Millions in funding for First Nations and Inuit policing left unspent, says budget watchdog

A report from the federal spending watchdog shows that although funding has increased for First Nations and Inuit policing services, spending for the programs hasn't caught up, while Indigenous communities say their police services are going underfunded.

Tuesday's report from the parliamentary budget office (PBO) looked at funding a nd spending for the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (FNIPP).

The program provides funding for policing and community safety services t hrough two types of policing agreements: self-administered police services and community tripartite agreements where existing police services for the province or region provide policing services to a First Nations or Inuit community.

The program’s cost is shared between federal and provincial/territorial governm