All Things First Nations - CF help, protests, solutions, residential schools, etc. (merged)

[Kirkhill]

The Cowichan Tribe received at total of $559,174,325 in Tax Money from 2017-2025

2024 – $94,612,898
2023 – $93,842,606
2021 – $68,783,182
2020 – $52,380,224
2019 – $58,235,940
2018 – $48,878,721
2017 – $36,517,007

Covering April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025), the tribe's total revenue was $144,166,633. Of this, a significant portion—approximately $100 million—comes from government transfers and grants.

The membership of the Cowichan Tribes (Band #642) in British Columbia is listed as 5,614 registered members as of October 2025.

And of those, over 2600 live off-reserve and unless 'special considerations' are made, they are excluded from all band financial disbursements. This helps keep band members from escaping the cycle of 'band supports', and moving on to join the rest of society.

144,166,633
Call it 144,000 000 for easy math

5614 members
2600 off reserve
3000 (easy math) to share the wealth

144,000,000 / 3000 = 48,000

Assuming a household of 5

240,000 per year annual income.

Work-free.

 

[The Bread Guy]

144,166,633
Call it 144,000 000 for easy math

5614 members
2600 off reserve
3000 (easy math) to share the wealth

144,000,000 / 3000 = 48,000

Assuming a household of 5

240,000 per year annual income.

Work-free.

To be fair, that’s like totalling all the grants province x gives to municipality y and saying each member gets z/year “income.” How big a cheque does the province cut you in municipal grants per year?

Ton of money, no doubt, but if it’s on a federal, publicly-available portal, the overwhelming majority of the funds go to services, not cheques to residents.

 

[Kirkhill]

To be fair, that’s like totalling all the grants province x gives to municipality y and saying each member gets z/year “income.” How big a cheque does the province cut you in municipal grants per year?

Ton of money, no doubt, but if it’s on a federal, publicly-available portal, the overwhelming majority of the funds go to services, not cheques to residents.

Fair but...

3000 people.

That is a very tight target group.

240,000 year income.
80,000 per year towards a mortgage
30 year mortgage
5%

Supports a family of 5 in a property worth 1.2 to 1.6 MCAD.

And a continuing income of 160,000 per year.

I don't know about you but I think I could be pretty much self-sustaining anywhere in Canada with that situation.

I might even be able to buy an RO system and pay for my own medical insurance.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Fair but...

3000 people.

That is a very tight target group.

240,000 year income.
80,000 per year towards a mortgage
30 year mortgage
5%

Supports a family of 5 in a property worth 1.2 to 1.6 MCAD.

And a continuing income of 160,000 per year.

I don't know about you but I think I could be pretty much self-sustaining anywhere in Canada with that situation.

I might even be able to buy an RO system and pay for my own medical insurance.

We're disagreeing on what "income" means.

I read your math as if all federal grant money going to reserves is being distributed as cheques to individual band members. It's not - it's generally going to FN governments to deliver services. Most people wouldn't consider that as "income."

How much provincial grant to your city/town do you get to apply to your mortgage? I doubt you get a cheque from your provincial government every year with a post-it note saying, "go run your services."

Fair to say "here's how much money FN x is getting per head to run the place," and to compare ratios to municipalities, but that ain't the same as "here's how much each person living on reserve is getting into their direct deposit" (which is where mortgages and health insurance would be paid out of).

 

[Kirkhill]

We're disagreeing on what "income" means.

I read your math as if all federal grant money going to reserves is being distributed as cheques to individual band members. It's not - it's generally going to FN governments to deliver services. Most people wouldn't consider that as "income."

How much provincial grant to your city/town do you get to apply to your mortgage? I doubt you get a cheque from your provincial government every year with a post-it note saying, "go run your services."

Fair to say "here's how much money FN x is getting per head to run the place," and to compare ratios to municipalities, but that ain't the same as "here's how much each person living on reserve is getting into their direct deposit" (which is where mortgages and health insurance would be paid out of).

I am saying we would be better off, and so would the natives, if we did just write a check for 240,000 for each household each year. Fire the bureaucrats and bypass the chiefs.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I am saying we would be better off, and so would the natives, if we did just write a check for 240,000 for each household each year. Fire the bureaucrats and bypass the chiefs.

NOW I get it - thanks!

 

[Quirky]

I am saying we would be better off, and so would the natives, if we did just write a check for 240,000 for each household each year.

It would be no different than the parking lots of shacks after deployments. I guess that’s one way to keep Windsor assembly lines open.

 

[Kirkhill]

NOW I get it - thanks!

I have to keep working on my communication skills. I used to blame my accent.

 

[YZT580]

We're disagreeing on what "income" means.

I read your math as if all federal grant money going to reserves is being distributed as cheques to individual band members. It's not - it's generally going to FN governments to deliver services. Most people wouldn't consider that as "income."

How much provincial grant to your city/town do you get to apply to your mortgage? I doubt you get a cheque from your provincial government every year with a post-it note saying, "go run your services."

Fair to say "here's how much money FN x is getting per head to run the place," and to compare ratios to municipalities, but that ain't the same as "here's how much each person living on reserve is getting into their direct deposit" (which is where mortgages and health insurance would be paid out of).

So I looked at Wiarton with a population of about half of the band and its budget (reflecting a 3.5% increase was 13.5 million. Brighton with a population 3 times that of the band has an operating budget of 20 mill. and is backing a 42 million dollar capital expenditure budget to put in sewers, water systems and roads. The bands get a lot of cash with no accountability and they have certainly all received enough to put in decent water systems

 

[Eaglelord17]

I am saying we would be better off, and so would the natives, if we did just write a check for 240,000 for each household each year. Fire the bureaucrats and bypass the chiefs.

Alternatively have the bands raise taxes from the locals and fund the locals directly. I bet there would be changes in how the funds are spent.

It is one thing to have the band given money and be mismanaged. It is another all together to have your money mismanaged.

 

[Kirkhill]

@Eaglelord17

Another example of serendipity

Goldstein on the benefits of experts and central planning.

GOLDSTEIN: Canada’s doctor shortage no accident, it was government policy

Provincial governments deliberately reduced medical school enrolment and capped residencies, setting the stage for the crisis we face today.

torontosun.com

The only thing I would add to the article is that the rationing began in the 70s, shortly after the provinces all instituted provincial insurance plans.