According to the “Report on the Health Status of Aboriginal People in Ontario”, 25% of the Aboriginal people living off-reserve have low incomes, 50% smoke on a daily basis, 43% engage in binge drinking and 28% use illegal drugs. In addition, many Aboriginal women, who have a history of diabetes in their families, are at risk of developing gestational diabetes. This can result in larger babies being born, causing difficult births, babies being born with breathing problems and babies being born with low blood sugar and jaundiced babies which may have long range affects for the child. In April of 1995, the federal government announced the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP). The off-reserve aboriginal component of CPNP works towards improving difficult circumstances within Aboriginal families by offering community-based, holistic and culturally relevant programming aimed at pre/post natal mothers, infants up to the age of 6 months and their families. It is guided by a philosophy which asserts that focusing on infants, young children and their families will then strengthen, empower and heal the entire community. CPNP strives to improve the health of both mothers and their babies by assisting aboriginal organizations to design and deliver community-based, culturally relevant programs for aboriginal women and their families living off-reserve in Ontario.

The goal of the off-reserve Aboriginal Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program is:

To improve the health of Aboriginal mothers and their babies up to six months of age that live off-reserve.