AMC: Economic Growth Cannot Be Built on Our Lands Without Us
Press Release
April 29, 2026
Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs says Canada’s push to accelerate economic growth through housing, infrastructure, and resource development must include full First Nations partnership — warning that decisions made now will determine whether First Nations share in that future or are left carrying its cost.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs acknowledges the mandate of the federal majority government and the leadership of Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne in advancing a vision to build a strong and resilient Canada in a time of global uncertainty. The federal government has emphasized the need to strengthen Canada’s economy, increase productivity, and expand workforce participation. AMC says those priorities must include First Nations — not as an afterthought, but as full partners in shaping and building that future.
Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said First Nations are paying close attention to the direction Canada is taking. “We hear what Canada is saying about growth, about productivity, and about building a stronger economy,” she said. “First Nations are ready to be part of that future — but we will not accept being left behind while it is built on our lands. We did not sign Treaties to watch others build wealth from our lands while our people are left behind,” she added. “We agreed to share this land. We did not agree to surrender our future.”
The federal update outlines billions in new spending — including over $4.3 billion identified for Indigenous-related priorities, much of which reflects extensions and renewals of existing programs rather than new, long-term investments. “The federal update identifies more than $4.3 billion in Indigenous-related spending, including approximately $2.8 billion for housing, $1 billion for child and family services, $200 million for education, $150 million for mental health and wellness, and smaller amounts for infrastructure and economic participation,” Wilson said. “But much of this funding reflects extensions of existing programs, and the largest portion — housing — is largely directed outside First Nations-controlled systems.”
“Canada is prepared to invest billions to grow its economy,” she added. “But much of what is being counted for First Nations is not new investment — it is the continuation of programs our Nations already depend on, often without the scale or flexibility needed to meet demand.”
She said the scale of the gap tells a very different story. “Canada is counting billions in spending, but the reality is that the gap facing First Nations is measured in the hundreds of billions,” Wilson said. “The Assembly of First Nations estimates the infrastructure deficit at more than $349 billion, while First Nations governments are operating with only a fraction of the capacity required to meet growing demands.”
Northern Manitoba now sits at the centre of that strategy, placing First Nations at the front lines of development pressure. “Canada is moving quickly because it sees economic potential. We see that same potential. But we also know what happens when decisions are made without us,” Wilson said. “Our lands are used, our capacity is stretched, and our people are left trying to respond after the fact.”
She was clear that this approach will not continue. “There will be no fast-tracking of projects at the expense of our rights. There will be no shortcuts around our laws. And there will be no decisions about our lands made without us. We need resources to participate in these decision making processes – there is no getting around that”
At the same time, Canada is advancing a national housing build through its Build Canada Homes initiative. While the program references Indigenous inclusion, AMC says it does not yet reflect a First Nations distinctions-based approach, particularly for housing on reserve.
“First Nations housing cannot be designed as an add-on to provincial systems,” Wilson said. “Our Nations operate under different legal, financial, and governance realities. There must be a clear First Nations approach — including a dedicated on-reserve housing stream — designed with us and delivered by our Nations.” She added that without that distinction, First Nations risk being excluded from one of the largest housing investments in a generation.
“If Canada builds homes at scale without a clear pathway for First Nations, it will repeat the same pattern we have seen for decades — investment bypassing our Nations rather than strengthening them.”
Wilson emphasized that economic growth must translate into real opportunity for First Nations people — especially young people — and that this work must be grounded in the overall well-being of individuals and Nations. “Our youth are ready. They are looking for training, for skilled trades, for careers in the industries that are growing,” she said. “But participation in that economy requires more than access to jobs — it requires stable, supported Nations where people are able to step into those opportunities. We need to invest also in”
She said that without immediate and coordinated investment, many First Nations will continue to face barriers to full participation. “If Canada is serious about expanding its workforce, then it must invest at the same time in the conditions that allow our people to train, to work, and to build long-term careers,” Wilson said. “That means investing not only in economic growth, but in the mental wealth of our people — because economic success cannot be separated from the strength and well-being of our Nations.” Wilson said.
The AMC is calling for a First Nations-led employment and training strategy tied directly to federal investments in housing, infrastructure, and resource development — one that integrates skills training, apprenticeships, and wraparound supports at the Nation level to ensure First Nations workers are able to enter, remain in, and lead within the economy.
The federal government has also signalled interest in new national investment tools, including a sovereign wealth-style approach to major projects. Wilson said any such approach must include First Nations as full partners in ownership and benefit. Last summer, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs formally called on Canada to establish a Treaty Review Agency and a Wealth Sharing Table to ensure equitable benefit from lands and resources. Those proposals remain unanswered. “We have already put forward a path based on our Treaties,” Wilson said. “A Treaty Review Agency to uphold those agreements, and a Wealth Sharing Table to ensure fairness. These are not new ideas to consider later — they are obligations that must be acted on now.”
While Canada accelerates economic growth, many First Nations continue to face housing shortages, infrastructure gaps, and rising costs of living — pressures that cannot be addressed through short-term or repurposed funding. “Our Nations cannot be expected to carry the social and environmental costs of development while others carry away the benefits,” she said. “That is not partnership. That is imbalance.”
Grand Chief Wilson said Canada is at a defining moment. “We keep reminding Canada that First Nations are not stakeholders in this country’s economy. We are governments. We are Treaty partners,” she said. “The future of this country will be built on our lands. The question is whether it will finally be built the way it was always meant to be — together.”
For more information, please contact:
Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com
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