As rural, urban, and northern Indigenous housing providers and allies we can wait no longer. What’s at stake is $2.8 billion promised and committed by the federal government, but not delivered. What’s at stake are thousands of URN Indigenous peoples facing another bleak winter waiting for homes that are not yet built.
The Government of Canada’s own National Housing Council recommended “an initial budget request for fiscal years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 in the minimum amount of $6.3 billion”.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated $27 billion in capital contributions will be needed to address Indigenous housing need.
Federal Budget 2023 committed $4 billion to implement a “co-developed” Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, primarily through a still-unresolved RFP to deliver $2.8 billion announced January 22, 2024.
It is time for the Government of Canada to honour its funding promise and make good on its written commitment almost two years ago in Budget 2023. The time for action is now.
As the Indigenous Housing Caucus of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, we call upon the Federal Government to delay no longer.
We issue these three CALLS TO ACTION:
- Immediately announce the national URN Indigenous housing organization selected to administer the URN Indigenous housing funds.
- Release the $2.8 billion funds without further delay to a national URN Indigenous housing organization.
- Respond to these Calls to Action by letter no later than January 22, 2025, one year after the announcement of the RFP.
As rural, urban, and northern Indigenous housing providers we can wait no longer. Over 80 per cent of Indigenous people live in urban areas and in rural and northern communities. Too many are in core housing need or unhoused.
We require you and your government to show respect and honour us for our long and proven track record. We cannot accept missing yet another construction season, because your government did not make timely decisions and release the promised funds. We expect you to act now.
Our URN Indigenous housing movement is strong. We have been patient and polite, waiting for you to fulfill your commitment and move expeditiously. But we can no longer accept the wait. We have many partners and supporters - URN Indigenous agencies and services alongside our non-Indigenous allies and CHRA members – and are ready to harness the power of the collective to rally behind these calls to action.
We invite Indigenous-led organizations and allies to support our calls to action.
