'I am completely discouraged that so little has changed'
Auditor general Karen Hogan has said that she is “completely discouraged” by how the federal government is handling housing issues impacting First Nations communities.
She told reporters at a Tuesday press conference that a major overhaul is needed to address the gaps she uncovered in two new reports examining various federal programs aimed at supporting Canada’s Indigenous Peoples.
“The lack of progress clearly demonstrates that the government’s passive, siloed approach is ineffective, and, in fact, contradicts the spirit of true reconciliation,” said Hogan.
One of the reports presented by Hogan in the House of Commons found that many people in First Nations communities still “do not have access to housing that is safe and in good condition.”
According to the report, subpar housing conditions have continued to persist in First Nations communities for over two decades, with many continuing to struggle with issues like moulding and crowded units.
The responsibility of supporting First Nations housing currently falls to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), but the two organizations “have made little progress” in improving conditions.
“After four audit reports, I can honestly say that I am completely discouraged that so little has changed, and that so many First Nations individuals and families continue to live in substandard homes,” Hogan told reporters on Tuesday.
ISC, CMHC falling behind pace to meet 2023 targets
Between the fiscal years 2018-19 and 2022-23, the ISC and CMHC managed to fund the construction of 11,754 new housing units and the repair of 15,859 existing units.
But this represents only a fifth of what is needed to bridge current gaps, according to Hogan.
She said the $3.86 billion allocated by the government over the past five years falls significantly short of the $44 billion that the Assembly of First Nations has estimated is necessary to fund housing improvements by 2030.
In one of the report’s recommendations, Hogan urged both the ISC and CMHC to collaborate with First Nations and “review the structure and delivery of their housing programs to streamline the application process to simplify and facilitate access to funding.”
Additionally, the ISC is required to transition governance to First Nations, but the report found that no policy framework has been established to support this transition.
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