Kwey. Hello. Bonjour.
I'm pleased to be gathered here on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people—the land of my ancestors, the land of current-day relatives—along with colleagues who are from the Office of the Auditor General, CMHC and here at ISC.
To begin, I’d like to thank the Auditor General of Canada for her report, “Housing in First Nations Communities.” We all agree that safe and suitable housing is foundational to ensuring First Nations are able to thrive. We are currently working to address and implement the recommendations made in the spirit of true partnership and self-determination that First Nations people want.
Indigenous Services Canada is aware of the substantial housing gap in First Nations communities, and is working to address the ongoing and profound impact of a lack of suitable housing. This is a complex issue that has spanned generations.
As the audit points out, in 2021 the Assembly of First Nations estimated the cost of closing this gap at $44 billion. It’s a daunting number, but the first step to meeting needs is to understand them. In line with this, ISC is working in close collaboration with first nations to better understand their priorities.
The government cannot and should not do this work without the partnership of first nations. With the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, we committed to not repeating the wrongs of the past—to not dictate what should be done in first nations communities but rather to listen to and support their leadership in advancing the vision and priorities they set for themselves.
Since 2016, almost $4 billion has been committed through our department. With this funding, and additional funding from CMHC, first nations are incrementally building and renovating nearly 34,000 homes. However, we know there is still more work to be done.
My colleague referred to the First Nations National Housing and Related Infrastructure Strategy.
This strategy was formed with input from rights holders from coast to coast to coast, who told us that a flexible funding model was a priority. This strategy serves as the foundation of ISC’s housing policy and has shaped how we support rights holders and self-determination.
Currently, we have a housing program that is not prescriptive: Communities can use funds to build homes, renovate spaces, clear mould, service lots and create new subdivisions as they see fit. Communities choose what their priorities are and how to spend funding in the ways that work best for them. This is a key step toward our goal of transferring housing and infrastructure services.
There are transfers like the recent framework agreement signed with the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq, or CMM. Once the transfer is complete, participating communities, in partnership with the CMM, will assume control of the design, management, provision and delivery of all housing and infrastructure programs and services currently under ISC’s capital facilities and maintenance program.
These are markers of progress on the path to reconciliation. Partnerships like these are now helping us map a clear path forward to support the transfer of care and control of housing to where it belongs—with first nation governments.
To close, I would like to note that my department will work with the first nations on these recommendations from the Auditor General's report. We have already started work to address them with our partners. We'll start through our preliminary action plan. We are calling it “preliminary” because of the importance we place on working with first nations. We intend to co-develop a final action plan with them, especially with the Assembly of First Nations. This work will be embedded in our broader multi-year planning exercises with them.
Indigenous Services Canada will continue to support First Nations as they undertake the complex and generational work of building homes that meet the needs of their growing communities.
Thank you for having me. I'm happy to take your questions.
Meegwetch.