Summary Of Discussions - Inuit Breakout Session

In summarizing the breakout group discussions it is important to remember that each breakout group was facilitated in a style that would respond to the group’s expectations and ideas. For example, in the First Nations breakout room the session began with an opportunity for participants to share their key messages with one another. This practice was not necessarily done in the Inuit or Métis breakout groups in the same order or approach. Therefore, while reading the report there will be some differences in the report headings and titles. Also the language used in many of the bullet summaries was not altered or changed in order to respect the statements as recorded on the flip charts. However, if context was required to clarify meaning or interpretation some contextualising was done.

Key Messages

Participants were given an opportunity to articulate key messages regarding Inuit housing, and provided the following comments:

• Inuit are Aboriginal people and should have their own housing program, specific to their needs. Inuit should not need to fit into non-Aboriginal housing programs;
• new technologies for northern housing are needed and must be explored and incorporated into the architectural planning, (e.g. renewable energy). One of the questions we need to ask ourselves is how can we build houses that better reflect needs of Inuit?
• when reviewing the requirements for increased Inuit housing, the acute shortage and overcrowding of houses should be considered. Partnerships among different stakeholders need to be developed to address housing needs;
• housing is part of a larger holistic approach to social conditions. Fairer and more equitable distribution of housing is required. Government must acknowledge its responsibilities for Inuit housing;
• the needs of youth related to various issues, such as a quiet place to study, must be addressed. They are often at the bottom of the housing list for getting their own house. Better construction methods are needed as well as more financial resources;
• the Government of Canada should work with Inuit organizations, provinces and territory stakeholders to design appropriate Inuit-specific housing policy and programs;
• the Government of Canada must commit funds to Inuit organizations to develop an Inuit housing strategy by June 2005, including governance and institutional capacity building; and
• in the meantime, the Government of Canada must facilitate access to resources and take action now. Housing is a federal responsibility, therefore the Government of Canada must live up to its obligations agreed to in the land claims and in the Constitution.

Housing Supply

Launch Question:

How can the factors affecting the current supply of housing be addressed in ways that increase availability for Inuit peoples in their diverse circumstances?

Numerous critical issues were identified including:

• lack of employment prohibits access to housing (owning your own home);
• in some communities/towns, owning and/or leasing property to build on has been an issue, and needs to be addressed;
• due to lack of infrastructure (e.g. no roads to the North), there are obstacles related to supplying materials to the communities. As a result, everything depends on the sealift. Costs in supplies and equipment increase the cost of building houses and, therefore, is a big factor in planning the housing needs of Inuit. There is an urgent need to develop and support local suppliers for construction, as well to be able to manufacture products in the northern regions so that locally manufactured products (e.g. trusses, cabinets, windows, doors, modular housing components) will be available. Construction in the North is very seasonal and has had a huge impact on the time required for constructing houses;
• there is also a need for an airline subsidy for urgent needs such as windows, furnaces, hot water tanks, and emergency supplies for maintaining and repairing houses. These would be similar to the subsidies available for food and mail. Bulk buying for supplies is needed;
• funding for Inuit housing has not been at par or comparable to housing resources that are received by other Aboriginal groups in the south. Inuit are forced into the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation non-Aboriginal housing programs with no funding from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada whereas the First Nations housing programs are funded from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and delivered through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Per capita allocations do not address the needs due to the high cost of building in the North. Regional considerations are important where costs, culture, climate and other considerations are factored into the planning. The present process of identifying the needs is not working. Address the backlog of housing requirements;
• due to the harsh climate and extreme cold, the life span of existing houses/units is an issue. Houses deteriorate at a much faster rate in the North;
• a hidden homelessness exists in northern homes. In many cases a two-bedroom home will have many occupants where individuals have no place to sleep. This overcrowding/homelessness often affects youth. Better and adequate housing for elders is needed (e.g. mobility issues need to be factored in);
• there are many Inuit, including single women with children, living in urban areas in southern Canada who are homeless. This must be included in the planning for Inuit housing. Inuit-specific approaches are also required in urban areas. There is a need for appropriately designed, environmentally friendly, healthy homes for Inuit that are durable and energy efficient;
• when addressing northern housing needs, a holistic approach is needed. Adequate and proper housing should be seen as an investment in education and health. Appropriately designed housing for the North (i.e. healthy homes) is needed;
• the high birth rate in the Arctic needs to be considered during the planning for the long term, for both the supplies and the number of units/houses needed to meet the housing shortage;
• innovative financing is needed for renovations, better homes, new homes and capital; and
• maintenance issues are also critical due to costs and supplies. Having trained individuals in the communities is also essential; Inuit need to learn and be trained on what owning a house means, and there needs to be a broad range of solutions to address the complex issues.

Financing issues

• Up until now, the funding received for housing has not resulted in efficient and durable houses. There is a backlog for new housing that must be addressed, and a need for an immediate assessment/survey of present units (e.g. to determine maintenance costs, repairs, modifications to seniors/disabled housing, etc.). Over time, there has been a decrease in federal funding, and this must stop. There is an urgent need for block funding, as well as increased funds, so that there is a real increase in the number of houses built that are long lasting and energy efficient. There should be a distinction between capital versus operating costs.
• There is a need for houses and a new funding formula must be conceived that considers “beyond bricks and mortar” (e.g. units are built presently but there is no money set aside to assist with the operation of the units).
• Cost formulas for the North, subsidies for building, shipping and landscape, financing. Capacity to support Inuit businesses and capacity for inspections are needed.
• Inuit need to be assisted with programs and subsidies to educate themselves on the financial issues associated with home ownership (e.g. efforts and programs that encourage home ownership can leave people―Elders and persons with disables―in financial jeopardy).
• There is also the remoteness factor to consider. The funding formula must take into account the cost of living in the Arctic region (prorated for this). Federal funding should reflect the true cost of building in the region. Access to resources must be compatible with on-reserve funding with the northern factor incorporated. Therefore, a federal policy or initiative for Inuit is needed.
• As well, all the obligations in the different land claims agreements must be fulfilled. Partnership agreements must be developed and implemented with INAC, CMHC and regional Inuit groups (land claims organizations or Inuit representative organizations). With regard to financing options, lending institutions are scarce in the North. The Government of Canada must acknowledge and take its fiduciary responsibility seriously.

Land availability

• The transfer of land ownership from the federal government to the territories and municipalities has been slow. The process of transferring land should be accelerated. In order to stimulate the economy and the private sector, private land ownership should be allowed. The parties should revisit the process established for control and ownership within land claims agreements and government policies (long-term discussion). For example, in Iqaluit, programs that encourage home ownership can leave people in financial jeopardy related to leases and property tax. A solution could be subsidies for homeowners (e.g. Elders’ tax exemptions). Funding should be available to municipalities for lot development as well as capacity to be able to increase the ability to handle lot allocations.

Appropriate/available housing for Elders and persons with disabilities

• Make housing available that is appropriate for Elders and persons with disabilities. Access issues haven’t been dealt with properly. There should be a review to identify barriers and explore ways to better design units.

Infrastructure (long-term plan for all Inuit regions)

• The Arctic has always depended on the sealift for the delivery of building supplies. In order to alleviate the high cost of construction, there should be a subsidy created for the sealift.
• There is a lack of a local construction industry, as well as local technology development for a specific northern context. Under the Federal Research and Development Initiative, a northern demonstration program aimed at research and development on northern housing technology should be undertaken. Stronger partnerships among the three levels of governments and Inuit organizations must be established in order to look toward addressing policy and funding criteria issues. This will improve maintenance services and lower costs. A trained workforce is required. To achieve this, more vocational training opportunities in the Inuit regions for Inuit are needed.

Supply issue

• A mobile trades training unit is needed in order cut down on the long distance travel to get an education for apprenticeships, journeymen, local contractors and skilled labour.
• Encouragement is needed for ownership and training that is geared toward the area of infrastructure by setting up a support system. This will create the following: more infrastructure for the delivery of goods/transportation; a stable economy; more Inuit-managed business; training opportunities; availability of supplies year round; and affordability.
• A support system with financing options is required for participants and families who have to travel for training. There is often a language barrier in training Inuit, therefore training should take place in the official language of the participants. Often life skills, training do not include money management. Money management training should be taught in earlier grades (e.g. how to be a good tenant, management of a household, personal budget, long-term planning).
• Promotion of careers is a must in the housing construction workforce (e.g. mentoring programs, role models, pilot programs, mobile career shows). Research and development is key for northern-specific technologies, electricity and energy.

Gender issue

• Women should be listed as co-tenants along with their spouses to ensure their ability to keep their housing unit should their partner have to leave it. This would provide more shelters and safe homes, second-stage housing and more social housing. Marshalling resources is required in order to have funds available for awareness about women’s issues and housing needs, mentorship programs and education, and to develop local capacity by providing opportunities. This will help develop and utilize local resources that will support the local economy and help individuals to stay in the North.

Urban issues

• Develop and identify Inuit-specific funding for Inuit housing in urban areas. Make funding agencies and government aware of the cultural differences of the Inuit.
• Homelessness is a critical issue. There is a need for more access to single parent units since there is a very high population of single mothers with children. In addition, supportive housing such as women’s shelters, stage two housing, Inuit-specific halfway houses and transitional housing is required.
• Clarification is essential in the distinction between Inuit, Métis and First Nations for programs being delivered to Aboriginal people living in urban areas.

Housing Quality

Launch Question:

What strategic approaches can be pursued to reduce deficiencies and improve the quality of housing available to Aboriginal peoples?

Many of the key issues were identified in the Housing Supply discussion, and for the purposes of this report, they are not repeated in this section. The following recommendations were highlighted.

Quality of homes

• There are serious effects related to poor quality housing, such as overcrowding in homes and poor education, as well as health, social and financial stress. Health issues related to the effects of too much moisture, poor ventilation and regional construction considerations, including building standards, require urgent attention.
• Regional inspectors are needed and standardization and economies of scale factored in. Environment/land sensitivity, climate change, high wind environment have to be considered.
• Adequate social housing with design flexibility which will allow for culturally appropriate models, such as height of kitchen counters, is needed.
• There is a need to establish an Inuit National Housing Board that would consider such issues as appropriate land use, foundations, sustainable development, landscape-low ecological footprint, community design and trade certification.

Capacity and design

• There is a call for championing and supporting the development of Inuit-owned businesses. Encourage the use of non-profit organizations to construct houses. An example is a land claims organization such as Makivik finding innovative ways to build more houses while minimizing the costs.
• There is a need to stretch out the construction season to maximize local employment and use of local equipment, etc., which will decrease construction costs.
• Flatten down the construction work schedule to allow local people to have a life. Promote local training and adaptive accreditation (hands-on) with oral testing. Increase competition. Local people don’t even qualify for jobs where southerners are brought in to work 12-16-hour days so that southerners can get in and out as fast as possible.
• The Government of Canada should work to design more energy efficient (Kyoto Protocol) housing (e.g. larger porches built lower than the rest of the house to capture the cold, like in an igloo, sheds, larger kitchen floor areas, fewer walls, south facing windows, entrance on non-windy side, etc.) consider regional community impacts (e.g. water, waste, recycling, pollution, development, etc.), develop a code for the Arctic, and ensure that circumpolar experts are consulted on inspections. Develop central information/ombudsman regionally located and administered/staffed by an Inuk.
• Host an Inuit-specific housing conference in the Arctic in June 2005 to raise awareness and capacity to work with government to establish culturally appropriate policies.

Infrastructure and access to social housing

• There is a lack of consistent policy for social housing.
• There is a requirement to include specifications for weather and wind resistance in materials. The Government of Canada should support research and development and an Inuit building code.
• Use a holistic approach to developing it. Exchange experiences across the North and study other northern countries. Information and knowledge are key.

How will you know progress is being made?

• When lack of housing is no longer the number one issue.
• When Inuit can say there is hope to get a house, and the waiting lists become shorter or non-existent.
• When Inuit get and implement specific action plans from the Government of Canada, such as the Nunavut 10-year plan and beyond, and have more control over housing issues.
• When social standards and indicators are the same as other Canadians, and Inuit concerns are seen to be important, and houses provide a healthy living place and address the needs.
• When these ideas are adopted from the Roundtable process.

Affordability – Access to Home Ownership and Rental Housing

Launch Question:

What are the key issues that affect housing affordability and what systemic adjustments and supports are required to enable access by Inuit people to affordable homes?

Critical issues include:

• problems in some towns and communities related to the availability of land or lots. Sometimes these relate to land tenure issues and sometimes there are no lots available;
• associated to home ownership affordability questions are costs linked to materials, labour and capital costs, cost and availability of insurance. Insurance options are very expensive or non-existent. Should create government-based insurance for Inuit regions of provinces and territories. Include recognition of insurance/safety risk when developing an Inuit building code. The high risk makes it hard to find providers;
• demand versus need. An artificial rental market can also exist;
• accessibility of the homeownership program, whether there is access to credit and whether the homeownership program is helping to cultivate financing strategies;
• long waiting lists to get into urban housing (rental). Access for single parents and those living with disabilities;
• CMHC standards (new income requirements, government guidelines and policies for affordable housing), insurance, health and safety;
• change CMHC policy to Inuit specific, which reflects true northern cost of living; and
• CMHC renovation and retrofitting grants based on southern costs are much too low for northern costs of materials and labour. Inuit-specific, northern-based financing formulas are needed. Develop measuring tool “construction material basket” (like food basket) to develop an allowance for Inuit specific. Add incentives and rewards for innovative practices in renovations and retrofits.

Language, education/awareness, employment and discrimination

• Financial housing counsellors need to teach Inuit about insurance, costs, bank payments and other consequences of owning a home. Transition guidance counselling is needed to inform people moving from social housing to home ownership.
• Keep Inuktitut a requirement; more Inuktitut staff and housing officials are required at CMHC. Translation costs and language issues should be included in all federal funding. Home Depot-type workshops that reflect Inuit knowledge need to occur in all communities. Include preventative maintenance educational workshops.
• Start a housing entrepreneurship assistance program to allow the owner to participate in his/her own construction of the unit. This will lead to a better product and more trained Inuit able to maintain their own homes. Result will be a reduction in the cost for construction and possibly a real business opportunity for Inuit, maybe even within the home (e.g. hairdressing, a workshop or an office).
• Start an entrepreneurship program.
• Homeownership programs should have staff that will inform, guide and counsel Inuit. An ombudsman or a 1-800 help line for assistance with individual rights and the development of a manual specific for Inuit should be set up. Financial institutions and resource services are presently very rare or non-existent in the Arctic and should be set up in order to help Inuit with co-signing and assisting with other financial requirements. On-line banking education is a requirement and partnerships with such organizations or quasi-financial institutions, such as the North Mart Co-op or other credit unions, should be established.
• Address language barriers.

Jurisdiction

Launch Question:

What institutional framework and collaborative approaches are needed to address the diversity of jurisdictional issues that impact on the ability of Inuit peoples to exercise control and governance over how their housing needs are met?

Critical issues include:

• recognition that Inuit housing is a fiduciary responsibility. Government needs to acknowledge its responsibility for Inuit housing. A mandate should be given to the respective governments to provide adequate housing. Clarify who has the mandate, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Territory, the land claim organization? Distinguish between First Nations and Inuit and remove barriers;
• need the same housing support from the federal government as First Nations, taking into account northern costs and remoteness, federal consultation with Inuit in development of programs and policies while referring to current agreements and obligations, and, urban Inuit-specific housing projects and processes;
• a new formula is needed to allow Inuit catch-up in funding rates and create fairness. Prioritize programs within regions and communities since each has its own needs and choice. Distribute information and draft reports directly to communities for input. Create an Inuit-specific department (Inuit Secretariat) within the federal government to address Inuit-specific issues, such as housing, education, the environment, health and other related areas. The Government of Canada must acknowledge that Inuit are different from First Nations and need their own funding and programs that are consistent and ongoing;
• an Inuit Affairs Department that reports to Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office and would be charged with gathering statistics, and dealing with health, environment, housing, education, transportation, urban issues and Inuit women, as well as other key issues; and
• the federal government must realize that the current system (INAC) does not work, therefore the federal government must address this issue immediately and realize that a different approach needs to be taken that is more holistic in nature. The set-up of this department must be done through a true partnership with Inuit. The department, for example, could address issues closer to home, such as Canadian sovereignty.

Key Messages to the Government of Canada

• Serious engagement of all. Invest now before it gets even more expensive. Understand northern perspective and recognize differences.
• Build houses that are designed for Inuit that meet the need and are culturally relevant.
• Agreement within the Aboriginal coalition (process is starting). Federal, provincial, territorial and Aboriginal organizations have to work together to succeed. Be open, innovative and creative in making new solutions.
• Government announcements that are Aboriginal have to include equal access and a fair share of the funding for Inuit, in language that says there will be Inuit-specific initiatives.
• Housing is a priority that impacts on other health factors. Good faith funding is needed immediately for Inuit. This is an opportunity for Inuit to advance their goals and Inuit need to be at the table at any federal, provincial or territorial meetings.

Table of Contents

The documentation contained on this website does not necessarily represent the views of any government or National Aboriginal Organization. The purpose of this website is to share information related to the Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable: background papers, Facilitator's sectoral and final reports, agendas and media announcements.

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