2024-25 Horizontal Initiative - Support for Indigenous Housing

General information

Name of horizontal initiative: Support for Indigenous Housing (SIH)

Lead department: Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)

Federal partner department: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)

Start date of the horizontal initiative: 2022–2023

End date of the horizontal initiative: 2028–2029

Description of the horizontal initiative:

Access to safe, adequate, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing is essential to the health and well-being of all Canadians. Canada has recognized the right to adequate housing as a fundamental human right affirmed in international law, as stated in s. 4(a) of the National Housing Strategy Act, S.C. 2019, c. 29, s. 313. However, Indigenous Peoples in Canada are experiencing a well-known and long-lasting housing shortage. Aging and inadequate housing, and the absence of critical infrastructure in Indigenous communities, especially in northern Indigenous communities, has had ongoing negative consequences for social, health, and economic outcomes. Investing in housing improves quality of life, narrows socio-economic gaps and increases Indigenous Peoples' participation in the economy.

Departments reporting under this Horizontal Initiative will report annually, through the horizontal initiative section of the supplementary tables included in ISC's Departmental Plan (DP) and Departmental Results Report (DRR), where results and financial information will be provided (planned and actuals), as well as within the main body of their own DP and DRR.

ISC will lead horizontal work to report on results achieved under the Support for Indigenous Housing Horizontal Initiative for the first 5 years (2022–2023 to 2026–2027). After this time, should ISC no longer have funding that is subject to this initiative, responsibility for reporting on remaining years of investments (2027–2028 and 2028–2029) will shift to another partner department to maintain integrity of the overall initiative.

Governance structures:

Central to the governance structure of the horizontal housing initiative is the senior-level Oversight Committee which will be comprised of Assistant Deputy Ministers from ISC and CIRNAC. The Oversight Committee is responsible for the overall governance and coordination of the Horizontal Housing Initiative, including ensuring that reporting is timely and accurate. The Oversight Committee will be supported by a Director General Steering Committee (DGSC) that addresses operational, implementation or technical issues identified by the working group. A horizontal working group composed of officials from ISC and CIRNAC will convene regularly to discuss the advancement of the initiative, ensure general alignment of approaches, highlight any challenges that arise, and propose solutions for the consideration of the DGSC. Terms of Reference for each level of the governance structure will outline the composition and respective roles of each group.

Total federal funding allocated (from start to end date) (dollars): $4,000,806,772

Total federal planned spending to date (dollars): $638,249,183

Total federal actual spending to date (dollars): $637,500,412

Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative: Not applicable

Total federal funding allocated at last renewal, and source of funding (dollars): Not applicable

Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars): Not applicable

Total planned spending since the last renewal: Not applicable

Total actual spending since the last renewal: Not applicable

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation: Not applicable

Planning highlights:

Indigenous Services Canada

For 2024–2025, ISC will continue to provide permanent and targeted funding to First Nations to support them in planning and managing their housing needs on reserves including new constructions and renovations, as it aims for a reduction of core housing needs for Indigenous people from 13% to 9% by 2031. In addition, ISC will continue to provide Budget 2022 funding to enhance housing management capacity and continue engaging with Indigenous partners on options for modernizing policy and funding delivery models for all community infrastructure, including housing. ISC will continue to work with the Assembly of First Nations to advance the National First Nations Housing and Related-Infrastructure Strategy and continue collaborating with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to ensure seamless information sharing and coordination of policy responses and program delivery in the interest of better serving First Nations.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

CIRNAC supports Indigenous partners in closing the infrastructure gap. In fact, Self-Governing Modern Treaty partners reported that over 100 new housing units are expected to be built by the end of 2024 from budget investments. Through the collaborative work to date, the department is also working with Self-Governing and Modern Treaty partners to establish a Housing Working Group. This working group will be implemented in 2024–2025 and is intended to discuss considerations related to the expenditure needs of Indigenous governments providing housing to their citizens/members. It is estimated that Inuit Treaty Partners will have constructed up to 90 new units and repaired 60 existing units by the end of 2024 from federal budget investments. Inuit Treaty Organizations have implemented governance and decision making structures for the delivery of housing investments and are aligning delivery with self-determined approaches based on the respective needs of their communities. Overall, our collective work is guided by the implementation of the co-developed Inuit Nunangat Housing Strategy and work though the Inuit Crown Partnership Committee. By the end of 2024–2025, Métis partners will have built approximately 400 new housing units and renovated approximately 2400 dwellings. They will also provide financial help to their citizens with over 500 downpayments assistance for the purchase of homes and almost 700 rent subsidies.

Contact information:

Indigenous Services Canada

Rory O'Connor
Director General, Regional Infrastructure Delivery Branch
Telephone: 902-402-6002
Email address: rory.oconnor@sac-isc.gc.ca

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Kate Ledgerwood
Director General, Reconciliation Secretariat
Telephone: 613-922-8591
Email address: kate.ledgerwood@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Dionne Savill
Director General, Implementation Branch
Telephone: 867-334-8563
Email address: dionne.savill@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Ron Pankratz
Acting Regional Director General (Northwest Territories Region)
Telephone 867-669-2583 or 867-446-0281
Email address: ron.pankratz@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Horizontal initiative framework

Planning information