Health Facilities Program
Through this program, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) works with First Nations and Inuit communities to provide funding for infrastructure that supports the delivery of health-related programs and services.
On this page
About the program
The Health Facilities Program provides funding to support:
- planning
- construction
- expansion
- renovation
- maintenance
- management of community health facilities.
These activities provide First Nations, Inuit and ISC-employed healthcare staff the space required to safely and efficiently deliver health care programs and services in First Nations and Inuit communities.
The types of health infrastructure supported under this program include health services buildings, addictions treatment centres, Aboriginal Head Start on Reserve spaces and residences for healthcare professionals. The nature of the health infrastructure required by a community is assessed based on a number of factors:
- the types of health programs and services being delivered in the community
- the number and type of health professionals providing such services
- population size
- the proximity of the community to provincial, territorial or other community health services
The majority of health facilities funded through the program are First Nations health facilities serving First Nations individuals and families living on or near reserves.
The program supports First Nations communities in assuming greater control over their health facilities planning, for example, through the use of community health plans, including operational plans to support health services delivery. The long-term goal of the program is to transfer control over the planning, design and delivery of health infrastructure programs and services to Indigenous organizations and institutions.
The program supports:
- Facilities operations and maintenance: this includes funding for the ongoing operations and maintenance activities at health facilities, such as rent, utility charges, cleaning and custodial charges, routine maintenance and minor repairs.
- Minor capital projects: minor repairs and renovations to health infrastructure that cannot be addressed through existing operations and maintenance budgets, and do not meet the definition of a major capital project as they are generally considered less complex.
- Major capital projects: more complex capital planning, design, and construction undertakings to build new, expand or otherwise significantly renovate and repair health facilities. Generally, this includes capital projects where the total project costs $1 million or more, funding is required over more than 1 year or the development of architectural design works is anticipated.
Find out more about the types of projects and activities that are eligible for funding: Health Infrastructure Support Authority Terms and conditions.
Who can apply
First Nations and Inuit communities across Canada and related organizations in health service delivery may be eligible to apply. For more information, contact your First Nations and Inuit health regional office.
Deadline
Regional offices work with communities on an ongoing basis to identify needs. There is no specific deadline for applications.
How to apply
Contact your First Nations and Inuit health regional office.
Regional offices work with communities to develop project planning documentation. Projects are assessed and prioritized for funding based on factors including:
- greatest demonstrated need
- greatest potential impact
- preventing interruptions to essential health services
- making health services accessible closer to home communities
- integrating health services with provinces or territories and First Nations