Public Accounts committee  The housing and infrastructure strategy is actually from Indigenous Services Canada. The urban, rural and northern strategy is the strategy that the government will launch in this upcoming fiscal year to address urban, rural and northern challenges for indigenous people. We are creating an indigenous centre that will manage the bulk of the money.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, as I've said, we are committed to responding to the auditor's report and action plan. We are going to make every effort to actually meet the deadlines and even exceed the timelines, if we can.

Public Accounts committee  I have mentioned a lot of the initiatives we have put in place to help with that. We have mentioned modular and 3-D housing as a very good step towards lowering the costs. You've mentioned some of the barriers that exist. Another one is that access is very seasonal, which becomes an issue for the indigenous people who live up north or in more rural areas.

Public Accounts committee  As I mentioned, we have a dedicated team across the country that works with first nations on indigenous housing, including in remote areas and in the north. The national housing strategy also has $1.6 billion that's dedicated to indigenous people and people in the north. Mr. Linstead's team works around the country and helps them with applications.

Public Accounts committee  The rapid housing initiative was one of the most successful programs in terms of building houses quickly or committing to building housing quickly. I think the take-up rate for indigenous people was around 40% of the total $4 billion funding, if I'm not mistaken.

Public Accounts committee  The national housing strategy does prioritize indigenous people and people living in the north as one of their priority populations. As of December 31, 2023, I'm happy to say that we've committed $6 billion of the $43 billion that has been committed under the national housing strategy to indigenous people and people living in the north.

Public Accounts committee  There was a portion of the housing accelerator fund that was dedicated to rural and northern areas. We did have first nations actually apply successfully through the housing accelerator fund.

Public Accounts committee  The program, as you know, recently went through the application process. As for its success, it's a little early, but we can get back to the committee in terms of success on first nations on reserve.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, the formula, as I mentioned, is part of our tripartite agreement. We've committed to reviewing it as a formalized part of the response to the Auditor General's report.

Public Accounts committee  As I already said, the formula in question is subject to a tripartite agreement between the Assembly of First Nations, Indigenous Services Canada and the CMHC. In our response to the Auditor General’s report, we said that we would verify it and work to change the formula, but we will not do so unilaterally.

Public Accounts committee  Actually, all of our programs on reserve that were subject to the audit do require an inspection to be done. For new construction, you also have to take into account that the period of the audit was during a global pandemic, when travel was restricted, so a 90% achievement is a very good rate, in our opinion.

Public Accounts committee  Chair, as I said, the agreement is between the Assembly of First Nations and Indigenous Services Canada and CMHC. I will point out that there is just a set amount of funding as well. If the formula is changed, there will be winners and losers. The set dollar amount will still be the same.

Public Accounts committee  We did mention in the report that we are working with our partners to update the formula, yes.

Public Accounts committee  The formula is based on a tripartite agreement we've reached with Indigenous Services Canada and the Assembly of First Nations. We have not changed the formula over the years. Having said that, I will say that we are not going to unilaterally change that formula. You've seen that we've agreed in the report that we will look at it and work with our partners to come up with a new formula.

Public Accounts committee  I can reply. In terms of the residential rehabilitation assistance program and the on-reserve non-profit rental program, which are the focus of the Auditor General's report, the allocation to provinces and regions are based on the formula you've mentioned. From there, it's first nations communities and tribal councils that decide the allocations.