“First Nations leadership has pressed Manitoba for years to confront the failures of its child welfare funding model. This week’s announcement reflects that sustained political advocacy, but announcing a review is not the same as fixing the system. SCO is already advancing the evidence, political mandate, and regional approach required to build a properly funded system for southern First Nations children and families.”
— Grand Chief Jerry Daniels
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2026
ANISHINAABE AND DAKOTE TERRITORY, MB – The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) says Manitoba’s newly announced external review of the Child and Family Services (CFS) funding and governance model must result in structural change, immediate financial relief, and greater First Nations authority over decisions affecting their children.
SCO representatives met with Manitoba’s Minister of Families, The Honourable Nahanni Fontaine, earlier this week, prior to the province’s announcement. SCO emphasized that the review must recognize First Nations as governments and rights holders.
“This review did not emerge in a vacuum. SCO Chiefs, First Nations authorities, and agencies have repeatedly warned the province that the Single Envelope Funding model is not keeping pace with the realities facing our children and families,” stated SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels. “The province is responding because First Nations leadership continued to raise these concerns, advance solutions, and demand action.”
SCO’s mandate in Child and Family Services is longstanding. In 2014, SCO assumed responsibility for representing the interests of southern First Nations in child welfare reform through a Chief-in-Summit resolution. In September 2025, SCO Chiefs-in-Summit reaffirmed that mandate and directed SCO to pursue a regional agreement specifically reflecting the needs, priorities and jurisdiction of the 33 Anishinaabe and Dakota Nations SCO represents.
SCO is actively advancing that work through political engagement with Canada and Manitoba, direct collaboration with southern First Nations leadership and independent fiscal analysis. SCO has engaged the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy to quantify the actual resources and long-term investments required to support prevention, family reunification, culturally grounded services and the exercise of First Nations jurisdiction.
This work is intended to establish an evidence-based financial foundation for a properly funded southern Manitoba-specific agreement. It will assess actual service needs and costs rather than relying on provincial or federal funding assumptions that have not kept pace with the realities experienced by First Nations children, families, and service providers.
“SCO is not waiting for governments to define the solution for us,” said Grand Chief Daniels. “Our Chiefs have provided a clear mandate, and we are building the fiscal evidence required to demonstrate what a fair and sustainable system must include. Manitoba’s review should support that work by providing transparent data and addressing its own responsibilities.”
Introduced in 2019, the Single Envelope Funding model has continued without the comprehensive external assessment sought by First Nations leadership. During that time, inflation, staffing pressures, placement expenses, third-party service costs, and the complexity of children’s needs have increased significantly.
SCO cautions that the review cannot be framed primarily as an examination of how First Nations authorities manage provincial funding. It must equally examine Manitoba’s political and financial decisions, including whether the province provides sufficient, equitable and predictable resources, and how its funding formulas and allocations are determined.
“Accountability cannot flow in only one direction,” said Grand Chief Daniels. “First Nations authorities and agencies are expected to deliver essential services within an envelope established by the province. Manitoba must be equally accountable for whether that envelope reflects actual needs and enables agencies to fulfil their responsibilities to children and families.”
The province has indicated that the review could take approximately one year, with the possibility of an extension. SCO says children, families and agencies cannot wait until late 2027 or 2028 for action. Manitoba must immediately work with First Nations authorities and agencies to identify urgent pressures and provide stabilization funding wherever staffing, placements, prevention programs or other mandated services are at risk.
SCO is also calling for First Nations leadership to have a formal role in establishing the review’s terms of reference, assessing the reviewer, guiding engagement, examining evidence, and shaping recommendations. Being heard within a provincially controlled process is not a substitute for meaningful First Nations participation and shared decision-making.
The provincial review must not interfere with inherent First Nations jurisdiction or delay SCO’s Chiefs-directed work toward a properly funded regional agreement. SCO will continue advancing its political, technical and fiscal work while participating constructively in the provincial review.
“Manitoba now has a political responsibility to ensure this process produces more than another report,” concluded Grand Chief Daniels. “SCO will continue advancing a southern First Nations approach grounded in the direction of our Chiefs, reliable fiscal evidence and the inherent right of our Nations to care for our children according to their own laws, cultures, and priorities.”
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The Southern Chiefs’ Organization represents 33 First Nations and more than 92,000 citizens in what is now called southern Manitoba. SCO is an independent political organization that protects, preserves, promotes, and enhances First Nations peoples’ inherent rights, languages, customs, and traditions through the application and implementation of the spirit and intent of the Treaty-making process.
For media inquiries:
Email: Media@scoinc.mb.ca