December 10, 2018 – Evaluation of 4.1.1 – Grants to the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Nunavut for Health Care of Indians and Inuit
Final Report
Evaluation of 4.1.1 – Grants to the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Nunavut for Health Care of Indians and Inuit
Project Number: 1570-7/16123
March 2017
Evaluation, Performance Measurement and Review Branch
Audit and Evaluation Sector
Executive Summary
This report constitutes the Evaluation of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada’s (INAC’s) Grants to the Government of the Northwest Territories and Grants to the Government of Nunavut for Health Care of Indians and Inuit (the Healthcare Grants) in accordance with Treasury Board’s Policy on Results and Section 42.1 of the Financial Administration Act.
The Healthcare Grants transfer is designed to aid the governments of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut with the cost of insured healthcare services for First Nations and Inuit.
The evaluation focuses on the grant transfer process and examines the continued relevance and effectiveness of the mechanism of the transfer from fiscal year 2011-12 to fiscal year 2015-16.
Supporting evidence for the evaluation comes from a combination of the following: document, historical document, literature and administrative data review; key informant interviews with INAC, Finance Canada and Health Canada staff, as well as representatives from the governments of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
The resulting findings are intended to inform INAC senior management and program staff of the effectiveness and efficiency of the Grants transfer, and recommendations are designed to support improvements of the Grants transfer mechanisms.
The evaluation report highlights the following key findings:
1. A continuing and demonstrable need exists for the Health Grants funding to support health care costs in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
2. The Grants are clear in respect to eligibility and the mechanism of delivery.
3. The Grants are financial transfers related to the delivery of health services, and are currently administered by INAC because of their connection to Indigenous issues.
4. Conditions of accountability and reporting in territorial public accounts are being fulfilled.
5. The Grants are delivered from INAC to the Government of Nunavut and the Government of the Northwest Territories in a timely and efficient manner.
In this context, the following recommendation is put forward to support program improvements and ensure that the Grants are transferred as efficiently as possible:
The Northern Affairs Organization of INAC continue to explore the possibility of transferring the administration of the Grants to other existing mechanisms that deliver federal funding to the Government of the Northwest Territories and Government of Nunavut.
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