Question Period Note: Housing

N/A

• Housing is essential to health, well-being, family and community, and everyone in Canada deserves a safe place to call home.
• Through investments announced in Budgets 2016 through 2024, the Government has committed over $13 billion, through to 2030-31 to support housing for Indigenous peoples. This includes $918 million over five years, through Budget 2024 to support closing the housing gap for Indigenous peoples.
• The Government will continue to fulfill the commitments made to support Indigenous housing.

Significant budget investments since 2016 have supported Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and First Nations partners to address the on-reserve housing gaps with over $4.5 billion in committed funds for on-reserve housing. To date, over $2.67 billion of those funds have been invested for new construction, renovations and adaptions for climate and energy efficiencies. Those investments also include support for First Nation capacity enhancement for housing management on reserves, including subsidizing housing manager positions, training and certification for housing professionals, and support for the creation of a network of Indigenous housing financial organizations.

ISC and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) play complementary roles in addressing housing needs on reserves. As of December 31, 2024, ISC and CMHC together supported the building, renovation and retrofitting of 25,823 housing units. Of that amount, ISC is responsible for supporting 12,564 housing units, including 3,848 new unit constructions and 8,716 renovations. CMHC has supported the 4,396 new units constructions and 8,863 renovations. Construction of a further 13,371 units is underway.

ISC continues to work in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations and its Chiefs Committee on Housing and Infrastructure and federal partners under the 2018 National First Nations Housing and Related Infrastructure Strategy, which outlines the path forward to transition the care, control and management of housing to First Nations.In April 2024, the AFN released its Closing the Infrastructure Gap report, which estimates the total cost for closing the infrastructure gap by 2030 to be more than $349 billion, with $135 billion of that amount required to close the housing gap alone.

If pressed on investments in First Nations housing
• Having a safe home is essential to supporting First Nations in building the lives they want for themselves, their families, and their communities.
• Since 2016, Canada has committed more than $4 billion for First Nations housing, through ISC. Of this, more than $2.6 billion, representing over 50% of committed funds, was invested from 2016 to December 31, 2024.
• With this funding, First Nations have begun or completed construction or renovation of 22,375 homes on-reserve, of which 12,564 are complete.

If pressed on housing litigation actions
• Everyone, including First Nations people and communities, should have access to safe housing.
• Canada respects the choice of First Nations, including St. Theresa Point First Nation, Sandy Lake First Nation, and Pelican Lake First Nation to seek the Court’s assistance on the important issue of housing.
• The Government will continue to work with First Nations partners to co-develop community-led housing strategies to address and improve housing conditions on-reserve.

If pressed on the Distinction-based First Nations Housing Strategy
• First Nations have led the co-development of the National First Nations Housing Strategy, since endorsed by the Special Chiefs Assembly in December 2018.
• The Assembly of First Nations, Indigenous Services Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation meet regularly to effectively advance the implementation of the National Strategy.
• This collaboration aims to enhance housing and infrastructure reforms by targeting a long-term approach, focused on supporting the transition to First Nations care, control, and management, while respecting regional differences and First Nations’ readiness.

If pressed on housing funds committed to support children and families
• In the Agreement-in-Principle on Long-Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program and Jordan’s Principle, the Government committed to providing $2 billion over five years for eligible First Nations to purchase, construct and renovate housing units to meet the needs of children and families.
• Of this, $622.5 million has been disbursed to eligible First Nations with further funding to come in 2025-26 and the following two years.