Canada, provinces pledge major investments, policy shifts for Indigenous learners

The federal government and several provincial governments in Canada have made significant investments and policy shifts to support Indigenous learners this month. The Government of British Columbia has announced that $6.15M in funding will be supplied to Indigenous students in the province’s postsecondary schools. As part of its recently announced $213M Supports for Students Fund, the Government of Ontario announced that it would be investing in Indigenous education. The Government of Saskatchewan has also announced a budget that is $20.9M greater than 2019 and that prioritizes removing barriers to inclusion, “especially for Indigenous students.” In addition, the Government of Canada announced funds for a substantive number of initiatives for students across Canada, including $4M through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to support 275 paid internships within the housing sector for Indigenous Youth. Finally, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) has announced the winners of the $1.25M Community Investment Program, which will support postsecondary institutions and community groups as they pursue projects to improve internet infrastructure, digital literacy, and cybersecurity for Indigenous, rural, and Northern communities and students. Canada | BC | ON | SK | Globe Newswire (National)