N.W.T. Métis to use federal funding to secure more homes, repair existing units and house elders

Over the next seven years, the NWT Métis Nation plans to use $20 million in federal funding to build or transport more homes into communities.

"I would love to see us being able to build our own homes. But it all depends on the availability of the journeyman carpenters that can do that. You know, [if] worse comes to worst, we definitely will get modular homes," said Garry Bailey, NWT Métis Nation president. 

"I would prefer to have our homes built in our communities, which will create training and economics for our communities." 

He said the funds will also be used for home ownership finance programs and to repair pre-existing houses that have fallen into disrepair in Fort Resolution, Hay River and Fort Smith. 

Bailey said overall he's happy with the amount of money from the federal government, but added he could see his organization needing more in the future. 

"I'm not going to complain when somebody gives you $20 million, but we'll see how far it goes," Bailey said.

He said they also hope to use the funds to establish housing for elders. 

"They've worked all their lives and they deserve a break," Bailey said. "A lot of elders didn't get any kind of assistance all their lives because they were in the work force."

This was also something Marc Whitford, vice-president of the North Slave Métis Alliance, said would be a priority with the $7 million his organization received for housing. 

"These funding programs are especially important to elderly Métis members that may be at risk due to the very high costs of remaining in their homes," he said in an email. 

"The funds may assist single Métis parent families that cannot easily cope with high rental costs in order to house them and their remaining family members."

The funding comes from the 2022 federal budget, which dedicated $190 million to Métis institutions and governments in Canada to address urgent housing needs, according to a news release from the ministry of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.

The announcement comes shortly after a parliamentary committee recommended the federal government directly fund Indigenous governments and communities in the N.W.T. for housing programs.

Bailey said he appreciates that the government of Canada is following this recommendation. 

"They've been doing a few good things already — that's one that we've waited for for a long time, and we're very glad to see it in reality," he said. 

Both Fort Providence's and Fort Simpson's Métis councils received $3.5 million in funding as well. CBC News reached out to both for details on their plans, but didn't hear back before publication time.