?aben.
My name is Melissa Roy. I'm originally from the Tsideldel First Nation in B.C. I am honoured to work and live in Treaty 7 territory.
Thank you for the opportunity to present to the committee members regarding the unique housing needs of our people in an urban setting.
Calgary's 2018 housing assessment notes that “the need for affordable housing is expected to exceed 100,000 households by 2026”. That same report cites the need for “culturally sensitive housing and supports” for Calgary's indigenous population.
Cultural reconnection is at the heart of everything we do at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary. Ongoing racism, discrimination, intergenerational trauma and colonialism have disconnected our people from our cultures. This is especially true of the urban indigenous people. National trends show that migration from reserves to urban settings is increasing, which means the need for culturally sensitive housing and supports will continue to grow.
Here's the reality of affordable housing in the city of Calgary. Twenty per cent of those renting make $36,000 a year or less, which means they can afford to pay $900 a month. Only 11% of rentals can be found for $900 a month. Most of them are one-bedroom units. Rent has increased by 14% in the last year alone, and landlords have become more stringent on credit checks and income verification. Inflation is at an all-time high.
The oil and gas sectors are rebounding, which is good news for the economy, but the rebound comes with its own challenges. Calgarians are now competing with oil and gas workers who come in from other provinces and countries for rental units, which adds to the pressure and the barriers our people face in finding affordable housing.
The 2018 “What We Heard Report Summary: Indigenous Housing Capital Program, Alberta Seniors and Housing” reports that indigenous families are the most in need of affordable housing. The housing most needed to accommodate families is homes with three or more bedrooms.
Now, consider the housing landscape I have laid out for you. We work with survivors of domestic violence and their children, with youth who left the reserves and do not have the life skills to thrive in the city, and with those who are jobless. We work with individuals who have mental health and addiction issues, the chronically homeless, former sex trade workers and men and women leaving corrections. Now, imagine that you're one of these individuals and you're trying to turn your life around.
Housing is a social determinant of health, yet the current systems continue to marginalize our people and set them up for failure. Families and individuals may wait up to five years to receive affordable housing. During that time, families and individuals are expected to check in with housing authorities. They don't receive reminders, and if they fail to check in, they must redo the housing assessment.
Twelve-step programs advise you not to associate with the people and places that are part of your life of addiction, yet we place people who are trying to recover in unsafe neighbourhoods, further crippling their chances of recovery and well-being. One mistake may result in eviction and a return to their old lifestyle. There is no flexibility and there is no humanity in the current processes.
We need choice and self-determination. We need an increase in affordable housing inventory that integrates culture and indigenous leadership. We need wraparound supports to help our people navigate that system. Government policies continue to perpetuate poverty and housing insecurity.
What are you prepared to do differently? What you're doing right now isn't working. It is time to move from calls to action into action. We must work together.
We need to pay homage to and value indigenous world views. An example is a recently announced AFCC elders lodge, the first of its kind in Calgary. Funding from the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the City of Calgary and the Calgary Homeless Foundation shows how this unique project can inspire future housing opportunities and demonstrate how integral community partners are in our journey to wellness.
Our home fires need to be healthy to heal, and the way to well-being is through culture, which you can only understand through the act of reconciliation. Let us not forget the wise words of the commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: “Reconciliation is not an aboriginal problem; it is a Canadian one.”
Sechanalyagh.