$30 million for housing of indigenous peoples in NWO

Image: Randy Thoms/Acadia Broadcasting, May 3, 2024

A large amount of funding will be used for housing for Indigenous peoples in Ontario.

More than $30 million will create 281 housing units for people with housing problems and homelessness.

The buildings receiving funding are the Seven Generations Education Institute and Kekekoziibii Development Corp. in Kenora and the Reverend Tommy Beardy Memorial Family Treatment Centre in Thunder Bay.

The funding is provided to Indigenous Services Canada through Budget 2022 and will be distributed by NICHI, applying their “For Indigenous, By Indigenous” approach. NICHI brings together organizations to provide sustainable solutions that address housing shortages for Indigenous peoples.

A housing crisis continues to grow within the Indigenous community. More than 171,000 Indigenous peoples living off-reserve have a basic housing need, according to the 2021 census.

In addition to Northern Ontario, they are funding $280 million nationally for this purpose. That’s a total of 73 ongoing projects across Canada.