2026-27 Horizontal Initiative - Support for Indigenous Housing
Table of contents
General information
Name of horizontal initiative: Support for Indigenous Housing (SIH)
Lead department: Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)
Federal partner department: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)
Start date of the horizontal initiative: 2022–2023
End date of the horizontal initiative: 2028–2029
Description of the horizontal initiative:
Access to safe, adequate, and culturally appropriate housing is essential to the health and well-being of all Canadians. Canada has recognized the right to adequate housing as a fundamental human right affirmed in international law, as stated in s.4(a) of the National Housing Strategy Act, S.C. 2019, c. 29, s. 313. However, Indigenous Peoples in Canada are experiencing a well-known and long-lasting housing shortage. Aging and inadequate housing, and the absence of critical infrastructure in Indigenous communities, especially in northern Indigenous communities, has had ongoing negative consequences for social, health, and economic outcomes. Investing in housing improves quality of life, narrows socio-economic gaps and increases Indigenous Peoples’ participation in the economy.
Departments reporting under this horizontal initiative will report annually, through the horizontal initiative section of the supplementary tables included in ISC’s Departmental Plan (DP) and Departmental Results Report (DRR), where results and financial information (planned and actuals) will be provided, as well as within the main body of their own DP and DRR.
ISC will lead horizontal work to report on results achieved under the Support for Indigenous Housing horizontal initiative for the first five years (2022–2023 to 2026–2027). After this time, should ISC no longer have funding that is subject to this initiative, responsibility for reporting on remaining years of investments (2027–2028 and 2028–2029) will shift to another partner department to maintain the integrity of the overall initiative.
Total federal funding allocated (from start to end date) (dollars): $4,000,806,772
Strategic Outcomes and Funding
Planning highlights:
Indigenous Services Canada
Fiscal year 2026–2027 marks the final year of ISC funding under this horizontal initiative. During this period, ISC will allocate the remaining $700.2 million from Budget 2022 to advance on reserve housing priorities. Of this amount, $642.1 million will be dedicated to addressing housing infrastructure needs through new construction and renovations and $32.9 million will sustain the housing manager subsidy, which currently helps approximately one in five First Nations retain qualified housing managers. Another $22 million will support technical services, training, and certification delivered by organizations such as the First Nations National Building Officers Association and the First Nations Housing Professionals Association. Finally, $3.2 million will be earmarked for financial innovation initiatives such as Yänonhchia, that could eventually support private home ownership on reserve.
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
CIRNAC will continue to deliver funding to distinction-based Indigenous partners to support their self-determined housing priorities.
This funding is provided to Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations through existing grants, and supports the fulfilment of their housing priorities as expressed through the action plans they submitted to Canada. Building on investments in housing through Budget 2022, CIRNAC meets with Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations on an ongoing basis through the Collaborative Fiscal Policy Development Process to better assess expenditure needs associated with the delivery of housing programs in their communities.
This funding is also provided to Inuit Treaty Organizations through existing grants, and supports the fulfilment of self-determined housing priorities. CIRNAC works with Inuit and federal partners through a housing working group of the Inuit Crown Partnership Committee to understand how housing investments, including investments through Budget 2022, are advancing shared objectives. This work is guided by the co-developed Inuit Nunangat Housing Strategy and its associated implementation plan, and includes assessing progress to address housing needs in Inuit Nunangat and understanding challenges to improve effectiveness.
Funding dedicated to housing initiatives for Métis governments will continue to build on progress initiated under Budget 2018. Financial support is allocated to Métis governments to enable them to provide assistance to their citizens in four key areas: the purchase or construction of homes; renovations and essential repairs; down payment assistance for home ownership; and rental subsidies.
Northwest Territories Métis communities and organizations will continue to offer a range of services and supports, for example housing repair services, home purchase assistance programs and home fuel subsidies for vulnerable community members.
Planning Information (in dollars)
Horizontal initiative overview
Name of horizontal initiative: Support for Indigenous Housing
Total federal funding:
- Allocated (from start to end date) (dollars): $ 4,000,806,772
- Planned spending to date (dollars): $ 1,826,206,774
- Actual spending to date (dollars): $ 1,880,799,066
2026–2027 Planned spending (dollars): $ 960,900,000
| Horizontal initiative shared outcome(s) | Performance indicator(s) | Target(s) | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved housing for Indigenous Peoples | Percentage of First Nation housing on reserve that is adequate, as assessed and reported by First Nations | 75% | March 31, 2028 |
| Core housing needTable note 1 for Indigenous Peoples | 9%Table note 2 | March 31, 2031 | |
| The housing need gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples is reduced | Percentage of difference in core housing needTable note 1 between Indigenous and non-Indigenous households | 4%Table note 2 | March 31, 2031 |
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Shared Outcomes
The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing support for Indigenous, distinctions-based housing delivery to accelerate progress and enhance self-determination. With that in mind, the Support for Indigenous Housing horizontal initiative reflects two overarching objectives:
- Address Housing Infrastructure Gaps: Direct investments will help address communities’ self-determined housing needs, including construction of new homes, purchase of existing homes, renovation or repair of existing homes, lot servicing and subdivision development.
- Governance and Institutional Capacity to Support Indigenous Housing Improvements: Investments in community capacity are essential to lasting change, to plan for new housing development and community growth, manage existing and new homes, and plan for replacement at the end of their lifespan.
| Name of theme | Theme 1: Housing Infrastructure |
Theme 2: Governance and Institutional Capacity to support Indigenous Housing Improvements |
Internal Services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theme outcome(s) | Availability of housing for Indigenous Peoples is improved | Indigenous communities advance their capacity to govern housing programs and services | Not applicable |
| Indigenous Services Canada | $2,139,846,760Table note 1 | $235,157,900Table note 1 | $25,495,340 |
| Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada | $975,509,543Table note 2 | $622,946,277Table note 3 | $1,850,954 |
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Theme horizontal initiative activities
| Theme | Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated since the last renewal (dollars) | 2026–2027 total federal planned spending (dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| Theme 1 | $3,141,717,622 | $733,552,800 |
| Theme 2 | $859,089,150 | $227,347,200 |
| Total, all themes | $4,000,806,772 | $960,900,000 |
Theme 1 details
| Name of Theme | Theme outcome(s) | Theme performance indicator(s) | Theme target(s) | Date to achieve theme target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing Infrastructure | Availability of housing for Indigenous Peoples is improved | Percentage of First Nation households on reserve living in a dwelling that contains more than one person per room (measure of overcrowding) | 10.7% | March 31, 2028 |
| Percentage of Inuit housing construction needs that were addressed | To be established following completion of Inuit needs assessments | March 31, 2029 | ||
| Percentage of Inuit housing repair/renovation needs that were addressed | To be established following completion of Inuit needs assessments | March 31, 2029 | ||
| Percentage of Métis housing construction/purchase needs that were addressed | 79% | March 31, 2029 | ||
| Percentage of Métis housing repair/renovation needs that were addressed | 95% | March 31, 2029 |
Theme 2 details
| Name of Theme | Theme outcome(s) | Theme performance indicator(s) | Theme target(s) | Date to achieve theme target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governance and Institutional Capacity to support Indigenous Housing Improvements | Indigenous communities advance their capacity to govern housing programs and services | Percentage of First Nations that employ at least one dedicated position focused on housing management responsibilities. | 25% | March 31, 2027 |
| Percentage of Métis partners that have a comprehensive workplan for implementing their housing program control framework | 100% | March 31, 2027 | ||
| Percentage of Modern Treaty and Self-Government agreement partners that have provided final reports on their Action Plans | 100% | December 31, 2027 | ||
| Percentage of Métis organizations in the Northwest Territories that are providing housing programs to their membership | 100% | March 31, 2030 |
Evaluations
Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation:
An evaluation of the Support for Indigenous Housing is currently scheduled for 2028–29 under the Urban, Rural and Northern (URN) Indigenous Housing Strategy, a horizontal initiative led by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Legacy Data
Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative: N/A
Total federal funding allocated at the last renewal, and source of funding (dollars): N/A
Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars): N/A
Total planned spending since last renewal: N/A
Total actual spending since last renewal: N/A