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About 30 years have passed since First Nation communities started reflecting on their fiscal relationship and came together to develop legislative frameworks for First Nation jurisdictions outside of the Indian Act. Now, over half of all First Nations from all regions in Canada are either participating or signatory to the First Nations Fiscal Management Act (FNFMA) and the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management.
First Nations Financial Management Board
The FMB supports First Nations working towards economic self-determination.
The FMB is one of four Indigenous-led organizations established by the First Nations Fiscal Management Act (FMA). This is First Nations-driven legislation that provides First Nations with support and tools to strengthen their communities and build their economies. First Nations choose whether to participate in the FMA.
The FMB supports First Nations to develop the capacity and secure the financing needed to plan and bring to life a Seven Generations strategy for their citizens.
As of February 15, 2025, there are now 299 First Nations that have developed financial administration laws (FAL) that meet FMB standards. 248 of these First Nations have achieved FP certification and 70 First Nations have FMS certification.
Website:
https://fnfmb.com/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FNFMB
X (Twitter):
https://x.com/FNFMB
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fnfmb
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/FNFMB
First Nations Finance Authority
A 100% First Nation-led organization, First Nations Finance Authority operates under the successful First Nations Fiscal Management Act (the Act) and loans to First Nation governments who voluntarily schedule to the Act. First Nations who then take the necessary steps to become an FNFA borrowing member can access affordable capital to support infrastructure and economic development projects for their communities’ priorities.
From schools, housing and Elders complexes to water treatment facility, clean energy and major infrastructure projects, such as the world’s first Indigenous-majority-owned LNG facility, Cedar LNG led by the Haisla Nation, FNFA supports First Nations to build their futures on their own terms.
“Access to affordable capital is key to the key ingredient to economic prosperity for First Nations,” shares Ernie Daniels, FNFA President and CEO. “FNFA is the only First Nation organization in the world leveraging private capital in a pooled-borrowing model of Nations to finance community projects – this is true economic reconciliation in action.”
FNFA is a self-sufficient non-profit that operates on a cooperative financing model for First Nation governments, raising funds in capital markets.
Since issuing its inaugural bond of $90 million in June 2014 loan portfolio now exceeds $3.4 billion in financing for its members across Canada resulting in an estimated 34,000 job opportunities. Over half of the 634 First Nations in Canada are scheduled to the Act FNFA operates under giving them access to pursue financing and services.
This model isn’t just prosperity for First Nations—with a national economic output of $7.4 billion to date, FNFA is about prosperity for all Canadians.
First Nations Tax Commission
The First Nations Tax Commission supports First Nation governments in implementing property tax systems and expanding their jurisdiction. The FNTC provides helpful tools including sample laws and by-laws, standards and policies, and support and training to ensure First Nations are benefitting from their property tax systems and that property taxpayers are receiving high quality services.
The purpose of the FNTC goes beyond property tax and local revenues. The FNTC is about creating the legal and administrative framework necessary for markets to work on First Nation lands, creating a competitive First Nation investment climate, and using economic growth as the catalyst for greater First Nation self-reliance.
The FNTC has now approved over 760 laws under the Act, and FMA First Nations are generating over $80 million in property tax revenues annually. With the recent amendments to the FMA, First Nations have expanded tax powers and are developing new laws, further exercising their jurisdiction in their communities.
Lands Advisory Board
Under the Framework Agreement, signatory First Nations established a Lands Advisory Board to assist them in implementing land governance over their reserve lands and resources. Councils of the Signatory Operational First Nations (FNs) determine composition of the LAB.
The LAB is currently comprised of 14 elected Directors and the Chair, serving on staggered terms. Annually, one Directors position comes up for election from each of three regions. These three regions are British Columbia, Prairie (AB, SK and MB), and Eastern (ON, QC and the Atlantic).
The LAB Chair is elected for a 5-year term; the Directors are elected for three-year terms. The responsibilities of the LAB are prescribed by the Framework Agreement and ratified by the FNLMA.
The LAB mission statement can be summarized as: “First Nations working together to resume jurisdiction over reserve lands and natural resources.” The LAB established the Resource Centre to discharge the LAB’s technical responsibilities under the Framework Agreement, one of which is to arrange the terms of comprehensive funding arrangements with INAC.
The Resource Centre mission statement can be summarized as: “Supporting First Nations to exercise their Inherent Right to govern their lands and resources.”
First Nations Infrastructure Institute
High-quality public infrastructure is critical to the health and sustainability of Indigenous communities. The First Nations Infrastructure Institute (FNII) is an Indigenous-led initiative that will support Indigenous communities to plan, procure, own and manage their infrastructure assets on their lands.
FNII will work with participating First Nations and/or Indigenous organizations to establish a project team, build capacity and get projects delivered.
Some communities and organizations may want a lot of support and some may need very little. The FNII approach is flexible to adapt to existing community capacity.
Infrastructure projects that meet FNII standards will send a message to members, lenders, funders and partners that due diligence on a project meets best practices.