Federal housing advocate Marie-Josée Houle criticizes all levels of government in Canada for not respecting the right of Inuit to housing and, therefore, denying their human rights.
“The housing conditions in which Inuit live are the direct result of colonialism and a resounding failure of successive federal, provincial and territorial governments over several decades,” says a new report from Mme Swell. She adds: “The level of distress cannot be underestimated, nor can the consequences that being homeless or in precarious housing has on physical, mental and emotional health. »
To prepare the observation report on Inuit housing published Monday, Marie-Josée Houle traveled to northern communities at the invitation of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national organization that represents Inuit in Canada. The non-partisan watchdog she leads traveled to hold discussions with community members and leaders from Nunavut and Nunatsiavut, Labrador, in October last year.
His report paints a grim picture of life for Inuit in the North. It refers to a person in Nunatsiavut who burned down parts of their home to keep warm during the coldest winter months, as well as people in Labrador who sleep in their cars or tents.
She found that in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, which has a population of just over 8,000 according to the latest 2021 census, the rate of homelessness was four times higher than in Toronto and in Vancouver in 2021-2022.
The census found that more than half of Inuit living on their traditional territories were confined to overcrowded housing and almost a third lived in housing requiring major repairs.
However, those who own a home in Nunatsiavut are not necessarily in a better position, as Marie-Josée Houle found there was a lack of accessible and affordable mortgages, as well as home or renter’s insurance.
According to the Nunatsiavut Executive Council, 78% of the population does not have access to home insurance.
The same issues apply to Inuit in Nunavut, where mortgages are tied to buildings, not land. This can lead homeowners to be left with high debts and no equity if their home burns or is severely damaged, the report notes.
Drinking water and heating problems
The housing advocate reported that some Inuit do not have clean water, sanitation or reliable access to heat or energy for their homes. Plumbing fixtures left in disrepair have led to persistent leaks that have increased water costs for some Inuit homeowners and led to humidity levels that create an environment ripe for harmful mold.
For those with access to oil furnaces, the cost of maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature can cost up to $57 per day in Nunatsiavut or up to $500 per week in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, an expense that some Inuit can’t afford to pay.
In many northern communities, new housing is simply not being built, Marie-Josée Houle also noted. His report indicates that the hamlet of Pangnirtung, New Brunswick, with a population of 1,500, has not seen new construction in a decade. As of March 2022, a single waitlist for public housing included 120 families, some of whom had been registered for more than 10 years.
In Rankin Inlet, where just under 3,000 people live, 15 homes were built in 2022 and 20 homes are planned for 2023, the report says.
The lack of housing is particularly difficult for those who need mental health and addiction support. These problems are compounded by the high cost of living, high unemployment rates, and lack of access to child care.
The federal housing advocate also reported that overcrowding in Inuit housing leads to the spread of tuberculosis and other viruses. Between 2015 and 2018, the rate of tuberculosis in traditional Inuit territories was more than 300 times higher than that of non-Indigenous Canadians.
New Democratic Party (NDP) MP Lori Idlout, who represents Nunavut and is her party’s spokesperson for Crown-Indigenous relations, hopes that Marie-Josée Houle’s report will reignite the conversation on this growing problem. more serious.
Mme Idlout told the story of a young pregnant woman from Nunavut who knew she wouldn’t be able to find housing for years. The woman chose to commit suicide instead of living with this reality.
And the battle with the federal government to remedy the situation is difficult and has been going on for years, she adds.
The Houle report includes a multitude of recommendations. It calls on the federal government to transfer jurisdiction over Inuit housing programs to Inuit governments and for all levels of government to recognize housing as a human right.
The report also says governments should work with regional Inuit organizations to develop addiction treatment plans and dedicate adequate funding to access safe, adequate and affordable housing for all.
MP Idlout believes the federal government “needs to understand how these investments could actually help Indigenous people become the healthy, productive adults they want to be so they can contribute to Canada’s economy.” Because that’s what we want to do.”