Justice Canada’s Action Plan brings hope for improved housing rights for Indigenous peoples

I applaud Justice Canada’s release of the United Nations Declaration Act Action Plan. I see this as a hopeful step on the path to reconciliation and improving the human right to adequate housing for Indigenous peoples.

The historic development and implementation of the evergreen 2023–2028 Action Plan on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act is hoped to accelerate efforts for the transfer of the care and control of housing and homelessness authorities to Indigenous governing entities along with adequate funding. 

This is in keeping with the inherent right of Indigenous peoples to self-government and the control of housing programs and the federal UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) Act, which commits the federal government to achieving full implementation of the UN Declaration, including by ensuring federal laws, regulations and policies are consistent with the requirements of the UN Declaration. 

The Federal Housing Advocate is working with First Nations, Inuit and Métis governing and representative entities to examine housing conditions as an opportunity to confront long-standing issues of Indigenous people being denied the human right to adequate housing, including the self-determination over housing and homelessness housing polices and programs. The Federal Housing Advocate will work alongside Indigenous leadership to monitor the implementation of the recommendations contained within Indigenous housing conditions reports. The first is expected to be released in the summer of 2023 for Inuit in Nunatsiavut and Nunavut, then Métis and First Nations in Saskatchewan are planned for 2024.

Additional opportunities for the Federal Housing Advocate to align with the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan will come as a result of the:

• February 2023 Advocate-led review with a focus on homeless encampments;
• May 2023 Federal Housing Advocate requests review into the failure to eliminate homelessness amongst women and gender-diverse people (housingchrc.ca) through a referral to the National Housing Council; and
• September 2022 Federal Housing Advocate asks National Housing Council to launch public hearing on corporate investment in housing (housingchrc.ca) through a referral to the National Housing Council. 

Helpful links

• Statement from Canadian Human Rights Commission, June 22, 2023;
• Justice Canada’s Action Plan on Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

Media Contacts

Office of the Federal Housing Advocate
613-943-9118
communications@chrc-ccdp.gc.ca

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