Access to safe and affordable housing is critical to improving health and social outcomes and to ensuring a better future for Indigenous communities and children. That is why the federal government has committed more than $2.7 billion to support housing in Indigenous communities since 2015.

Building on these investments, Budget 2022 proposes to provide a further $4 billion over seven years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to accelerate work in closing Indigenous housing gaps as follows:

• $2.4 billion over five years to support First Nations housing on reserves;
• $565 million over five years to support housing in First Nations Self-Governing and Modern Treaty Holders communities;
• $845 million over seven years to support housing in Inuit communities; and
• $190 million over seven years for housing in Métis communities.

We also know that Indigenous peoples, regardless of where they live, face unique barriers to affordable housing.

Budget 2022 proposes to invest $300 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to co-develop and launch an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy.

Along with these new investments, the federal government will allocate $2 billion of the $20 billion provided for long-term reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services program to target the housing needs of First Nations children once a final settlement agreement is reached.

These measures will result in a combined $6.3 billion over seven years towards improving and expanding Indigenous housing in Canada

NOTE:

1. The Assembly of First Nations in their pre-budget submission identifyed a required investment of $44 billion over 10 years. The $2.4 billion over five years for First Nations housing falls short of the AFN’s well-researched identified need.
2. The Inuit Tapariit Kanatami has determined that $3.04 billion over the next 10 years (vs $845M over 7 years) is required for the construction of housing units as well as the maintenance and repair of existing stock.