Program directory · Department of Justice Canada
Indigenous Justice
- Department
- Department of Justice Canada
- Program code
- BNY08 (JUS)
- Core responsibility
- Justice System Support
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The Department contributes funding to the provinces and territories for programs and services which provides culturally appropriate assistance to Indigenous people navigating the criminal justice system. The Department also provides funding to a range of recipients who deliver programs which provide culturally relevant alternatives to the mainstream justice system for Indigenous people. Finally, the Department provides contribution funding to the territories to help ensure that Northern residents have access to legal representation and advice as well as information on the justice system.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indigenous Justice | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $275M |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | Spending $33.6M, against $23.2M in 2020-21 (+44%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2022-23 | Spending $50.4M, against $33.6M in 2021-22 (+50%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Indicators added: Number of community-based justice programs supported through the Indigenous Justice Program; Number of Indigenous people who received services from an Indigenous courtworker | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Indicators dropped: Number and type of restorative justice programs/processes available.; Number of people who have used the available restorative justice programs/processes.; Percentage of federal funds accessed by provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to deliver targeted services consistent with federal priorities.; Percentage of Indigenous Courtwork Program clients indicating a level of satisfaction of “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the usefulness of the information provided.; Percentage of individuals who were referred to an Indigenous justice program and participated in the program. | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
Number of community-based justice programs supported through the Indigenous Justice Program
Expected result: The criminal justice system supports alternative ways of responding to the causes and consequences of offending.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 205 – 217 | 2024 | 214 | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 197 | 2025 | 211 | Met |
Number of Indigenous people who received services from an Indigenous courtworker
Expected result: Individuals in Canada who experience legal problems have access to appropriate services enabling a fair, timely and accessible justice system.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | ≥ 68,000 | 2024 | — Data for 2023-24 are not available as reporting is due in December 2025. | No result reported |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 68,000 | 2025 | — Data for 2024-2025 are currently unavailable as submissions are due December 2025 | No result reported |
Number and type of restorative justice programs/processes available.
Expected result: The criminal justice system supports alternative ways of responding to the causes and consequences of offending.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | — | 2019 | 448 448 restorative justice programs. The programs are self-reported in the Directory of Restorative Justice https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/rj-jr/sch-rch.aspx | No result reported |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 448 | 2021 | 450 According to available data, 450 restorative justice programs were reported in the Department of Justice Canada Directory of Restorative Justice in 2020-21, which is two more than the 448 programs reported in 2019-20. Of the 450 restorative justice programs, 197 were Indigenous justice programs. The Directory of Restorative Justice only provides information on the number of self-reported restorat… | Met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 448 | 2022 | 462 The Directory of Restorative Justice (https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/rj-jr/sch-rch.aspx) only provides information on the number of self-reported restorative justice programs available. Please note that not all programs reported in the Directory received funding from the Department of Justice Canada. | Met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 448 | 2023 | 431 There is an apparent decrease in restorative justice programs for 2022-23 as some jurisdictions reported their restorative justice program as a single aggregate organization instead of multiple satellite offices, which differs from how it was reported through the Directory of Restorative Justice in the past. In reality, the number of restorative justice programs available increased from the 2020-… | Not met |
Number of people who have used the available restorative justice programs/processes.
Expected result: The criminal justice system supports alternative ways of responding to the causes and consequences of offending.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | — | 2019 | — Performance indicator under review as a result of lack of data availability. | No result reported |
| 2020-21 | — | 2021 | — Departmental result indicator under review as a result of data-availability issues. | No result reported |
| 2021-22 | — | — | Not available This particular indicator has been reviewed and will not be retained moving forward by Justice. | No result reported |
| 2022-23 | — | — | — This particular indicator has been reviewed and will not be retained by the Department. | No result reported |
Percentage of federal funds accessed by provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to deliver targeted services consistent with federal priorities.
Expected result: The criminal justice system supports alternative ways of responding to the causes and consequences of offending.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 100% | 2019 | 100% | Met |
| 2019-20 | ≥ 100% | 2020 | 98% The result (98%) remains consistent with that of previous reporting periods, though slightly below the target. Only the Contraventions Act Fund is not fully committed. The Department continues to work diligently toward having provinces, territories, and municipalities sign Contraventions Act administration and enforcement agreements containing language rights provisions supported by the Fund. How… | Not met |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 100% | 2021 | 98% The result above shows that the percentage of federal funds accessed by provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to deliver targeted services in support of federal priorities is consistent with that of previous reporting periods. Though slightly below the departmental target, the result remains consistent at 98% despite the COVID-19 pandemic. | Not met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 100% | 2022 | 97% The result shows that the percentage of federal funds accessed by provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to deliver targeted services in support of federal priorities. Though slightly below the departmental target, the result remains consistent at 97% despite the COVID-19 pandemic. | Not met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 100% | 2023 | 99% The result (99%) remains consistent with that of previous reporting periods, though slightly below the target. Some of the lapsed funds are attributable to historical programs lapses such as the State-Funded Counsel Program and the Special Advocates Program (demand driven by court orders) and Contraventions Act Fund (which is not fully committed). The Department continues to work diligently towar… | Not met |
Percentage of Indigenous Courtwork Program clients indicating a level of satisfaction of “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the usefulness of the information provided.
Expected result: The criminal justice system supports alternative ways of responding to the causes and consequences of offending.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 80% | 2019 | — The Indigenous Courtwork client survey is only administered every five years in the course of program evaluations. The next evaluation is scheduled for 2022-23. | No result reported |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 80% | 2023 | 95% The latest approved evaluation (March 2023) for the Indigenous Courtwork Program can be found on the Justice Canada website, https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cp-pm/eval/rep-rap/2023/eicp-epapa/pdf/EN_EICP.pdf. | Met |
Percentage of individuals who were referred to an Indigenous justice program and participated in the program.
Expected result: The criminal justice system supports alternative ways of responding to the causes and consequences of offending.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 90% | 2019 | — Since the publication of the 2018-19 Departmental Plan, the date to achieve target was revised to March 2022. | No result reported |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 90% | 2022 | — Most recent result available is for 2019-20. | No result reported |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 90% | 2023 | — A new statistical reporting methodology was implemented in 2020-21. At this time, only 2020-21 data is available. | No result reported |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
Number of community-based justice programs supported through the Indigenous Justice Program
Expected result: The criminal justice system supports alternative ways of responding to the causes and consequences of offending.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 211 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Number of Indigenous people who received services from an Indigenous courtworker
Expected result: Individuals in Canada who experience legal problems have access to appropriate services enabling a fair, timely and accessible justice system.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 80,000 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $22.6M | $23.8M |
| 2019-20 | $22.6M | $23.2M |
| 2020-21 | $22.1M | $23.2M |
| 2021-22 | $22.1M | $33.6M |
| 2022-23 | $50.9M | $50.4M |
| 2023-24 | $62.4M | $59.7M |
| 2024-25 | $46.3M | $61.1M |
| 2025-26 | $58.7M | — |
| 2026-27 | $57.8M | — |
| 2027-28 | $49M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $49M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 12 | 17 |
| 2019-20 | 18 | 19 |
| 2020-21 | 19 | 19 |
| 2021-22 | 19 | 20 |
| 2022-23 | 20 | 19 |
| 2023-24 | 23 | 17 |
| 2024-25 | 17 | 16 |
| 2025-26 | 16 | — |
| 2026-27 | 14 | — |
| 2027-28 | 14* | — |
| 2028-29 | 14* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $22,617,453 | $22,617,453 | $21,984,772 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $22,647,105 | $22,014,289 | $22,014,289 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $22,057,774 | $22,071,396 | $22,073,096 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $22,071,396 | $22,073,096 | $22,073,096 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $50,913,401 | $51,163,401 | $34,786,298 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $62,401,456 | $46,024,165 | $39,024,165 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $46,272,147 | $39,309,136 | $39,305,200 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $58,735,101 | $57,231,113 | $49,115,557 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $57,778,745 | $48,969,456 | $48,969,456 | ||||||||
| Actual | $23,766,898 | $23,232,634 | $23,248,929 | $33,591,937 | $50,371,801 | $59,725,073 | $61,050,963 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
