Jordan's Principle is a legal requirement that First Nations children receive the products, services, and supports they need when they need them. If there's a jurisdictional dispute about who should pay — federal or provincial, one department or another — the government of first contact pays, and sorts out the billing later.
The child comes first. Always.
Why it exists
Jordan's Principle is named after Jordan River Anderson, a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba. Jordan was born in 1999 with complex medical needs. He spent more than two years in hospital — not because he needed to be there medically, but because the federal and provincial governments couldn't agree on who should pay for his at-home care.
Jordan passed away in the hospital in 2005 at age five, having never spent a day in a family home.
His story exposed a systemic failure: First Nations children were falling through jurisdictional cracks that don't exist for other Canadian children. In 2007, the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion supporting Jordan's Principle. In 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered the federal government to fully implement it.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has ordered the federal government to comply with Jordan's Principle. It's not a grant program that can be cut. It's a ruling backed by human rights law. If your child is eligible and the need is real, the government is legally required to respond.
What it covers
Jordan's Principle covers a wide range of services and supports for First Nations children (0 to age of majority in your province, typically 18 or 19). The scope is intentionally broad:
- Health — mental health services, therapies (speech, occupational, physio), medical equipment, orthodontics, hearing aids, medications not covered elsewhere
- Education — educational assessments, tutoring, school supplies, assistive technology, psychoeducational testing, special education supports
- Social — respite care, cultural programming, after-school care, transportation to access services, land-based healing programs
The principle applies whether the child lives on or off reserve. Geography is not a barrier to eligibility.
Jordan's Principle requests are assessed individually, but here are real categories of approved supports to give you a sense of what's possible:
- Speech and language therapy for a child with developmental delays
- Psychoeducational assessment to identify learning disabilities
- Wheelchair, mobility aids, or home modifications for a child with physical disabilities
- Orthodontic treatment not covered by NIHB
- Private tutoring for a child falling behind in school
- Cultural camps and land-based programming for a child dealing with grief or mental health challenges
- Respite care for families caring for a child with high needs
- Transportation and accommodation for a child who needs to travel for medical care
- Laptops or tablets needed for school or therapeutic programs
- Specialized infant formula or nutrition supplements
If you're unsure whether something qualifies, apply anyway. The worst outcome is a "no" — and many things that seem like a stretch are routinely approved.
Jordan's Principle isn't limited to individual children. First Nations, communities, and organizations can submit group requests for services that benefit multiple children — such as a cultural program, screening clinic, or after-school initiative. If your community sees a common need, a group request may be more efficient than dozens of individual ones.
How to apply
Applications can be submitted by parents, guardians, family members, or service providers with the family's consent. Here's the process:
- Identify the need. What does your child need? A service, a product, a support? Be as specific as you can.
- Gather supporting documents. This might include a letter from a doctor, therapist, teacher, or other professional explaining the need. Medical records, assessments, or school reports strengthen your request.
- Submit the request. Call the Jordan's Principle Call Centre at 1-855-JP-CHILD (1-855-572-4453) or submit online through ISC's Jordan's Principle portal. Your band office or regional health authority may also help you submit.
- Wait for a response. ISC must respond within specific timelines set by the Tribunal:
- Urgent requests: 12 hours
- Standard requests: 48 hours for an initial determination
- Requests needing more review: up to 16 weeks (but interim supports should be provided)
- Receive the service. If approved, ISC covers the cost. You may need to arrange the service provider, or ISC may coordinate directly.
A common misconception is that Jordan's Principle is a "last resort" — that you have to be turned down by provincial programs before applying. That's not how it works. If a First Nations child has an unmet need, you can apply to Jordan's Principle directly.
When requests are denied
Denials happen. Sometimes they're legitimate (the request doesn't fit the scope); sometimes they're wrong. Here's what to do:
1. Get the denial in writing. Ask for a written explanation of why your request was denied. The reason matters — it tells you what to address in your appeal or resubmission.
2. Request a review. You can ask ISC to reconsider the decision. If you have new information — an updated assessment, a clearer professional letter, or evidence of the impact on your child — include it.
3. Contact an advocate. Several organizations help families navigate Jordan's Principle denials. The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (fncaringsociety.com) is the leading advocacy organization on this issue. They can advise you on next steps.
4. Escalate if needed. If the denial violates the CHRT's orders, you can file a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission. This is a more formal step, but it's there for a reason.
5. Don't give up. The system is not designed to be easy. Many successful requests required persistence. Your child's needs haven't changed just because a bureaucratic process said no the first time.
The financial side parents should know
Jordan's Principle is fundamentally about money — specifically, about ensuring that cost disputes between governments never again delay or deny services to a child. Here's the financial dimension:
- You should not be paying out of pocket for services Jordan's Principle covers. If you've been told to pay first and seek reimbursement, push back — or submit the receipts for retroactive coverage.
- Retroactive claims are possible. If you paid for a service your child needed and it should have been covered, you may be able to seek reimbursement for past expenses.
- Jordan's Principle interacts with NIHB. For health-related needs, NIHB may cover part of it. Jordan's Principle fills the gaps NIHB doesn't reach — broader scope, fewer restrictions, and faster timelines.
- Keep all receipts and records. Even if you don't need them immediately, documentation makes future claims and appeals much stronger.
If your child needs a service that doesn't exist in your community — a specialist, a therapist, an assessment — Jordan's Principle can cover the cost of accessing that service elsewhere, including transportation and accommodation. You're not supposed to go without because you live in a rural or remote community.
Connecting to other supports
Jordan's Principle works alongside other programs. Don't think of it as either/or:
- NIHB — covers dental, vision, prescriptions, medical travel for all Status individuals. Jordan's Principle fills the gaps for children specifically.
- Provincial health and education programs — your child is still entitled to everything any other child in the province receives. Jordan's Principle adds to that, not replaces it.
- Disability Tax Credit — if your child has a qualifying condition, the DTC can provide significant tax savings or refundable credits. This is separate from Jordan's Principle and stacks with it.
- Child Disability Benefit — an additional amount through the Canada Child Benefit for families with a child eligible for the DTC.
Knowledge is your child's best advocate
Jordan's Principle exists because a child died waiting for bureaucracies to sort themselves out. The legal framework is now in place to prevent that from happening again — but it only works when parents and caregivers know it exists and know how to use it.
If your child has an unmet need, you have every right to make a request. The process can feel heavy, but the support on the other side of it can be transformative.
Jordan's Principle Call Centre: 1-855-572-4453 (1-855-JP-CHILD). First Nations Child and Family Caring Society: fncaringsociety.com. Your band's health or social services coordinator can also help you navigate the process.
Last updated: March 2026