NationTalk: Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) is honoured to celebrate its 30th Anniversary on September 1, 1994. As an organization, we are humbled by the progress and growth we have achieved. With the help of dedicated team members, community partners, and the residents we house, this 30-year journey is an incredible milestone to achieve. We are proud to provide safe, affordable, and culture-based housing to urban Indigenous communities throughout Ontario.
How We Got Started
Beginning in 1992, grassroots consultations were held across Ontario to address the pressing need for affordable and suitable housing for low to moderate-income First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals living off-reserve lands. This led to the formation of a steering committee comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Housing and three provincial Indigenous organizations: the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres (OFIFC), the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA), and the Ontario Métis Aboriginal Association (OMAA).
On September 1, 1994, OAHS was incorporated, with representatives from these founding organizations forming its inaugural Board of Directors. With a staff of only 4 team members, the organization grew our roots in our provincial office situated in Sault Ste. Marie located on the land known as Bawaating, the place of the rapids in the Robinson-Huron Treaty area of 1850.
Over the years, the Board evolved, maintaining representation from OFIFC and ONWA, while the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) replaced the OMAA following its dissolution.
Under the leadership of the late Don McBain and former Board Chair Sylvia Maracle, from 1994 to 2014, OAHS grew to become Canada’s largest Indigenous housing provider, managing over 2,000 units and building an asset base exceeding $200 million. This growth included the development of a dedicated property management division. McBain’s tenure ended in 2017 with his journey to the spirit world after a short battle with cancer, but his legacy and tenacity continue to be the organization’s backbone. Maracle’s leadership as Board Chair ended in 2021.
“Don was more than just a leader; he was a visionary whose deep commitment to OAHS set the foundation for everything we have achieved today. His unwavering dedication and passion for what we do was felt in every decision he made, and every relationship he built. Don’s spirit and tenacity continue to inspire all of us,” remarks Dan Gartshore, OAHS’s Senior Director of Technical Services.
How We’ve Evolved
While originally focused on Ontario’s urban, rural, and remote Indigenous housing, OAHS’s mission has evolved to include wholistic community support through housing initiatives. The organization now integrates essential services aimed at accessibility, sustainability and enhancing community well-being, significantly impacting Indigenous communities.
Though OAHS may be celebrating 30 years of incorporation, the legacy and tenure of the organizations that have joined with OAHS since its creation add supplemental knowledge and wisdom to our team. A combined total of 8 housing providers, established as early as 1979, include:
- Urban Native Homes Incorporated (Hamilton); 1979-2018
- Neech-ke-wehn Homes Inc. & Niwaaki’igannaanind Aboriginal Housing (Sault Ste. Marie); 1982-2021
- Native People of Nipissing Non-Profit Residential Development Corporation (NPON) (North Bay); 1985-2022
- Fort Frances Native Urban Wahkaiganun Corporation & Wahkaiganun Futures Corporation (Fort Frances). 1986-2024
- Kawartha Native Housing Society Inc. & Ontonabee Native Housing Inc. (Peterborough); 1987-2013
- Penewobecong Native Non-Profit Homes Inc. (Blind River); 1987-2014
- Moosonee Non-Profit Housing Corporation (Moosonee); 1987-2014
- Thunder Bay Deaf Housing Inc.; (1992-2021)
“Coming together with OAHS was a natural step for us to ensure that our homes remained under the trust of an Indigenous organization. We wanted to continue providing safe, affordable, housing for our communities, and the decision to join forces was guided by a shared commitment to supporting the needs of urban Indigenous individuals and families.” – Thömas Kakapshe, former Executive Director of Neech-ke-wehn Homes Inc. & Niwaaki’igannaanind Aboriginal Housing