Have questions?
Below, please find answers to the questions we hear the most from our members.
The creation of an agency is a step towards Indigenous self-government, the goals of First Nations and federal governments for housing transformation under the Assembly of First Nations’ National Indigenous Housing Strategy, and the Government of Canada’s directive to transfer its delivery of Indigenous services to Indigenous control. It also reinforces the Indigenous view that housing decisions should be in the hands of Indigenous people.
We have been working closely with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to contribute to the development of the future Housing and Infrastructure Agency and to facilitate a smooth transition. On June 10, 2021 the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services, and Chief Matthew T. Peigan signed a Framework Agreement which set a path for the Agency to independently deliver housing, capital and infrastructure services to any participating First Nation on reserve in Saskatchewan.
The Framework Agreement outlines the negotiation process, guiding principles and the roles and responsibilities for all parties involved in the transfer of the control, delivery and management of First Nations housing, capital and infrastructure services in Saskatchewan.
Yes, the Government of Canada agreed to work collaboratively with FNCIAS to develop a process to establish the interim operations of FNCIAS.
This project was initiated by FSIN and is being led by First Nations Capital and Infrastructure of Saskatchewan. Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is led by the Government of Canada.
Extensive engagement, consultation and collaboration with the Saskatchewan First Nations housing and infrastructure community and leadership is essential to success.
To ensure the delivery model meets the needs of First Nations, FNCIAS is engaging First Nations, government, associations, agencies, organizations, and other related service providers, plus any others who can contribute towards its mandate.
A Nation can join and become a voting member of FNCIAS by passing a Band Council Resolution (BCR) to confirm their commitment.
This will be a wholesale transfer of federal authorities which includes responsibility for design, delivery and accountability for programs and services, partially in response to the federal government’s directive to transfer authority and control of Indigenous programs to Indigenous organizations.
We are creating an overarching delivery model that will include all Saskatchewan First Nations and the ability to opt out at any time.
First Nations will not lose existing funding resulting from the transfer of authority and responsibility from the federal government. The current approach is to increase funding as part of an Indigenous national housing reform priority.
Recent announcements from the government have increased funding in these areas. This process is not about changing funding – it is about creating a First Nations government to take over authority to design and deliver housing and infrastructure programs and services.
First Nations Capital and Infrastructure Agency of Saskatchewan is working to change the paradigm of housing and infrastructure in Saskatchewan First Nations communities and to design a made-in-Saskatchewan model developed by Saskatchewan First Nations. The goal is to create a model that empowers and enables First Nations to deliver the housing and infrastructure services they envision for their community. First Nations will assume full control and responsibility for their own housing, in the province, in each First Nation and among the individuals in each family. Ultimately this will be a First Nations-driven, community service-oriented authority that will:
Be a First Nations designed and managed institution that uses cutting-edge housing specialists from across the country and has First Nations managers with experience in the field of on-reserve housing and infrastructure. Make more community-based funding decisions, foster lateral relationships between First Nations, bring First Nations into the mainstream housing sector and establish new sources and methods of revenues.
Provide the tools, resources, education, training and support to those responsible for delivering housing and infrastructure.
FNCIAS will take over or draw down the federal government’s authorities and will have the ability to determine its own programs and services including using other delivery agents to help deliver those programs and services (like the federal government does now). The transfer of federal authorities means the new Housing and Infrastructure Authority will be fully responsible and accountable for designing and delivering housing and infrastructure programs and services to Saskatchewan First Nations. The agency will not only replace ISC, it will expand the housing portfolio as it pursues private sector, provincial or other funding and financing mechanisms unavailable to ISC and other government agencies.