Government developed the Indigenous Housing Capital Program (IHCP) to increase the supply of affordable off-reserve, off-settlement and on-settlement housing for Indigenous communities.
The Alberta government will invest $32 million in IHCP over three years.
Changes to the program expand the types of housing units eligible for funding – market and below-market housing will now be eligible to support mixed-income housing projects. Indigenous housing providers will have more autonomy to manage their assets. The redesign encourages public and private developers to partner with Indigenous governments and organizations to create economic opportunity and support program sustainability.
The program will fund Indigenous governments and organizations first. Non-Indigenous applicants, like housing management bodies and other operators, will only be eligible for funding if they apply with an Indigenous partner.
“The guiding principle of the Indigenous Housing Capital Program is to support housing designed, delivered and owned by, and for, Indigenous communities. Our government remains committed to a partnership with Alberta’s Indigenous Peoples in pursuit of reconciliation, inclusion and opportunity.’’
“We all know that Indigenous people are grossly overrepresented in the data that explores those experiencing homelessness. Everyone deserves a safe, affordable and accessible home. This program will go a long ways to achieving that goal for many.”
“Housing is a basic need and there is a significant gap in access to this need in our nation. Through our Métis Urban Housing and Métis Capital Housing corporations, the Métis Nation of Alberta strives to provide safe, clean and affordable housing to our citizens most in need, and with this program we will be able to enhance our ability to continue doing just that in ways that make sense for our government and our citizens. We truly look forward to providing more opportunities for our citizens to access this important necessity.’’
“The Paul First Nation, during the last 18 months, has worked with the Government of Alberta’s Seniors and Housing and the private sector in a commitment to develop an off-reserve housing strategy to provide access to safe, secure, adequate and affordable housing. The Paul First Nation team is committed to going forward on this excellent opportunity and working with the Alberta government.’’
Alberta’s government is helping create thousands of good jobs for Albertans by building schools, roads and other core infrastructure that benefits Albertans and communities. It will further diversify our economy by helping sectors grow and succeed and return investment to our province by ensuring we have the most competitive tax environment in Canada.
Quick facts
- Mixed-income housing developments offer units charging market rent and others with rent-geared-to-income.
- Funding is available for the construction of a new development, including the purchase of land, and the repurposing or renovation of an existing property.
- Applications are now available at alberta.ca. The first quarterly deadline is Sept. 30. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.