Thank you, Jeff.
I would also like to begin my comments by acknowledging that the land I am on is in Gatineau, which is the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe. As all of us are joining from many places near and far, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners and caretakers of the lands that you find yourselves on. We do this to reaffirm our commitment and responsibility for improving relationships between nations, and to improve our own understanding of local indigenous peoples and their cultures.
As Jeff stated, a for indigenous, by indigenous, or FIBI, strategy is required over and above the national housing strategy already announced in November 2017. We have sent a copy of this document to the clerk for committee members to review, but let me please identify just a few of its key recommendations.
First, the FIBI strategy calls for the development of a for indigenous, by indigenous national housing centre that is indigenous designed, owned and operated. Its purpose would be to measure and develop better data, information, research and evaluation on urban, rural and northern indigenous housing, and to administer, manage and deliver any investments allocated under this strategy, as well as monitoring any outcomes. We are finalizing a draft governance structure for such an organization, and we can share that with the committee in the coming days.
Second, we believe that we should increase the supply of stable, safe and affordable housing by 73,000 units through dedicated funding streams that would be administered by this centre.
Third, we need to increase support for tenants’ well-being and long-term success with wraparound and culturally appropriate services.
Fourth, we should accelerate action on indigenous homelessness through a dedicated funding stream in Reaching Home and a dedicated strategy to ending chronic indigenous homelessness.
Fifth, we have to put a focus on northern housing. A comprehensive FIBI strategy needs to work in partnership with the territories and northern indigenous groups to eliminate the very large gap in core housing need facing indigenous peoples in Canada’s north.
Our estimate is that the funding required for this FIBI programming would be $25 billion over 10 years, which would complement the funding already found in the national housing strategy.
A FIBI housing strategy would not only address the housing needs of Canada’s urban, rural and northern indigenous peoples, but also demonstrate the federal government’s commitment to reconciliation. It would respond to both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action and the calls for justice in the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls report.
Jeff, I will pass it back to you.