Our History: The Friendship Centre Movement

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The origin of today’s “Friendship Centre” began in the mid-1950s as the number of Aboriginal people moving into larger urban areas increased. Aboriginal agencies emerged out of a clear need for specialized services to aid Aboriginal newcomers to the city.

These agencies would provide referrals and offer counselling on matters of employment, housing, education, health and liaison with other community organizations.

As the demand for services by urban and migrating First Nations, Inuit and Métis people increased so did the number of Friendship Centres.  The nature of programming and services and critical need for more funding was quickly amplified.

In the late sixties, Friendship Centres began to organize into Provincial /Territorial Association's (PTA's). In 1969, a steering committee of Friendship Centres was struck to examine the feasibility of establishing a national body to represent the growing number of Friendship Centres.

Until 1972, Friendship Centres were dependant, to a large degree, on individual volunteers and their ability to raise operating funds though various fund raising events, private donations and small grants from foundations and provincial and federal governments. Centres also began to evolve from the provision of referrals to the "front line" delivery of social services.

In 1972 the government of Canada formally recognized the viability of Friendship Centres and implemented the Migrating Native Peoples Program (MNPP).  In 1976, the government conducted an evaluation of the MNPP which revealed the vital role that Friendship Centres played in the communities they served and the wide base of the community support they had established.

Friendship Centres were also able to utilize limited resources in a creative and flexible manner while remaining accountable to their communities.  In spite of the many obstacles, Friendship Centres have continued to expand the programs and services offered to urban Aboriginal People.

In 1983, the NAFC and the Department of the Secretary of State (DSOS) successfully negotiated the evolution of the MNPP to an enriched Native Friendship Centre Program (NFCP).  This program, with a five year mandate, formally recognized "Friendship Centres as legitimate urban Native institutions responding to the needs of Native people."  In 1988, the NFCP became the Aboriginal Friendship Centres Program (AFCP), which secured the status of permanent funding from DSOS.

In 1988, the federal government established a permanent program–the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP).  Because of the quality of services provided and the vital role they played in the communities they served, the Friendship Centres gained an increasingly positive reputation with the government as legitimate urban Native institutions responding to the needs of Aboriginal people.

The funding relationship fundamentally changed in 1996, when the administrative responsibility for the AFCP was transferred from the Department of Canadian Heritage to the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC).  This new agreement meant that all operational funding for the AFCP would be administered by the NAFC to the local Friendship Centres and the PTAs.  This devolution signified a new era in Aboriginal/Government relations and, to this day, suggests a unique relationship with the Government of Canada.  It notably demonstrated a commitment on behalf of the government to increase the capacity and sustainability of Aboriginal organizations.

Today, over half of a century after the initial development of Friendship Centres in Canada, the Friendship Centre Movement has expanded and continues to offer the same essential programs and services to urban Aboriginal people across Canada.  A total of 117 Friendship Centres are members of the National Association of Friendship Centres.

The Friendship Centre Movement is unique in the broad spectrum of specialized services it provides to urban Aboriginal people across Canada. The provision of services currently offered at Friendship Centres is specialized and may include areas such as:  Culture, Family, Youth, Sports and Recreation, Language, Justice, Housing, Health, Education, Employment, Economic Development and a variety of miscellaneous projects ranging from social activities to community building initiatives and special events.

ORIGIN OF THE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE MOVEMENT
1951	Friendship Centre established in Toronto, ON – North American Indian Club.
1952	Friendship Centre established in Vancouver, BC – Coqualeetza Fellowship Club.
1959	Friendship Centre established in Winnipeg, MB – Indian and Métis Friendship Centre.
1968	26 Friendship Centres across Canada
1969	Friendship Steering Committee established to examine the feasibility of a national body to represent Friendship Centres.
1972	National Association of Friendship Centres is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization (75'). Government of Canada implements the Migrating Native Peoples Programme (MNPP). 43 Friendship Centres across Canada.
1983	The NAFC and the Department of the Secretary of State (DSOS) successfully negotiated the evolution of the MNPP to an enriched Native Friendship Centre Program (NFCP). 80 Friendship Centres across Canada
1988	The NFCP became the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP), which secured the status of the permanent funding from DSOS.
1996	The Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH), formerly DSOS, transfers administrative responsibility of the AFCP to the NAFC. 114 Friendship Centres across Canada.
2001	The NAFC renews AFCP transfer agreement between PCH and NAFC.
2011	117 Friendship Centres across Canada.

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