OTTAWA — The federal government is expected today to announce $50 million to help develop Canada’s first Inuit-led university.

Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty will be in Nunavik in Quebec this afternoon, where she’s also expected to announce another $178 million in federal funding for tuberculosis elimination, Nutrition North and programs for children and families.

As first reported by CBC News, most of the money is going to the Inuit Child First Initiative.

That program provides access to health and social services otherwise unavailable in Inuit communities and funding was set to expire at the end of March.

Advocates last year called on the government to continue funding the program, saying the loss would undermine health outcomes for Inuit families.

Earlier this month, the Hamlet of Arviat in Nunavut was announced as the site of the new Inuit-led university, which is expected to open in 2030 with a focus on promoting Inuit languages and supporting economic and cultural opportunities in the region.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Feb. 19, 2026.

Nick Murray, The Canadian Press