The Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) have been touring across the province for a majority of the year, meeting with leadership groups and assessing the housing needs of indigenous people across BC.
On January 26th, AHMA released the Indigenous community-led Provincial Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, which has piloted this tour.
“I know that’s a mouthful” said Margaret Pfoh, the CEO of AHMA.
She says “it is the first of its kind in the country,” the report aims to hear from urban Indigenous communities all across the province regarding their housing needs.
The final stop on this tour will be Prince George on October 20th.
“It is an opportunity to bring together all leadership at all levels of government, including First Nations and Metis, to come together, listen, learn, share, and raise our voices as one in asking government to hold accountable to their mandates.”
The tour started in Victoria in the spring, and worked its way north through the province.
“It is very difficult for most communities to not look in their backyard and see the housing crisis for what it is” Pfoh said.
They have been collecting endorsements from mayors and cities all across the province on this tour, and hope that whoever is mayor come next week in Prince George will do the same.
“Our real target here is the federal government” she said. “The federal government has been noticeably absent, and needs to step up and step in with a strong, and sustained investment for all of our communities.”
“We know areas like Prince George have unique and diverse needs that need to be addressed by provincial and federal governments.”
Following the tour, Pfoh says AHMA will be asking and fighting for over 7.2 billion dollars for the urban Indigenous housing needs in BC over the next 10 years.
“That includes about 12,850 subsidized housing units, 5,400 deep core supportive units that includes complex care, transition, and shelter programs, but it also includes investment in renewal and renovation for the existing 4,400 units that have been operating in B.C. since the 1970s and 80s.”
She says municipalities and organizations can endorse AHMA and the plan here.
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