Rapid housing projects support First Nations in Northern Alberta

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, the honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism, Associate Minister of Finance, and Chief Neil Cheecham, Fort McMurray 468 First Nation announced a combined federal investment of more than $5 million through the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) Project Stream to support rapid housing projects for two Indigenous communities in Northern Alberta.

Through the RHI, these projects will facilitate the immediate construction of 10 tiny homes for the Mikisew Cree Nation on the Allison Bay Reserve near Fort Chipewyan, and 10 modular homes on the Fort McMurray 468 First Nation at Gregoire Lake. Of the 10 modular homes in Fort McMurray, three homes will have two bedrooms and seven will have four bedrooms, with half of the homes being allocated for women and their children.

The projects will provide safe and affordable housing to people who are at-risk of homelessness, allowing them to remain in their communities.

Funding for the projects include:

• $2.53 million from the federal government through the RHI for Mikisew Cree First Nation
• $2.47 million from the federal government through the RHI for Fort McMurray 468 First Nation
• $274,923 from Fort McMurray 468 First Nation

The RHI, delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) as part of the National Housing Strategy (NHS), provides capital contributions to develop new, permanent affordable housing. It covers costs associated with the construction of modular multi-unit rentals, the conversion of non-residential to affordable multi-residential homes, and the rehabilitation of buildings in disrepair and/or abandoned into affordable multi-residential homes. These investments made under the RHI are expected to support thousands of construction-related jobs for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Quotes:

“No relationship is more important to our government than the one with Indigenous Peoples. Our support for Fort McMurray 468 First Nation, and Mikisew Cree First Nation will ensure residents have access to safe, affordable housing in their own communities. These projects not only deliver more housing opportunities, they also support the social and economic well-being of the entire community. Through our government’s National Housing Strategy, we are working with Indigenous partners to ensure Indigenous communities have access to housing that meets their needs.”

“Today’s funding is an investment into the social fabric of First Nation communities in Northern Alberta, keeping them together with increased funding for affordable housing. Under Canada’s first National Housing Strategy, we are working with Indigenous partners to build rapid housing in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast; because everyone deserves access to affordable housing.”

“Providing safe and affordable housing for our Members in need is a priority within our Community Strategic Plan to ensure our Nation and our People thrive. This federal funding, coupled with our Nation’s contribution, will enable us to support more of our Members living on reserve, improving their quality of life and offering dignity and the opportunity to stay connected to the community, our lands, and our culture.”

Quick facts:

• The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is a $2.5 billion program under the National Housing Strategy (NHS) to help address the urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians, especially in the context of COVID-19, through the rapid construction of over 10,000 units of affordable housing.
• The Government of Canada’s 2022 budget announced an additional investment of $1.5 billion for a third round of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). This new funding will create up to 4,500 new affordable housing units, with at least 25 per cent of funding going towards women-focused projects. This brings the total investment in RHI to $4 billion, which will yield nearly 15,000 homes in total for people who need them most in this country.
• Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $82-plus billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home.
• NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life, and people with lived experience of housing need.
• All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that support partnerships, people, and communities.

Additional information:

As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, please visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

For information on this release:

Brittany Hendrych
Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
brittany-anne.hendrych@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
media@cmhc-schl.gc.ca