
Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy
Supporting First Nations-led housing projects off-reserve
Applications Open!
Big News — the Urban, Rural & Northern (URN) Indigenous Housing Strategy funding applications are now open!
What is the Urban, Rural and Northern (URN) Indigenous Housing Program?
The URN Indigenous Housing Program provides capital funding to support First Nations governments and bands with off-reserve members create safe, culturally grounded, and affordable housing.
Funding is available for new builds, renovations, planning, land acquisition, and culturally significant spaces that help Indigenous communities secure stable housing for priority populations like Elders, youth, women, and families. Prioritizing support for those with the greatest needs can help reduce the housing disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, while also fostering stronger, more resilient communities.
Who Can Apply?
First Nations governments or bands with members living off-reserve.
Projects must directly benefit off-reserve Indigenous peoples.
How to Apply
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Gather basic project information, including your organization details, project description, location, budget, and supporting documents like approvals and plans.
If you have questions, please contact: urn@fnhic.ca
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You can apply online through our application portal, or by completing the fillable PDF application and submitting it with your supporting documents to:
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Our Program Coordinators will review your submission for completeness and eligibility and contact you if anything is missing. We are here to help if needed!
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Once complete, your application will be scored and then reviewed by the Decision-Making Committee. You’ll be notified of funding decisions, which can always be reviewed if technical assistance is needed and provided to improve the score of the application.
Funding Streams
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Capital Project Funding
The purpose of this funding is for construction, acquisition, or planning for housing. Examples include: new single or multi-unit housing; mobile or group homes; land or building acquisition for housing.
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Programming & Education
The purpose of this funding is to support culturally safe housing-related services and education. Examples include: tenancy rights and financial literacy programs; homeownership education; capacity-building for housing organizations.
What We Fund
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Planning, design, construction and acquisition of new housing units. Housing units include single units, multi-units, mobile homes, as well as special needs housing such as homes for the elderly, group homes, and homes for people who require assisted living, but not medical care.
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Repairs of existing housing units. The types of housing units covered are described under the Housing, new construction.
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Renovations of existing housing units. The types of housing units covered are described under the Housing, new construction.
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Program development, capacity development, service delivery, education, training, research, housing financial literacy, home buying guidance, and tenancy rights.
What We Do Not Fund
Land de-contamination
Household appliances
Cosmetic repairs /aesthetic renovations
Renovations incurred mainly to increase or maintain the value of the dwelling
Repayment of personal or community debts
For profit investments
Financing expenses (for example term loans and real estate mortgages)
Cost overruns are the responsibility of the recipient and/or funders
Projects located on-reserve
Funding for wraparound services such as childcare, mental health and addictions programs or health services.
Funding Details
Funding up to $1,000,000 per project
Priority is given to projects that are community-led, culturally safe, and focused on those most in need
Need Help?
If you have questions or need assistance with your application, please contact us:
Email:
urn@fnhic.ca – for general inquiries
urn.applications@fnhic.ca – for application submissions
FAQs
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The URN project aims to co-develop a comprehensive housing strategy with Indigenous partners that addresses housing needs in urban, rural, and northern communities. We want to ensure that the strategy reflects Indigenous perspectives, improves housing quality, increases supply, and enhances affordability while advancing self-determination and reconciliation.
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The project is designed to explore a range of solutions that address the specific needs of your community, from improving housing quality to increasing supply and making housing more affordable. We are particularly focused on developing culturally relevant solutions, which means we’ll work with you to ensure that the housing options we consider are appropriate for your lifestyle, culture, and environment.
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The URN project places a strong emphasis on self-determination by ensuring that Indigenous communities play a leading role in shaping the housing strategy. This means that you will have a direct say in the governance structures, funding priorities, and the types of housing that are developed. Our goal is to support your community in taking control of housing decisions, so that they reflect your values and goals.
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Federal and provincial partners, like Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, will provide support in strategic planning and funding governance. Their role will be to ensure that the initiatives align with broader policy frameworks and that funding is allocated effectively. However, the primary decision-making and direction will be led by the Indigenous communities involved.
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Throughout the engagement process, we will work with community leaders, elders, and community members to ensure that all housing solutions are culturally appropriate and respect traditional knowledge and ways of life. The development of the housing strategy will include an in-depth consultation process to ensure that the final plan aligns with cultural values and practices.
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The project includes a transparent process for funding allocation, with regular updates and checkpoints. We’ll involve community members and leaders in the decision making process to ensure that the allocation of funds aligns with your specific needs and priorities. Additionally, the final report will include clear recommendations on funding and governance structures.
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FNHIC will be researching all aspects associated with community needs and working with Sister Societies to create strategies to fill in the gaps between our housing needs and issues.
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FNHIC will certainly be willing to research these needs in your community and work with associated service providers to access funding and support.
Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy Engagement
The 2022 Budget allocated $300 million to co-develop and launch an Indigenous Housing Strategy for urban, rural, and northern communities, in partnership with Indigenous leaders, to address the housing needs of Indigenous Peoples in these areas.
FNHIC hosted engagement sessions with First Nations in BC to determine the best way to distribute these funds, and developed an engagement report based on those engagements. The engagement report is available below.
Decision Making Committee
We’d love to hear from you!
Do you have questions about Urban, Rural and Northern funding? Please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help!