Statement from the Métis Nation of Ontario on the 2025 Ontario Budget

Press Release

May 16, 2025

OTTAWA, ON – May 15th, 2025 – As the democratically elected, federally and provincially recognized Métis government representing Métis citizens and Métis communities in Ontario, the Métis Nation of Ontario (“MNO”) acknowledges the release of the 2025 Ontario Budget. The MNO remains committed to working in partnership with the Government of Ontario to advance priorities that support Métis individuals and families, strengthen communities, and recognize the distinct rights and needs of Métis people.

The 2025 provincial budget, released Thursday, reflected the provincial government’s priority to advance economic growth and prosperity for all Ontarians. The MNO welcomes the expansion of the province’s Indigenous Participation Fund by $70 million and the $3 billion Indigenous Opportunities Financing Program. These programs have the potential to support Métis participation in key resource and infrastructure projects, including electricity generation, critical minerals, broader resource development.

Ontario’s economic history is deeply intertwined with the Métis communities in the province. For many generations, Métis communities in Ontario have enhanced the province’s fiscal and entrepreneurial landscape from historic trade routes along the Upper Great Lakes and waterways of northern Ontario, to modern-day Métis-owned businesses and commercial initiatives like Métis Infinity Investments and the Métis Voyageur Development Fund. As the Ford Government steers its fiscal strategy toward long-term growth and stability, the MNO is ready to work with the province to strengthen and expand on the vital contributions of Métis in Ontario.

The MNO will continue to engage with the Ford government on its top priorities which include:

1. Improving healthcare access for Métis people, in both urban and rural settings;
2. Creating more economic opportunities for Métis businesses and Métis workers;
3. Ensuring all Métis families have access to safe and affordable housing;
4. Strengthening the financial resiliency of Métis families, including Elders and caregivers; and,
5. Sharing the rich history of Métis people and communities in Ontario through educational resources like the Ontario Métis Facts website.

In the spirit of economic reconciliation and prosperity for all of Ontario, the MNO looks forward to continued dialogue with the Government of Ontario to sustain and expand the investments and initiatives that support Métis people. As we work alongside the Ford Government to advance Métis rights, policies, and programs, the MNO remains committed to building a stronger Ontario—for Métis communities and for the benefit of all Ontarians.

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ABOUT THE MNO
The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) is the democratically elected—federally and provincially recognized—government of Métis citizens and communities in Ontario, including the Métis community in and around Sault Ste. Marie that was recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada in R v. Powley.

Media inquiries: Media@metisnation.org

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