Summary Of Discussions - First Nations Breakout Session

In summarizing the breakout group discussions it is important to remember that each breakout group was facilitated in a style that would respond to the group’s expectations and ideas. For example, in the First Nations breakout room the session began with an opportunity for participants to share their key messages with one another. This practice was not necessarily done in the Inuit or Métis breakout groups in the same order or approach. Therefore, while reading the report there will be some differences in the report headings and titles. Also the language used in many of the bullet summaries was not altered or changed in order to respect the statements as recorded on the flip charts. However, if context was required to clarify meaning or interpretation some contextualising was done.

At the start of each workshop, participants within the First Nations breakout group were given the opportunity to share key messages in a plenary setting. There were contributions from all participants on the first day. On the second day, several participants volunteered statements and/or observations for the record. The following summary of these comments for both days is organized within themes, however it may be noted that comments may fit into more than one theme.

Key Messages

Housing Supply and Construction Issues

Participants voiced concern about the continued shortfall in housing for First Nations (80,000 units), which results in overcrowding and detrimental outcomes for communities. Some examples of research in housing that have identified short-, medium- and long-term solutions can be found in Quebec and British Columbia.

Women, Urban and Disability Housing Issues

Participants raised issues specifically dealing with the lack of housing stock for First Nations women and children. Some comments indicated that the lack of housing in the community has triggered violent situations in the home which in turn has contributed to women being pushed into shelters or crisis situations. A critical response is to ensure that life and safety in the home is respected in housing policy for women and children. Housing policy must also address affordability issues and provide support for First Nations persons with disabilities and seniors and address homelessness. More collaborative participation is required to bridge the gap between First Nations men and women living both on and off reserve.

Capacity and Action Support

Individuals spoke about greater emphasis required on building capacity and skills within the housing sector from construction, maintenance and administration. More funding needs to be allocated to support increased partnerships, educational efforts and consultations. Participants recommend that more human resource training for all housing stakeholders is required. Housing stakeholders want to work more closely together, hear the success stories and construction outcomes and help learn from one another. Another suggestion was the establishment of trades and building expertise associations for First Nations.

Innovation and Solutions for Housing Issues

Many comments shared seem to agree that innovative solutions that are creative and unique will be required to address the First Nations housing crisis. Some of these approaches were shared, such as creating a First Nations home ownership program, and examining the innovative housing examples used for Yukon First Nations. One suggestion indicated that housing policy needs to be divided into two streams―social housing and market housing. The Canadian Real Estate Association indicated their interest in learning more about the housing needs of First Nations in order to support and increase home ownership approaches.

Financial Support and Policy Implementation

The majority of comments were directed around the need for significantly new investment of resources within the housing sector to address the current housing crisis. The infusion of funding should be long term (10-year commitment) and coincide with new housing policy supporting the new funding levels. Specifically, it was recommended by First Nations representatives that the housing allocation budget requires a $1 billion investment as proposed in the AFN’s pre-budget submission, and $400 million annually directed to support housing, infrastructure and community buildings.

Jurisdiction and Treaty Rights

Participants acknowledged that housing is seen as a Treaty right to shelter. The jurisdiction of housing should be within the control of First Nations. It was further suggested that First Nations need to examine the various roles of government, including departments such as INAC and CMHC.

Housing Supply

Launch Question:

How can the factors affecting the current supply of housing be addressed in ways that increase availability for Aboriginal peoples in their diverse circumstances?

Short-term recommendations

The focus for many of the short-term recommendations dealt with the backlog of housing units (80,000) and existing units (70,000) that require repair and maintenance. Contributing to the immediate situation is lack of funding, policy that is not helpful for both on and off reserve and responding to growing demographics. The recommendations also address issues relating to women and violence, matrimonial property and accessible housing for persons with disabilities.

• Current housing stock allocation should be increased significantly.
• An immediate comprehensive housing survey is needed.
• Immediate federal budget over five years to address current housing backlog is needed.
• Reinstate the federal policy and program for off-reserve Indian Housing Policy.
• The federal government should increase the section 95 allocations.
• Specific policy, regulations and legislative changes are needed immediately to deal with income threshold, social policy devolution, rent control verses market control, matrimonial property rights for First Nations women, violence and family abuse, and disability issues.
• Create a housing negotiating table for housing policy review and renewal, and for strategy and action plan development.

Medium- and long-term recommendations

A significant portion of medium- and long-term recommendations addressed urban and off-reserve housing concerns for First Nations as well as issues related to women.

• There is a need for data collection that would give information on urban members to help formulate a comprehensive housing plan.
• Plan on the long-term continuum for urban and rural and homelessness shelter and housing units.
• Include counselling support systems for urban and rural tenants.
• New models for funding urban, rural, northern and reserve are needed.
• Support a housing conference that is more comprehensive and would bring together all stakeholders, Aboriginal and First Nations, trades, private sector and governments.
• Look at solutions and practical approaches (workshops) to incorporate traditional forms of housing (e.g. communal and community based approaches).
• First Nations housing ombudsman is needed to mediate disputes between government and First Nations.
• Create housing policies that require the perpetrator to leave rather than force women to leave.
• Create landlord registry and increase program incentives to improve rental units.
• Determine if First Nations require Indian and Northern Affairs Canada or Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
• Review implication of Treaty rights to shelter, including Aboriginal, and enforce.
• First Nations and Aboriginals must be involved in all decision making regarding housing.
• Home ownership for women, housing for students and older women are needed.
• Support matrimonial property rights for First Nations women on reserve.
• Create more shelters for women.

Housing Quality

Launch Question:

What strategic approaches can be pursued to reduce deficiencies and improve the quality of housing available to Aboriginal people?

Participants focused on health, planning, renovation/maintenance, new stock, capacity, transportation/cost of materials, and the inspection process as the critical issues for dealing with housing quality. Specific recommendations included the following:

• housing health determinants need to be comprehensive to deal with mold, vermiculite and over-crowding issues;
• National Building Code (NBC) designed to achieve higher rather than minimum building standards;
• establish First Nations Task Force to review the NBC for design, durability, cultural appropriateness, environmental (e.g. higher air exchange for higher occupancy and undersized sewers);
• qualified assessment of housing stock to address emergency issues dealing with women and children, persons with disabilities (e.g. change Residential Rehabilitations Assistance Program and Emergency Repair Program);
• for new stock, ensure that standards and compliance are consistently interpreted; have insurance; train inspectors and builders; have warranty protection; these need to reflect the reality and geographic location, analysis of cost-effective transportation and locations and facilities to store bulk purchases;
• planning and training sessions that include leadership, Council, managers, tenants, counsellors, inspectors, builders, maintenance, inspectors, health and environmental stakeholders;
• long-term planning that includes future demands, maintenance, renovations, emergencies, replacements, partnerships, flexible housing (e.g. multi-generational housing, finances);
• apply “real costs” policy versus Indian and Northern Affairs Canada current policy;
• annual maintenance for housing;
• support financial options, such as creative tools to look at funding without ministerial approval, flexible income levels for financial guarantees ($5,000), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to provide competitive rates for financing;
• do bulk purchasing, have freight subsidies, more modular housing and use local materials;
• create incentives to promote partnerships and joint ventures (e.g. taxation);
• large First Nations construction companies service many First Nations in the area, vertical integration of supplies/manufacture and service to keep the funding flow to First Nations companies;
• more educational support and information workshops for occupants in their homes;
• create appropriate housing size for persons with disabilities and seniors;
• more capacity support and training in all areas of housing from construction to administration;
• create First Nations Housing Authorities; and
• pool inspectors by region with appropriate authorities.

Housing Affordability

Launch Question:

What are the key issues that affect housing affordability and what systemic adjustments and supports are required to enable access by Aboriginal people to affordable homes?

Participants recommended a number of cost-saving approaches while emphasizing that the federal fiduciary responsibility for housing must be fulfilled. Some of the key recommendations made are as follows:

• design an Aboriginal Habitat for Humanity approach (community driven);
• economic ventures with First Nations around lumber mills, pre-fabricated housing factories;
• build different types of houses on and off reserve (e.g. multi-unit, seniors and special needs);
• create investment opportunities for communities to invest back into housing;
• security on reserve knowing the standard of housing is sound;
• an institution of housing authority for on and off reserve;
• increase land base with reserve status, portability of rights;
• address city land tenure and other options for sources of equity;
• allow First Nations Housing Authorities to implement policies to serve a range of incomes;
• trades and training in the trades (local capacity will affect affordability);
• employment and unemployment (high dependence on social assistance directly affects affordability);
• education and local capacity;
• limited financial options and mechanisms available; and
• federal policy assessment (1996 Housing Policy, 1998 Gathering Strength policy) will lead to adjustments/supports required to enable access to affordable homes, (e.g. Ministerial Loan Guarantees, Section 95, leads to increased debt).

Jurisdiction, Governance and Control

Launch Question:

What institutional framework and collaborative approaches are needed to address the diversity of jurisdictional issues that impact on the ability of Aboriginal peoples to exercise control and governance over how their housing needs are met?

Jurisdiction

• Jurisdiction to First Nations means full control of housing.
• First Nations want full administrative authority and jurisdiction over programs.
• Recognition of who makes the policy (First Nations/Aboriginal).
• A legislative base for First Nations that includes resources, institutional and policy authorities is required;
• Transitional planning should occur to support and sustain unexpected situations.
• Work together (both on and off reserve) to meet the needs of Aboriginal Housing Authorities.
• Tripartite agreements are needed for housing.
• Revisit the understanding of fiduciary.
• First Nations need the ability and authority to respond and act on policy.

Control

• Evolve policies to accommodate the different needs and housing situations for First Nations.
• Policy regulation is required that will respect family interests, custody of children, possession of residence.
• First Nations housing corporations to coordinate on- and off-reserve policies.
• Policy must reflect legal precedence (Delgamuukw, Sparrow, Marshall).
• Concrete targets and indicators for housing policy and program delivery are needed.
• Refer to the Royal Commission for Aboriginal Peoples (1996) and Auditor General Reports (specifically the 2003 report on housing).
• Put a cap on income for housing assistance (e.g. not eligible if resources are $100,000).
• Support smaller communities in a more whole way through help from well-off communities.
• Support all Aboriginal housing societies and their mandates, structures and delivery of services in the housing sector.
• Overcrowding in housing leads to other social problems, such as mental and physical health and violence issues, therefore more units are required to eliminate this problem.

Governance

• Examine and use the self-governance model in B.C. Since 2001 the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) has been managing provincial social housing stock, and will include rural housing too; the relationship with the province will advance flow-through agreements.
• Careful not to create funding competition between on- and off-reserve housing groups.
• Need to review a wide range of models and options to fit community needs.
• Governance model must include accountability back to the First Nations community.
• Reporting relationship with government only.
• Create regional and local housing bodies with adequate funding to be competitive with salaries and benefits.
• The National Housing model is a living concept that can adapt as needs are raised.
• Multi-year funding is needed.
• Administration budgets need to have flow-through agreements and authorities.
• Funding challenges affect administration (e.g. difference between unionized/non-unionized, labour/skilled support; salaries and benefits are not competitive).
• Revenue stream and broader approaches to encourage use of tax immunity to keep resources circulating in the community.
• Housing governance needs to be community driven and bureaucracy reduced with adequate funding.
• Capacity building and training for housing skills in administration are needed.
• Legislative framework that transfers resources and authorities.
• Keep tenant counselling as part of Aboriginal housing.

Making Progress

Launch Question:

How will we know progress is being made (First Nations, government and others)?

First Nations

• First Nations involved fully in every step leading to and including policy retreat and First Ministers’ Meeting (FMM);
• First Nations strategy with timelines and milestones leading to input to the Policy Retreat and First Ministers’ Meeting;
• build additional housing units, increase units and clear backlog;
• establishment of local housing authorities and new infrastructure within First Nations communities;
• transition team to support new housing targets for building units;
• economic impact assessments of all delivery system; and
• capacity development in the housing sector.

Government

• February 2005 federal budget announces at least $1 billion for on-reserve housing and infrastructure;
• federal government agrees to First Nations/federal negotiating table/process to discuss regime change and new approach;
• recognizing the need for a national housing strategy;
• providing realistic funding for our needs;
• Prime Minister promised National Housing Conference at the April 19, 2004 Roundtable;
• increase in housing units and backlog cleared;
• resources made available for new infrastructure, making true commitments;
• immediate April 5 injection of new capital funding to construct 80,000 units over a five-year period;
• commit to a five-year strategy; and
• continuum of programs to reduce gaps.

Others

• public informed of new approach/commitments through joint (First Nations and Prime Minister) press release in February 2005 (budget time);
• united front by all First Nations peoples;
• profitable business partnerships;
• access to resources;
• agreed upon statistics for First Nations housing;
• housing for on- and off-reserve peoples;
• create better health determinants for housing;
• building units based on demographic and population of First Nations; and
• devolution revisited.

Crosscutting Lens

The lens question was asked in each segment of the workshop, asking for input on the needs and concerns of First Nation peoples living in urban and off-reserve circumstances; women; and persons with disabilities. Participants incorporated their responses into recommended actions previously noted in this summary. Highlights of the recommendations that touch upon the crosscutting lens include:

• acknowledgement and support for urban and off-reserve housing with a coordinated effort between the on- and off-reserve First Nations;
• one model will not fit all; a commitment to look at two streams of funding and/or different models to support all First Nations housing needs regardless of geographic location;
• women must have access to safe housing that is secure, matrimonial rights on reserve must be resolved, more shelters and greater access to them are needed, women must be part of the decision-making process on housing;
• overcrowding in housing has led to family violence;
• persons with disabilities must have access and input into appropriately designed housing to meet their needs; and
• additional funding and capacity support is required for women, off-reserve housing societies and persons with disabilities to build sustainable housing.

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The documentation contained on this website does not necessarily represent the views of any government or National Aboriginal Organization. The purpose of this website is to share information related to the Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable: background papers, Facilitator's sectoral and final reports, agendas and media announcements.

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