First Nations' Success Stories

These stories demonstrate approaches undertaken by First Nations to improve the living conditions for their members. Read them and you may be inspired to try them in your community!

Financial and Housing Management Practices

• Keeping Track of Costs and Housing Repairs with Customized Computer Software — Enoch Cree Nation
  Reliable information helps Chief and Council make highly informed decisions about housing management.
• Always Shovel-Ready — Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation
  A sound financial system and a skilled construction crew mean this First Nation is prepared to take on residential construction projects when opportunity knocks.
• Software Keeps Repair Bills Down — Cree Nation James Bay, Quebec
  The Cree Nation in the James Bay developed a maintenance software to keep their repairs cost down.

Improving Rent Collection

• Mutual Accountability Helps Housing Office Collect Rent and Puts Community Members in Good Financial Standing — Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation
  Clear policies on rent payments lead to renewed relationships between the First Nation and tenants, and greatly improved rent collection.
• A New Hire Pays off : Innovative Staff Position Bridges Gaps and Improves Rent Collection — Penticton Indian Band
  Coordinating information flow between adminstration departments helps this First Nation with rent collection.
• Elders Teach New Tricks: New Direction for Housing Begins with Seniors — Pic River First Nation
  The mindset in the community started to change when elders began paying rent for housing.
• Getting to Know Members and Adopting a Team Approach at the Heart of Success — Sumas First Nation
  Through open communication, a fair plan to deal with unpaid rent wins the support of Chief, Council and community.

Housing Policy to Support Fair and Transparent Governance

• Engaging Community Members to Improve Housing Policy and Operations — Elsipogtog First Nation
  Inter-departmental communication, a community-driven housing plan and continuous engagement improve housing outcomes.
• Community Vote on Housing Policy Improves Accountability — Enoch Cree Nation
  The establishment of a Housing Authority was the foundation from which the First Nation began a process to create mutual accountability with residents through formalized policies and procedures.
• Four Neighbouring First Nations Work Together to Develop Common and Successful Housing Policies — Northern Shuswap Housing Alliance
  With a lot of people moving from one community to another it was important that the housing policies in all four neighbouring communities be fair, transparent and consistent.
• Housing Committee Takes a Fresh and Open Approach to Housing
  Eel River Bar formed its first official Housing Committee, composed of both staff from the Band administration and members of the community. One of the Committee’s primary goals is to find a way to allocate its annual housing stock in a manner that is standardized, fair — and completely open.
• Tackling Rent Collection and Other Community Challenges Head-on
  Lennox Island First Nation created a new Housing Policy that would ensure all members have access to adequate housing in a fair and structured manner.

Building and Repairing Housing

• Always Shovel-Ready — Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation
  A sound financial system and a skilled construction crew mean this First Nation is prepared to take on residential construction projects when opportunity knocks.
• Offering a Variety of Housing Options to Meet the Diverse Needs of Its Members — Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan First Nation
  A range of housing programs enable all community members to meet their housing needs.
• Partnering with CMHC to Build New Housing
  Birch Narrows First Nation, a remote northwestern Saskatchewan community, is building three modest three-bedroom houses with the assistance of CMHC’s On-Reserve Non-Profit Housing Program.
• A Home for all of Life's Seasons — Nanoose First Nation
  First Nation strengthens community bonds with improved housing.
• Housing with a Difference — Madawaska Maliseet First Nation
  This First Nation made efficient use of the resources available to build quality housing.
• Using Innovation and Training — Manawan and Opitciwan
  A do-it-yourself attitude delivers cost savings and new jobs.
• CMHC & Seabird Island First Nation
  Sustainability and Seabird Island First Nation go hand in hand.
• Northern Housing for Northern Life Styles
  Designed for Living made-in-Nunavut house design matches the way Inuit families live.

Managing Mold

• Door-to-Door Hands-on Training Helps Prevent Mold Growth in the Home — Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam First Nation
  Youth interns go door-to-door showing residents what to do when they find mold in their homes, and how to keep mold from occurring in the first place.
• Large Scale Remediation Project — Cowichan Tribe, British Columbia
  Community unites to fight moisture and mold problems.
• Fighting Mold — Kanawake, Wikwemikong, Gitga’at, Hartley Bay
  Three communities make their homes healthy and safe.

Caring for Your Home

• Changing Perspectives about Housing — Eskasoni First Nation
  Helping people realize that housing belongs to the community and understand how they can meet their responsibilities to care for their homes lead to a fundamental shift in the attitudes about housing.
• Housing Fair Helps Homeowners Protect Their Investment — Pic River First Nation
  Information exposition helps community members understand how to care for and improve their homes.
• Helping Hands — Siksika First Nation
  First Nation gets more members involved in home maintenance.

Homeownership

• A Place to Call our Own — Wei Wai Kum First Nation, Campbell River
  In this First Nation, the benefits of homeownership are easy to see.
• Homeownership Keeps Families Together — Kettle and Stony Point, Ontario
  Homeownership benefits individual families… and the community as a whole.
• A Whole New Chapter — Membertou First Nation
  Homeownership as a key component of future growth.
• The Ownership Advantage — Opaskwayak Cree Nation
  Helping members acquire their own home is a priority.
• Carcross Tagish First Nation  Video
• Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg  Video
• Habitat for Humanity Yukon: First House, Takhini River, Yukon
  A partnership between Habitat for Humanity Yukon and Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, is making homeownership possible for three First Nations families.

Building Skills and Communities with Youth Interns

• Door-to-Door Hands-on Training Helps Prevent Mold Growth in the Home — Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam First Nation
  Youth interns go door-to-door showing residents what to do when they find mold in their homes, and how to keep mold from occurring in the first place.
• CMHC Housing Internship Gives Bear River’s Chelsea Potter a Chance at a New Career — and a New Life — Bear River First Nation
  A job as a youth intern leads to a permanent job in the housing department — a win-win story for a young woman and her First Nation.
• Meet Atlantic Canada's First (and only) Aboriginal Woman Technical Service Provider
  Helen Ward-Wakelin is the first — and so far only — female Technical Service Provider in Atlantic Canada. Read her story.

Canada's Economic Action Plan

• Fort Mckay First Nation Acts as its Own General Contractor to Build Homes
  Fort McKay First Nation’s Capital Projects Department acts as the general contractor for housing projects built in the community. Having this internal capacity meant that the First Nation was able to move quickly after securing federal funding through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, to build and assist in the financing and operation of three new duplexes for community residents.
  
• CMHC Training Programs and Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Help Gesgapegiag First Nation Build Houses
  Funding from Canada's Economic Action Plan helped Gesgapegiag First Nation to build, and assist in the financing and operation of 10 new units — which were built according to the most up-to-date building practices.
• Overseeing a Housing Renovation — Batchewana First Nation
  Batchewana First Nation used funding from Canada’s Economic Action Plan to renovate 32 occupied apartments, including major interior upgrades. The improvements have made a positive difference in residents' quality of life and were undertaken with minimal disruption.
• Improving Older Homes — Indian Brook First Nation
  Funding from Canada's Economic Action Plan (CEAP) helped Indian Brook First Nation retrofit 29 housing units. Much of the work was completed by members of the First Nation, creating jobs in the community. CEAP funding also helped to build two new homes, which were designed to accommodate large families.
• Partnership Helps to Modernize Mashteuiatsh Housing Stock
  Thanks to an investment through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, 83 Mashteuiatsh housing units have been renovated.
• Renovations Greatly Improve Living Conditions for the Opitciwan Community
  The Opitciwan housing stock in Quebec underwent extensive restoration thanks to investments received under Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
• New Housing for Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation
  Kenny Seesequasis and his family moved into a new home that is one of 10 ready-to-move houses (RTMs) being built for Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation.
• Heritage Homes: Piikani First Nation Taps into Traditional Culture to Improve Housing
  Piikani First Nation is promoting traditional housing practices as they encourage more residents to consider taking responsibility as homeowners.
• A Road Map to Success: Planned Town Site Helps Housing Dollars go Further for Pinaymootang First Nation
  Pinaymootang First Nation, is located 240 km northwest of Winnipeg, is using a cluster approach to develop a town site.
• Opening Doors to Independence: Lake Manitoba First Nation Invests in Accessible Housing
  Living in your own home is about freedom — the freedom to go from room to room, to turn out the lights when it’s time to rest or to make meals when you feel like eating.
• Investing for the future: Eel Ground — New Brunswick
  Canada's Economic Action Plan has allowed the First Nation community of Eel Ground to retrofit 29 homes and build two new ones.
• Room to Grow: Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation Determined to Alleviate Overcrowded Housing
  When new housing is built in a community with overcrowded housing, there is a positive ripple effect that spreads throughout the community.