MKO Calls for Urgent Investment in Child Welfare Services in Northern Manitoba
Press Release
October 22, 2025
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) is alarmed over the rising number of children in care in Manitoba and the continued overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system.
According to the Department of Families’ 2025 annual report, the number of children in care increased by 253 children over the past year, reaching 9,172. Indigenous children now account for 91% of those in care, despite making up only 25% of the child population. And 33% of children in care today are associated with First Nations in northern Manitoba, underscoring the urgent need for targeted investment in culturally appropriate services provided in northern First Nations communities.
MKO acknowledges the province’s recent efforts to support kinship and customary care arrangements, which allow First Nations children to remain within their family units and maintain cultural connections. These legislative changes, introduced through Bill 32 and Bill 38, represent a positive shift toward Indigenous jurisdiction. However, MKO is disappointed that these initiatives are not yet adequately funded, limiting their reach and effectiveness.
The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth, Sherry Gott, has cited a “dire lack of emergency placement resources and support for at-risk children and youth in northern Manitoba.” Her office describes this as “a stark reflection of persisting inequities” between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. The lack of resources is contributing to significant challenges for families and child and family services agencies in the north, where culturally safe and timely supports are urgently needed.
MKO’s Acting Grand Chief Morris Beardy stated, “We commend the province for recognizing the importance of keeping First Nations children with their families through kinship care, but our children deserve more than promises. Without proper funding, these arrangements cannot succeed. We need the province to follow through on its funding commitments.”
MKO calls on the Province of Manitoba to fulfill its obligation by ensuring sustained, adequate funding for culturally appropriate services that protect and uplift First Nations children, youth, and families.
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