For years, Indigenous youths have been struggling with homelessness. Do you know any Indigenous youth who are living in the street, encampments, or in shelters? Do you believe that our federal government should do something about this? Help us to fight for safe and affordable housing for Indigenous youths.  In the publication 2025-26 Horizontal Initiative - Support for Indigenous Housing by the Government of Canada (2025), it talks about how across Canada, Indigenous families are being forced to live in overcrowded, unsafe, and inadequate housing, on their own lands and in urban centers. This is not just a policy failure; it is a violation of the human right to adequate housing, a right Canada has acknowledged in law through the National Housing Strategy Act.

An article by The Assembly First Nation (n.d) titled, Housing Investments in First Nations Communities: Creating Jobs, Economic Growth, and Reconciliation raised concerns about how in First Nations communities alone, more than 157,000 homes are still needed, and many existing houses are plagued by mold, structural damage, and a lack of basic infrastructure such as clean water and reliable heat. It further discussed how the Auditor General of Canada reported in 2024 that 80% of the housing needs identified twenty years ago remain unmet, showing that federal action has been far too slow and inadequate.

The housing crisis in the Indigenous communities is directly harming health, safety, and community well‑being, especially for our youth. Many complain that the overcrowding and poor-quality housing increase the spread of illnesses, worsen chronic health conditions, and contribute to mental distress that many Indigenous communities are facing. A recent report by Samantha Schwientek (2025) in the article Building better homes key to fixing Indigenous housing crisis, reports that Indigenous housing found that nearly one in six Indigenous people live in homes that need major repairs, and that substandard housing is a major factor in poor health outcomes. In some regions, 68% of people using shelters are Indigenous, even though Indigenous people make up a much smaller share of the population, showing how housing inequality pushes people into homelessness.

Unsafe and unstable housing contributes to the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in government care and increases vulnerability to violence and exploitation. Indigenous people living in tents, overcrowded houses, or homes with dangerous mold in Canadian winters are not there because they want to be. It is the direct result of governments failing to uphold their responsibilities and respect Indigenous rights and sovereignty by providing affordable homes.

At the same time, Indigenous Nations and organizations have put forward solutions. The articles 2025-26 Horizontal Initiative - Support for Indigenous Housing (2025) and Building better homes key to fixing Indigenous housing crisis (2025) talk about how First Nations, Inuit, and Métis governments are developing their own housing strategies and infrastructure plans. They continue to make points about how Indigenous-led reports have called for well‑insulated, energy-efficient, climate‑resilient homes that are designed and built by Indigenous peoples for their own communities. Federal and provincial governments have begun to commit funding, but current investments and timelines do not match the scale or urgency of the crisis.

This petition calls for major, long-term investment and Indigenous-led control to close housing gaps for First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban Indigenous peoples. It seeks:

·       Substantial funding to build, repair, and replace over 157,000 homes on a fast-tracked, multi‑year plan that ensures quality, sustainability, and climate resilience.

·       Indigenous governance in housing decisions, transferring authority and resources to Indigenous governments and organizations to lead planning, construction, and maintenance.

·       Safe and culturally appropriate housing, including multi-generational, supportive, and emergency homes that reflect Indigenous needs and knowledge.

·       Urgent measures on homelessness, expanding Indigenous‑run shelters, and addressing overcrowding and hidden homelessness.

·       Accountability and transparency, with clear timelines, measurable targets, public reporting, and full implementation of the Auditor General’s recommendations.

Housing is a fundamental human right, not a privilege. Allowing Indigenous families to live in overcrowded, unsafe, and unheated conditions in one of the richest countries in the world is an ongoing human rights failure and a continuation of colonial harm.

We urge all levels of government to honor their legal and moral obligations, work in true partnership with Indigenous Nations and organizations, and invest in safe, dignified, culturally appropriate housing now. The cost of inaction is measured in lives, health, and the future of Indigenous communities across this land.

 

References

Assembly of First Nations. (2025, March 19). The Housing Gap. Housing Investments in First Nations Communities: Creating Jobs, Economic Growth, and Reconciliation. https://afn.ca/economy-infrastructure/infrastructure/closing-the-infrastructure-gap/housing/ 
Government of Canada. (2025, June 17). 2025-26 horizontal initiative - support for indigenous housing. Government of Canada; Indigenous Services Canada. https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1731613552781/1731613573296 
Schwientek, S. (2025, December 4). Building better homes key to fixing indigenous housing crisis, says report | CBC News. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/energy-efficiency-indigenous-housing-9.7001678