Question Period Note: Northern Housing and Infrastructure

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About

Reference number:
NA-2023-QP-73434245
Date received:
Jun 21, 2023
Organization:
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Name of Minister:
Vandal, Dan (Hon.)
Title of Minister:
Minister of Northern Affairs

Suggested Response:

• The Government recognizes the importance of infrastructure and the challenges faced by Canada’s northern communities in accessing safe, adequate and affordable housing.

• Through Budget 2022, the government is investing $150 million to support affordable housing and infrastructure in the North, which includes $60 million for the Government of Nunavut, $60 million for the Government of Northwest Territories, and $30million for the Yukon Government.

• Through Budget 2022, the Government is also providing $34 million over seven years to four Métis groups in the Northwest Territories.

• This flexible funding will allow territorial partners to continue to advance the most pressing housing and infrastructure needs.

Background:

N/A

Additional Information:

If pressed on additional infrastructure and housing funding

• Budget 2022 is investing an additional $4 billion over seven years to accelerate work in closing Indigenous housing gaps:
o $2.4 billion over five years for First Nations housing on reserves;
o $565 million over five years for housing in Self-Governing and Modern Treaty Holders communities;
o $845 million over seven years for housing in Inuit communities;
o $190 million over seven years for housing in Métis communities.

• The funding so far has supported over 13,000 housing-related projects and home improvement and repairs, and more than 4,600 new homes in Indigenous communities.

• The government of Canada, through the intergovernmental task-forces, will continue to advance solutions in response to the critical housing and infrastructure needs.

If pressed on the Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy

• Budget 2022 provided $300 million to support housing in urban, rural, and northern Indigenous communities.

• Budget 2023 is proposing to build on this initial work with a significant investment of $4 billion over seven years, starting in 2024-25, to implement an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, currently under co-development with Indigenous partners.