Question Period Note: Housing

• In response to long-standing housing gaps in Indigenous communities, our Government has committed over $6 billion in funding since 2016 for First Nations, Inuit and Métis housing.

• In partnership with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Indigenous Services Canada has supported the construction, renovation and retrofit of 27,277 homes on reserve since 2016.

• There is more to do and we continue to work in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation partners to co-develop and implement community-led housing strategies.

As of June 30, 2022 , ISC and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) together reported a total of 27,277 housing units built, renovated and retrofitted. Of that amount, ISC is responsible for 13,053 housing units divided as follows:
• 4,438 new unit constructions, 2,389 of which are completed,
• 9,065 unit renovations and upgrades, 5,242 of which are completed.

CMHC is responsible for 13,774 homes, of which 10,891 are completed.
ISC has been collaborating with the Assembly of First Nations and its Chief’s Committee on Housing and Infrastructure and federal partners to co-develop a National First Nation’s Housing and Related Infrastructure Strategy, supported by $600 million over three years announced in Budget 2018. The Strategy was endorsed at the December 5, 2018, Special Chiefs Assembly, outlining the path forward to transition the care, control and management of housing to First Nations.
Budget 2022 investments will assist ISC in continuing to: address housing gaps with $2.1 billion over five years for new construction, renovations and adaptions for climate and energy efficiencies; support First Nation capacity enhancement with $223 million over 5 years to retain existing and train and certify new housing management; and support the creation of a network of Indigenous housing financial organizations with $12.1 million over five yearss.
CIRNAC has worked in partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Inuit land claim governments and organizations, CMHC and Employment and Social Development Canada to develop the Inuit Nunangat Housing Strategy, which was made public on April 4, 2019. The Strategy is premised on self-determination with Inuit recipients holding the responsibility, decision making powers and capacity to meet housing needs at the regional level. Budget 2018 allocated $400 million over 10 years to support Inuit-led housing in the Inuit regions of Nunavik, Nunatsiavut and Inuvialuit, with an additional $290 million over 10 years for Nunavut from Budget 2017 through CMHC to the Government of Nunavut. Budget 2022 also provides $845 million over seven years to support Inuit housing and $150 million over 2 years to support northern housing.
Canada and the Métis Nation signed the Canada-Métis Nation Accord in April 2017, with a number of year one priorities that parties agreed to collaborate on, including a Métis Nation Housing Strategy. On July 19, 2018, the Métis Housing Sub-Accord was finalized, outlining the design, delivery and administration of housing services undertaken by the Governing Members of the Métis Nation to address the purchase of new houses, the repair of existing houses and the provision of rent supplements to families most in need. The Housing Sub-Accord, funded at $500 million over 10 years announced in Budget 2018, reflects a shared commitment to narrow the core housing needs gap and further Indigenous self-determination in this important area of social policy and Budget 2022 commits an additional $190 million over 7 years for housing in Métis communities.
The Indigenous Homes Innovation Initiative was launched on April 11, 2019, by the Minister of Indigenous Services and co-chairs of the Indigenous Steering Committee. 342 applications were received and 24 were selected by the Steering Committee as part of the Accelerator process. The Accelerator, launched January 20, 2020, provided Indigenous Innovators with funding and supports to further develop their idea into implementable proposals. As of August 2022, the Indigenous Steering Committee has approved eighteen projects to move to implementation. Two projects have been completed and two other projects are anticipated to be completed in September 2022. The Initiative is being done in partnership with Infrastructure Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge and addresses the Government of Canada’s commitment to a process specific to Indigenous communities that reflect their unique realities and needs.

If pressed on funding for Indigenous housing
• Through Budget 2018, our Government invested $600 million over three years for First Nations housing; $500 million over 10 years for Métis Nation housing; and $400 million over 10 years for Inuit-led housing.

• In addition, Budget 2022 committed $4.3 billion over seven years to support housing in First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation communities.

• We are making the necessary investments and will continue to do the work to support Indigenous housing throughout the country.

If pressed on Census 2021

• Census 2021 data shows that our investments in Indigenous housing are achieving incremental results.

• Since 2016, the share of Indigenous people living in overcrowded housing and in housing requiring major repairs declined and the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations living in crowded housing declined by 1.7 per cent.

• The Government of Canada knows more needs to be done. Budget 2022, built on recent investments in First Nations housing, committing $2.4 billion over the next five years to support closing the housing gap in First Nations.

If pressed on funding for First Nations housing

• Through Budgets 2016, 2018 and 2021, our Government committed more than $1.7 billion over 8 years for First Nations housing.

• Through Budget 2022, we’re increasing that investment by $2.4 billion over the next five years to support closing the housing gap in First Nations.

• In addition, the federal government will allocate $2 billion of the $20 billion to be provided for long-term reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services program to support First Nations children’s housing needs once a final settlement agreement is reached.

If pressed on sufficiency of Budget 2022 investments

• The Assembly of First Nations has estimated the current housing gap in First Nations at just over $22 billion. We know that the scale of need is tremendous.

• Budget 2021 and 2022 investments will continue to support First Nations to increase the number of available homes and address critical housing needs.

• We will continue to work diligently with partners to advance the First Nations National Housing and Related Infrastructure Strategy and to ensure that First Nations across the country have access to affordable housing.

If pressed on the Distinction-based First Nations Housing Strategy

• First Nations have led the co-development of a National First Nation’s Housing Strategy, endorsed by the Special Chiefs Assembly on December 5, 2018.

• The Assembly of First Nations, Indigenous Services Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation meet regularly to advance the national strategy and plan for its implementation.

• This collaboration ensures that housing and infrastructure reforms target a long-term approach to support the transition to First Nations care, control and management of housing, in a way that respects regional differences and First Nations’ readiness.

If pressed on Indigenous Homes Innovation Initiative

• Our Government knows that supporting Indigenous led solutions is the only way to address the unacceptable socioeconomic gap.

• This $36 million fund is designed to support Indigenous-led, community-driven projects that could serve as blueprints for new approaches.

• The Indigenous Steering Committee selected 24 Innovators; eighteen projects moved to the implementation phase and as of August 2022 two are now completed.

• The Indigenous Taskforce of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada served as mentors supporting the innovators throughout the accelerator period.

If pressed on the Insufficient COVID-19 Related Infrastructure

• We recognize that poor housing conditions can contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

• We are working with communities to identify and support local surge health infrastructure needs to screen, triage, and isolate in case of an outbreak.

• Approaches include retooling existing community infrastructure, or purchasing and installing mobile structures.

• As of August 4, 2022, 134 community spaces were identified for retooling and 663 mobile structures were funded.

• We will continue to work closely with partners to keep communities safe.

If pressed on the links between insufficient housing and health problems

• We know that poor housing conditions can contribute to health concerns, including respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 and tuberculosis.

• Budget 2021 committed $596 million and Budget 2022 commits an additional $2.4 billion over five years to improve First Nations housing on reserve. These investments support the rehabilitation of housing that do not meet health and safety standards (e.g., presence of mould, high levels of radon and poor indoor air quality).

• We will continue to work closely with partners to prevent and address health and safety risks.