Building Strength Through Shelter

The report argues that inadequate housing for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people in Canada creates severe health burdens and climate vulnerabilities, which are exacerbated by fragmented government accountability and rigid funding models. It introduces the 'Healthy Energy Homes' concept—housing that is energy efficient, climate resilient, and supports well-being—as a way to achieve co-benefits for public health and Canada's net-zero goals. The authors recommend a shift toward long-term, flexible, and Indigenous-led investment agreements, the creation of interdepartmental coordination mechanisms, and the adoption of outcomes-based procurement to replace current 'firefighter' funding approaches.

• Substandard housing is a primary driver of negative health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples, contributing to respiratory diseases, infectious illnesses, and mental distress.
• There is a significant disparity in housing quality; while 5.7% of non-Indigenous Canadians live in dwellings needing major repairs, this figure rises to 19.7% for First Nations, 26.2% for Inuit, and 10% for Métis.
• Climate change intensifies housing risks, including increased infiltration of wildfire smoke in aging homes, ground instability from thawing permafrost in the North, and higher risks of heat stroke due to lack of cooling.
• Government accountability is fragmented across multiple federal agencies and levels of government, creating bureaucratic 'red tape' and silos that treat health, energy, and housing as separate issues.
• Current funding models are often 'crisis driven' or 'firefighter' approaches—providing short-term, project-by-project grants—rather than the long-term, stable investment required for sustainable infrastructure.
• Rigid funding requirements, such as 'non-stackable' funds and a focus on the lowest bidder, often prevent the use of durable, climate-appropriate materials and hinder community innovation.
• Indigenous communities face severe capacity gaps in administrative infrastructure and skilled trades, which often prevents them from accessing complex funding programs.
• Investing in Indigenous housing provides a high social return on investment; the Aboriginal Housing Management Association estimates that every $1 invested returns $6.79 in social benefits.
• Alternative financing models, such as the First Nations Market Housing Fund's credit enhancement and the proposed 'Winnipeg Model' of outcomes-based procurement, offer more sustainable paths than traditional grants.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (2025). Building Strength Through Shelter. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Building-strength-through-shelter-Canadian-Climate-Institute.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. Building Strength Through Shelter. 2025. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Building-strength-through-shelter-Canadian-Climate-Institute.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=Building Strength Through Shelter |date=December 2025 |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Building-strength-through-shelter-Canadian-Climate-Institute.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianclimateinstitute2025building, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{Building Strength Through Shelter}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Building-strength-through-shelter-Canadian-Climate-Institute.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }