Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I appreciate this opportunity to share with you what CMHC does in the area of aboriginal housing. I will share some of the successes as well as speak a little bit about where we are headed.
As Canada's housing agency, CMHC has a mandate to improve housing conditions for all Canadians regardless of where they live. We fulfill our mandate through the provision of programs and research and by sharing expertise. The federal government, through CMHC, supports some 633,000 existing social housing units in Canada at a cost of nearly $2 billion annually. In addition, it supports new affordable housing supply through a $1 billion affordable housing initiative, and $128 million in annual federal funding is also being provided for CMHC's suite of renovation assistance programs.
In addition, the federal government, through CMHC, has a number of specialized housing-related programs and initiatives targeted to first nation on-reserve communities, specifically the on-reserve non-profit housing program and the residential rehabilitation assistance program and its related suite of programs, including the shelter enhancement program and home adaptations for seniors' independence.
Off-reserve and in the north, much of the funding CMHC receives for housing is administered by the provinces and territories. These off-reserve arrangements recognize that the provinces and territories have the primary responsibility for housing off-reserve and offer an efficient one-window approach to the provision of housing assistance. Provinces and territories are encouraged to direct some of this funding to aboriginal people.
l know this committee is interested in what CMHC has done since the Auditor General cited areas for improvement with regard to on-reserve housing programs in her 2003 report. l am pleased to report that CMHC has taken those recommendations seriously and responded in a manner that the Auditor General subsequently, in her 2006 follow-up report, found to be satisfactory.
For example, CMHC has proactively worked to improve the way in which we horizontally work with partners. We now have standing liaison committees at both the national and regional levels with active participation of INAC and first nation representatives, augmented by other departmental representatives--for example, Health Canada--as the need dictates.
The role of the committees is to oversee the delivery of housing initiatives in first nation communities, with a view to sharing best practices, troubleshooting where needed, reaching out to other partners to advance our mutual goals, and identifying areas for improvement and attention. In 2005, through the national liaison committee, we were able to develop an allocation formula to better distribute CMHC's social housing budgets for new housing units and renovation, using a needs-based model that recognizes the relative suitability and adequacy of housing in first nation communities. This action was in direct response to the AG's recommendation to better target housing resources to those in need.
One area cited in the 2003 Auditor General's report was found to be unsatisfactory in her 2006 follow-up. This was the problem of mould on-reserve. While she acknowledged the activities of each department and agency, including CMHC, in the areas of mould research, education, and training, she did indicate that a comprehensive plan for coordinating departmental efforts was needed.
In response the three departments, together with the Assembly of First Nations, have developed a draft comprehensive strategy, which was tabled with the clerk of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts in November 2006. While the plan is currently a draft in recognition of the role individual communities will play and of the need for more detailed consultation in the delivery of the plan, this does not mean that CMHC and our partners are standing still while these discussions are taking place.
For example, CMHC is continuing its technical research. We are active in information dissemination. Mould is a component of our housing quality training initiative. We also have the systems and practices in place to require new housing built under our non-profit housing program to be built to code and to be properly maintained, and our renovation assistance can help address mould in the process of bringing a home back to minimum health and safety standards.
CMHC also plays a significant role in capacity development, and I am pleased to say that these initiatives have supported positive change with regard to housing quality and mould. For example, under our housing quality initiative, we have entered into multi-year agreements with band councils. The band leadership commits to improve housing quality by building the skills and knowledge of their members, whether they are leaders, administrators, builders, renovators, or home occupants. We offer a series of 12 modules tailored for the various audiences. They cover a vast array of topics, including indoor air quality, better building practices, and renovation techniques.
Housing is not sustainable unless the occupants know how to maintain it. For that reason, we provide training for home occupants on how to properly maintain a home, addressing topics such as how to prevent and clean up mould.
CMHC's efforts are directed towards strengthening the entire housing system, be it at the sector, institutional, or individual level. For example, we have proactively supported the creation of national associations for two key housing functions: inspections and management. The First Nations National Building Officers Association, FNNBOA, is the result of several years' work with aboriginal inspectors. Currently more than 90% of the housing inspections on-reserve, in support of CMHC programs, are now performed by aboriginal inspectors under a fee-for-service arrangement.
Following in the footsteps of FNNBOA, I am pleased to report, Mr. Chairman, that the First Nations National Housing Managers Association received its letters of patent last week and held its official launch at the AFN conference in Toronto, at which more than 130 managers filled out applications to join. While the statistics clearly demonstrate that there are significant challenges faced by aboriginal people, there are important successes and material progress being made by some communities. At the heart of their success there is usually a community champion. Success is possible, and there are a growing number of examples that need to be shared so others can learn from their successes.
Finally, in terms of where we are going, for the past few years one of CMHC's objectives has been to facilitate market-based solutions on-reserve in a manner that respects the underlying communal ownership of the land. We have worked to facilitate an increase in private sector lending with our mortgage insurance products and have actively explained and promoted the concept of greater reliance on the private market. We've customized training sessions for communities on the merits of home ownership, explained how our mortgage insurance products can assist, and worked to encourage the sharing of successes in this area. We believe that the more we can do to facilitate market solutions for those who can afford it while retaining support for those who cannot, the more first nations communities can benefit from the economic benefits of housing that most other Canadians enjoy.
Thank you again for the opportunity this afternoon. We look forward to any questions you might have.