Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Economic and Community Development Secretariat Saskatchewan Region Update AFN Housing and Infrastructure Forum Montreal, QC October 30, 2017 - Let me start by saying thank you to the AFN for the opportunity to share with my relations from other parts of the country what we’re doing in Saskatchewan. It is good to see so many people here with an interest in improving housing and infrastructure for our people and I respect the work that you do and welcome the opportunity to learn from all of the experts here in the room today. Every First Nations person knows the effects of living in a house that’s too small, or cold, or full of mold, or is just falling apart. It makes it more difficult to have a good day at work, or at school, for anybody trying to make their lives better, how can you do that when you’re just trying to survive? This is why good housing is where it all starts. I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t know, but in our opinion, housing is the foundation of our quality of life. This is also why these types of national events are so important to raise the profile of housing and give it the attention it deserves. The parent organization of FSIN was started in 1932 and formalized in 1946 in part by veterans returning from World War II which is why we hold veterans in such high regard at the Federation We are proud of our involvement at the AFN and continue to support our organization as they continue to work hard on our behalf

FSIN & First Nations in Saskatchewan 74 First Nations, 114,570 registered members Provincial boundaries include Treaties 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 Cree, Dene, Saulteaux, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota Seeds of FSIN planted in 1946- Union of Saskatchewan Indians Mandate to protect Inherent and Treaty Rights Key role is institution building- FNUC, SIGA, SIIT Long history of fighting for First Nations in Ottawa and supporting our brother and sister organizations across Canada Every First Nations person knows the effects of living in a house that’s too small, or cold, or full of mold, or is just falling apart. It makes it more difficult to have a good day at work, or at school, for anybody trying to make their lives better, how can you do that when you’re just trying to survive? This is why good housing is where it all starts. I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t know, but in our opinion, housing is the foundation of our quality of life. This is also why these types of national events are so important to raise the profile of housing and give it the attention it deserves. The parent organization of FSIN was started in 1946 in part by veterans returning from World War II which is why we hold veterans in such high regard at the Federation We are proud of our involvement at the AFN and continue to support our organization as they continue to work hard on our behalf Will continue to elevate First Nations rights holders and hold the Crown, federal, and provincial governments accountable

Housing on reserve in Saskatchewan Occupancy rate is over double that of off reserve Need to build 12,000 new homes Estimated cost is $2.8B to close gap Main source of new homes right now is Section 95 Still waiting on INAC to implement Shelter Allowance in SK It’s time we acknowledge that programs and services will not close the housing gap on reserve - The off reserve average is bout 2.5 people per home, on reserve it’s about 5 per home with some that are much higher, as much as 20 people in one house - If our goal is to bring First Nations in line with off-reserve occupancy rates, we need to build about 12,000 new homes at a cost of roughly $2.8 B - Right now in Saskatchewan we’re building about 130 Section 95 homes per year - Even at 1,000 new homes per year, with our young demographics and family formation it would probably take 20 years to catch up. - We’re still waiting on access to Shelter Allowance funding on Band-owned homes, but we know the Saskatchewan Region INAC office is considering requiring First Nations to set up housing authorities to be eligible, which is a barrier not in place for First Nations in other provinces. This type of Big Brother interference is just one example of why housing and infrastructure reform is so necessary. - By now it should be abundantly clear that present programs and services will not get us there.

Program reform vs. housing reform “Program reform” doesn’t reflect what we’re asking for We need to start talking about structural change Common starting point is required- for us that’s Treaty So we need to ask ourselves: - What do we mean by Right to Shelter? - What do we mean by self-governance? - How can we implement Right to Shelter and self-governance through housing reform? - What does “nation to nation” mean in the context of this process? Most importantly- what would on reserve housing look like if INAC and CMHC were no longer involved in delivery or administration? - The term “program reform” assumes government programs will remain the method by which housing is delivered on reserve. - Even Minister Bennett has acknowledged how programs and services strangle First Nations We need to go beyond programs and services - I applaud the regions that have developed their own governance models to move beyond our current dependence on government and I can tell you that our goal is to join you soon.

Engagement forum INAC funded a forum held on September 28-29, 2017 in Saskatoon 214 attended representing 61 First Nations Planned by FSIN with a group of technicians from Tribal Councils and First Nations Created an initial set of recommendations based on the 3 main AFN themes

Skills & capacity Targeted and specific funding for skills and capacity development Better communication between First Nations and government Formal training for housing managers Skills and capacity will always be limited by the amount of funds in the system to build and repair homes and infrastructure No cash, no jobs, no incentive to improve skills or build a career

Funding & finance Right now the most efficient use of a Section 95 allocation in terms of maximizing subsidy dollars is to build a 4 bedroom home. If we weren’t forced into using this program, then there’s no doubt we’d see a greater variety of homes on reserve in Saskatchewan. Transfer funding and control of housing & infrastructure to First Nations Build structures that reflect intended outcomes of AFN-Crown fiscal tables Nation to Nation means we should be able to go to the Treasury Board, not be forced to apply to a program through a department or agency Outcomes-based funding, financial instruments, and options Multi-year agreements allowing for strategic planning and creation of a housing continuum appropriate to circumstances of life In addition to numbers of new homes, base outcomes on indicators of community progress- economic, social, health, education At the beginning and end of the day, hold Canada accountable to its fiduciary obligations – across the board, based on the Spirit and intent of our treaties

Governance & delivery The Number One Principle is First Nations design and control of delivery and administration First Nations design and control of funding, delivery, and administration Consistent with Treaty Implementation principles Focus on building First Nations Establish a regional housing and infrastructure institution to develop financial options, coordinate funding planning and delivery Construction and administration between First Nations and Tribal Councils Green energy and energy efficient housing codes and standards Home ownership options Focus on First Nations capacity

Going Forward The goal is to supersede the 1996 housing policy and Section 95 of the National Housing Act The situation has been complicated by the layering of additional policies and programs over decades A successful reform process can not be rushed In Saskatchewan, we see the forum held in September as only a first step Our job is to continue to getting direction from our Leaders (most important), then coordinate a process to develop options capable of achieving their vision

THANK YOU CLOSING