Jordan’s Principle Service Coordination

The Okanagan Nation Alliance Jordan’s Principle Service Coordination supports First Nations and Inuit children and families with Jordan’s Principle applications in the Interior Health Region to ensure children and youth can access required services or supports they need, in line with the Jordan’s Principle child-first legal ruling.

Our goal is to streamline the process and help ensure your child’s needs are met in a timely manner.

What is Jordan’s Principle?

Jordan’s Principle is a child-first legal ruling created to ensure public services or supports ordinarily available to other Canadian children are made available to First Nations and Inuit children and youth throughout Canada without delay or denial.

Jordan’s Principle is named in memory of Jordan River Anderson, a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba who tragically died after spending more than two years unnecessarily in hospital while Canada and Manitoba argued over payment for his at-home care.

After Jordan tragically passed away in hospital, advocates pushed governments to respond and prevent it from ever happening again. In 2007 after years of work by community advocates and leadership, the House of Commons finally and unanimously passed Motion-296, enacting Jordan’s Principle.

Since 2007, there have been several Canadian Human Rights Tribunal complaints and orders that as a result had further clarified the scope, definition and implementation of Jordan’s Principle. Jordan’s Principle is a legal obligation with no end date.

Jordan’s Principle responds to the unmet health, education and social needs of First Nations and Inuit children living in Canada.
Services provided under Jordan’s Principle are available to children who are under the age of majority in their province or territory (19 in British Columbia), permanently reside in Canada, and meet at least one of the following critera:
The child is registered or eligible to be registered under the Indian Act;
The child has at least one parent or guardian who is registered or eligible to be registered under the Indian Act
The child is recognized by their First Nation for the purposes of Jordan’s Principle; or
The child is ordinarily resident on reserve
On November 25, 2020, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) released a ruling about Jordan’s Principle eligibility. The eligibility above replaces the CHRT interim motion ruling of February 2019.

Ordinarily Resident on Reserve
On February 10, 2025, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) provided additional information about eligibility based on being “ordinarily resident on reserve”.
“Ordinarily resident on reserve means an Indigenous child who:
Lives on reserve;
Normally lives on reserve, even if the child or a member of their household, such as a sibling, parent or extended family member, must temporarily live away from the community to access health care, education, or other services where comparable services are not available in the community;
Was ordinarily resident on reserve immediately before accessing Jordan’s Principle;
Is a dependent of a family that maintains primary residence on reserve;
Returns to live on reserve with their parents, guardians, or caregivers during the year, even if they live elsewhere while attending school or receiving medical care or other services; or
Meets the student eligibility requirements in Yukon territory
A child who is taken into the care of a Child and Family Services agency, or into a kinship or informal care arrangement, is considered ordinarily resident on reserve where:
The child’s parent of guardians lived on reserve at the time the child was taken into care; or
The child goes into the care of a guardian who lives on reserve
Learn More About Eligibility on Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) Website here

On February 10, 2025, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) updated the list of eligible supports available through Jordan’s Principle. Examples of the services often covered by Jordan’s Principle include, but are not limited to:

Jordan’s Principle funding may be available for a wide range of health, social, educational, and cultural supports and services. It also recognizes the unique needs of First Nations Two-Spirit, LGBTQIA+ children and youth, and children with disabilities.

Please Note: Jordan’s Principle funding may impact other supports or supplements families receive through the Government of BC or other groups. It is recommended to plan ahead for any possible impacts. Jordan’s Principle is not a long-term or ongoing income supplement program.

Infographic panel layout listing HEALTH, SOCIAL, and EDUCATION services with bullet points.

To begin the process, contact the ONA Jordan’s Principle Service Coordinators by phone or email. A Service Coordinator will complete an intake with you to better understand your child’s needs and determine the information required to support your request.

During the intake, you may be asked to provide:

Child information: Name, date of birth, address, and Status number (if registered)
Parent or guardian information: Name and contact information
Details about the request: Your child’s unmet need, the product(s) or service(s) being requested, and how long the support is needed
Previous funding history: Information about any previous requests submitted through programs such as Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) or private insurance, including the outcome
Supporting documentation: Recommendations, referrals, or assessments from health, education, or social service professionals, when applicable
Consent: A signed consent form, provided by your Service Coordinator

Once all required information has been gathered, your Service Coordinator will submit the request to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), work with ISC throughout the review process, and support you through approvals, service coordination, or appeals if needed.

ONA Jordan’s Principle Service Coordinators work alongside children, youth, families, caregivers, communities, and service providers to help navigate the Jordan’s Principle process and access the supports they need.

Our team can:

Expedited payout process after approval
Help determine eligibility and assist with Jordan’s Principle applications
Reduce the stress of navigating the Jordan’s Principle process
Connect families with available provincial and federal resources
Work collaboratively with service providers to coordinate supports
Advocate for children, youth, families, and communities
Assist families in gathering the information and documentation needed to support a request
Provide guidance and support throughout reconsideration and appeals, when needed

If you require support with an urgent Jordan’s Principle request outside regular business hours, assistance is available through the Jordan’s Principle National Call Centre, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Jordan’s Principle National Call Centre

Phone: 1-855-JP-CHILD (1-855-572-4453)
TTY: 1-866-553-0554

On weekends and statutory holidays, the BC Region Duty Phone is available from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PST for urgent and time-sensitive requests.

BC Region Duty Phone