Question Period Note: Indigenous housing

How is the Government working with Indigenous communities to help address housing needs?

• Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to improving Indigenous housing outcomes, and to building a new relationship together with Indigenous peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnerships.

• We recognize that the Indigenous housing landscape is complex and that 87% of Indigenous households live in urban, rural, and northern areas. That is why our government has committed more than $1.6 billion in funding through the National Housing Strategy exclusively for Indigenous and Northern Housing.

• Budget 2023 allocated $4 billion for the implementation of an Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, totaling over $8 billion committed since 2022 to improve and expand Indigenous housing in Canada.

• Funding was announced in successive federal budgets to support Indigenous housing across Canada – including First Nations living on reserve and in urban and rural communities, and in Inuit Nunangat and the North. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) focus on different aspects of providing housing programs and services for eligible First Nation communities.

• ISC funding is provided to eligible First Nations to support a range of housing activities, based on their priorities and at their discretion.

• CMHC delivers specific housing programs that support construction, renovations, ongoing management of social housing and housing-specific development. CMHC has specialists located across the country that are working with Indigenous partners, communities and organizations to facilitate access to the National Housing Strategy and other CMHC programs. For example:

o CMHC’s On-Reserve Non-Profit Housing Program (Section 95) assists First Nations in the construction, purchase and rehabilitation and administration of rental housing on-reserve.

o CMHC’s On-Reserve Renovation Programs offer financial assistance to First Nations to repair substandard homes to a minimum level of health and safety, to convert non-residential properties into affordable self-contained housing units, and improve the accessibility of housing for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities.

o CMHC’s Shelter Enhancement Program on-reserve offers financial assistance for the repair, rehabilitation and improvement of existing shelters in First Nation communities for survivors of family violence.

• Budget 2022 proposed $4.3 billion over seven years towards improving and expanding Indigenous housing in Canada, which includes:
  o $2.4 billion over five years to support First Nations housing on reserves;
  o $565 million over five years to support housing in Self-Governing and Modern Treaty Holder First Nations communities;
  o $845 million over seven years to support housing in Inuit communities;
  o $190 million over seven years for housing in Métis communities; and
  o $300 million over five years to co-develop and launch an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy.

• Budget 2023 committed an additional $4 billion, over seven years, starting in 2024-25, to implement a co-developed Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy.

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