2025-26 Horizontal Initiative - Support for Indigenous Housing
Table of contents
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, 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 (planned and actuals) will be provided, 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 five 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 the integrity of the overall initiative.
Governance structures:
Central to the governance structure of the Support for Indigenous Housing horizontal initiative is the senior-level Oversight Committee which is 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 is 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 are convening 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 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): $1,064,918,107
Total federal actual spending to date (dollars): $1,130,405,889
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 2025–2026, 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. The first of three years of Budget 2022 funding for training, certification and technical services began in 2024–2025. ISC will continue to support First Nation organizations such as the First Nations National Building Officers Associations and the First Nations Housing Professionals Association. These organizations focus on providing technical services, developing training, certification and other tools and resources to First Nations, including on the importance of better construction management practices, from the tendering of projects and contracting to the use of 3D cameras to allow virtual inspections of sites on reserve.
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
CIRNAC is committed to assisting Indigenous partners in addressing the gaps in infrastructure and housing. Through the Support for Indigenous Housing horizontal initiative, CIRNAC provides funding to Inuit, Métis, and Modern Treaty and Self-Governing Partners to enhance their capacity and deliver housing and infrastructure programs that are tailored to the unique needs of community members. In 2025–2026, Indigenous partners will continue building internal capacity, advancing and refining strategic housing and infrastructure plans and delivering essential services to their respective communities.
CIRNAC will continue to deliver funding to distinction-based Indigenous partners to support their self-determined housing priorities. This includes Budget 2022 funding of $565 million over five years that was announced for Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations to support Indigenous housing investments. This funding is provided through existing grants with Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations and supports their self-determined housing priorities, as identified in the action plans they submitted to Canada. In fact, Modern Treaty and Self-Governing partners reported that over 100 new housing units are expected to be built by the end of 2025 from budget investments. Through the collaborative work to date, the Department is working with Modern Treaty and Self-Governing partners to establish and implement a Housing Working Group. The results of this working group are intended to focus on considerations related to expenditure needs of Indigenous governments providing housing to their citizens/members.
Budget 2022 distinctions-based Inuit housing investments of $845.1 million over seven years is being delivered directly to Inuit Treaty Organizations through flexible grant funding agreements, supporting self-determined housing delivery in all four regions of Inuit Nunangat. Through the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee, the Government of Canada, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Inuit Treaty Organizations will advance actions outlined in the Inuit Nunangat Housing Strategy to address housing needs, and assess progress of housing delivery to inform long-term housing plans in Inuit Nunangat. This investment will help address some Census 2021 findings, such as the fact that Indigenous people were almost twice as likely to live in crowded housing in 2021 compared with the non-Indigenous population (17.1% versus 9.4%), and in the same year, 16.4% of Indigenous people lived in a dwelling that needed major repairs.
Moreover, based on average annual results reported by partners, it is estimated that Inuit Treaty Partners will have constructed up to 90 new units and repaired up to 60 existing units by the end of 2025 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 through the Inuit Crown Partnership Committee.
By the end of 2025–2026, 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 assistance for over 500 downpayments for the purchase of homes and almost 700 rent subsidies. Northwest Territories Métis communities and organizations will continue to offer a range of services and supports, for example home purchase assistance, housing repair services, and home fuel 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
Tooneejoulee Kootoo-Chiarello
Director General, Northern Governance Branch
Telephone: 343-553-7940
Email address: tooneejoulee.kootoo-chiarello@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca
Horizontal initiative framework
Horizontal initiative framework: departmental funding by theme (dollars)
Support for Indigenous Housing (SIH)
Shared outcomes:
The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing support for Indigenous, distinctions-based housing delivery to accelerate progress and enhance self-determination. With that in mind, the Support for Indigenous Housing horizontal initiative reflects two overarching objectives:
- Address Housing Infrastructure Gaps: Direct investments will help address communities' self-determined housing needs, including construction of new homes, purchase of existing homes, renovation or repair of existing homes, lot servicing and subdivision development.
- Governance and Institutional Capacity to Support Indigenous Housing Improvements: Investments in community capacity are essential to lasting change, to plan for new housing development and community growth, manage existing and new homes, and plan for replacement at the end of their lifespan.
| Name of the theme | Theme outcomes | Funding - Indigenous Services Canada | Funding - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing Infrastructure | Availability of housing for Indigenous Peoples is improved | $2,139,846,760Table note 1 | $975,509,543Table note 2 |
| Governance and Institutional Capacity to support Indigenous Housing Improvements | Indigenous communities advance their capacity to govern housing programs and services | $235,157,900Table note 1 | $622,946,277Table note 3 |
| Internal Services | Not applicable | $25,495,340 | $1,850,954 |
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Planning information
Horizontal initiative overview
Name of horizontal initiative: Support for Indigenous Housing
Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated since the last renewal: $4,000,806,772
2025–2026 planned spending: $848,500,000
| Horizontal initiative shared outcome(s) | Performance indicator(s) | Target(s) | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved housing for Indigenous Peoples | Percentage of First Nation housing on reserve that is adequate, as assessed and reported by First Nations | 75% | March 31, 2026 |
| Core housing needTable note 1 for Indigenous Peoples | 9%Table note 2 | March 31, 2031 | |
| The housing need gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples is reduced | Percentage of difference in core housing needTable note 1 between Indigenous and non-Indigenous households | 4%Table note 2 | March 31, 2031 |
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Theme horizontal initiative activities
Theme 1 details
Name of theme: Housing Infrastructure
Total federal theme funding, including legacy funding, allocated since the last renewal (dollars): $3,141,717,622
2025–2026 federal theme planned spending (dollars): $653,221,080
| Theme outcome(s) | Theme performance indicator(s) | Theme target(s) | Date to achieve theme target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Availability of housing for Indigenous Peoples is improved | Percentage of First Nation households on reserve living in a dwelling that contains more than one person per room (measure of overcrowding) | 10.7% | March 31, 2026 |
| Percentage of Inuit housing construction needs that were addressed | To be established by January 2025, following completion of Inuit needs assessments | March 31, 2029 | |
| Percentage of Inuit housing repair/renovation needs that were addressed | To be established by January 2025, following completion of Inuit needs assessments | March 31, 2029 | |
| Percentage of Métis housing construction/purchase needs that were addressed | 79% | March 31, 2026 | |
| Percentage of Métis housing repair/renovation needs that were addressed | 95% | March 31, 2026 |
Theme 1 horizontal initiative activities
Department: Indigenous Services Canada
Link to the department's program inventory: Community Infrastructure
Horizontal initiative activity (activities): Infrastructure investments to support housing on reserves
Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated to each horizontal initiative activity since last renewal (dollars): $2,165,342,100
2025–2026 planned spending for each horizontal initiative activity (dollars): $586,091,500
| 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity expected result(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity performance indicator(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity target(s) | Date to achieve horizontal initiative activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Nation communities have suitable and adequate housing | Number of First Nation housing units on reserve built or acquired as a result of housing funding | 5,100 new units built or acquired | March 31, 2027 |
| Number of First Nation housing units on reserve renovated as a result of housing funding | 3,800 units renovated | March 31, 2027 | |
| Number of housing lots serviced as a result of housing funding | 2,100 lots serviced | March 31, 2027 | |
| Number of extensions to existing subdivisions as a result of housing funding | 8 extensions to existing subdivisions | March 31, 2027 | |
| Number of new housing subdivisions as a result of housing funding | 4 new subdivisions | March 31, 2027 |
Department: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Link to the department's program inventory: Indigenous-Led Services
Horizontal initiative activity (activities): Housing infrastructure investments for Inuit Treaty Organizations
Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated to each horizontal initiative activity since last renewal (dollars): $845,100,000
2025–2026 planned spending for each horizontal initiative activity (dollars): $51,800,000
| 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity expected result(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity performance indicator(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity target(s) | Date to achieve horizontal initiative activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inuit communities have suitable and adequate housing | Number of Inuit housing units constructed | 60 | March 31, 2026 |
| Number of Inuit housing units repaired/renovated | 40 | March 31, 2026 |
Department: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Link to the department's program inventory: Indigenous-Led Services
Horizontal initiative activity (activities): Housing infrastructure investments for Métis Governing Members, Manitoba Métis Federation and Métis Settlements
Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated to each horizontal initiative activity since last renewal (dollars): $131,275,524
2025–2026 planned spending for each horizontal initiative activity (dollars): $15,329,580
| 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity expected result(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity performance indicator(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity target(s) | Date to achieve horizontal initiative activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Métis communities have suitable and adequate housing | Number of Métis housing units constructed/purchased | 85 | March 31, 2026 |
| Number of Métis housing units repaired/renovated | 427 | March 31, 2026 |
Theme 2 details
Name of theme: Governance and Institutional Capacity to support Indigenous Housing Improvements
Total federal theme funding, including legacy funding, allocated since the last renewal (dollars): $859,089,150
2025–2026 federal theme planned spending (dollars): $195,278,920
| Theme outcome(s) | Theme performance indicator(s) | Theme target(s) | Date to achieve theme target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indigenous communities advance their capacity to govern housing programs and services | Percentage of First Nations that employ at least one dedicated position focused on housing management responsibilities | To be determined by Spring 2025 (upon receipt of baseline data) | To be determined (once baseline is established) |
| Percentage of Métis partners that have a comprehensive workplan for implementing their housing program control framework | 100% | March 31, 2026 | |
| Percentage of Modern Treaty and Self-Government agreement partners that have provided final reports on their Action Plans | 100% | December 31, 2027 | |
| Percentage of Métis organizations in the Northwest Territories that are providing housing programs to their membership | 100% | March 31, 2030 |
Theme 2 horizontal initiative activities
Departments: Indigenous Services Canada
Link to the department's program inventory: Community Infrastructure
Horizontal initiative activity (activities): Investments in First Nations capacity to govern, manage and deliver housing programs and services
Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated to each horizontal initiative activity since the last renewal (dollars): $235,157,900
2025–2026 planned spending for each horizontal initiative activity (dollars): $57,508,500
| 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity expected result(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity performance indicator(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity target(s) | Date to achieve horizontal initiative activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Nations implement projects to enhance their capacity to manage and maintain their housing | Number of capacity and innovation projects supported as a result of this funding | Not applicable1 | Not applicable1 |
| First Nations have improved access to financing for housing projects | Number of Indigenous Financial Institutions (IFI) participating in a national network | 6 new participating IFIs | March 31, 2027 |
| Value of loans without Ministerial Load Guarantees (MLGs) or local government guarantees | $32,215 | March 31, 2027 | |
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Departments: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Link to the department's program inventory: Management and Implementation of Agreements and Treaties
Horizontal initiative activity (activities): Investments in SGMT programs and services
Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated to each horizontal initiative activity since the last renewal (dollars): $565,000,000
2025–2026 planned spending for each horizontal initiative activity (dollars): $130,000,0001
| 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity expected result(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity performance indicator(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity target(s) | Date to achieve horizontal initiative activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indigenous Peoples manage and control their desired programs and services | Percentage of Modern Treaty and Self-Government First Nations that have submitted Action Plans to access initiative | Not applicableTable note 2 | Not applicableTable note 2 |
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Departments: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Link to the department's program inventory: Indigenous-Led Services
Horizontal initiative activity (activities): Housing governance capacity for Métis Nation, Manitoba Métis Federation, and Métis Settlements
Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated to each horizontal initiative activity since the last renewal (dollars): $23,166,269
2025–2026 planned spending for each horizontal initiative activity (dollars): $2,705,2201
| 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity expected result(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity performance indicator(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity target(s) | Date to achieve horizontal initiative activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Métis partners have increased knowledge of their citizens' housing needs | Percentage of housing needs assessments completed by Métis partners | Not applicableTable note 2 | Not applicableTable note 2 |
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Departments: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Link to the department's program inventory: Northern and Arctic Governance and Partnerships Program
Horizontal initiative activity (activities): Investments in Métis communities in the Northwest Territories to address housing and infrastructure needs
Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated to each horizontal initiative activity since the last renewal (dollars): $35,764,981
2025–2026 planned spending for each horizontal initiative activity (dollars): $5,065,200
| 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity expected result(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity performance indicator(s) | 2025–2026 horizontal initiative activity target(s) | Date to achieve horizontal initiative activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Territories, Northerners and Indigenous Peoples have access to federal support | Percentage of Métis organizations in the Northwest Territories that have strategic plans, policies, or programs in place to support analysis or advocacy around their housing needs | 100% | March 31, 2026 |
Total spending, all themes
| Theme | Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated since the last renewal (dollars) | 2025–2026 total federal planned spending (dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| Theme 1 | $3,141,717,622 | $653,221,080 |
| Theme 2 | $859,089,150 | $195,278,920 |
| Total, all themes | $4,000,806,772 | $848,500,000 |