Question Period Note: Housing

Our Government has committed over $6 billion in funding since
2016 to address long-standing housing gaps in First Nations,
Inuit and Métis communities.
• Since 2016, Indigenous Services Canada and Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation have jointly supported the
construction, renovation and retrofit of 29,421 homes on
reserve.
• 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.
• We will work with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation partners
to co-develop and implement community-led housing strategies.

As of December 31, 2022, ISC and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) together
reported a total of 29,421 housing units built, renovated and retrofitted. Of that amount, ISC is responsible
for 14,986housing units divided as follows:
• 4,673 new unit constructions, 2,536 of which are completed,
• 10,313 unit renovations and upgrades, 5,546 of which are completed.
CMHC is responsible for 14,435 homes, of which 11,728 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 years.
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 selfdetermination
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 March 2023, the Indigenous Steering Committee has approved
fourteen projects to move to implementation and three projects have been completed. 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.
Housing crisis in Wi’tat (Fort Babine) First Nation:
Wi’tat (Fort Babine) First Nation has a 10-year Grant agreement with Indigenous Services Canada. Fort
Babine is one reserve community that forms part of the Lake Babine Nation.
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Operation of the First Nation’s housing program and minor capital expenditures associated with housing
maintenance are funded through the 10-year grant agreement. The agreement allows for full flexibility to
the First Nation to allocate funds towards community priorities as well as funding pressures, as it is
understood that First Nations experiencing minor or temporary shortfalls in certain areas will reallocate
unexpended funds from another area.
In addition to funding through the 10-year grant, since 2021 Lake Babine has also received funds through
the following ISC-funded initiatives, which were made available to all BC First Nations supported by
Indigenous Services Canada:
- $51,588 in 2022-2023 under Housing Management and Capacity Enhancement for housing manager
salary or other management support; and
- over $400,000 since 2021-2022 for minor repairs and cost overruns due to supply chain issues.
Housing in the North:
Funding for Northern Indigenous housing is a complex space.
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada is responsible for providing support for Inuit
and northern Métis communities, as well as Self-Governing and Modern Treaty First Nations.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and territorial governments also have responsibilities
with respect to Northern Indigenous housing

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.

If pressed on funding sufficiency
• In 2021, the Assembly of First Nations estimated the housing
gap in First Nations at $22 billion. The need is tremendous.
• Since 2016, ISC, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern
Affairs and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation have
accelerated investments in Indigenous housing.
• We know closing the gap will require additional investments; it
will also require changes to the way we invest including finding
ways to increase access to private financing.
• With partners, we will continue to advance the co-developed
distinctions-based housing strategies and ensure that
Indigenous people have access to safe and adequate housing.

If pressed on the St. Theresa Point Class Action
• The Government of Canada respects the right of Indigenous
groups to seek the Court’s assistance on important issues.
• Indigenous Services Canada continues to work closely with First
Nations to help ensure everyone has access to safe and
adequate housing in First Nations communities.

If pressed on Census 2021
• Census 2021 data shows that our investments in Indigenous
housing are achieving results.
• Since 2016, the share of Indigenous people living in
overcrowded homes or homes that require major repairs has
declined, and the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
populations living in crowded housing declined by 1.7 per cent.
• We know that 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 increased investments by $2.4 billion
over the next five years to support closing the housing gap in
First Nations.

If pressed on sufficiency of Budget 2022 investments
• The Assembly of First Nations in its “Cost Analysis of current
housing gaps and future housing needs in First Nations,”
project the 2021 on reserve infrastructure gap for housing alone
to be about $43.7 billion - $22 billion current on-reserve and
$21.7 billion more for First Nations seeking to move on-reserve
from off-reserve. 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 examples of First Nations housing projects
• Investments made since 2016 have ensured that many more
First Nations people have a place to call home.
• With support from the Government of Canada, Black River First
Nation in Manitoba built 10 new homes and renovated 11
existing ones to address health and safety concerns and ensure
that families – especially those with children – have secure
homes.
• We will continue to support First Nations to address the housing
needs of their members.

If pressed on the Distinction-based First Nations Housing Strategy
• First Nations have led the co-development of a National
First Nations 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; as of
March 2023, fourteen projects are in the implementation phase and
three have been 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 March 30, 2023, 134 community spaces were identified for
retooling and 676 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
committed 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.

If pressed on housing crisis in Wi’tat (Fort Babine) First Nation
• Wi’tat (a community in Lake Babine First Nation) is funded
by Indigenous Services Canada through a 10-Year Grant
agreement, which includes funding for housing.
• Supported in part by the grant agreement, the Nation plans
to replace roofs on 25 homes this summer, and demolish 19
homes in Fort Babine and Tachet to make way for building
new homes.
• The Department will continue to work with Lake Babine
Nation to address their housing needs, by supporting
renovations and new builds through the Housing Support
Program. Since 2021-22, the Department has provided over
$400,000 for minor repairs and cost overruns due to supply
chain issues.

If pressed on ISC First Nation housing funding in British Columbia
• In fiscal year 2022-2023, ISC provided $101.6 million to support
housing projects in British Columbia First Nations communities.
• Budget 2022 also included funding for the next five years to
assist First Nations in hiring a housing manager or undertaking
other housing capacity initiatives, as directed by First Nations.

If pressed on investments in Northern housing
• Through its on-reserve housing program, Indigenous
Services Canada provides annual funding to on-reserve
First Nations in all provinces and the Yukon.
• Targeted housing funding, through Budget
announcements, are distributed to First Nations in all
provinces and Yukon (three communities) but are also
available to the two on-reserve communities in the
Northwest Territories.

If pressed on ISC investments in Yukon
• Through targeted investments, announced in recent
Budgets, Indigenous Services Canada has supported a
number of housing projects in the Yukon.
• For example, Indigenous Services Canada supported
the Daylu Dena Council to develop a housing project for
Elders and people with reduced mobility.
• The building was designed with the northern climate in
mind and used green standards to ensure energy
efficiency.

If pressed on ISC investments in the Northwest Territories
• In May 2022, Indigenous Service Canada, working in
collaboration with Crown-Indigenous Relations and
Northern Affairs Canada, committed $600,000 over three
years to the Dene Nation to create a Housing and
Infrastructure Secretariat that will support and coordinate
housing-related initiatives benefiting Dene peoples.
• Through Indigenous Services Canada’s on-reserve housing
program, $135,000 was also provided for the purchase of a
modular unit at Kátł'odeeche First Nation as part of the Dene
Nation's Strategic Housing Plan.
• These measures support ongoing housing efforts in the
Northwest Territories, while providing the Dene Nation with
a foundation for future collaboration to address housing
challenges