Utoo Radio - April 9 2024 - A recent report by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) has highlighted the urgent need for $349.2 billion to address the long-standing issues of housing and infrastructure in Canada.

Over the years, these areas have suffered from chronic underfunding, neglected fiduciary responsibilities, and an unjust distribution of the country's wealth.

A report titled "Closing the Infrastructure Gap by 2030" was jointly prepared by the federal government department of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). In a recent report, Canada's auditor general expressed skepticism about the Liberal government's pledge to "close the housing gap" by the year 2030. The feasibility of achieving this ambitious goal is being called into question.

In a review released on March 19, Karen Hogan criticized ISC and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) for their lack of progress in repairing and constructing new housing in First Nations communities. According to her, ISC and CMHC have been given the responsibility to collaborate with First Nations in order to address their housing requirements by 2030. However, with only 7 years remaining until 2030, a staggering 80% of these needs still remain unfulfilled.

First Nations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta have reportedly been disadvantaged by a significant amount of $274 million. This unfortunate situation has arisen due to the utilization of outdated data by CMHC in determining the allocation of funding.

The report looks into connectivity, and other essential infrastructure in First Nations communities. Here are the financial infrastructure needs in each province and territory: British Columbia requires $70.7 billion, Ontario needs $58.9 billion, Saskatchewan requires $50.8 billion, Alberta needs $49.3 billion, Manitoba requires $48 billion, Quebec needs $28.1 billion, the Northwest Territories require $17.8 billion, Atlantic Canada needs $15 billion, and Yukon requires $10.6 billion.