The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across Canada. Although the virus causing COVID-19 affects everyone, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (the Committee) heard repeatedly during the spring and fall of 2020 that First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples and their communities are more vulnerable to it than other Canadians. Many of the vulnerabilities experienced by Indigenous Peoples are rooted in long-standing health and socioeconomic inequities.

In this report, the Committee summarizes what witnesses said about some of the inequities that make Indigenous Peoples more vulnerable to COVID-19. The Committee also looked at how the government’s response to the pandemic could be improved. The government needs to make sure that Indigenous communities, businesses and individuals are not left behind during and after the pandemic. Based on what it heard, the Committee makes 42 recommendations. The Committee calls on the government to:

• Address the lack of adequate housing and telecommunications, water and wastewater, and health care infrastructure in Indigenous communities during and after the pandemic (recommendations 1 to 7);
• Identify and address needs for personal protective equipment, rapid testing, COVID-19 data and surge capacity in Indigenous and northern communities during the COVID-19 pandemic (recommendations 8 to 11);
• Continue evaluating and funding permanent emergency management officer positions at the community level (recommendation 12);
• Acknowledge and address the causes of vaccine hesitancy among Indigenous Peoples, and ensure the safe and equitable access to culturally appropriate health and social services by all Indigenous Peoples (recommendations 13 and 14);
• Take immediate actions to address the mental health and wellness crisis in Indigenous communities (recommendations 15, 16 and 17);
• Establish a program to support land-based mental health initiatives (recommendation 18);
• Identify and address gaps in the enforcement of First Nations bylaws (recommendation 19);
• Establish a mechanism to improve coordination and action by all governments during national public health emergencies such as the current pandemic (recommendation 20);
• Take immediate action to support access to traditional food and ensure food security during the pandemic (recommendation 21);
• Ensure that Indigenous students have the resources they need to continue their education during the pandemic (recommendation 22);
• Support Indigenous businesses and provide financial supports to First Nations operating under the Indian Act regime (recommendations 23 to 28);
• Support northern air carriers during the pandemic (recommendations 29, 30 and 31);
• Ensure that Métis, urban Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous women and girls are supported through the pandemic (recommendations 32 to 35);
• Ensure that emergency COVID-19 programming is flexible, needs-based and easy to access by Indigenous communities and businesses (recommendations 36 to 39); and
• Consider measures to leverage infrastructure projects to stimulate the post-pandemic recovery in Indigenous communities (recommendations 40, 41 and 42).

Many of the issues discussed in this report are not new. Historical underfunding and systemic barriers have made Indigenous communities vulnerable to infectious diseases and pandemics. The Committee believes that the government must take immediate actions to remedy to this situation. The government must also commit to implementing long-term solutions. Canada can – and must – ensure that no one is left behind during the pandemic. We cannot return to the status quo once it is over.