The Tŝilhqot’in Nation, the Government of Canada and British Columbia have signed an amendment that extends their coordination agreement on First Nations-led child and family services to a five-year term, adding stable operating dollars and a large infrastructure envelope to support the Nation’s transition to full jurisdiction. The announcement was made September 27 in Williams Lake, B.C.
Under the amended terms, Ottawa will provide $18,824,069 in base funding per year, with adjustments for inflation and population growth.
Canada will also invest $132 million for facilities and related infrastructure across the Nation’s six communities.
Earlier this year, the federal government contributed $35.2 million to launch the first phase of the model. British Columbia will provide $766,222 annually, plus cost-of-living increases.
The extension builds on a one-year fiscal arrangement announced May 9 and follows the Tŝilhqot’in Nation’s enactment of its children and families law on April 1, which set the legal foundation for services grounded in Tŝilhqot’in teachings and governance.
The agreement sits within the framework of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, the federal law that recognizes Indigenous jurisdiction in this area.
For families, the five-year certainty is meant to expand prevention and wraparound supports that keep children connected to culture and community.
For administrators, the funding horizon signals a shift from pilot-style financing to sustained program delivery with clearer mechanisms for self-government, accountability and dispute resolution.
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The deal is the fifth coordination agreement in British Columbia and the fifteenth nationally, a sign that the framework is scaling beyond early adopters.
The annual base creates predictable operating cash flow that can be matched to staffing, training and program calendars, while the capital commitment should accelerate planning for service hubs, housing-adjacent spaces, and culturally informed care facilities.
Those projects can require multi-year procurement and construction windows, and communities typically face higher build costs because of geography and supply constraints.
The combination of operating and capital support is designed to smooth that path and reduce stop-start risk that often plagues social infrastructure.
Officials framed the amendment as both practical and symbolic. Jodie Wickens, B.C. Minister of Children and Family Development, said the agreement “supports the Nation’s children and youth to thrive,” adding that centering services in Tŝilhqot’in values is essential to better outcomes. A Tŝilhqot’in leader called it “a historic day for our Nation.”
