A national body representing more than 100 service centers for Indigenous individuals in urban areas is uncertain about the federal funding it will secure in the upcoming year. Pamela Glode-Desrochers, the President of the National Association of Friendship Centres and the Executive Director of Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre in Halifax, expressed concerns about the potential impact on core social service programs if funding is inadequate. The Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples (UPIP) program has been providing essential funding to both the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) and the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres since 2017, but its scheduled conclusion in March 2026 has raised uncertainties about the future funding structure.
While expectations exist for continued funding, Glode-Desrochers highlighted the lack of clarity regarding the program’s specifics, causing distress among friendship centres. Friendship centres offer vital services to over a million urban Indigenous clients annually, serving as a support system and a community hub away from home. The federal government plays a significant role in funding these centers, with approximately 90% of NAFC’s funding coming from federal sources and being distributed to provincial associations.
The absence of detailed information on future funding has hindered planning efforts for organizations like the British Columbia Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres. The 2025 Federal Budget indicates a transition to a new funding model post-2024-2025 fiscal year for the UPIP program. A statement from Eric Head of Indigenous Services Canada assured that $27.5 million in annual program funding would be available for friendship centres, with NAFC and the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres being the exclusive recipients. The budget had pledged $60 million over two years, beginning in 2024-25, to support these centers, with UPIP having allocated over $70 million in 2024-25 to the network of 120 friendship centres nationwide.