Jordan’s Principle

For more information about anything on this page, please visit the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Services Website and their page on Jordan’s Principle at: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1568396042341/1568396159824#chp02

From their webpage:

Jordan’s Principle is a human rights principle largely defined by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) to make sure that First Nations children do not face gaps or delays in accessing government services and are not denied government services because of their identity as First Nations children.

Jordan’s Principle is named in memory of Jordan River Anderson. He was a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba.

In 2016, the CHRT determined the Government of Canada’s approach in its provision of child and family services to First Nations children and families living on reserve and in Yukon was discriminatory and its interpretation of Jordan’s Principle was too narrow. The CHRT ordered the Government of Canada to implement the full meaning and scope of Jordan’s Principle.

Since the ruling, the CHRT has issued a number of follow-up orders about Jordan’s Principle.

Jordan’s Principle is intended to make sure that First Nations children have substantively equal access to government services, taking into account their distinct circumstances, experiences, and needs as First Nations children.

As of June 2025, nearly $10 billion has been announced since 2016 to meet the distinct needs of First Nations children through Jordan’s Principle.

There is no fee for First Nations children to access Jordan’s Principle. Regional focal points and service coordinators will help you submit a request for free.

Requests for Inuit children can be made through the Inuit Child First Initiative.

On November 25, 2020, the CHRT released a ruling about Jordan’s Principle eligibility. A First Nations child under the age of majority in their province or territory of residence can access Jordan’s Principle, if they permanently reside in Canada and if the child meets one of the following criteria:

• is registered or eligible to be registered under the Indian Act
• has one parent or guardian who is registered or eligible to be registered under the Indian Act
• is recognized by their nation for the purposes of Jordan’s Principle
• is ordinarily a resident on reserve

The eligibility above replaces the CHRT interim motion ruling of February 2019.

To find out more about how to confirm with a First Nations official that a child is recognized by their nation (for the purposes of Jordan’s Principle), contact your regional focal point for Jordan’s Principle or the Jordan’s Principle Call Centre.

Jordan’s Principle supports substantively equal access to essential government services that respond to the unique situation and distinct needs of each First Nations child.

Under Jordan’s Principle, we can:

• inform families about the help available for their child and how to access it
• coordinate access to products, services and supports
• provide funding when it’s needed to make sure products, services and supports are accessed without delay

Funding can help with a wide range of health, social and educational needs, including the unique needs that First Nations Two-Spirit and LGBTQQIA children and youth and those with disabilities may have. All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the requested product, service or supported is required to ensure substantively equal access to government services. Some past examples of what can be funded under Jordan’s Principle include:

Health

• Child-specific addiction services
• Professional mental health services
• Specialized hearing aids
• Assessments and screenings for a medical or educational need
• Transportation to child-specific medical appointments
• Medical supplies and equipment
• Therapeutic services for individuals or groups (speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy)
• Medical respite care (individual or group)
• Mobility aids
• Wheelchair ramps

For requests involving exceptional drugs or treatments that are not available through Canada’s public health care systems, a recommendation must come from a medical specialist who is certified and licensed to practice in Canada. The specialist must be working within their area of expertise. Jordan’s Principle only covers medically necessary items recognized through Canadian regulatory and review systems. If a request does not meet these standards or follow these established Canadian processes, Jordan’s Principle cannot approve it. Jordan’s Principle cannot provide funding for investigational or experimental products, such as clinical trials.

Social

• Child-specific land-based activities on reserve
• Child-specific specialized programs based on cultural beliefs and practices on reserve

Education

• School supplies
• Tutoring services
• Teaching assistants on reserve
• Assessments and screenings for educational needs
• Assistive technologies and electronics related to child-specific educational needs
• Specialized school transportation

ISC will not approve funding for the following items unless such funding is required by substantive equality under Jordan’s Principle:

• purchase, construction or structural renovations of homes
• requests to support sporting events or elite or competitive sport-related training, unless it is linked to the specific health, social, or educational needs of the First Nations child
• international travel, unless it is related to an exceptional medical need of the First Nations child
• non-medical supports such as travel costs, non-medical respite care, child care, clothing, furniture and vehicles, unless accompanied by a letter of support from a medical professional. The professional must be able to provide a child-specific recommendation based on their professional designation and their knowledge of the First Nation child’s specific needs
• school-related requests, unless linked to the specific health, social or educational need of the First Nations child. Requests for educational supports for school boards off-reserve and private schools will be redirected to provincial school boards, or other existing provincial and federally-funded programs
• automatic administrative fees within group requests, including salaries, service fees and overhead costs

Indigenous Services Canada, “Jordan’s Principle”. Government of Canada, 2025, https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1568396042341/1568396159824#chp02. Accessed January 16, 2026.

Indigenous Services Canada, “Submit a Request Under Jordan’s Principle”. Government of Canada, 2025, https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1568396296543/1582657596387#sec2. Accessed January 16, 2026.