Program Authority and Administration

The Cultural/Educational Centres Program (CECP) was established under Cabinet authority in 1971 and was consolidated under the memorandum of understanding with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) and Treasury Board respecting Increased Ministerial Authority and Accountability (IMAA).

The CECP provides financial assistance to First Nations, tribal/district councils, Inuit communities and First Nation/Inuit non-profit corporations to preserve, develop and promote First Nations and Inuit culture and heritage, through the delivery of programs and services developed at the community levels. This is accomplished through the funding of established centres, which develop and operate cultural/educational programs for First Nations/Inuit people to participate in, and for the general public to experience.

Objective

The objective of this program is to provide financial and other supportive assistance to enable First Nations and Inuit people to establish and operate cultural/educational centres for the purpose of pursuing any or all of the following objectives, consistent with the program philosophy:

• to revive and develop traditional and contemporary cultural skills of First Nations and Inuit people;
• to conduct and/or facilitate research in First Nations/Inuit heritage and culture;
• to increase First Nations/Inuit peoples' knowledge and use of their traditional languages;
• to develop First Nations/Inuit linguistic learning resources;
• to develop and test culturally-oriented educational curricula, methods and materials for use by established and other programs;
• to promote cross-cultural awareness in mainstream educational programs and institutions;
• to develop and increase access to new and more accurate information about First Nations/Inuit heritage; and
• to improve the opportunities for the public to become knowledgeable about, and sensitive to, the historical and current role of First Nations/Inuit people in Canada.

Eligibility

The CECP provides assistance to First Nations/Inuit communities, tribal/district councils and First Nations/Inuit non-profit corporations.

Funding is granted based on availability, budget and program approval, community support (by band council resolution or hamlet resolution) and the submission of regular activity reports, financial reports and audits, as required.

Current Allocations

The CECP currently manages, with the National Association of Cultural Education Centres (NACEC), over 100 cultural centres across Canada and has an annual budget of $8.2 million.

Current Situation

Over half of the cultural centres that receive funding through the program are supported through an administrative arrangement with the NACEC. The remaining First Nation centres are administered through DIAND regional offices, with the Inuit cultural centres managed from DIAND headquarters.

In partnership with the NACEC and the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, a review of the CECP criteria is under way. This review was launched to examine ways to re-design and simplify the CECP criteria, while maintaining accountability to First Nations and Inuit, and the government.