The Government of Canada announces significant investments to address Indigenous homelessness and housing

GATINEAU, QC, Feb. 20, 2019 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Indigenous peoples across Canada have a safe and affordable place to call home where they can build a better future for themselves and their families.

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and the Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Indigenous Services, announced $638 million in investments to ensure that Indigenous peoples living in urban, rural and Northern communities have better housing outcomes now, and for generations to come.

Through Reaching Home, Canada's Homelessness Strategy, funding is being dedicated to address Indigenous homelessness in urban centres. This includes funding to maintain the community-based approach, which gives communities more support and flexibility in determining their own initiatives and local priorities to prevent and reduce homelessness. It also includes additional investments for for similarily collaborative approaches with Indigenous partners.

Additionally, as part of Canada's first-ever National Housing Strategy, funding is being dedicated to preserve and improve the condition of housing units for urban Indigenous families living in cities or urban centres across the country.

Part of this federal investment will be delivered through the Canada Community Housing Initiative as part of new and more progressive bilateral agreements with provinces and territories. It will also support Indigenous households currently living in community housing. The remaining federal government funding is for Indigenous housing projects through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund.

The Government is also currently working with Indigenous housing providers, National Indigenous Organizations, and other partners to explore innovative, long-term approaches for meeting the housing needs of Indigenous peoples, regardless of where they live.

Quotes

"Improving and protecting Indigenous housing is a priority for our government. Safe and affordable housing gives people a sense of security and helps build strong communities. In a country that is as prosperous as Canada, there is no excuse for anyone to be left out on the street. As a government, we have a duty to act. That's what we've been doing since we took office and that's exactly what we're doing with today's announcement, because every one deserves a place to call home."
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Children, Families and Social Development and the Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

"Everyone deserves access to a safe and affordable place to call home. Today, our government is announcing investments to reduce homelessness among Indigenous peoples living in urban centres. We know there is much important work ahead to close housing and infrastructure gaps across the country, and we continue to work hand in hand with First Nations, Inuit and Metis Nation partners to implement distinctions-based housing strategies announced in Budget 2018."
– The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, P.C., M.P., Minister of Indigenous Services

Quick Facts

• Through Reaching Home, a total of $413 million is dedicated to address Indigenous homelessness in urban centres over the next nine years. This will represent an increase of almost 70 percent in dedicated Indigenous funding over current levels. Specifically, this funding will provide:
• $261 million through an Indigenous Homelessness stream over a nine year period to maintain the community-based approach and to continue to address local priorities; and
• $152 million, over nine years that will be invested on priorities determined in collaboration with Indigenous partners, to be phased in over three years.
• As part of Canada's first-ever National Housing Strategy, a total of $225 million is dedicated to preserving and improving the condition of housing units for urban Indigenous families living in cities or urban centres across the country. This funding will provide:
• $200 million in federal investments to be delivered through the Canada Community Housing Initiative as part of new and more progressive bilateral agreements with provinces and territories. The funding will support Indigenous households currently living in community housing; and
• $25 million for Indigenous housing projects through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund.
• Through investments made in Budget 2017 and Budget 2018, the Government has dedicated funding to support the successful implementation of each of the distinctions-based housing strategies, including:
• $600 million over three years to support First Nation housing on reserve as part of a 10-year Housing Strategy that is being developed with First Nations;
• $400 million over 10 years to support an Inuit-led housing plan in Nunavik, Nunatsiavut and Inuvialuit. This is in addition to the $240 million over 10 years announced in Budget 2017 to support housing in Nunavut; and
• $500 million over 10 years to support the Métis Nation's housing strategy.

Associated Links

Homelessness Partnering Strategy
National Housing Strategy

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]; Valérie Glazer, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, 819-654-5546; Media Relations, Indigenous Services Canada, 819-953-1160, [email protected]; Rachel Rappaport, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Indigenous Services, 819-934-2796

Related Links

www.hrsdc-rhdsc.gc.ca