Toronto Indigenous centres fear cutbacks and closures after federal budget tabled

The shelves at Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre's food bank haven't been as stocked up as they used to be, but the need is greater than it's ever been, it says.

And now the centre at Dundas Street and Parliament Street is one of the spots that fears losing funding after this year’s federal budget left key reconciliation programs without guaranteed money beyond spring 2026.

Redbow Toulouse, who helps run the food bank, says it's already struggling to serve the growing needs of the community, and budget cuts will impact hundreds of vulnerable people.

"We've had to set capacity limits and turn people away," Toulouse said, adding sometimes they even run out of food.

"And then we run out and we have to tell people sorry we don't have anything to give you," he said.

The centre, under the umbrella of Indigenous Friendship Centres across the country, is funded by the federal government's Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples. The centres help Indigenous people in areas like employment, housing, food security, youth programming and mental health.

The federal government says Indigenous people in urban areas who face unique challenges will continue to have access to the services and cultural supports they need. But until Indigenous community leaders see the details of what that looks like, some remain concerned.

"The majority of the work we do is with seniors as well as residential school survivors," said Andrea Chrisjohn, board designate for the Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre.

"It's important to keep investing in them, remind them who they are and make changes from what they've previously experienced."

Sean Longboat, executive director of the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres is calling the move a step backwards in Canada’s relationship with urban Indigenous peoples.

"We're extremely disappointed," he said.

"The Liberal government promised to enhance support for friendship centres and what it did was the exact opposite."

Longboat pointed out that since the pandemic, the need has only grown, and since the centres can't afford to make any cutbacks, some would have no choice but to shut down.

"We know this government is interested in saving costs and we are too. We know when government invests in prevention, it reduces costs in the long run."