Jordan's Principle Funding Changes

May 16, 2025 - The Government of Canada has recently announced changes to the eligibility criteria for Jordan’s Principle funding. Moving forward, Indigenous Services Canada will no longer be approving any school-related Jordan’s Principle requests for students attending provincial schools. First Nations children who attend on-reserve schools will continue to be able to apply for and access Jordan’s Principle funding. More information regarding these changes can be found in this Government of Canada Operational Bulletin and on the Government of Canada Jordan’s Principle website.

Why These Changes Are Being Made

According to Indigenous Services Canada, the number of approved requests across Canada under Jordan’s Principle has grown dramatically—from approximately 614,000 in 2021–2022 to nearly 3 million in 2023–2024. To manage this increased demand and ensure long-term sustainability, the federal government has introduced new operating procedures intended to streamline decision-making and clarify what services are covered. (Source: Statement by Minister Hajdu – February 2025)

Impact on Parkland School Division

For many years, Parkland School Division (PSD) has applied for and received Jordan’s Principle funding, on behalf of families, to support students with additional educational, health, and social needs. In many cases, this funding was used to hire Education Assistants (EAs) who provide critical, day-to-day support.

As a result of these new federal eligibility rules, PSD will no longer be able to receive this funding. This will unfortunately result in the loss of a number of EA positions and changes to how supports are delivered to students, starting in the 2025–2026 school year.

PSD has made every effort to bridge the gap during this transition. In fact, the Division committed to fully funding these supports for the current school year—even though the Division has not yet received Jordan’s Principle funding, and continue to await a decision from Indigenous Services Canada regarding this year’s funding.  As public school divisions will no longer be able to access Jordan’s Principle funding, PSD will not be able to commit to these supports beyond June 2025.

What This Means for Families

Beginning in the upcoming school year, services currently provided through Jordan’s Principle funding, will unfortunately no longer be available to public schools. PSD schools are committed to continuing to support students' learning needs, but will be unable to provide the services that were provided through Jordan’s Principle.

We recognize that this creates uncertainty for families and are remain committed to supporting families during this transition:

• Our school-based teams will work with families to understand their child’s needs, review supports that will no longer be available, and provide guidance.
• The Division will continue to collaborate with First Nations partners to advocate for continuity of care and timely access to services.
• The Division will monitor the evolving federal process and share any updates as soon as they become available.

PSD is deeply concerned with these recent changes to eligibility and the Board of Trustees continues to advocate for impacted students. The original intent of Jordan’s Principle was to ensure that First Nations children receive the support they need without delay—regardless of jurisdiction. These new restrictions reintroduce the very barriers that the principle was created to overcome, forcing families to navigate systems on their own instead of focusing on their child’s well-being.  Concerns may be shared directly with Indigenous Services Canada, via email at jordansprincipleab-principedejordan@sac-isc.gc.ca or by calling 1-855-JP-CHILD (1-855-572-4453).

We understand that this change may be unsettling for families who have come to rely on these supports, and we share your concern. Please know that PSD remains committed to creating safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments for all students.  If you have questions about your child’s specific situation or need assistance during this transition, we encourage you to contact your school administration.