The Government of Canada has pledged $200,000 a year over three years to the Dene Nation to “advance community housing solutions.”
The money is earmarked for a Dene-led housing secretariat, Daniel Vandal, minister of northern affairs shared project in a press conference, May 9.
While the pilot project does not fund any actual homes, a $135,000 cash injection from Indigenous Services Canada’s Community Infrastructure and Housing Program does — a single modular home bound for Kátł’odeeche First Nation.
Vandal’s department’s injection will instead fund a Housing and Infrastructure Secretariat that will support and co-ordinate housing-related initiatives benefiting Dene peoples, he said in the announcement.
Dene National Chief Gerald Antoine said he looked forward to collaborating with all levels of government on the First Nation’s terms.
“Our home, on the land, has always been the foundation that enriches the quality of our way of life. The Dene Nation acknowledges that there are many areas in housing that require our immediate attention,” Antoine said.
“Through the support of the Housing Secretariat project, we look forward to seeking meaningful engagements with the many levels of government involved in the housing crisis in Denendeh,” he said. “This must be done in alignment with the needs and values of our leadership and our Dene families.”