Advocate says 'not as many requests' for care after years of Jordan's Principle delays

The federal government’s recent promise of $1.55 billion for Jordan’s Principle — funding committed through March 2027 — has not erased concerns from advocates and service providers who say children are still facing long delays and shrinking local resources. Randy Littlechild, chair and president of the First Nations Health Consortium (FNHC) in Edmonton, warned the national sum does not translate into meaningful local capacity: if split among Canada’s more than 600 First Nations, “each would receive less than $3 million.”

"I could see that being gobbled up pretty quick," Littlechild said, underscoring how quickly limited local budgets can be exhausted when applied to health, dental and education supports for children.

Details and context

Jordan’s Principle is intended to ensure First Nations children receive timely access to public health and social services without jurisdictional delays. But advocates say systemic problems remain after years of funding and administrative setbacks.

• Federal commitment: $1.55 billion to March 2027.
• Number of First Nations: more than 600 across Canada.
• Approximate per‑nation share if divided equally: less than $3 million.
• Reported backlog: CBC Indigenous has previously reported 140,000 unadjudicated requests.
• Alberta funding decline: to less than $12 million from around $40 million in the past fiscal year, according to Littlechild.

Littlechild said the FNHC, which assists families with Jordan’s Principle applications, has seen a drop in funding directed to dentists, occupational therapists and educational supports. He described an erosion in trust and demand: “We’ve noticed that the people are starting to not make as many requests because they’re feeling like it’s not happening,” he said, noting that response times that once took “probably within three to four weeks … whereas now it could take six months, sometimes a year.”

Service providers report similar strains. Bonnie Cooke, director of audiology at Speech‑Language & Audiology Canada (SAC), said her organization surveyed 599 members and found about 60 per cent had worked with Jordan’s Principle recipients on speech and language therapy, hearing aids, assistive listening devices or cochlear implants. Cooke warned that delays can be critical: for infants with hearing loss, waits beyond the first three months “could jeopardize their language skills for the rest of their lives.” She said some approvals and payments can take between 12 and 24 months, and cited reports of providers waiting eight to 10 months for reimbursement.

The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society called the backlog “a violation of children’s human rights” and emphasized that “Jordan’s Principle is not a program of goodwill — it is a court‑ and [Canadian Human Rights] Tribunal‑affirmed legal obligation.”

Outlook

Advocates say the $1.55 billion pledge is a necessary step but not a complete solution: they want the outstanding backlog addressed, clearer administrative processes and measures to ensure timely access to speech‑language pathologists, audiologists and communication health assistants, particularly in remote communities. Without operational fixes and predictable local funding, stakeholders warn, families may continue to forgo requests and children risk losing critical, time‑sensitive care.