Indigenous-led housing needs assessment tool

Indigenous peoples in B.C. have urgent and distinct housing needs that communities and municipalities need to understand. This information can include the number and type of housing units required so local governments can appropriately address the housing needs. However, information on Indigenous-specific housing needs is hard to find. It takes considerable time, effort and expertise to locate, access and download this data from multiple sources for analysis.

This project will result in an easy-to-understand resource. Using it will allow every community in B.C. to easily access and download Indigenous housing needs information to include in their Housing Needs Reports.

Project scope and expected outcomes

Making it easier to understand Indigenous housing needs

The B.C. government asks over 180 local governments and electoral areas to submit Housing Needs Reports every 5 years. These reports must include specific details on the housing needs of Indigenous peoples in B.C. The idea is to help communities and municipalities understand and act on these urgent and distinct needs.

However, data on these Indigenous-specific housing needs is hard to find. Local governments could save an estimated $900,000 and gain more accurate representation by significantly reducing the time and effort for municipal staff or consultants to locate, access and download this data from multiple sources.

A simplified approach to data collection

This project will streamline data collection to simplify the process of including Indigenous needs in Housing Needs Reports. It will also create an Indigenous-led data analysis and visualization dashboard to make the data more accessible and visible to everyone. By increasing visibility, the tool will also promote accountability for addressing Indigenous housing needs.

The dashboard will be an easy-to-use resource for every local government, electoral area and community in B.C. It will allow users to easily access and download Indigenous housing needs information to be included in their reports. Data will include:

• gender
• age
• income
• family size
• disability

The data will highlight how these factors intersect to compound housing affordability and accessibility challenges. A clear user manual will include processes for needs assessment, data access, Indigenous partnerships and technical components.

A phased plan for success

Phase 1:
Project partners will collaborate on a roadmap to meet the project’s goals and values. They will work with Indigenous community organizations, service providers and representatives to review key data indicators.

Phase 2:
This phase will focus on optimizing user experience of the tool, formatting all input data and designing and documenting the methodological steps for data analysis.

Phase 3:
The last phase will cover 2 key components:

1. automating analysis and data visualization
2. publishing and sharing knowledge

All the code written for the tool will be posted to make the software publicly available, ensuring the tool can easily be adapted to other Canadian geographies.

The importance of streamlined Indigenous housing data

This project will save time, reduce costs and create a reliable, accessible data source for Indigenous housing needs, empowering communities to make informed decisions. By improving transparency and accountability, it builds a foundation for equity in housing solutions in Canada.