Ottawa is giving $1.1 billion over five years to First Nations communities in Quebec to help fund education.

A signing ceremony for the agreement was held Thursday on the Mohawk territory of Kahnawake, south of Montreal.

The agreement is the result of 10 years of negotiations between Ottawa and the First Nations Education Council.

The money will go toward building culturally adapted education programs for about 5,800 children across 22 communities.

It will also fund school transportation and the recruitment and training of more than 600 teachers and other school staff.

The First Nations Education Council, which represents eight Quebec First Nations, says the agreement will allow communities to assume full responsibility over their schools.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2022.