About First Nation Housing

CMHC works in partnership with First Nation communities, through its housing programs and capacity development initiatives, to help them attain their housing goals and improve their overall living conditions.

CMHC works with First Nations communities to support their efforts to take charge of their housing, build new and improve existing housing, and to further develop capacity to manage and maintain all aspects of their housing portfolio.

Annually, through CMHC and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), the Government spends an estimated $298 million to support the housing needs of First Nations on-reserve. Of this amount, $152 million is provided by CMHC.

CMHC's annual funding on-reserve helps:

• Build an estimated 500 new homes and renovate some 1,000 existing houses
• Provide an investment in housing-related training and resources for First Nations people living on-reserve.
• Deliver an ongoing subsidy to some 27,750 households for housing created under the On-Reserve Non-Profit Housing Program (otherwise known as Section 95; this housing is Band-owned and operated).

First Nation communities, CMHC and AANDC each have a role to play and focus on different aspects of on-reserve housing:

• First Nations are responsible for governance of housing on-reserve through the development and enforcement of by-laws, development of community plans, zoning and building regulation. First Nations are also the owners, administrators and property managers of most housing on-reserve.
• Through its on-reserve housing programs and initiatives, CMHC provides housing assistance to First Nation communities to support construction of new housing, purchase and/or renovation of existing housing, and development of housing capacity.
• AANDC provides First Nation communities with funding support for housing which they can use at their discretion for a range of eligible housing needs, including: construction, renovation, maintenance, insurance, capacity building, debt servicing, and the planning and management of their housing portfolio.

Off-Reserve and Northern Housing

CMHC works with provincial and territorial partners as well as private and non-profit organizations to address the housing needs of residents living off-reserve or in the north. Additional resources for housing developers and portfolio managers can be found on Affordable Housing in Canada.