The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs-First Nations Family Advocate Office Calls on Province to Halt Emergency Placement Pay Policy, Urges First Nations-Led, Culturally Safe Solutions for Children
December 12, 2025
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
AMC Communications
Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB (December 12, 2025) — The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs -First Nations Family Advocate Office (AMC-FNFAO) expresses deep concern for Manitoba’s new policy change requiring Child and Family Services (CFS) agencies to increase pay for extended emergency placement resources.
“Simply increasing pay for agencies using emergency placements does not tackle the underlying reasons children enter care,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson. “Under the province’s block funding model, it only diverts the already underfunded resources away from supporting children and empowering families.”
AMC-FNFAO warns that this shift will create heightened risks and lead to worsening outcomes for First Nations children in care.
“Emergency placement should always be the last resort; however, we know these placements are heavily relied on due to the lack of safe and culturally appropriate homes,” Grand Chief Wilson said. “We know, these facilities do not meet the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of First Nation children, and are often operating beyond full capacity.”
According to a letter obtained by CBC Manitoba via a freedom of information request, the provincial families’ department notified child welfare authorities of the policy change in October. The changes took effect on December 1, 2025, for Winnipeg Child and Family Services and will expand across the province on January 1, 2026.
AMC-FNFAO is calling on the province of Manitoba to work with First Nations to establish an Emergency Placement Strategy to ensure that First Nations children will receive care rooted in kinship, cultural safety and prevention. This approach would replace non-culturally safe facilities with First Nations-led rapid response, warm homes, and stabilization supports that keep families together.
AMC-FNFAO calls on the province to immediately halt the implementation of this policy, invest in a permanent First Nations-led solution, and work in full partnership with First Nations leadership to protect the safety and dignity of First Nations children.
For more information, please contact:
Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com
About the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of 62 of the 63 First Nations in Manitoba, with a total of more than 151,000 First Nations citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 per cent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Nehetho / Ininew (Cree), Anishininew (Ojibwe-Cree), Denesuline (Dene) and Dakota Oyate (Dakota) people.