Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee.
I'm very pleased to be here on behalf of CMHC to discuss housing as it relates to violence against women.
A key part of CMHC's mandate is to work with our provincial, territorial, and non-governmental partners, as well as the private sector, to help Canadians from all walks of life access quality affordable homes. CMHC's assisted housing initiatives are designed to help some of the most vulnerable in society, including women who are victims of domestic violence.
As we all know, safe, affordable housing is a foundation for healthy living and a building block for success in many other areas, including personal relationships, community engagement, education, and the labour market. The federal government, through CMHC, invested $7 billion annually at one point so that 620,000 low-income households living in existing social housing could continue to live in safe, affordable homes.
I might add that about 60% of those living in the existing social housing stock are estimated to be women and girls.
CMHC also supports the creation of new social housing through the affordable housing initiative. The provinces and territories design and deliver these housing programs and also match the federal investment. We also provide a suite of renovation programs to help lower-income households repair their properties. These programs are directed and delivered by the provinces and territories or occasionally directly delivered by CMHC.
CMHC also has a team of experts dedicated to advancing affordable housing solutions across the country. Through that team, we provide non-profit and church groups, private developers, and others seeking to develop local housing solutions with access to a comprehensive range of affordable housing information, tools, and resources that could help them make their vision a reality. Like all Canadians, aboriginal women and families living off reserve have access to these initiatives.
CMHC, however, also has a specific mandate to work with Indian and Northern Affairs to help address housing needs of first nations people living on reserves. As my colleague has just said, CMHC spends about $135 million annually to support housing on reserve. This includes funding to renovate existing housing units as well as ongoing subsidies under the on-reserve non-profit housing program, which we usually reference as the section 95 program.
Canada's economic action plan also provides for significant investments in social housing, including $400 million over two years for housing on reserve. CMHC is responsible for delivering $250 million of this. As a result of this federal investment, first nations across Canada have been able to significantly improve the housing conditions of their community members.
A further $200 million in economic action plan funding has been earmarked to support renovation and construction of housing in the north, where there are large aboriginal populations. Improving the quality and availability of social housing both on and off reserve can have a direct impact on preventing violence against women.
However, it's also very important to provide safe havens for those in need when family violence does occur. Here, too, CMHC does have a role through our shelter enhancement program, part of our overall suite of renovation programs. This program offers financial assistance for the renovation of existing shelters or for the creation/acquisition of new shelters and second-stage housing for victims of family violence, both on and off reserve. Federal funding under the affordable housing initiative that I previously mentioned can also be used for the development of transitional and second-stage housing.
Federal funding for shelter units has made a difference. One example would be Fort Albany First Nation, located on the west coast of James Bay in northern Ontario and accessible only by air and the winter ice road. In 2008, CMHC provided the band council with funding of just over $800,000 to build five new shelter units. Vulnerable aboriginal women in this isolated community now have a place to go when they have a specific need.
The shelter enhancement program also provides assistance to non-profits or charities that house victims of family violence off reserve. These shelters are also available, as I said, to aboriginal women.
Another example would be the YWCA's residence in Regina that offers safe and affordable housing to women, including aboriginal women. The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan jointly provided about $1.8 million in funding through the affordable housing initiative and through the shelter enhancement program to renovate and expand this 53-bed residence.
The federal government is one of many partners working to address this very complex and serious issue. Housing funding from CMHC makes it possible for communities to respond more effectively to the needs of women in crisis. Whether these women are accessing the 620,000 units of existing social housing or living in transitional housing or shelters built or renovated with federal funding, it all makes a difference on the ground and contributes to the broader solution.
Thank you again for this opportunity. I welcome any questions that the committee might have.