack of support for increased socio-economic outcomes. This led the Government of Canada to create 3 separate Indigenous early learning and child care programs, which it continues to administer to this day. These legacy programs are the foundation upon which the IELCC initiative is built. They include:

• the First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative, established in 1995 and administered by Employment and Social Development Canada, provides full-time, year-round childcare for children up to age 12 in First Nations and Inuit communities
• the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve program, established in 1998 and administered by Indigenous Services Canada, funds half-day Head Start on-reserve. It supports the healthy growth and development of First Nations children aged 0 to 6 through programming and services designed and delivered by communities
• the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities program, established in 1995 and administered by the Public Health Agency of Canada, funds half-day Head Start in urban, northern, and Inuit communities. Unlike Aboriginal Head Start on Reserve, this program serves First Nations children living off-reserve, as well as Inuit and Métis children aged 0 to 6

Although many Indigenous communities highly value these legacy programs, certain service gaps were identified during an extensive engagement process with Indigenous partners in 2017. This led to the creation of the IELCC Framework and Transformation Initiative. New long-term IELCC funding was committed on top of the ongoing legacy funding streams to support the implementation of the Framework. Along with the additional funding, a set of horizontal terms & conditions was also created. These were designed to enhance coordination across IELCC programs and federal departments, and to give flexibility to Indigenous partners on how they use the funding.

Quality Improvement Projects

The Quality Improvement Projects fund was first introduced in Budget 2017 in response to feedback from the 2016 to 2017 national engagement on IELCC. Quality Improvement Projects are the only application-based component of IELCC and are open to Indigenous organizations that may or may not be funded through IELCC distinction-based amounts.

The purpose of Quality Improvement Projects is to advance core elements of IELCC programming and promote best practices or innovative models. The focus of previously funded projects has included:

• culture and language
• professional capacity
• centres of excellence or networks
• needs assessments
• reporting and research
• links to provincial and territorial service delivery

Initial funding for Quality Improvement Projects included investments of $44 million over 10 years, with permanent and ongoing funding announced in Budget 2021. Beginning in 2023 to 2024, QIP funding increased from $6 million to $16 million annually. This amount will increase by 3% each year, starting in fiscal year 2027 to 2028.

There have been 3 calls for proposals since 2018. Between 2019 to 2020 and 2022 to 2023, 32 projects were funded through phases 1 and 2. In the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, an additional 38 projects received approval for funding.

Projects funded through the Quality Improvement Projects fund are designed as multi-year initiatives and can last up to 36 months. As such, IELCC does not issue annual calls for proposals. While the current call for proposals is now closed, the next call for proposals will be announced in due course.