On those particular projects, I can't speak to the regional variations that exist, but I would say as a starting point that I think we would certainly want and prefer to be funding all 112 of these projects. I'll explain this with some context, if I may.
This department has a finite amount of resources that are appropriated each year. There are 112 and I think we're actually down to about 96 or 94 unfunded mitigation projects.
There are also thousands of unfunded infrastructure projects at large across first nation communities in Canada. This is something we do not know. It's everything from school renovations where kids can learn to water projects that lead to the lifting of drinking water advisories. I'm not even going to get into housing and homelessness. These are the choices that this department, with its first nation partners, ends up making: What do we fund this year? What do we fund now? What do we fund next month?
The announcement that was made yesterday was actually quite hopeful for me, as it was about Canada's national adaptation strategy to protect communities and build a strong economy. I connected, for instance, with the Infrastructure deputy minister today and they confirmed that, yes, for the disaster mitigation adaptation fund indigenous recipients are eligible and they'll fund 100% of eligible expenses for their projects. We're going to be working closely now with Environment Canada and Infrastructure to try to get more projects funded.
Thank you.