Native Housing Fund Canada 2025 Guide

Housing funding for Indigenous peoples in Canada comes from multiple federal, provincial, and community sources. Whether you are seeking to build, buy, or repair a home on-reserve, or access affordable housing in an urban centre, dedicated funds and programs exist to help. This guide covers the major Indigenous housing funds available in 2025.

First Nations Market Housing Fund (FNMHF)

The First Nations Market Housing Fund is administered by CMHC and provides credit enhancements that allow First Nations band members in participating communities to obtain market-rate mortgages on-reserve. The Fund holds a capital base of $300 million and issues guarantees to approved lenders, replacing the traditional need for land as collateral.

Over 100 First Nations communities are enrolled. Contact your band council or CMHC to determine if your community qualifies and how to apply for an FNMHF-backed mortgage.

CMHC On-Reserve Housing Programs

Section 95 On-Reserve Non-Profit Housing Program

CMHC's Section 95 program provides subsidized loans to First Nations bands for construction or purchase of on-reserve housing units. The subsidy reduces the effective interest rate, making housing more affordable. This is one of the longest-running Indigenous housing programs in Canada and has funded tens of thousands of on-reserve housing units.

Proposal Development Funding

CMHC offers Proposal Development Funding (PDF) to help First Nations bands and Indigenous organizations develop housing proposals for CMHC programs. This covers planning, feasibility studies, and application costs.

Renovation Programs

CMHC offers on-reserve renovation funding to address the significant backlog of housing in need of repair. Programs include the On-Reserve Housing Repair Program and emergency repair assistance for unsafe housing.

Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy

Announced in federal Budget 2022 with $4.3 billion over seven years, the Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy is a landmark investment in Indigenous housing off-reserve. Delivered through an Indigenous-led co-development process, this strategy funds:

New construction of affordable Indigenous housing in cities and rural areas
Renovation and repair of existing Indigenous housing stock
Wrap-around support services for Indigenous housing providers
Capacity building for Indigenous housing organizations

Who benefits: The Urban, Rural and Northern strategy serves all Indigenous peoples — First Nations, Métis, and Inuit — living off-reserve. This is a significant expansion from previous programs that primarily focused on on-reserve housing.

Provincial Housing Programs for Indigenous Peoples

Province	Program	Details
BC	BC Housing Indigenous programs	Partnerships with First Nations and urban Indigenous organizations for affordable housing
Alberta	Métis Nation housing programs	MNA-delivered affordable housing and homeownership supports
Manitoba	MMF housing portfolio	Rental housing and homeownership programs for Métis citizens
Ontario	Indigenous Supportive Housing	Funding for Indigenous-led housing with support services in urban Ontario
Saskatchewan	Saskatchewan Housing Corp. Indigenous programs	Affordable housing for Indigenous people province-wide

Nunavut and Northern Housing

The Nunavut Housing Corporation manages social housing in Nunavut. The federal government has committed significant funding for northern Indigenous housing given the acute shortage in Nunavut and northern communities. CMHC's Northern and Indigenous housing programs include specific funding streams for Inuit communities.

First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA)

The First Nations Finance Authority provides long-term, low-cost capital financing to First Nations governments. While primarily a government-to-government financing mechanism, FNFA funding enables band councils to invest in community housing infrastructure at lower borrowing costs than available through conventional lenders.

Emergency Housing Assistance

For Indigenous people facing immediate housing insecurity, several emergency resources are available:

Indigenous Services Canada emergency housing assistance for on-reserve members
Band council emergency housing funds
Urban Indigenous organizations offering emergency shelter and transitional housing
Provincial social housing emergency placements

Urban Indigenous housing: Cities across Canada have Indigenous-led housing organizations that provide culturally appropriate housing and support services. Search for Indigenous housing organizations in your city for local resources.

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How to Access Housing Funding

If on-reserve: Contact your band housing department — they are the gateway to CMHC Section 95, FNMHF, and band-specific programs
If off-reserve: Contact your local urban Indigenous organization or provincial housing provider
For emergency needs: Contact Indigenous Services Canada or your band council immediately
For homeownership on-reserve: Inquire about FNMHF eligibility through your band council and CMHC

Indigenous housing funding in Canada is more comprehensive than it has ever been. The combination of the FNMHF, CMHC programs, the new urban housing strategy, and provincial supports means that Indigenous people on and off reserve have more pathways to safe, affordable housing than at any previous time.