Canada’s Partnership with Indigenous Peoples on Climate

Supporting Indigenous climate leadership

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples have been at the forefront of the impacts of climate change. Many Indigenous leaders have reinforced the need to take action to reduce pollution, to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and to improve the ways in which the natural environment is respected and protected. In doing so, Indigenous leadership and knowledge is critical to achieving the foundational changes required to address climate change.

To help support Indigenous peoples advance their climate priorities and adapt to the changing climate, the Government of Canada is committed to renewed nation-to-nation, Inuit-to-Crown and government-to-government relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. The Government of Canada also supports without qualification the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including free, prior and informed consent. Supporting self-determined climate action is critical to advancing Canada’s reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, builds on the foundational principles of Indigenous climate leadership, including:

• Recognizing the unique realities, needs, and priorities of Indigenous peoples across and within distinctions;
• Respecting and promoting self-determination;
• Advancing early and meaningful engagement;
• Incorporating inclusiveness-by-design principles in all of its climate actions;
• Advancing co-development and other collaborative approaches to find solutions;
• Creating a space for Indigenous voices across and within distinctions;
• Positioning Indigenous peoples to have a say at governance tables; and,
• Supporting Indigenous approaches and ways of doing, by acknowledging traditional, local, and Indigenous Knowledge systems as an equal part in policy development, programs, and decision-making.

Since the launch of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, the Government of Canada provided over $900 million in investments to support Indigenous-led projects on adaptation planning, food security, clean energy, health, infrastructure, climate monitoring, and more.

Climate action funding for Indigenous Peoples

The Government of Canada announced more than $1.3 billion in climate action funding targeted to Indigenous peoples through Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, and additional investments through Budget 2021. This includes measures to:

• Support First Nations and Inuit as they manage the health impacts of climate change, such as the impacts of extreme weather events, and mental health impacts on youth ($22.7 million over five years);
• Improve food security in the north, including in Inuit Nunangat ($163.4 million over 3 years);
• Help transition rural, remote and Indigenous communities from diesel to clean energy ($376.4 million over 5 years);
• Support greener and more resilient infrastructure, including for large-scale adaptation or mitigation projects ($290 million over 12 years); and,
• Protect biodiversity through the creation of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas and partnerships to restore and enhance wetlands, peatlands, grasslands and agricultural lands to boost carbon sequestration (portion of $2.3 billion over 5 years for conservation, portion of $3.16 billion over 10 years for nature-based solutions, portion of $631 million over 10 years for nature-based carbon sequestration).

Distinctions-based senior bilateral tables on clean growth and climate change

In 2016, the federal government committed to strengthening its collaboration with Indigenous Peoples as partners in climate action. Following joint commitments made by the Prime Minister and the National Leaders of the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council, the federal government established three distinctions-based senior bilateral tables. These tables are based on the recognition of rights, co-operation, and partnership. They help foster a collaborative approach to ongoing engagement with Indigenous Peoples, and help support Indigenous climate leadership.

Additional information on the creation of the Senior Bilateral Tables on Clean Growth and Climate Change can be found on the Process Document for Ongoing Engagement on the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.

First Nations-Canada partnership

The First Nations-Canada Joint Committee on Climate Action (JCCA) was established in fall 2017. Since then, Assembly of First Nations representatives from across Canada and federal officials from various departments meet to discuss climate change priorities and collaborate on climate policy. The JCCA continues to explore opportunities for First Nations to meaningfully participate in the transition to a clean growth economy as climate leaders.

In August 2021, the JCCA released its third annual report to the Prime Minister and the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. The JCCA’s annual report documents the positive steps taken towards reconciliation and forging a stronger climate partnership in 2020. This report highlights the Joint Committee’s work in 2020 across five key areas:

• Ensuring First Nations’ full and effective participation in federal clean growth and climate change programs.
• Empowering First Nations leadership in emerging opportunities for climate action.
• Enabling the meaningful participation of First Nations in the carbon pollution pricing system.
• Developing First Nations–specific indicators and criteria to report on the implementation of climate-related federal funding programs and outcomes for First Nations.
• Fostering intergenerational dialogue on climate change.

Inuit-Canada partnership

The Inuit-Canada Table on Clean Growth and Climate Change was created in 2017 to provide a forum for representatives from Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Regional Land Claims Organizations and federal officials from various departments to discuss and advance joint climate priorities. Since then, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami has shifted its focus to the National Inuit Climate Change Strategy (NICCS) that advances Inuit-determined actions to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of Inuit Nunangat in the face of a rapidly changing climate and landscape.

To support Inuit knowledge and leadership for successful climate action, the Government of Canada provided $1 million in summer 2019 to implement the NICCS. This support will help advance Inuit-led activities and initiatives under the following NICCS priority areas:

• Advance Inuit capacity and knowledge in climate decision-making;
• Improve Inuit and environmental health and wellness;
• Improve food security;
• Close the infrastructure gap with climate resilient new builds, retrofits, and Inuit adaptation to changing natural infrastructure; and
• Support regional and community driven energy solutions leading to Inuit energy independence.

Métis-Canada partnership

Since 2017, the Métis Nation-Canada Joint Table on Clean Growth and Climate Change members have built relationships and shared information on joint policy development, and identified Métis-specific considerations for designing federal programs and delivering funding.

Federal departments are working with the Métis Nation to adjust programs and policies under Canada’s climate plan. This includes advancing Métis climate change and related health priorities, and shaping community-based climate monitoring initiatives. In 2020, the Métis Nation identified the following priorities to advance Métis Nation climate leadership:

• Capacity-building;
• Collecting Métis traditional knowledge;
• Conducting research & collecting data to guide Métis policy;
• Education and training opportunities in climate change:
• Environmental stewardship and nature-based solutions;
• Emergency management and disaster-risk mitigation;
• Climate change and health;
• Transportation, and;
• Renewable energy and energy-efficiency retrofits

Related links

• Climate Action Map
• Third report of the First Nations-Canada Joint Committee on Climate Action to the Prime Minister of Canada and the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (2020) (PDF)
• Inuit Climate Change Strategy