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Indigenous education in Ontario

Learn about the support for First Nation, Métis and Inuit students.

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We are committed to working with Indigenous partners and the education sector to improve access to education for Indigenous students in Ontario and support First Nation, Métis and Inuit student achievement and well-being. This includes:

• closing the achievement gap between Indigenous students and all students
• increasing every student’s knowledge and awareness of Indigenous histories, cultures, perspectives and contributions

Supporting Indigenous education in schools and school boards

Indigenous education leads.

Every school board must have a full-time position dedicated to supporting Indigenous education in school boards. Leads work closely with senior board administration, including the superintendent responsible for Indigenous education, school board staff and Indigenous Education Councils. The leads support:

• improved Indigenous student achievement and well-being
• enhanced knowledge and awareness about First Nation, Métis and Inuit cultures, histories and perspectives for all students

Indigenous Education Councils ( IECs )

The  IECs  guide school boards and schools in building stronger relationships with communities, sharing information, identifying promising practices and enhancing collaborative work to support First Nation, Métis and Inuit student achievement and well-being. All school boards must have formal structures such as  IECs  to support Indigenous education in school boards.

Contact your school board to learn about your local Indigenous Education Council.

Support for students

Indigenous graduation coach program.

Some school boards have Indigenous graduation coaches to help Indigenous students obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma and successfully transition into postsecondary education, training or labour market opportunities.

This program is a flexible, culturally sound program that allows boards to build a supportive process for Indigenous students to succeed in school.

Contact your school to see if an Indigenous graduation coach is available through your school board.

Alternative Secondary School Program within Indigenous Friendship Centres

In partnership with the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, local Friendship Centres and school boards, the Alternative Secondary School Program offers culturally-relevant education programming and learning supports for Indigenous students working toward graduation. The program focuses on:

• Indigenous approaches and ways of knowing
• land-based learning
• connection to community
• access to Indigenous knowledge keepers and elders

The program follows a trauma-informed education model that puts well-being and holistic approaches to education at the centre of learning.

Contact your school board or local Indigenous Friendship Centre to see if the program is available in your area.

Voluntary and confidential self-identification

You have the right to voluntarily and confidentially self-identify as First Nation, Métis and/or Inuit at your school or your student’s school if you are:

• a parent and/or guardian of an Indigenous student
• and Indigenous student and you are 18 years or older

Schools, school boards and the Ministry of Education use this information to better understand how to target funding and programs to support Indigenous student well-being and success.

Contact your school if you would like to learn more about voluntary, confidential Indigenous student self-identification.

Guide to develop a policy for Indigenous student self-identification

For information on how school boards can develop a voluntary, confidential Indigenous student self-identification policy, visit the guide to developing policies for Indigenous student self-identification page.

First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework

The First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework was released in 2007 and outlined our approach to supporting First Nation, Métis and Inuit learners in Ontario. The framework identified two primary challenges to be addressed by 2016:

• to improve achievement among First Nation, Métis , and Inuit students
• to close the achievement gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students

Read the framework .

Progress reports

There are three progress reports based on ten performance measures. Starting in 2007, we published a progress report every three years until 2018.

Partnerships

Master education agreement.

In August 2017, the Minister of Education joined participating First Nations in signing the Master Education Agreement. The historic agreement describes the relationship between the Anishinabek Education System and Ontario’s provincially funded education system and sets out commitments between the parties to support:

• the transition of students between Anishinabek First Nations’ schools and schools in the provincially-funded education system
• advancement of Anishinabek language and culture and the knowledge of Anishinabek First Nations’ histories, perspectives and contributions within Anishinabek First Nations’ schools and provincially funded schools
• engagement and participation of students, parents, families and communities to realize the goal of improved student achievement and well-being

Métis Nation of Ontario ( MNO )

In 2009, Ontario and the Métis Nation of Ontario ( MNO ) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU ), which made a commitment to ongoing collaboration aimed at improving educational outcomes for Métis students in the province. The memorandum supports collaborative relationships between Métis communities, school boards and education partners. This includes recognizing and preserving the distinct history, identity and culture of the Métis people and their contributions to Ontario. On December 15, 2015, the  MNO  signed a new  MOU  with the Ministry of Education.

Read the memorandum of understanding.  ( PDF , 486  Kb )

Nishnawbe Aski Nation ( NAN )

On April 9, 2013, Nishnawbe Aski Nation ( NAN ), Canada and Ontario signed a historic MOU  ( PDF , 158  Kb ) on First Nation education that made a commitment to working together to improve educational outcomes for First Nation students in First Nation-operated and provincially funded schools. This was the first tripartite education agreement to be signed in Ontario. Key priority areas of the memorandum of understanding include:

• student support services
• curriculum enhancements
• governance and administration
• human resources
• parental participation

Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians

On February 27, 2017, Canada, Ontario and the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians signed an  MOU on First Nation Education – the second tripartite education agreement signed in Ontario – through the Education Partnership Program. Key priority areas of the memorandum of understanding include:

• language and culture
• relationship building
• Student transitions

Grand Council Treaty #3 ( GCT#3 )

On May 14, 2021, Grand Council Treaty #3 ( GCT#3 ), Canada and Ontario signed an  MOU on First Nation education through the Education Partnerships Program. The  MOU focuses on priority areas identified with Grand Council Treaty #3 and with the Federal Government to improve educational outcomes for Grand Council Treaty #3 learners, such as:

• Early learning
• Culturally appropriate teaching and learning resources
• Professional development
• Relationship-building
• Transitions
• Supporting partnerships and relationship-building though the Reciprocal Education Approach and other processes

Tungasuvvingat Inuit ( TI )

On November 27, 2017, the Ministry of Education formalized its working relationship with Tungasuvvingat Inuit ( TI ) through a memorandum of understanding – the first of its kind between the province and the Inuit community. The memorandum supports:

• collaborative relationships between Inuit communities, school boards and education partners to promote student success
• the inclusion of Inuit culture, values and traditions in the development of provincial education initiatives

Read the memorandum of understanding  ( PDF , 1.04  Mb ).

Inuit capacity building in school boards

The ministry provides Inuit capacity building funding to TI to supports the success and well-being of Inuit learners through increasing access to language classes and resources that support cultural safety and integrate Inuit culture into daily classroom activities. This program aims to increase equity when students enter the school system, and support improved retention, credit accumulation and graduation rates.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

On May 30, 2016, Ontario released  The Journey Together – Ontario's Commitment to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples . As part of Ontario’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Report, we made the following new commitments.

Support for Indigenous languages

Language is the foundation of culture. Indigenous peoples have a strong tradition of oral histories that must be supported by a new respect for, and understanding of, Indigenous languages. Part of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Reports calls for protecting the right to Indigenous languages, including the teaching of Indigenous languages as credit courses. The Ministry of Education is committed to developing and implementing programs and services that are supportive and reflective of First Nation, Métis , and Inuit cultures and languages.

“ Anishinaabemodaa ” – “Let’s speak Ojibwe” Initiative

Since the 2016-17 fiscal year, the ministry has provided funding to support the community-led “ Anishinaabemodaa ” – “Let’s speak Ojibwe” Initiative (formerly the Ojibwe Language Revitalization Strategy), in partnership with the Rainy River District School Board ( RRDSB ), the Seven Generations Education Institute and SayITFirst. The aim of the Initiative is to develop pathways for Ojibwe speakers to become Early Childhood Education workers and certified classroom teachers. To date, the initiative has helped to sustain and expand language learning in ten First Nation communities. The initiative has also supported the significant expansion of Ojibwe language learners and developed pathways for RRDSB students to pursue language learning in postsecondary and receive preferred entrance to the Lakehead Faculty of Education.

We work with Indigenous partners to enhance the Ontario curriculum and support mandatory learning about:

• residential schools
• the legacy of colonialism
• the rights and responsibilities we all have to each other as treaty people

Changes to curriula

In response to Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 62 and 63, we implemented the revised Social Studies, Grades 1 to 6; History and Geography, Grades 7 and 8 curriculum and the Canadian and World Studies Grades 9 and 10 curriculum.

These curricula revisions made learning about First Nation, Métis , and Inuit perspectives, cultures, contributions and histories a mandatory component of every student’s education in Grades 4 to 8 and Grade 10.

The revised curriculum is the result of collaboration with Indigenous teachers, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Métis Senators, First Nations, Métis , and Inuit community representatives, residential school survivors, Indigenous partners, Minister’s Student Advisory Council and other education stakeholders.

In May 2019, we issued the revised Grades 9 to 12 First Nations, Métis , and Inuit Studies curriculum that students started learning in September 2019. This curriculum increases students’ learning about First Nation, Métis , and Inuit perspectives, cultures, contributions, and histories in areas such as art, literature, law, humanities, politics and history.

We have also designated the first week of November as Treaties Recognition Week to promote public education and awareness about treaties and treaty relationships.

Read the curriculum

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit Studies, Grades 9-12, curriculum
• Native Languages Grades 1-8 and Grades 9-12 curriculum
• Social Studies, Grades 1-6; History and Geography, Grades 7-8 curriculum
• Canadian Word Studies, Grades 9-10, curriculum

Curriculum resources about treaties

• The First Nations and treaties map of Ontario – educators guide  ( PDF , 448  Kb )
• Scope and sequence related to treaties and land claims (elementary)  ( PDF , 868  Kb )
• Instructional activities for Treaties Recognition Week: educator's guide for history, Grades 7 and 8  ( PDF , 1.23  Mb )
• Accommodations for delivery in the virtual classroom  ( PDF , 96  Kb )
• Scope and sequence related to treaties and land claims (secondary)  ( PDF , 867  Kb )
• Instructional activities for Treaties Recognition Week: educator's guide for history and civics and citizenship, Grade 10  ( PDF , 1.26  Mb )

Reciprocal Education Approach

Through the Reciprocal Education Approach ( REA ), when requirements are met, school boards are required to:

• Admit First Nation students who live on-reserve to a school of the school board
• Provide funding support for students who would ordinarily be eligible to be pupils of the board to attend a First Nation school

For school board obligations to be initiated, certain eligibility criteria must be met and First Nations and students must submit written notice to the school of the school board the student intends to register at or is currently registered at.

Parents, guardians, students and/or Another Authorized Persons are advised to work with their Band, Tribal Council, Education Authority or the federal government, to complete the written notice form.

Using the reciprocal education approach, First Nations and school boards do not need to negotiate and enter into an agreement for the base tuition fee.

Learn more about the Reciprocal Education Approach , including the eligibility requirements for First Nations and students, and a fact sheet about how students can participate.

The Reciprocal Education Approach ( REA ) was designed in collaboration with First Nation partners and education stakeholders to improve access to education, strengthen parent and guardian choice and improve First Nation student transitions between provincially funded and First Nation-operated or federally-operated schools in Ontario.

Recognition of First Nation schools

We are committed to supporting First Nation students and recognizing the unique nature of First Nation and federally operated schools to create opportunities for First Nation students to access programs and services to support their success and well-being.

We will build on collaboration between the provincially funded education system and First Nation-operated and Federally funded schools to further strengthen these relationships, build greater capacity and provide supports, for example, to increase access to professional development, COVID-19 supports and learning resources.

IIC Acknowledges Ontario’s Recognition of Indigenous Institutes and Investment in Indigenous Post-Secondary Education in the 2022 Provincial Budget

Posted on April 28, 2022

April 28, 2022

The Indigenous Institutes Consortium, which represents seven First Nations-led post-secondary institutions in Ontario, is proud to continue to build on its partnership with the Provincial Government to deliver high quality Indigenous post-secondary education across Ontario.

Ontario’s Indigenous Institutes play an essential role in the preservation and knowledge-sharing of Indigenous languages, traditions and culture, while meeting the needs of lifelong learners in Indigenous communities across the province.

The IIC and its Members are ready to implement the 2022 Ontario Budget which invests $9 million dollars over three years to the Indigenous Institutes operating grant to expand post-secondary program offerings including new, independently-delivered programs to train more Indigenous learners; and equitable access to capital grants for facility and infrastructure renewal.

This crucial funding comes at a time when the Indigenous Institutes are operationally ready and able to help lead the recovery of Ontario’s economy and social infrastructure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to providing culturally rich teaching built on the foundation of Indigenous languages, culture, and ways of knowing, IIC Member institutes offer specialized accredited programs in nursing, personal support worker, skilled trades and so much more.

“The announcement today is a step on our journey towards a relationship that lives up to the 2017 Indigenous Institutes Act and the ideals of the Treaties and breathes life into the promise of reconciliation in education,” said Rebecca Jamieson, President and CEO of Six Nations Polytechnic and Board Chair of the IIC. “Our people cannot wait any longer. We have mature governance structures and oversight. Our members need core, predictable funding to deliver programs for our learners, respond to labour market needs in our communities and help Indigenous students succeed and reach their full potential.”

“Our Member Indigenous Institute programs are unlocking access to First Nations languages and culture that was stolen from us through the Residential Schools system. The power of Indigenous post-secondary education is the impact that comes in part from taking that power back through Indigenous control of Indigenous education for the greater good in our communities and in Ontario,” said Wendelyn Johnson, Executive Director of the IIC . “As Justice Murray Sinclair famously said, ‘Education got us into this mess… and education will get us out’.”

“Indigenous post-secondary institutions that make up the IIC’s membership are ready to build on our record of success in delivering culturally relevant, Indigenous-led post-secondary education. We know that both the need and capacity for growth are there, and we are pleased to see Ontario coming to the table with the resources support that capacity to meet our communities’ vast potential,” Norma Sunday, Director of Iohahi:io Akwesasne Education and Training Institute and Vice-Chair of the Board of the IIC.

“Oshki-Wenjack applauds the provincial government for the full recognition of Indigenous Institutes in Ontario with the financial commitments announced today. Indigenous learners deserve quality, stable and culturally relevant post-secondary education that is responsive to their unique needs. Equitable resources on par with other colleges and universities is achievable,” said Lorrie Deschamps, President of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute

If this budget is not passed by the current Ontario legislature, IIC calls on all parties to make well-funded Indigenous-controlled post-secondary education a central part of their plans for Ontario.

Indigenous post-secondary institutions are mandated by their nations and are recognized through the Indigenous Institutes Act as the third pillar of the PSE education system in Ontario (along with colleges and universities). The Indigenous Institutes Consortium (IIC) represents seven post-secondary institutions in Ontario.

Since 2017, Indigenous post-secondary institutions in Ontario have received core operating funds from the provincial government delivered in a manner that respects Indigenous control over education.

For interview opportunities regarding this announcement’s implications for Indigenous education, please contact IIC Executive Director, Wendelyn Johnson at [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn for the latest news about the IIC and Ontario’s Indigenous Institutes. For more information and news on IIC, please visit our website .

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New Pathways to Success for Indigenous Students in Post-Secondary Education

OTTAWA (Ontario), Tuesday, March 15, 2022 – Saint Paul University (SPU) is proud to collaborate with three Northern Ontario institutions on an innovative new partnership that aims to build capacity for wellness and mental health services in Indigenous communities.

SPU has worked with Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute (OSHKI), Canadore College and Sault College to establish a credit transfer agreement that will allow college graduates to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations in just two years.

Students who participate in this educational pathway will be perfectly equipped to enter SPU’s Master’s in Counselling and Spirituality to become certified psychotherapists to support Indigenous communities.

As part of this partnership, students enrolled at SPU will also be able to take courses and gain hands-on community experience from the partner colleges. Through this exchange, SPU students will gain specialized education about Indigenous culture and worldviews in order to better serve Indigenous communities.

This educational pathway is an innovative approach to increase capacity for sustainable and culturally appropriate mental health and wellness services in Indigenous communities, including the 49 First Nation communities of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN).

“We recognized the increased need for specially trained mental health and wellness professionals serving Indigenous communities in the north and we are happy to fill this need with this unique program pathway. The hands-on experiences gained by students is valuable to improve positive health outcomes for the communities we serve across Nishnawbe Aski Nation.” - Lorrie Deschamps, President of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute

“Canadore College is pleased to be a part of this initiative. We have a proud commitment to Indigenous education, offering culturally sensitive and appropriate programs and services. This new pathway will improve access to additional educational opportunities for Indigenous learners, and allow them to eventually provide much-needed mental health services in their communities.” - George Burton, President and CEO, Canadore College

“This new transfer agreement is another significant milestone for Sault College and our learners. Through this collaboration, learners will have expanded options for furthering their education and the opportunity to build upon the foundational knowledge and skills gained through Sault College’s two year Social Service Worker – Indigenous Specialization program. This partnership combines the strengths of both institutions and offers learners a holistic educational experience that will greatly benefit them in their future career paths. Sault College is honoured to work with Saint Paul University and we look forward to realizing the benefits of this exciting collaboration.” - Dr. Ron Common, President, Sault College

“We are very proud to be part of this exciting new educational pathway! The exchange of knowledge and experiences between our institutions will make for a richer education experience that will help our students to support sustainable, culturally-appropriate wellness services for Indigenous communities.” - Dr. Chantal Beauvais, Rector, Saint Paul University

About Canadore College

Canadore College trains people through applied learning, leadership and innovation. It provides access to over 80 full-time quality programs, outstanding faculty, and success services to students from nearly 400 Canadian communities and 25 international countries. Approximately 1,000 students graduate from Canadore each year, and they join 48,000 alumni working across the globe.

About Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute

Founded in 1996 by the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), Oshki-Wenjack is an Indigenous post-secondary Institute committed to increasing access to accredited post-secondary education in our 49 First Nation communities, as well as Indigenous learners from across Ontario. Oshki-Wenjack’s focus is on creating a learning environment that is designed for Indigenous learners, and feels welcoming at every step along the learning journey.

About Sault College

Sault College strives to make society a better place by providing a transformative life experience through empowering those who study with us to think and learn in progressive, innovative ways, including those we have not yet imagined. With enthusiastic staff, small class sizes and a student-to-faculty ratio lower than the provincial average, Sault College students learn in a supportive environment.

About Saint Paul University

Founded in 1848, Saint Paul University is an institution steeped in tradition with values focused on creating a more just and humane future. With programs specialized in human and social sciences, Saint Paul University seeks to drive positive social change and empower communities through research and innovation. For more information, please visit ustpaul.ca.

For more information, please contact: Julie Bourassa Communications Officer, Saint Paul University 613-236-1393, ext. 2310 [email protected]

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A progress report on Indigenous education in Ontario's publicly funded schools

New report by People for Education shows that publicly funded schools in Ontario have made significant progress towards Indigenous education over the last decade but we still have a long way to go to fulfill the education-related Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Introduction

1. truth and reconciliation commission calls to action for education and youth, 2. ontario’s response to the calls to action related to education, 3. professional development on indigenous education an increasingly common starting point, 4. increase in secondary schools offering and mandating indigenous studies courses, 5. more ontario schools working with indigenous guest speakers, elders, and knowledge keepers, 6. community consultations and partnerships are integral to advancing indigenous education, 7. incorporating indigenous cultures, ways of knowing, teachings, and language, 8. access to indigenous education differs by region and level of schooling, conclusion and recommendations, appendix: methodology, bibliography.

Findings from People for Education’s 2022-23 Annual Ontario School Survey (AOSS) indicate that Ontario’s publicly funded schools are showing signs of progress in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action for education.

It has been eight years since the TRC issued its Calls to Action to support reconciliation in Canada, with Calls to Action 6-12 and 62-66 specifically addressing children, youth, and education. While some progress has been made, a recent report from the Yellowhead Institute found that only 13 of the 94 Calls to Action have been fully implemented, and none of these completed calls are those focused on education. 1

Using data from People for Education’s annual survey, based on responses from 1,044 schools across all the province’s 72 publicly funded school boards, this report provides an overview of how Ontario is doing in response to the TRC’s Calls to Action for education, and the progress Ontario schools have made on implementing Indigenous education strategies and programs over the last decade.

These findings focus only on provincially funded schools in Ontario school boards, and do not include First Nations schools located on reserves. According to the Ministry of Education, more than 80% of Indigenous students attend provincially funded schools. 2 So, while this report does not provide information about First Nations education on reserves, it does offer insight about the progress of Indigenous education programs in provincially funded schools which are attended by the vast majority of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in the province.

According to The Honourable Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, education has a key role to play in long-term reconciliation, and changes in our education systems must include improvements in the education of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

“Education is what got us into this mess — the use of education in terms of residential schools — but education is the key to reconciliation. We need to look at the way we are educating children. That’s why we say that this is not an Aboriginal problem. It’s a Canadian problem.” 3 Justice Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

It is important to recognize that there is much diversity within First Nation, Métis, and Inuit communities in Ontario. Please note that the use of the term “Indigenous” in this report refers to all the distinct cultures, nations, and individuals within First Nation, Métis, and Inuit populations living in the province.

Quick Facts

Figure 1. Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action pertaining to education and young people

Over the last 16 years, Indigenous education policy in Ontario has been punctuated by a number of reports, frameworks, goals, and changes to funding.

In 2007, Ontario launched its First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework. The Framework outlined two targets to be achieved by 2016: improving achievement among First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students and closing gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in literacy and numeracy scores, graduation rates, and advancement to post-secondary education. At the same time, the province acknowledged the importance of having accurate data to track whether these goals were being achieved. To that end, the Ministry of Education released guidelines to support school boards in developing a voluntary, confidential self-identification process for Indigenous students. 4

Nearly a decade after the release of the 2007 Policy Framework, the Ontario government released The Journey Together: Ontario’s Commitment to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. The 2016 strategy emphasized a commitment to “address the legacy of residential schools, close gaps and remove barriers, support Indigenous culture, and reconcile relationships with Indigenous peoples.” 5

In 2017, in a further step toward reconciliation, and in response to Calls to Action 62 and 63 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the province made a commitment to revise the Ontario curriculum by fall 2018 so that it would include mandatory Indigenous-focused content for grades 4, 5, and 6 Social Studies and grades 7, 8, and 10 History. 6

Four years later, a new Ontario government reiterated previous governments’ commitments to work with Indigenous partners to support First Nation, Métis, and Inuit student achievement and wellbeing by closing the achievement gap and increasing every student’s knowledge of Indigenous perspectives, histories, and cultures. 7   The 2021 announcement included a plan to work with Indigenous partners to add mandatory Indigenous-focused curriculum to Social Studies for grades 1-3 by September 2023. The content was to focus on the role of family and resilience in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, Indigenous historical and contemporary realities, Indigenous peoples’ connection with the land, the residential school system, and the reclamation of identity, language, culture, and community connections. 8 As of April 2023, the revamped curriculum had not yet been released.

Science curriculum unilaterally changed

In the spring of 2022, the province released new Science and Technology Curriculum for grades 1-8. However, despite having worked with Indigenous partners on the curriculum, the government made a unilateral decision to remove or substantially modify sixteen Indigenous-related expectations in the curriculum just three weeks before its release. 9 For example, the original curriculum explicitly named that students would “explore real-world issues by connecting Indigenous sciences and technologies and Western science and technology, using ways of knowing such as the Two-Eyed Seeing approach…”. This approach allows an understanding of science that includes both Western and Indigenous perspectives. Instead, the final version generally states that students will “analyze science and technology contributions from various communities.” 10

Slow progress on data collection

Data collection forms a key component of both the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the recommendations from the UN on Canada’s lack of progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 11  Without data, and in particular, race-based data, it is impossible to know if numerous policy goals are being met. 12  While school boards in Ontario are now required to collect race-based data (as of 2023), it is not yet clear whether this work has been completed. Likewise, through school boards have been encouraged to implement voluntary, confidential Indigenous self-identification initiatives since 2007, it remains difficult to find out what progress has been made.

In the 2022-23 school year, Ontario’s Ministry of Education allocated $120.5 million in the Indigenous Education Grant, intended to fund “programs and initiatives to support the academic success and well-being of Indigenous students, as well as build the knowledge of all students and educators on Indigenous histories, cultures, perspectives and contributions.” 13 The funding is allocated to school boards based on their total enrolment, the number of students in Indigenous studies and language programs, and the number of students who have self-identified as Indigenous. However, since Ontario appears to be behind in its collection and reporting of race-based and Indigenous student data, it is not clear if funding is being allocated where it is most needed.

“We want to do more but need help and direction with what to do and how to do it.” Elementary school principal, Southwestern Ontario

Staff professional development is essential to effectively incorporating Indigenous histories and curriculum in classrooms (i.e., Calls to Action 62 and 63). Professional development was the most reported Indigenous education opportunity offered across the province’s publicly funded elementary (76%) and secondary (82%) schools. The proportion of schools reporting professional development for school staff has more than doubled for elementary (34% in 2012 to 76% in 2022) and secondary schools (34% in 2012 and 82% in 2022) over the last decade.

Figure 2. Proportion of elementary and secondary schools in Ontario offering staff professional development on Indigenous education, 2012-2013 to 2022-2023

In their responses to the AOSS 2022-23, principals often cited the value of professional development on Indigenous education. Principals noted that a supportive school board that prioritizes Indigenous education, along with having a dedicated staff member in school leading the work, were valuable when offering staff professional development opportunities.

“Having a System Principal of Indigenous Rights and Education has really helped to ensure that we have open communication between our Treaty Partner and the board, and this is translating into better services and understanding at the school level.” Elementary school principal, GTA

Some barriers mentioned by principals included finding the time for professional development, competing priorities with other equity focuses, and staff or board hesitancy or discomfort with Indigenous-focused content.

“Time and priority. With so little staff meeting time and the focus for those being on math and literacy instruction, there is no time to run staff PD for Indigenous studies. We cannot have PLC [professional learning community] time as we are unable to get supply coverage.” Elementary school principal, Eastern Ontario “People are interested in doing the work but are fearful at times about offending members of the Indigenous community. We need to continue to build partnerships and have representation in the work that we do.” Secondary school principal, GTA

In February 2023, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) joined a growing list of school boards in the province who are making the shift to replace the compulsory grade 11 English course (i.e., ENG3U/C/E) with an Indigenous-focused course centered on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit voices (i.e., NBE3U). 14  The course, titled Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices, is currently offered as an alternative English course, along with other optional Indigenous-focused courses for secondary school students, in the revised 2019 Ontario Curriculum grades 9 to 12 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies. 15 For French-language schools, this change would mean replacing the grade 11 French course (i.e., FRA3U/C/E) with the course titled, Découvrir les vois contemporaines des Premières Nations, des Métis et des Inuits (i.e., NBF3U).

Figure 3. Ontario school boards who have mandated the grade 11 English course, NBE3U: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices (February 2023)

Figure 3 lists the 32 school boards in Ontario who have mandated NBE3U as of February 2023. A handful of other boards are also in the process of following suit. For example, Halton District School Board (HDSB) and Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) have plans in place to mandate NBE3U by the beginning of the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. 16

Some schools who participated in AOSS 2022-23 have chosen to offer the Indigenous studies course NBE3U as the only option for students’ grade 11 compulsory English credit despite it not being mandated by their board. Many of these principals noted that the Indigenous studies courses offered were popular with students and generally supported by the school community, although some said that they experienced resistance to the course. A secondary school principal in Central Ontario reported that, “It is sometimes challenging to get all students/families to recognize the importance of this learning. For instance, we are offering only the NBE courses for Gr. 11 English and we have experienced some resistance from the school community.”

Longitudinal AOSS data shows that the proportion of secondary schools offering any Indigenous studies course rose from 40% in 2013 to 72% in 2022, indicating Ontario secondary schools have made significant progress on incorporating Indigenous-focused courses over the past decade, and as more school boards make plans to mandate NBE/NBF3U, that growth will likely continue.

Figure 4. Proportion of secondary schools in Ontario offering an Indigenous studies course (e.g., NBE/ NBF3U), 2013-2014 to 2022-2023

“Our district has great partnerships with local Indigenous knowledge keepers and our students and staff have lots of opportunities to learn from them.” Elementary school principal, Southwestern Ontario

In the TRC’s Calls to Action, Call 63 includes a focus on building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect. 17 Prioritizing opportunities for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis guest speakers, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers to visit and develop relationships with Ontario schools is vital to build this capacity in students as it provides students with access to Indigenous perspectives and cultures. In 2022-23, 41% of elementary schools and 68% of secondary schools reported offering opportunities to talk with Indigenous Elders and/or Knowledge Keepers. Moreover, the proportion of schools reporting that they had Indigenous guest speakers rose significantly over the last decade, increasing from 23% in 2012 to 55% in 2022 for elementary schools and from 41% in 2012 to 76% in 2022 for secondary schools.

Figure 5. Proportion of elementary and secondary schools in Ontario offering Indigenous guest speakers, 2012-13 to 2022-23

Beyond having Indigenous guest speakers, principals talked about the importance of creating extended opportunities for Indigenous Elders, speakers, and Knowledge Keepers to build relationships with their students and school communities through a range of activities. They said that staff and students greatly benefited from learning with them. A secondary school principal from Eastern Ontario reported, “We have a resident Knowledge Keeper who builds canoes and wigwams. Our students are learning through building, creating and storytelling.”

On the other hand, not all principals said that they had access to these individuals, with some saying that they did not have enough board support, funds, or community partnerships to facilitate these relationships. One elementary school principal from Southwestern Ontario wrote that, “Some people are able to access money for guest speakers and other opportunities, but it is not universal.”

There have been steady increases over the last decade in the proportion of schools offering the Indigenous education opportunities that People for Education asks about on the AOSS. However, in the AOSS 2022-23, principals called attention to some areas where more work needs to be prioritized: community consultations and partnerships, offering cultural support programs, and support for resources and teacher training.

“We work hard at our relationships with our Indigenous partners and families and look for opportunities to learn together.” Elementary school principal, Northern Ontario

Strong relationship building between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and non-Indigenous communities, consultation with Indigenous communities about educational priorities, and partnerships with Indigenous community organizations are all key to responding to the TRC’s Calls to Action for education. The proportion of elementary schools that offer consultation with Indigenous community organizations about education priorities rose from 12% in 2012 to 36% in 2022, while secondary schools saw an increase from 28% in 2012 to 59% in 2022.

Figure 6. Proportion of elementary and secondary schools in Ontario offering consultation with Indigenous community organizations about educational priorities, 2012-13 to 2022-23

“We have connected with some families who are sharing their expertise, for example, developing a display of Indigenous resources in the library, smudging ceremony, outdoor learning, grandfather teachings.” Elementary school principal, Southwestern Ontario

While some principals reported that their schools had strong partnerships with local Indigenous communities, others said they were still working on building community relationships or noted that they needed support from their school board as well as the Ministry of Education to do this work. Principals also told us that relationships with Indigenous students’ families were sources of connection to and learning about Indigenous perspectives, teachings, and cultures.

“We have a partnership with [name of Indigenous community]. Their program lives in our school, with an Indigenous Youth Outreach Worker providing mentorship opportunities, in-school math and literacy supports, in-school and after school cultural programming and nutritional supports. We collaborate to celebrate an annual powwow, a true highlight at our school. Our Ojibwe Language program continues to grow with an increasing number of students opting to take Ojibwe instead of French as a Second Language each year. Educational staff are open to learning and to providing land-based learning opportunities for students.” Elementary school principal, Northern Ontario

The TRC’s Calls to Action for education are not only important to support the Indigenous youth in our schools, but also to educate non-Indigenous students about residential schools and Indigenous culture, history, and ways of knowing. It is important that Indigenous students see themselves reflected in their education, and that they feel that their communities and cultures are valued and connected to school. 18

Offering cultural support programs in schools not only provides a valuable resource to Indigenous students, but they also help to integrate Indigenous perspectives more holistically in the school community. Cultural support programs include things like creating an Indigenous-focused student success team or dedicating an Indigenous space like a smudge room or garden on school property.

The proportion of elementary schools reporting that they offer cultural support programs rose from 9% in 2012 to 36% in 2022; for secondary schools, the proportion of schools offering cultural support programs increased from 22% in 2012 to 51% in 2022. These are significant increases over the past decade, but cultural support programs were still one of the least reported Indigenous education opportunities compared to all other opportunities.

Figure 7. Proportion of elementary and secondary schools in Ontario offering cultural support programs, 2012-13 to 2022-23

Another way Ontario schools are working to support Indigenous students is through offering activities such as ceremonies and land-based activities like drumming, dancing, medicine walks, and storytelling. These activities support Indigenous students by connecting the school community to Indigenous students’ families and communities outside the school and help to incorporate Indigenous cultures and ways of knowing more holistically in the school community through experiential learning for all students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous.

“We have an Outdoor Education program for all primary students that focuses on looking at the land we live on through an Indigenous lens. One of the parents on our grounds & greening committee (which manages a teaching garden & works with the outdoor ed teacher) is Indigenous and helps us to reflect & question.” Elementary school principal, GTA

In 2022-23, 44% of elementary schools and 56% of secondary schools reported that they offer activities such as ceremonies and land-based activities (e.g., medicine walks, drumming, dancing, storytelling).

Principals also listed various ways in which their schools were working to support Indigenous students and incorporate Indigenous cultures and teachings holistically. One school installed a courtyard healing circle. A few principals mentioned that their school had a smudge room or smudging retreats. Others said that students had opportunities to participate in experiential learning, Indigenous cooking, gardening, land-based activities, storytelling, art, and the Seven Grandfather Teachings.

“We have been able to collaborate in an amazing whole-school living reconciliation on important lands and learning to integrate circles, treaties, and relationships with each other and the land by learning from Indigenous educators and Elders.” Elementary school principal, Southwestern Ontario

Indigenous Languages Programs

Offering an Indigenous languages program in school is another way Ontario elementary and secondary schools can support Indigenous students. The TRC’s Call to Action 10 calls for protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, which includes the teaching of Aboriginal languages as credit courses in school, along with a commitment to sufficient funding in this area. 19

In 2022-23, the least reported Indigenous education opportunity was Indigenous languages programs for both elementary (13%) and secondary schools (20%). Although they were the least reported education opportunity, the proportion of schools reporting it still increased from 2012 to 2022 (from 4% to 13% for elementary schools and from 11% to 20% for secondary schools).

In the 2022-23 AOSS, principals said that they wanted to offer Indigenous languages courses, with some mentioning that it was challenging to find a qualified Indigenous languages teacher. Funding was mentioned by principals as another major barrier to offering Indigenous languages programming in school.

Figure 8. Proportion of elementary and secondary schools in Ontario offering Indigenous languages programs, 2012-2013 to 2022-2023

“We have a large percentage of Indigenous students. I would like to offer NSL [Native as a Second Language], but we cannot secure a native speaker to teach this course.” Elementary school principal, Northern Ontario “Finding a language speaker to take on our Anishnaabemowin class on a consistent basis has been a significant barrier.” Elementary school teacher, Southwestern Ontario

In 2022-23, secondary schools were more likely than elementary schools to offer Indigenous education opportunities. The biggest differences between elementary and secondary schools were in the proportions of schools that reported offering opportunities to speak with Indigenous Elders and/or Knowledge Keepers (41% of elementary schools compared to 68% of secondary schools), consultation with Indigenous community organizations about educational priorities (36% of elementary schools compared to 59% of secondary schools), and Indigenous guest speakers (55% of elementary schools compared to 76% of secondary schools).

Figure 9. Proportion of elementary and secondary schools in Ontario offering Indigenous education opportunities, 2022-2023

Moreover, there are regional differences in Indigenous education opportunities across the province. Generally, schools in Northern Ontario were more likely to offer Indigenous education opportunities, while schools in the GTA were least likely to offer these opportunities. While some responses from schools in Northern Ontario highlighted serving larger populations of Indigenous students, recent data from Statistics Canada show that the Indigenous population living in large urban population centres has grown by 12.5% from 2016 to 2021. 20

Figure 10. Proportion of Ontario schools offering Indigenous education opportunities, by region, 2022-2023

The largest differences regionally were in the proportion of schools that offered cultural support programs (55% of Northern Ontario schools compared to 25% of GTA schools), Indigenous languages programs (37% of Northern Ontario schools compared to 5% of GTA schools), and activities such as ceremonies and land-based activities (72% of Northern Ontario schools compared to 30% of GTA schools). On the other hand, secondary schools in Northern Ontario (61%) were least likely to offer an Indigenous studies course compared to secondary schools in Central Ontario (82%), Southwestern Ontario (81%), the GTA (73%), and Eastern Ontario (71%).

There is more work to be done for Truth and Reconciliation in education

People for Education’s latest findings illustrate that progress has been made in the past decade to advance Indigenous education across publicly funded schools in Ontario, but overall, Canada still has a long way to go in completely fulfilling the TRC’s eleven Calls to Action regarding education. These Calls to Action emphasize the importance of informed consent, full participation, consultation, and collaboration with Indigenous peoples; all components that require building partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. So, while commitments to work together in the form of public statements and policy documents such as school curriculum are a critical first step, they alone are not enough for truth and reconciliation.

To move forward in supporting the TRC’s Calls to Action regarding education and young people, People for Education has three recommendations for the Ontario Ministry of Education:

Mandate the NBE/NBF3U Indigenous studies course in place of grade 11 English/French at the provincial level, and increase the number of elementary and secondary schools offering Indigenous languages and programs by providing funding and resources for:

The recruitment, hiring, and retention of Indigenous education workers and teachers, in collaboration with school boards and post-secondary faculties of education.

Frequent, timely, and meaningful professional development opportunities to support educators in implementing Indigenous education.

Improved data collection and reporting on the status, experience, and outcomes of Indigenous students.

Provide dedicated funding for positions in schools, boards, and government that are focused on promoting and supporting effective programs on Indigenous languages and ways of knowing more holistically from kindergarten to grade 12.

Convene a taskforce of diverse and regionally reflective Indigenous educators and Elders to support the Ministry of Education and the 72 publicly funded school boards across Ontario in responding to the Calls to Action regarding education and young people. Activities would include the co-development of curriculum and updating the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework that was originally published in 2007. 21

This report is based on data from 1,044 schools from all 72 publicly funded Ontario school boards that participated in the 2022-23 Annual Ontario School Survey (AOSS). Longitudinal data comparisons are based on the data collected from the elementary and secondary schools that participated in People for Education’s 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2021-22 AOSS. Unless cited from other sources, the statistics and quoted material in this report originate from People for Education’s 2022-23 AOSS, the 26th annual survey of elementary schools, and the 23rd annual survey of secondary schools in Ontario. Surveys from the 2022-23 AOSS were completed online via SurveyMonkey in both English and French in the fall of 2022. Survey responses were disaggregated to examine survey representation across provincial regions (see table below). Schools were sorted into geographical regions based on the first letter of their postal code. The GTA region includes schools with M postal codes as well as those with L postal codes located in GTA municipalities. 22

Figure 11. Survey response representation by region, all schools, 2022-2023

Qualitative data analysis was conducted using inductive analysis. Researchers read responses and coded emergent themes in each set of data (i.e., the responses to each of the survey’s open-ended questions). The quantitative analyses in this report are based on descriptive statistics. The primary objective of the descriptive analyses is to present numerical information in a format that is accessible to a broad public readership. All data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. All calculations have been rounded to the nearest whole number and may not total 100% in displays of disaggregated categories. All survey responses and data are kept confidential and stored in conjunction with TriCouncil recommendations for the safeguarding of data.

People for Education acknowledges the absence of Indigenous research methodologies in this report, specifically the missing perspectives and lived experiences of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities. Building partnerships and working in collaboration with Indigenous communities is an area of improvement where our organization is committed to growing in the future.

For questions about the methodology used in this report, please contact the research team at People for Education: [email protected] .

1 Yellowhead Institute. 2022. “Calls to Action Accountability: A 2022 Status Update on Reconciliation.” Accessed February 22, 2023. https://yellowheadinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/TRC-Report-12.15.2022-Yellowhead-Institute-min.pdf .

2 Ontario Ministry of Education. 2018. “Strengthening Our Learning Journey Third Progress Report on the Implementation of the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework.” Accessed March 3, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-ieo-third-progress-report-en-2021-10-28.pdf , p. 19, citing preliminary OnSIS enrollment data for October 2015.

3 Watters, Haydn. 2015. “Truth and Reconciliation chair urges Canada to adopt UN declaration on Indigenous Peoples.” CBC News, June 1, 2015. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/truth-and-reconciliation-chair-urges-canada-to-adopt-un-declaration-on-indigenous-peoples-1.309622.

4 Ontario Ministry of Education. 2007. “Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework.” Accessed March 17, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-ontario-first-nation-metis-inuit-education-policy-framework-2007-en-2021-10-29.pdf ; Ontario Ministry of Education. 2007. “Building Bridges to Success for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students.” Accessed April 4, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-building-bridges-to-success-first-nation-metis-inuit-students-en-2021-10-21.pdf .

5 Government of Ontario. 2016. “The Journey Together: Ontario’s Commitment to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.” Accessed February 23, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/trc_report_web_mar17_en_1.pdf .

6 Johnson, Rhiannon. Nov 8, 2017. “Indigenous history, culture now mandatory part of Ontario curriculum”. CBC News. Accessed March 9, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/indigenous-history-culture-mandatory-ontario-curriculum-1.4393527 .

7 Government of Ontario. 2021. “Indigenous education in Ontario.” Accessed February 22, 2023. https://www.ontario.ca/page/indigenous-education-ontario .

8 Government of Ontario. 2021. “Ontario to Strengthen Mandatory Indigenous Learning in School Curriculum.” September 29, 2021. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000904/ontario-to-strengthen-mandatory-indigenous-learning-in-school-curriculum.

9 McInnes, Angela. 2022. “Ontario science and tech curriculum shifts focus from Indigenous framework to economy, educators say.” CBC News, July 23, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/ontario-science-and-tech-curriculum-shifts-focus-from-indigenous-framework-to-economy-educators-say-1.6527820 .

10 Alphonso, Caroline. 2022. “Indigenous science framework removed from Ontario elementary school curriculum.” The Globe and Mail, July 2, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-indigenous-science-framework-removed-from-ontario-elementary-school/ .

11 People for Education. 2022. “30 years with insufficient progress on child well-being.” Accessed April 4, 2023. https://peopleforeducation.ca/our-work/30-years-with-insufficient-progress-on-child-well-being/ .

12 Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. 2020. “Annual progress report 2020: Ontario’s Anti-Racism Strategic Plan.” Accessed April 4, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/solgen-annual-progress-report-2020-anti-racism-strategic-plan-en-2020-09-20-v2.pdf.

13 Ontario Ministry of Education. 2022. “Education Funding: Technical Paper 2022–23.” Accessed April 4, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-2022-23-technical-paper-en-2022-03-15.pdf .

14 Toronto District School Board. 2023. “TDSB Approves Mandatory Indigenous Education in Grade 11.” February 1, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Home/ctl/Details/mid/42863/itemId/66

15 Ontario Ministry of Education. 2019. “The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies.” Accessed February 23, 2023. https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/fbd574c4-da36-0066-a0c5-849ffb2de96e/e5733b4c-80ae-4988-8ab4-d29ae1cbaae2/First-nations-metis-inuit-studies-grades-9-12.pdf .

16 Halton District School Board. 2021. “Student Voices Student Experiences of Racism & HDSB’s Strengthened Commitments to Anti-Racism.” Accessed March 1, 2023. https://www.hdsb.ca/our-board/Documents/Student-Voices-HDSB-Response-to-Racism.pdf#search=NBE ; Waterloo Region District School Board. 2022. “Director’s Response Strategic Plan.” Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.wrdsb.ca/learning/strategic-plan/directors-response/.

17 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. 2015. “Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action.” Accessed February 22, 2023. https://ehprnh2mwo3.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf .

18 Ontario Ministry of Education. 2017. “Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan.” Accessed March 3, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-1_0/edu-Ontario-Education-Equity-Action-Plan-en-2021-08-04.pdf.

19 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. 2015. “Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action.” Accessed February 22, 2023. https://ehprnh2mwo3.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf .

20 Statistics Canada. 2022. “Indigenous population continues to grow and is much younger than the non-Indigenous population, although the pace of growth has slowed.” September 21, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220921/dq220921a-eng.htm .

21 Ontario Ministry of Education. 2007. “Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework.” Accessed March 17, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-ontario-first-nation-metis-inuit-education-policy-framework-2007-en-2021-10-29.pdf.

22 City of Toronto. n.d. “City Halls – GTA Municipalities and Municipalities Outside of the GTA.” Accessed February 28, 2022. https://www.toronto.ca/home/311-toronto-at-your-service/find-service-information/article/?kb=kA06g000001cvbdCAA.

Government of Ontario. 2021. “Ontario to Strengthen Mandatory Indigenous Learning in School Curriculum.” September 29, 2021. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000904/ontario-to-strengthen-mandatory-indigenous-learning-in-school-curriculum

Halton District School Board. 2021. “Student Voices Student Experiences of Racism & HDSB’s Strengthened Commitments to Anti-Racism.” Accessed March 1, 2023. https://www.hdsb.ca/our-board/Documents/Student-Voices-HDSB-Response-to-Racism.pdf#search=NBE.

Johnson, Rhiannon. 2017. “Indigenous history, culture now mandatory part of Ontario curriculum”. CBC News, Nov 8, 2017. Accessed March 9, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/indigenous-history-culture-mandatory-ontario-curriculum-1.4393527

McInnes, Angela. 2022. “Ontario science and tech curriculum shifts focus from Indigenous framework to economy, educators say.” CBC News, July 23, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/ontario-science-and-tech-curriculum-shifts-focus-from-indigenous-framework-to-economy-educators-say-1.6527820

Ontario Ministry of Education. 2007. “Building Bridges to Success for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students.” Accessed April 4, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-building-bridges-to-success-first-nation-metis-inuit-students-en-2021-10-21.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. 2007. “Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework.” Accessed March 17, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-ontario-first-nation-metis-inuit-education-policy-framework-2007-en-2021-10-29.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. 2017. “Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan.” Accessed March 3, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-1_0/edu-Ontario-Education-Equity-Action-Plan-en-2021-08-04.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. 2018. “Strengthening Our Learning Journey Third Progress Report on the Implementation of the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework.” Accessed March 3, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-ieo-third-progress-report-en-2021-10-28.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. 2019. “The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies.” Accessed February 23, 2023. https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/fbd574c4-da36-0066-a0c5-849ffb2de96e/e5733b4c-80ae-4988-8ab4-d29ae1cbaae2/First-nations-metis-inuit-studies-grades-9-12.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Education. 2022. “Education Funding: Technical Paper 2022–23.” Accessed April 4, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/edu-2022-23-technical-paper-en-2022-03-15.pdf

Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. 2020. “Annual progress report 2020: Ontario’s Anti-Racism Strategic Plan.” Accessed April 4, 2023. https://files.ontario.ca/solgen-annual-progress-report-2020-anti-racism-strategic-plan-en-2020-09-20-v2.pdf

People for Education. 2022. “30 years with insufficient progress on child well-being.” Accessed April 4, 2023. https://peopleforeducation.ca/our-work/30-years-with-insufficient-progress-on-child-well-being/

Statistics Canada. 2022. “Indigenous population continues to grow and is much younger than the non-Indigenous population, although the pace of growth has slowed.” September 21, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220921/dq220921a-eng.htm

Toronto District School Board. 2023. “TDSB Approves Mandatory Indigenous Education in Grade 11.” February 1, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Home/ctl/Details/mid/42863/itemId/66

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. 2015. “Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action.” Accessed February 22, 2023. https://ehprnh2mwo3.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf

Waterloo Region District School Board. 2022. “Director’s Response Strategic Plan.” Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.wrdsb.ca/learning/strategic-plan/directors-response/

Watters, Haydn. 2015. “Truth and Reconciliation chair urges Canada to adopt UN declaration on Indigenous Peoples.” CBC News, June 1, 2015. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/truth-and-reconciliation-chair-urges-canada-to-adopt-un-declaration-on-indigenous-peoples-1.3096225

Yellowhead Institute. 2022. “Calls to Action Accountability: A 2022 Status Update on Reconciliation.” Accessed February 22, 2023. https://yellowheadinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/TRC-Report-12.15.2022-Yellowhead-Institute-min.pdf

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Rocks are our Grandfathers, they have held our teachings since time immemorial.

Rocks represent the integrity of Indigenous languages, cultures and knowledge. Rocks are resilient, forged by the elements and shaped by the environment over generations.

For these reasons, the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council has chosen the Rock as the primary element in its official logo. The colours – reds and browns – reflect the earth and minerals that develop the rock’s character, strength and diversity.

The Rock also represents the strength of the communities and partners forming the foundation and future of Indigenous post-secondary education and training. The quality assurance standards established by the Council, signified by the rock’s layers, support students at Indigenous Institutes in their communities. Asymmetrical and varied layers are also similar to the many different approaches to education and multiple relationships that bond to support the journey of life-long learning.

Inside The Council

The indigenous advanced education and skills council, is a quality assurance organization.

The Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council (IAESC) is an Indigenous-controlled and governed Council, recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017 and tasked with establishing quality assurance standards and benchmarks for programs delivered by the Indigenous Institutes pillar.

The Council uses a quality assurance process steered by its Indigenous Institutes Quality Assessment Board (IIQAB). Through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 2018, the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC) is providing IAESC reference to its foundational accreditation process and access to its expertise.

The founding members of the Council include the late Delbert Horton, Pamela Toulouse, PhD, Bob Watts and Chair and Executive Director, Laurie Robinson. The current Board of Directors are Bob Watts, Annie Ashdown, Lora Tisi, and Laurie Robinson.

The Indigenous Institute Quality Assessment Board (IIQAB) founding members include Kali Storm, Laura Horton and Dan Roronhiakewen Longboat, PhD. IIQAB members currently include Laura Horton, T’hohahoken Michael Doxtater, PhD, and Kathy Absolon, PhD.

IAESC is a Not-for-profit corporation, pursuant to the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, 2009 .

Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017

The Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017 received royal assent on December 14, 2017.

This legislation recognizes Indigenous Institutes as a unique and complementary pillar of Ontario’s post-secondary education and training system; and an Indigenous controlled and governed Council.

On April 13, 2018, Ontario Regulation 239/18 recognized the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council as the Council and nine Indigenous Institutes for the purposes of the Act.

As the Council recognized in regulation, IAESC may:

• Approve Indigenous Institutes to grant diplomas, certificates and degrees;
• Establish a quality assessment board and quality assurance standards;
• Make recommendations to the Ontario government regarding which Indigenous Institutes should be included to receive operating funding; and,
• Approve Indigenous Institutes to use the term “university.”

Consultative Process

The following elements make up our consultative process:

• The development of evidence-based research
• Including the development of outcome documents
• Engagement with experts in Indigenous education, knowledge and language

The Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council (IAESC) solicits direction including information and knowledge from Indigenous Institutes, and the Nations and communities they serve, through dialogue.

A dialogue is…

an open and ongoing conversation between representatives from IAESC and representatives from Indigenous Institutes (often includes students, teaching and learning staff, community members, and knowledge keepers).

Why is dialogue important?

Dialogue helps ensure that the development, implementation, and integrity of quality assurance for the Indigenous Institutes pillar is guided by a consultative process that works to build consensus before decisions affecting Indigenous Institutes are made. As a non-political, arm’s-length, Indigenous-governed and controlled organization, dialogue sessions help IAESC develop an Indigenous quality assurance process reflective of Indigenous intellect and worldview. The process helps protect the interests of learners and aligns with the principles of consensus building articulated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007 .

What is the process?

Indigenous Institutes are invited to a session with IAESC and they bring their representatives of their institutions and communities.

The session is recorded with the consent of participants, and a written transcription is prepared. A qualitative process is used to identify themes in the transcription data and the findings and data are summarized in an outcome document. The outcome document is then shared with Indigenous Institutes and it is used by IAESC to inform its work.

How is Indigenous Knowledge Protected?

The Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council (IAESC) is committed to the protection of Indigenous knowledge. All information shared with IAESC through dialogues is treated as protected Indigenous knowledge and can only be used or disclosed by IAESC with written consent from dialogue participants. Examples of Indigenous knowledge may include worldviews, knowledge, knowledge keeping and sharing, ways of knowing, doing, and being, teachings, protocols, ceremony, cultures, languages, principles and values, and traditions of Indigenous communities.

eCampusOntario has gathered resources to support teaching and learning into the future. Visit Page

Indigenous Institutes are Leading Indigenous Post-Secondary Education in Virtual Learning in Partnership with eCampusOntario

Monday, May 17, 2021 (10:00AM Eastern Standard) Originally published on Indigenous Institutes Consortium (IIC)

Thanks to collaborative, innovative funding from the province and education non-profits, member institutes of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium (IIC) will be developing and improving virtual learning in Ontario for Indigenous learners.

Following a historic $50-million investment in the Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS), the IIC formed a new partnership with eCampusOntario to advance the virtual capacity of Indigenous Institutes in Ontario through micro-credentials.

The total culminating amount granted to Indigenous Institutes for micro-credential course development is $398,340. Indigenous Institutes Kenjgewin Teg and Six Nations Polytechnic are official members of eCampus Ontario and Six Nations Polytechnic will lead in the development of these micro-credential courses, following two successful expressions of interest (EOI).

“With the continued support of eCampusOntario and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, Kenjgewin Teg is excited to welcome more learners as the Indigenous Institutes expand their virtual programming and credibility awareness,” said Stephanie Roy, President of Kenjgewin Teg.

Intended to drive growth and advancement in virtual learning across the province’s post-secondary institutions, the $50-million investment from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) in partnership with eCampus Ontario was announced on Dec. 11, 2020.

By January 2021, EOIs were put out and IIC members secured successful submissions in the Digital Fluency stream — a development and adoption of professional resources and supports for faculty and students to improve virtual teaching and learning.

Led by Six Nations Polytechnic, the IIC members will undertake the development of two new micro-credentials focused on Indigenous e-learning assessment strategies and Hybrid-flexible ( Hyflex) design in Indigenous teaching and learning throughout 2021.

“With the development of two new micro-credentials focused in ‘Indigenous e-learning assessment strategies’ and ‘Hyflex design in Indigenous teaching and learning’, the Indigenous Institutes will be positioned as leaders in Ontario for virtual learning and new Indigenous-focused micro-credentials,” said Rebecca Jamieson, IIC Interim Chair and President/CEO of Six Nations Polytechnic.

Additionally, through advocacy of the IIC, a new position was created at eCampus Ontario for a Virtual Learning Technical advisor. This position supports all Indigenous Institutes in virtual learning support, technological expertise and future improvements to their curricula and processes.

“eCampus Ontario is very pleased to support Indigenous Institutes in realizing the benefit of virtual learning. Our partnership with the Indigenous Institutes Consortium is helping to ensure the development of high quality Indigenous-led virtual education content, while supporting increased capacity of Indigenous Institutes to continue to create and lead the development of virtual learning for the benefit of all learners,” said Robert Luke, CEO of eCampus Ontario.

“The IIC recognizes the tremendous efforts of the member Indigenous Institutes on the development of two new micro-credentials,” said Wendelyn Johnson, IIC Executive Director. “IIC plans to continue the exemplary partnership between eCampus Ontario and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to support the global capacity, growth, and recognition of the member Indigenous Institutes.”

Additional Quotes

“Our people are wanting to get trained and educated faster. Virtual learning has become the standard at Oshki-Wenjack and the introduction of Indigenous-focused micro-credentials will enrich the learning at our Institute.” Lorrie Deschamps, President of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute

“Since the start of the pandemic, understanding the full-time virtual learning space has been a challenge for all post-secondary Institutions. Following the completion of new micro-credential projects in Digital Fluency, the success of staff, teachers and learners at Anishinabek Educational Institute (AEI) is bound to grow.” Mindy Taylor, Interim Education Director for Anishinabek Educational Institute

“Iohahi:io Akwesasne Education and Training Institute is proud of the successful outcomes on the virtual learning Strategy EOI submissions. IIC continues to do good work on opportunities and resources that directly benefit all of the member Indigenous Institutes.” Norma Sunday, IIC Vice-Chair and Director at Iohahi:io Akwesasne Education and Training Institute

“Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig welcomes the further development and position of Indigenous Institutes in the post-secondary virtual learning space. Our students deserve and will receive the same high-quality education as if they were in the classroom.” Dianne Roach, Acting Director at Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig

“Indigenous Institutes are leading virtual learning for Indigenous post-secondary education in Ontario and in partnership with eCampus Ontario we are setting the standard for good quality partnerships. This work is an example of that. Ogwehoweh Skills and Trades Training Centre will continue to innovatively support our community in their learning journeys.” Erin Monture, Director at Ogwehoweh Skills and Trades Training Centre

Established in 1994, the Indigenous Institutes Consortium is a non-profit corporation mandated to represent the collective interest of the Indigenous Institutes with a mission to support the capacity and recognition of Indigenous Institutes. Indigenous Institutes constitute one of the Pillars of Ontario’s post-secondary education and training system that are recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017 . Indigenous Institutes are community-based post-secondary education and training Institutes that are Indigenous owned and operated, and centered on local, accessible, and culturally appropriate programming. Indigenous Institutes provide culturally responsive and safe-learning environments grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and living that honour Indigenous traditions.

Associated Links

Indigenous Institutes Consortium

IIC Twitter

IIC LinkedIn

Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017

eCampusOntario

Primary Media Contact

[email protected] Jake Jamieson, IIC Marketing & Communications Lead

Suggested Reading

Post-Secondary Education & Training

Post Secondary Education and Training

First nations view post secondary education and training as an integral component of lifelong learning. the concept of lifelong learning is captured in several policy documents adopted by the chiefs in canada such as:.

Post-Secondary Engagement Infographic

First Nations and First Nation Organizations in Ontario are currently in a Post-Secondary Engagement process to develop new regional models for First Nation post-secondary education. Please click on the infographic button below to find answers to frequently asked questions and for details about participation in the engagement process.

Assembly of First Nations - Post-Secondary Education - Fact Sheet

This fact sheet is intended to provide a snapshot of participation in and completion of post-secondary education for First Nations people in Canada.

Assembly of First Nations - Post-Secondary Education - Briefing Note

To provide an update on the research regarding the backlog of eligible First Nations post-secondary students and the development of the Post-Secondary Education Fact Sheet 2018.

Our Nations, Our Future, Our Vision: Transformative Change Through First Nation Higher Education - 2017

First Nations Post-Secondary Education: Rights, Responsibilities, and Recommendations - 2017

This position paper is part of the ongoing work at Chiefs of Ontario to regain control over our own education systems, teaching methods, course content, and institutional settings in k-12 education and higher education.

Tradition and Education: Towards a Vision of Our Future - 1988

Recommends local jurisdiction over education; making language and culture central in education; the incorporation of First Nation values and ethics; supporting parental and community involvement; and lifelong learning.

Taking Action for First Nations Post-Secondary Education: Access, Opportunity, and Outcomes Discussion Paper - 2010

Outlines our visions as First Nations view education as a process of nurturing learners in linguistically and culturally-appropriate, holistic learning environments that meet individual and collective needs, thereby ensuring that all First Nations people achieve their personal and collective visions within lifelong comprehensive learning systems.

Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision: First Nation Jurisdiction over First Nation Education - 2012

The federal government’s Post Secondary Education (PSE) program has three parts –the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) which provides funding for student costs, the Indian Studies Support Program (ISSP) which funds accredited post-secondary programming for First Nations people and the University and College Entrance Preparation (UCEP) which provides financial assistance to help students to attain the academic level required for admittance to post-secondary education programs.

An internal audit in 2009 of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) post-secondary education programming confirmed the existence of flaws in administration and accountability of the PSE.  The federal government has since failed to include First Nations in designing a solution to the identified flaws.

Currently hundreds of First Nation students are denied access to post secondary education and training on a yearly basis due to the inadequacy of funds provided by the federal Post Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP).

The federal government also provides some funding to Indigenous Institutes of Higher Learning, of which there are nine in Ontario, through the Post Secondary Partnerships Program (formerly the Indian Studies Support Program).  Recent changes to the Program compromise the capacity of our Indigenous Institutes of Higher Learning in Ontario.

At this point, the Education Coordination Unit continues to monitor possible changes to the PSE program and advocate for continued and increasing First Nation control in the area of post secondary education and funding.

On the provincial level the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities continues to support First Nations’ post secondary and training efforts through their  Aboriginal Post Secondary Education and Training Policy Framework  (APSET) .   The ECU currently participates in the MTCU External Working Group which is in the process of producing a progress report and implementation plan to the Policy Framework.

The ECU continues to support the Aboriginal Institutes Consortium (AIC) in their quest to gain accreditation for Indigenous post-secondary institutes in Ontario. This initiative is outlined in their  Roadmap to Recognition document.

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a financial aid program that can help students pay for college or university.

Chiefs of Ontario Post-secondary Engagement Report

Roadmap to recognition, aboriginal post secondary education and training policy framework (apset).

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Indigenous Education – Transition Briefing

Closing the education gap between indigenous and non-indigenous ontarians.

By: Maggie Jones - April 21, 2018

Ontario is home to about a fifth of Canada’s Indigenous peoples aged 0-24, nearly 85% of whom live off reserve. In total, this means that Indigenous peoples make up about 3.4% of the off-reserve population aged 0-24 in Ontario. While the federal government has jurisdiction over the provision of education on reserves, it is the responsibility of the provincial governments to provide education to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples living off reserve. The incoming government should seek to implement policies that reduce the gap in schooling outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples living off reserves.

Overview: Improving the education system for Indigenous students

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission—the organization that emerged from the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and was tasked with documenting the history and impacts of the residential school system—released an executive summary of their findings along with 94 calls to action regarding the path towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. One of the major themes of the calls to action related to the current system in which Indigenous students are educated; 7 of the total 94 calls to action directly addressed education reform.

Although many of the calls to action pertaining to education are addressed to the federal government, there are several calls to action that outline the ways in which the provinces can step in and contribute towards reconciliation.  Specifically, the provincial governments can assist in eliminating educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians; they can assist in increasing education attainment levels and success rates, including the development of culturally appropriate curricula in schools, protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, enabling parents to participate in their children’s education, respecting and honoring Treaty relationships; and they can help provide adequate funding to end the backlog of Indigenous peoples seeking a post-secondary education.

The Ontario government has already made several substantial steps towards ameliorating the provincial education system for Indigenous students.  This includes the development of the Ontario Education Equity Action Plan in 2017 – a roadmap for identifying and eliminating discriminatory practices and systemic barriers that contribute to the persistence of inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Among a range of different tactics, one of the most important initiatives is to develop a process of data collection, integration and reporting. This has the potential to greatly assist in identifying the largest barriers to achievement for Indigenous students, as well as the policies and procedures that help Indigenous students succeed.

In addition to the initiatives at the primary to secondary levels, the Ontario government recently announced sweeping changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program – the primary source of financial aid for students in Ontario.  Some of the changes include free tuition for students from households who make under $50,000 annually, and the elimination of the individual contribution for Indigenous students.

The need for reform

Identity Based Data

Note: any collection of data involving Indigenous Peoples must always be done in recognition of the principles of ownership, control, access and possession (OCAP®), especially for First Nation peoples, as outlined by the First Nations Information Governance Centre. 

The development of a system that collects identity-based data for students across Ontario will greatly assist in identifying barriers that Indigenous students face.  It will also allow for rigorous quantitative evaluation of school and classroom practices that may benefit Indigenous students, like the inclusion of Indigenous cultures, histories, perspectives and contributions in curricula. That being said, without a strategic plan to implement these policies gradually, and in a way that lends itself to causal evaluation, prior to their widespread implementation, we will not know for certain which classroom interventions work and why they work.

Ontario Student Assistance Program

Given that access to financial support for post-secondary education is a persistent barrier for many Indigenous students, free tuition for students from households who make under $50,000 will certainly have positive effects for many students who struggle to pay for their post-secondary education. Since the latest results of the 2016 Census of Population reveal that Indigenous peoples living off-reserve in Ontario earn less than non-Indigenous peoples living off-reserve—the median income of Indigenous peoples living off-reserve in Ontario in 2016 was $26,877 compared to $33,797 for the non-Indigenous population—Indigenous students may be more likely to qualify for free tuition under these new changes.

However, despite an expansion of the grants given to low income students, there will continue to be barriers faced by Indigenous students who do not have other sources of funding to supplement their OSAP funds.

Take as an example, the following two hypothetical situations:

A First Nations student who is finishing high school this year and will be entering the 1st year Bachelor of Science at Queen’s University this September with the following additional characteristics: no children, parents alive, not disabled, will be living on their own for university, has no RRSP and no additional assets, parents divorced, income of parent with whom they currently reside is $30,000, 2 other siblings in family who are not yet old enough to attend a post-secondary institution, $5,000 in additional funding from an outside source (for example, the post-secondary student support program). This student is eligible for a $9,200 grant to keep and a $6,700 loan to repay under the new OSAP guidelines.

The same student would be eligible for a $9,200 grant and a $7,100 loan if they did not have the $5,000 of additional funding. Thus, based on an estimated total cost of schooling of $19,413, the student without the additional funding source would not be able to cover the costs of their education without working while in school to supplement their funding. This student would be at further risk of not completing their program since OSAP is available for a maximum of 8 academic terms, i.e. 4 years. To the extent that Indigenous students often cite time constraints as a reason for leaving post-secondary programs—perhaps because of a need to work to supplement their funding—extending the number of academic terms available under OSAP could also be beneficial.

How to move forward

Note: any of the following recommendations must always be implemented in consultation with Indigenous communities throughout Ontario.

Two of the ways in which the provincial government can facilitate a response to the calls to action put forth by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are outlined below.

Better data collection, implementation of potential policies in a way that lends itself to causal evaluation, and greater access to administrative data for researchers

The Ministry of Education’s initiative to develop an identity-based tracking system will certainly aid in evaluating whether or not specific interventions assist in increasing education related outcomes where achievement gaps have been identified. However, these interventions must be implemented gradually and in such a way that lends itself to causal evaluation in order to know whether a specific program is helpful. For example, in addition to consultations with students, parents, community members, another method that can be used to quantify the effects of culturally relevant curriculum on academic outcomes is to introduce the new curriculum in a subset of classrooms (a “treatment” group), leaving the other classrooms as a “control” group.  With the new tracking system, student outcomes in “treatment” classrooms could be compared over time and in relation to “control” classrooms.

In addition to the Ministry of Education’s goal of working with education partners, they should also seek to develop relationships with researchers who may be able to assist in analyzing the administrative data. The province of British Columbia has led the way along this front among the provinces by developing an infrastructure that makes identity-based data available to researchers, policy makers, and other organizations. By expanding the access of this administrative data to include researchers a range of questions have been approached from several different perspectives. For instance, one paper by economists at Simon Fraser University has shown that Indigenous students tend to perform better when they are in a school with a greater portion of Indigenous students, suggesting that perhaps a larger share of Indigenous students may reduce the incidence of racism, or provide support for cultural identity. This in turn indicates that more needs to be done to fight racism in schools and to support cultural identities—like, for instance, the Ministry of Education’s proposed culturally relevant curriculum.

This recommendation would contribute to the call to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to eliminate educational gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, it would also help to improve education attainment levels and success rates, and it would assist in our understanding of which aspects of culturally appropriate curricula are most beneficial for the success of Indigenous students.

Increase accessibility to post-secondary education

The incoming government of Ontario should revise the OSAP algorithm so that Indigenous students are able to cover their entire costs of schooling, even if they do not receive outside assistance from the federal government and if they take longer than 4 years to complete a bachelor’s program.

Prior to 1989, the federal government provided full funding for First Nations and Inuit students to attend the post-secondary institution of their choice.  The program went through substantial cutbacks in 1989, which I show in a recent working paper resulted in a decline in post-secondary attainment—primarily driven by those attending colleges. In addition, since 1997, the federal government has capped increases in post-secondary program spending at 2% per year—a cap that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his government will erase. This lack of financial assistance for Indigenous students has left many without adequate funding to complete their post-secondary studies.

By increasing the OSAP funding for Indigenous students, the provincial government will help ensure that any Indigenous student who wishes to attend a post-secondary institution will have the means to do so. Finally, providing financial assistance for post-secondary education also commits the provincial government to honoring the Treaty right to education outlined in the historic Numbered Treaties—the treaties that paved the way for the colonization of Western Canada—which benefitted both the federal and provincial governments alike.

This recommendation directly addresses the call to action to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non–Indigenous Canadians, as well as the call to honor Treaty Rights.

Maggie Jones is a PhD candidate in economics at Queen’s University. She is set to join the economics department at the University of Victoria this summer

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Alternative Readings

Improving Education for Indigenous Children in Canada

Improving Education for Indigenous Children in Canada: Rapporteur’s Summary

C.D. Howe Institute

Aboriginal Peoples and Postsecondary Education in Canada

By: Michael Mendelson

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Jasmine Wood St John's Residence Story

Aspiring to make a difference for Indigenous success

Fifth-year student shares her journey in post-secondary education.

Jasmine Wood’s pursuit of post-secondary education began when she left her First Nations reservation in northern Manitoba in 2018.

Jasmine spent a year in an Indigenous military program in Ontario. Upon completing her program and getting accepted to the University of Manitoba, an advisor at the Indigenous Student Centre on campus recommended to Jasmine to live in St. John’s Residence in her preparation for first year.

“The Residence welcomed me with open arms, and it has given me the space and support to realize and evolve into the person I want to become while also letting me focus on my studies in a way I wouldn’t be able to if I lived off-campus.”

St John’s Residence became a home to Jasmine, and over the course of her undergraduate degree she has stayed.

“The staff and community have allowed me to feel safe and secure with a sense of home away from home. I have gained a lot of self-confidence and learned a lot about myself in my time living in St. John’s Residence.”

Now in her fifth year as an Indigenous Studies major, Jasmine looks to graduate next spring with aspirations of making a difference with contributions to Indigenous voices, rights, and education. 

“I want to use my studies to help boost Indigenous people up, create more opportunities, and make a difference for Indigenous success. I know I’m an ambitious person who wants many things, but I can’t help but want to achieve them all with the education I’m learning.”

Jasmine looks forward to seeing her aspirations realized with her post-secondary education. She hopes that with all her endeavors and efforts that she will be able to meaningfully give back to the communities that she has been a part of, including but not limited to the youth, students coming into St. John’s Residence, and her community up north.

To learn more about the residence and its benefits, visit our  website . 

Marissa Naylor

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Ontario budget falls short on investments in northern Ontario, say advocates

The 2024 budget includes an increase to accommodation reimbursements through the northern health travel grant.

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An increase to Ontario's Northern Health Travel Grant in the 2024 budget is "a tiny step in the right direction" but doesn't go far enough, says NDP health critic France Gélinas.

The travel grant helps patients from northern Ontario cover their expenses when they travel elsewhere in the province for medical care.

The budget included an increase to the reimbursement for accommodations from $100 a night to $175 for the first night.

"If you need to stay there two or three nights, then the amount goes down every day," Gélinas said.

She said while the increase is welcome, it still doesn't come close to covering a hotel stay in Toronto.

"I know full well that a lot of people that are seriously sick, that need to come to Toronto once every two weeks, once every three weeks, and pay $350 a night for a hotel room," Gélinas said.

"It adds up on their credit card and they just give up."

• Ontario deficit will triple as economy weakens, 2024 budget shows
• Analysis Ontario's universities face a funding crunch. Doug Ford's government is telling them to find 'efficiencies'

In addition to reimbursements for hotel stays, the travel grant also reimburses patients for travel at a rate of 41 cents per kilometre. The first 100 kilometres travelled are also deducted from the reimbursement.

Gélinas said that portion did not receive an increase in the latest budget.

"Things have changed in healthcare, but the Northern Health Travel Grant has not," she said.

High speed internet

The 2024 budget also included an increase in spending to improve high-speed internet access across Ontario, with $1.3 billion allocated this year, up from $300 million in each of the previous few years. It's part of a $4-billion commitment to bring broadband internet access to every part of the province.

But Susan Church, the executive director of the Blue Sky Economic Growth Corporation, said that doesn't appear to be new money.

"I think it's just the same fund that gets re-announced several times over to be honest," she said. "I mean that that is the same number that has come out with every broadband announcement."

Blue Sky is focused on broadband development in northern Ontario.

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy told CBC News the government won't relent on meeting the 2025 target for high-speed connectivity across the province.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I'm sorry, but I can't agree with that date," Church said.

"It's not easy. You know, we've had these announced projects now since July of 2021."

Church said that outside of the five largest cities in northern Ontario only 42 per cent of households meet the government's threshold for high speed internet; with speeds of 50 megabits per second (Mbps) for downloads and 10 Mbps for uploads,

Post-secondary education 

The budget included $10 million specifically for colleges and universities in northern Ontario "intended to provide targeted support to eligible institutions that are financially vulnerable, while the government works with them on efficiency initiatives."

Sue Wurtele, board chair of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations, said the money is welcome but it doesn't make up for underfunding of post-secondary education overall.

"It's sort of self-evident to us that northern Ontario universities are in a unique position and have been really challenged financially by the government year after year of inadequate funding," she said.

Wurtele said she was also concerned about possibly tying the funding to efficiency initiatives.

"What ends up happening over and over again with this government funding and its focus on these efficiency initiatives is that they forced universities, ironically, to wade through more and more red tape and administrative burdens that really increased the inefficiencies," she said.

With files from Kate Rutherford and Erik White

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April 5, 2024

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Teaching university students how to learn matters for retaining them

by Deena Kara Shaffer, The Conversation

It's acceptance letter season. High school students across the country are waiting, nervous for that "yes" or "no" from the colleges and universities where they've applied.

These offers come with big promises. Students' hearts hold big hopes. But what happens when students arrive where they've so wanted to go?

Where incoming students have optimism, I have concerns. Against a strained financial backdrop for universities , with cuts and mounting deficits as administrators revisit budget allocations, I want to shout, "prioritize student retention!"

Helping learners stay who want to stay has been at the center of my post-secondary career. In my doctoral work in holistic learning strategies, in professional consulting work supporting students and in my publications , I have focused on how learning interventions can support students.

As an adjunct faculty member in Toronto Metropolitan University's Faculty of Arts, I am teaching a learning and development course on student thriving , and at York University, I lead a student services department focused on student retention in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change.

Learning and teaching gaps

Post-COVID-19 learning gaps are heavy on educators' minds. Pandemic-related school closures led to significant learning losses. As Ontario researchers warned , these losses particularly affected " low-income families in which racialized and Indigenous groups, newcomers and people with disabilities are over-represented ."

Educators are slowly understanding and addressing gaps in student learning , but lots was lost for learners, many of whom are soon to start post-secondary education . Some are already there, and are wondering how to keep going.

Turns out, we shouldn't only be concerned about students lagging behind via missed curricular learning, but also a "theory-practice" lag as well—meaning the very way many courses have been designed too often assumes students understand how to learn.

Learning how to learn

The importance of learning strategies (sometimes called metacognition) has been well studied , and it's clear that acquiring learning strategies has a positive impact on students. Yet for many students I work with who are struggling with post-secondary studies, the notion of learning strategies is new.

Offering learning strategies doesn't mean offering tutoring, academic advising, psychological support or formal disability counseling—yet it incorporates threads of each.

Teaching learning strategies is about teaching how to plan and prioritize, how to take notes and focus, how to study and take tests and how to research and work collaboratively in groups. Underneath every school task are strategies for how to do them.

Each academic year, colleges and universities experience students not returning. Attrition rates average between 10 to 20 percent of their learners .

In the 2023 academic year in Canada, McGill University had the highest retention rate at 94.3 percent, while Laurentian University had the lowest at 71.4 percent .

Role of academic performance

What's known about students who leave? After family and finance, academic performance is a significant variable. Leavers are " less likely to have higher grades during their first year of post-secondary education ."

In a six-college attrition study, available student services like academic support and on-campus tutoring were barely relied upon by the majority of students who left . In this same report, early leavers said they weren't "academically prepared for their program." They also "seem[ed] to accept personal responsibility for this" and didn't consider whether college resources could have helped them.

What if these students had more explicit education about how to learn? Ability and performance increase when learners are taught how to learn , yet metacognitive skills continue to be minimally implemented.

High cost for leavers

There are many challenges to retaining students, including how to measure it. Graduation rates are an incomplete metric, because this misses students who step away but not drop out—who transfer, or take parental or medical leave. What counts as retention, it turns out, is far from straightforward .

The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario highlights that a quarter of post-secondary students haven't finished after eight years. This comes with a high cost: for institutions via lost tuition, and for students who won't "reap the benefits of a completed credential, such as increased earnings and lower unemployment rate ."

Challenges with student retention

Why don't post-secondary institutions retain more students—learners who've been asked and accepted to attend?

More emphasis is placed on recruitment rather than retention. Retaining students is often framed as being about individual learner inabilities, instead of being related to existing barriers and social realities.

For example, one-fifth of Canadian students struggle with significant mental health challenges . Half of domestic and 75 percent of international students experience food insecurity . Post-secondary students experience high incidents of gender-based violence .

Whether students feel they belong affects retention. Feeling welcome, experiencing affinity and healthy relationships with peers and professionals on campus are essential to a student staying.

Importance of academic skills

Supporting students' learning also needs to be included in retention conversations. A 2019 study on "academic skill deficiencies" revealed through surveying more than 2,200 students at four Ontario university campuses that over half were "at risk" or "dysfunctional" in their scholastic abilities. And that was pre-pandemic, and before generative AI like ChatGPT became widely available to users.

There are campus learning centers and supports, but students' engagement with these are typically optional. This means these co-curricular services remain unknown or out of reach to many, like students with long commutes and irregular or long work hours .

Financial and moral consequences

In Humber College's 2014 report on student attrition , the average cost of recruiting 100 students was just over $101,000. The average cost of losing those students after their first year, in the form of lost unrealized grants and a spectrum of expenses, was just over $4.4 million dollars.

To retain a student isn't just a financial gain, it's a moral obligation. They were invited to come.

This time of university and college offers of admission is also when many students decide whether to return. There'll always be things out of a post-secondary's purview—but sharing how to learn isn't one of them.

Provided by The Conversation

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