
Lands and Economic Development Services Program
Last Update: August 7, 2025
Canada
Supports Indigenous economic development and sustainable land management
Lands and Economic Development Services Program at a glance
Eligible Funding
- No Condition
Timeline
- Unspecified
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Construction
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration
Grant Providers
- Government of Canada
Program status
Open
Overview of the Lands and Economic Development Services Program program
The Lands and Economic Development Services Program, administered by Indigenous Services Canada, provides funding to First Nations and Inuit communities to enhance economic development and improve land and environmental management through operational and project-based initiatives. Eligible activities include community economic development planning, capacity building, land management, and environmental stewardship; the maximum funding amount is not specified.
Eligible projects & activities
- Development and implementation of economic development plans for First Nations and Inuit communities.
- Capacity-building initiatives to enhance land and resource management skills.
- Support for environmental management and pollution prevention projects, particularly waste management on reserve lands.
- Preparation for participation in major resource development initiatives and strategic economic development activities.
- Projects that facilitate the addition of lands to reserves, including land designations and surveys that support economic development.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 163,500
Capacity-building in GIS land mapping for sustainable resource planning
$ 210,000
Survey and legal designation for economic development on new reserve lands
$ 129,000
Development of an economic plan for Indigenous-owned eco-tourism venture
$ 160,000
Support for land code development under the First Nations Land Management
$ 185,000
Implementation of a comprehensive waste management system on reserve
$ 245,000
Pilot renewable energy microgrid to enhance reserve energy autonomy
Eligibility criteria of the Lands and Economic Development Services Program program
- The applicant must be a First Nations or Inuit community.
- The project must support economic development, land, or environmental management within First Nations or Inuit communities.
- Proposed activities should enhance capacity for land management, economic planning, or environmental protection.
Who is eligible?
- First Nations communities
- Inuit communities
Eligible expenses
- Operational costs for delivering economic development services.
- Capacity development initiatives related to land and economic management.
- Proposal development support expenses.
- Costs associated with the management of reserve lands, resources, and the environment.
- Expenses for on-reserve environmental management, including waste management and pollution prevention.
- Support services to prevent contamination of reserve lands.
- Costs related to land codes, individual agreements, land management systems, and environmental agreements.
- Expenses for land additions, designations, and surveys that enable economic development.
Eligible geographic areas
- First Nations and Inuit communities in Canada
Eligibility criteria of the Lands and Economic Development Services Program program
- Initiatives that strengthen land and environmental management, and economic development as a key function of local government.
- Support for Indigenous participation in major resource development initiatives.
- Readiness to participate in the First Nations Land Management Regime or strategic economic development and associated land use planning.
- Initiatives that promote on-reserve environmental management and pollution prevention, particularly waste management.
- Additions to reserves, designations, and surveys that support economic development.
- Level of risk involved with the project.
- Demonstrated need for federal funding.
- Environmental benefits for First Nations and Inuit individuals, businesses, or communities, such as improved waste management or rehabilitation of contaminated lands.
How to apply to the Lands and Economic Development Services Program program
1
Assess eligibility and objectives
- Identify if your community aims to enhance economic development or land management capacities
- Determine eligibility as a First Nations or Inuit community
- Review the objectives and support types offered by the program
2
Select appropriate funding type
- Choose between operational and project-based funding options
- Align your community's needs with the program priorities
- Select the relevant type of funding for your initiative
3
Prepare application documents
- Prepare the necessary documentation for your application
- Gather evidence of the demonstrated need for federal funding
- Collect information on environmental benefits or project outcomes
4
Draft and review the application
- Draft a detailed application aligning with program priorities
- Include supporting documents such as land management plans and environmental strategies
- Review for completeness and compliance with guidelines
5
Submit your application
- Submit the completed application and all supporting materials to Indigenous Services Canada
- Ensure submission deadlines for the selected funding type are met
Additional information
- The program combines five prior community-based economic and land management support programs under a single initiative.
- Administered by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) since 2014.
- Priority is given to initiatives that strengthen land management and economic development within Indigenous communities.
- Date of last modification for program information: June 11, 2020.
Apply to this program

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