Press Release

Media Release

Ottawa – September 15 – National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Incorporated (NICHI) welcomes the federal government’s announcement launching Build Canada Homes, and its commitment to work collaboratively with Indigenous partners from across the country.

“Build Canada Homes presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move quickly and at scale to meet urgent housing needs,” said John Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of NICHI. “We welcome this bold step and encourage the agency to work directly with Indigenous-led, For Indigenous, By Indigenous (FIBI) housing providers to ensure new projects are culturally safe, community-led, and responsive to the distinct priorities of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people living in cities, towns and northern communities.”

NICHI looks forward to working with Build Canada Homes to ensure Indigenous communities are prioritized in the agency’s early project pipeline, including on federal lands in Urban, Rural, and Northern communities.

“NICHI’s partners are already delivering results on the ground,” said John Gordon. “In less than a year and a half NICHI has moved hundreds of millions of dollars from announcement to construction and created the conditions for more than 3,800 culturally appropriate homes. We stand ready to collaborate with Build Canada Homes to scale that success across the country.”

About NICHI

NICHI is a national collective representing over 100 Indigenous housing providers from coast to coast to coast. Rooted in a community led, For Indigenous, By Indigenous (FIBI) approach, NICHI works to uphold and advance housing as a human right for all Indigenous Peoples living in Urban, Rural, and Northern communities (U.R.N.) by responding to their urgent and unmet housing needs. By partnering with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis providers, NICHI addresses homelessness, temporary shelter needs, and housing affordability.

While Canada has envisioned creating a national housing organization that collaborates directly with Indigenous housing providers, NICHI has been realizing this vision since 2022, leading the way to meaningful progress on Indigenous housing nationwide. By centering Indigenous voices and expertise, we are building a strong foundation for lasting change and striving to ensure that safe, affordable housing is accessible to all Indigenous people in Canada.

For more information Media may contact:

Robert (Bob) Maguire

Director, Policy and Stakeholder Relations

Directeur, Politiques et relations avec des parties prenantes

Direct: 306-880-1711

Robert.Maguire@nichihousing.com