Joie Chow is a dual-degree student in the Ivey HBA and Medical Sciences programs.
Despite longtime promises to mend relations with the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) communities, it appears the federal government has barely scratched the surface on the housing crisis.
Joie Chow discusses the health concerns that arise from FNMI overcrowding, due to the lack of housing infrastructure. She says the government has committed to building 300 homes for FNMI communities across Canada, yet the need is projected at 20,000 homes.
“The link between sustainable housing and good health is unmistakable, and the current funding allocation of $268 million is not enough,” she says. “In Manitoba alone, the Department of Indigenous Affairs estimates housing needs exceed $3.3 billion. If nothing is done, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett estimates that the housing shortage on reserves will rise from 20,000 to 115,000 units by 2031.”
