Indigenous Housing Crisis in Canada: Advocates Demand Promised Funding

Michael Wesley spent four harrowing years homeless in northern Ontario, frequently seeking shelter in a tent because he felt safer there than on the streets of Timmins and Kirkland Lake. During this period, Wesley, a Cree man from Moosonee, endured severe hardship, scarce meals, isolation from family, and nearly fatal drug overdoses. Eventually, the limited availability of resources led him to relocate to Toronto, where he found more support; however, he still faced prolonged waits for shelter.

Wesley’s experience underscores the broader Indigenous housing crisis affecting First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people living off-reserve across Canada. Moreover, Indigenous housing advocates, including Margaret Pfoh, CEO of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association, emphasise that systemic racism and implicit biases further compound the barriers Indigenous people encounter when seeking housing in the private market.

Pfoh herself experienced racial discrimination firsthand when searching for housing, despite her qualifications as an experienced professional and CEO. Consequently, she underscores the critical need for government action, noting that ongoing discrimination exacerbates Indigenous housing struggles.

In response, the federal government committed $4 billion in Budget 2023 to address this issue through the Urban, Rural and Northern (URN) Indigenous Housing Strategy. Initially, $2.8 billion was earmarked for distribution via a new National Indigenous Housing Centre; however, advocates express frustration that the centre has yet to be established, thus delaying critical funding. As a result, Indigenous leaders argue the delay has already postponed essential housing projects, potentially losing another year of crucial construction.

Similarly, Steve Teekens, executive director of Na-Me-Res, an Indigenous men’s transitional housing organisation in Toronto, describes the funding delay as “unjust.” Although Na-Me-Res has provided Wesley transitional housing and addiction support, it cannot expand beyond its current projects due to funding shortfalls.

Meanwhile, federal parties acknowledge the severity of the crisis, each proposing various solutions. For instance, the NDP prioritises constructing affordable homes; the Conservative party emphasises infrastructure funding and removing bureaucratic barriers to home building; and the Liberal government reaffirms its ongoing commitment to the URN strategy but has not detailed further plans ahead of elections.

Ultimately, as advocates like Pfoh and Teekens continue their push for immediate action, Indigenous individuals such as Wesley remain caught in a cycle of waiting. This ongoing situation highlights the urgent need for systemic change and the fulfillment of governmental promises to resolve Canada’s Indigenous housing crisis.