First Nations Housing and Infrastructure Initiatives

AFN National Update Irving Leblanc, P. Eng., Director Housing, Infrastructure and Emergency Services

Assembly of First Nations (AFN) The AFN is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada. The AFN represents all citizens regardless of age, gender or place of residence First Nation leaders (Chiefs) from coast to coast to coast direct the work of AFN through resolutions passed at Chiefs Assemblies held at least twice a year Housing and Infrastructure Directorate advocates on behalf of Canada s First Nations in areas of housing, infrastructure, water, wastewater , emergency issues management, and source water protection 2

Chiefs Committee The Chiefs Committee on Housing and Infrastructure (CCoHI) provides technical advice and recommendations with respect to AFN s engagement with Canada on housing and infrastructure related issues CCoHI has representation from each region, which includes Chiefs and Technicians who are appointed by their respective Regionals Chiefs 3

Current Vision All First Nation members living on or away from their community have a right to shelter and they must be provided with an opportunity to access safe, secure, adequate and affordable housing Vision must be rooted in community based needs identified at the local community level, culturally relevant and supported by sustainable adequate funding with the same standards as off-reserve There is a strong desire for the same standards as off-reserve communities 4

2016 Forum Findings The current housing vision is widely accepted Any initiative must be First Nations controlled and implemented Cooperation and collaboration amongst First Nations because we have the solutions Inclusion, safe, secure, affordable, healthy, quality housing and infrastructure with adequate resources to create a sustainable housing and infrastructure portfolio Funding and Finance Long term, flexible, housing and infrastructure funding model developed by and for First Nations Maximize the leverage of funding and financing, through partnerships, with other governments and First Nations Access to and implementation of all of the modern financial tools of infrastructure development in First Nations that are available to all other levels of government We must find a way to encourage individual and family responsibility for housing and infrastructure 5

2016 Forum Findings Contd Skills and Capacity First Nations control over skills and capacity development aligned with community needs Committed and significant investment into existing First Nations technical and skills organizations Central repositories of technical knowledge information made available to all First Nations Committed and appropriate funding to ensure the attraction and retention of qualified housing and capital managers Governance and Delivery Significant and committed investments in local management of housing and infrastructure First Nations institutions must be stand alone and endowed with all of the necessary authorities and funding to succeed Transfer payments directly to First Nations We need national institution that replaces CMHC and INAC in the delivery of Housing and infrastructure Must get local regional and national politics out of housing and infrastructure development 6

2016 Forum Recommendations Develop a First Nations National Housing and Infrastructure Strategy with a combined Vision Implementation plan and budgets Gather data Prioritize areas to carry out further research Seek funding to carry out research on those areas identified for further study 7

Implementing Resolutions Resolution 98/2016 supports the development of a First Nations National Housing and Infrastructure Strategy Resolution 27/2017 supports the establishment of a joint Working Group to develop the Strategy and a Strategic Plan with short, medium and long-term objectives and outcomes 8

First Nations National Housing and Infrastructure Strategy First Nations Care and Control of Housing and Infrastructure is the guiding principle The end goal is getting INAC and CMHC out of the business First Nations people must lead the development of a Strategy to ensure the transformative change of housing and infrastructure is envisioned from a First Nations perspective First Nations need to be involved in all decision making processes, and furthermore, funding needs to be flowed directly to First Nation communities for the care and control of housing and infrastructure Draft Strategic plan: measurable short, medium and long-term objectives, actions and deliverables developed by First Nations 9

First Nations Housing and Infrastructure Working Group Working Group has been established in accordance to resolution 27/2017 Members include the CCoHI and Regional Housing Technicians, AFN, Indigenous Services (INAC), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and Health Canada/FNIHB (HC) Working Group meetings are well attended and signal a positive step toward establishing a working relationship 10

Memorandum to Cabinet (MC) CMHC to release National Housing Strategy (Canada) in Fall 2017 CMHC to submit Treasury Board Submission in Fall 2017 CMHC to launch National Housing Strategy Programs in Spring 2018 INAC MC on First Nations National Housing Strategy Winter 2017 INAC MC Budget 2017 ($4 billion over 10 years) 11

MC Co-Development An opportunity to tell and share our story to Cabinet versus the norm where INAC tells their version of the story Work collaboratively with Government to ensure the story reflects our perspectives and vision for housing and infrastructure Working Group working on a DRAFT Policy Framework that will feed into the MC process and become an Annex to the MC 12

DRAFT Policy Framework Questions developed to seek your input at this forum Understand the true costs of housing and infrastructure Strategic research and data gathering exercise First Nations to decide their own level of governance Ongoing engagement to develop strategies and frameworks based on community needs and priorities 13

Next Steps We plan to present the DRAFT Policy Framework as an Annex at upcoming Special Chiefs Assembly for discussion and endorsement First Nations engagement sessions are required to ensure transition process is First Nations led Develop a strategic plan with short, medium and long-term objectives Develop options start the transition process 14

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