A “For Indigenous, By Indigenous” (FIBI) Strategy is required over and above the National Housing Strategy already announced in November 2017 and includes the following key actions:
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Develop a “For Indigenous, By Indigenous” National Housing Centre1.
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Increase the supply of stable, safe, affordable housing by building 73,000 new units2.
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Support for tenants’ well-being and long-term success with wraparound Indigenous services3.
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Accelerate action on Indigenous homelessness4.
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A focus on northern housing5.
Today we call on the Federal Government to provide recognition and funding for the “For Indigenous, By Indigenous” housing strategy.
The CHRA Indigenous Caucus is proposing the creation of a federally resourced “For Indigenous, By Indigenous” National Housing Centre which is Indigenous designed, owned and operated, with a focus on people and services for Indigenous households in core housing need living in urban, rural and northern areas of Canada. It would act as the representative governance structure for URN Indigenous Peoples’ housing. Its purpose would be to measure and develop better data, information, research, and evaluation on urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing; to administer, manage, and deliver any investments allocated under this Strategy and to monitor outcomes.
This would be achieved through providing access to capital funds, other financial instruments, and access to tools and programs to greatly increase the supply of new sustainable housing.
Provide funding for partnerships between Indigenous service organizations and housing providers to deliver culturally based support services for a holistic range of services.
Introduce measures and increase funds to ultimately prevent and eliminate Indigenous homelessness. Furthermore, introduce measures and resources to help Indigenous households at risk of homelessness through a prioritization of housing investment, education, and expansion of current Reaching Home initiatives.
A comprehensive urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing strategy needs to focus attention and significantly enhanced funding to eliminate the very large gap in core housing need facing Indigenous peoples in Canada’s north. Funding levels need to reflect the higher construction and transportation costs and very few economies of scale. In addition, any strategy needs to include the high percentage of Indigenous people who are homeless and provide ongoing federal commitment to provide Self-Governing First Nations with much-needed housing funds.