Young Indigenous Peoples are now the fastest-growing demographic in Canada, representing 16.7% of British Columbia’s Indigenous population. Friendship Centres in BC are a keystone of the supportive infrastructure for YIPs, with over 100 centres operating across the country to serve the approximately 80% of Indigenous people in Canada who live off reserve.
“This is exactly what AHMA members are about: culturally grounded housing and community service. The Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society is providing more than a building; this is a place for connection, belonging, healing and peace of mind for those in need of a place to call home. It took broad collaboration to bring this…
“Margaret joins us to discuss the importance of improving the availability and quality of culturally appropriate Indigenous housing.”
The Aboriginal Housing Society of Prince George (AHSPG) reports that subsidized housing and housing subsidies it provides through a partnership with BC Housing are set to expire on March 31, 2028, with no confirmation on whether the agreements will be renewed.
The project has several players: the City of Castlegar provided the land, BC Housing is providing funding, and the Lu’ma Native Housing Society will be the owner/operator.
“On Hornby Island, the shortage of affordable and secure year-round rental housing has created real challenges for the workers, families, seniors and other individuals who are essential to the fabric of a healthy community. These safe, affordable homes will provide greater housing stability for people with low-to-moderate incomes, including members of K’ómoks First Nation, while…
Observed annually, May 5th is National Day of Awareness and Remembrance, honouring lives lost and raising awareness of the disproportionate violence faced by Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people across Canada. AHMA’s Indigenous Gender-Based Violence Housing Strategy emphasizes that safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing is a critical and often overlooked part of the solution.
The Chief Leonard George building reflects what Indigenous housing can look like when culture, sustainability and community are built together from the beginning. This development creates safe, affordable homes, while honouring Indigenous design and creating space for families to remain connected to culture, community and one another.
This one-time BC Housing grant supports non-profit housing providers responding to the urgent needs of survivors of gender-based violence. It aligns with AHMA’s anti-gender-based violence housing strategy by strengthening the capacity to provide culturally responsive, survivor-centred housing approaches.
What does it take to ensure Indigenous communities have access to homes that are healthy, energy-efficient, and resilient to a changing climate?
The Community and Indigenous Housing Funds are essential – they were established to keep people housed, safe, and healthy. AHMA members alone have lost 24 projects, almost 2,000 units of affordable homes that will not be built. This is unfathomable as families struggle to survive.
“These supports are often the difference between stability and displacement for low-income renters, seniors, people with disabilities, and Indigenous people. When rent supports disappear faster than new housing is built, vulnerable people fall through the cracks, and pressure shifts to shelters, emergency services and health-care systems.”
AHMA argues that investing in housing solutions also provides measurable economic benefits, citing research suggesting every dollar spent on supportive housing can generate nearly $7 in social return and up to $3 dollars in government savings through reduced demand on emergency and social services.
“It is encouraging to see both tenant and worker wellness prioritized within supportive housing. AHMA housing and service providers apply a trauma-informed lens, which we want to see reflected in decisions that will meaningfully respond to the realities and distinct context of Indigenous tenants and workers.” – Margaret Pfoh, CEO, Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA)
The latest intake of the BC Community Housing Fund would have poured more than $775 million into the province’s non-market housing sector. Despite homelessness rising in 60 per cent of BC communities surveyed, advocates also pointed to a shift in government funding that prioritizes “near-market” affordability over those that have a deep, chronic need for…
The Housing Central partners acknowledge that today’s provincial budget reflects the challenging fiscal environment we live in. At the same time, it’s disappointing that BC Budget 2026 scales back investments into community housing when the need for affordable housing is more critical than ever.
“I definitely am proud,” Pfoh said. “Receiving this Reconciliation Award is an affirmation of the work that our people have been taking up all across, not just in the not-for-profit housing and supportive services, but in First Nations, in Métis Nations, in the Inuit communities.”
Thank you to all of our current sponsors! Sponsorship opportunities are available until April 28, 2026. Read more about our current sponsors through the link.
Backed by provincial funding, the Rental Protection Fund was created as a partnership between the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, Co-operative Housing Federation BC, and the Aboriginal Housing Management Association.
AHMA’s Op-Ed, “Housing is reconciliation: why Canada must prioritize Indigenous housing,” was featured in The Hill Times, highlighting the need for action on Indigenous housing.
The British Columbia Reconciliation Award recognizes individuals, groups and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, integrity, respect and commitment to furthering reconciliation or inspired others to continue reconciliation efforts.
The Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) and Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that affirms a shared commitment to advancing affordable, safe, and culturally appropriate housing for Métis people across British Columbia, while strengthening pathways to improved health and well-being.
A $600,000 three-year grant to the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA), an umbrella organization that supports 48 Indigenous housing and service providers across B.C. The grant will support AHMA members in managing their building portfolios and identifying retrofit opportunities across their housing stock, including projects that cut emissions and upgrade homes for climate resilience.
In 2025, AHMA contributed to research, reports, and engagement to further Urban Indigenous housing rights. A full list of 2025 highlights is available here.
Fort Nelson Aboriginal Friendship Society (FNAFS) and the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) are pleased to share news of an important project that will benefit the Fort Nelson community and reflect our shared commitment to safe, sustainable, and culturally respectful housing.
AqantⱠanam Housing Society (AHS) and the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) are pleased to share news of an important project that will benefit the Cranbrook community and reflect our shared commitment to safe, sustainable, and culturally respectful housing.
Investing in Healthy Energy Homes is cost-effective. Every dollar invested in Indigenous housing can provide a social return on investment of around $6.79, including an estimated $3.12 in government savings, according to the (B.C.) Aboriginal Housing Management Association.
“BC Indigenous Housing Society is honored to be part of this historic project on Expo Boulevard. A 29-storey, 299-unit building dedicated to Indigenous families and individuals represents more than new housing, it represents justice, belonging, and a future where Indigenous people can thrive in the heart of their own homelands. This development reflects what is…
HART’s assessment tools have already saved municipalities an estimated $6 million over the last year. A new Indigenous-led Housing Needs Assessment Tool, co-developed with the Aboriginal Housing Management Association and the First Nations Health Authority, could save smaller communities thousands more while improving local housing data.
“This report reinforces the principle that housing is healthcare and advocates for holistic, culturally grounded solutions. It reinforces AHMA’s mission to provide a ‘For Indigenous, by Indigenous’ approach to housing. The report provides evidence that long-term, flexible investments in energy-efficient, climate-resilient homes deliver health, social, and economic co-benefits. By framing housing as a determinant of…
The Committee considered a report on a proposed resolution from the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA), which is seeking to create an Indigenous-led multi-sector alliance to address Indigenous housing and homelessness.
In British Columbia, the Aboriginal Housing Management Association has identified 11 shovel-ready projects, totalling 764 units that can proceed immediately with federal investment, and has demonstrated a social return on investment of approximately $6.79 for every dollar invested in Indigenous housing, underscoring the high social and economic value of Indigenous-led delivery models.
“We welcome the Government of Canada’s renewed commitment to Indigenous housing in Budget 2025. At the same time, we must note that many of these commitments reflect longstanding obligations announced in Budget 2023 that remain undelivered. This work must be advanced now to achieve timely, credible progress on affordability, supply, and reconciliation.”
As new human-rights reports on gendered homelessness are delivered to federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson on how Canada is not meeting its obligations on the right to housing for women, Two-Spirit, trans and gender-diverse people, lived experts and advocates from BC and across Canada are calling on him to meaningfully commit to ending the housing…
Behind every statistic is a story of a woman or child forced to choose between violence and homelessness. To confront this crisis, the Aboriginal Housing Management Association has launched its Gender-Based Violence Housing Strategy, an Indigenous-led initiative to ensure survivors have safe, culturally grounded, and permanent housing.
Indigenous people in Cranbrook and Fort Nelson will soon have access to 45 affordable homes as two Indigenous-led housing redevelopments move forward. The projects, led by ʔAqantⱠanam Housing Society in Cranbrook and Fort Nelson Aboriginal Friendship Society in Fort Nelson, are expected to break ground in spring 2026. Demolitions will start in January 2026. These redevelopments…
“The housing crisis we continue to face on the front lines demands a united response from every level of government and across the entire housing sector,” said AHMA CEO Margaret Pfoh. “At the 2025 Housing Central Conference, we look forward to engaging with experts, partners, and industry leaders to advance solutions and strengthen advocacy for…
The $2.8B in URN funding promised in 2022, and reconfirmed in this budget, was designated for urban Indigenous housing and service providers. We are relying on the federal government to recognize the tireless work and expertise of AHMA members, who can deliver solutions at the speed, scope, and scale this housing crisis demands.
Upon seeing the specifics provided in yesterday’s budget, we know there are further resources needed to truly catalyse affordable housing in a way that addresses the scale and urgency of the need. In addition, we are disappointed that the URN Indigenous-led organizations that are serving Indigenous people living in urban areas (more than 80% of the Indigenous population) are not yet…
For generations, people built strong, healthy homes from wood. Think of log and timber-frame houses that still feel solid a century later. Wood helps hold a steady temperature and balances indoor moisture, and many people say wood interiors simply feel better to live with. This long track record created deep trust in wood as a…
“We raise our hands to the incredible work of AHMA member Citaapi Mahtii for forming their Indigenous-led housing society and building culturally grounded urban housing, mainly for Ahousaht First Nation members who need to live closer to health care and community services. We look to support more exceptional accomplishments like this across B.C.”
“This would provide real opportunity for our communities to thrive,” said Margaret Pfoh, CEO of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association.
After another season of record heat, wildfires and some wild weather, the BC Retrofit Accelerator (BCRA) is seeing strong uptake, with climate and energy upgrades in hundreds of large residential and commercial buildings across the province.
Margaret Pfoh, CEO of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association, said government-led, non-Indigenous approaches have consistently failed to reduce Indigenous overrepresentation in homelessness. As a result, involving Indigenous communities to take the lead in designing and delivering housing supports that are culturally appropriate is key. “This would provide real opportunity for our communities to thrive,” she…
The Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) and the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC) are proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Partnership, strengthening their shared commitment to advancing the rights, wellbeing, and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia.
On Monday, September 29, 2025, BCREA and several coalition partners hosted a press conference to make an urgent call for a Permanent Provincial Housing Policy Roundtable.
Nuutsumuut Lelum, a Passive House-certified townhouse complex in Nanaimo owned and operated by the Island Urban Indigenous Wellness Society (IUIWS), where heat pumps were installed in the amenity room and two housing units, providing essential cooling during the spring and summer.
The Indigenous Youth Housing Strategy presents a suite of For Indigenous Youth, By Indigenous Youth (FIYBIY) housing models. “We need to create culturally safe, supportive options for YIPs to live their best lives,” said Bailey Waukey. “The way to do this is by empowering young Indigenous people to be part of the process.”
In the face of a very unstable economic and environmental outlook, it is critically important to ensure public wellness, safety and stability —all of which are improved through housing. AHMA would like to ensure that the housing needs of Indigenous people living off reserve are considered in the 2025 federal budget.
“AHMA members – who operate the majority of dedicated urban Indigenous housing in B.C. – are facing increasing funding shortfalls that threaten their ability to meet the growing needs of their communities”
The FHA’s Annual Report urges the federal government to take proactive interventions that prioritize affordability, stability, and human rights in housing and homelessness policies. The Advocate continues to focus on encampments, Indigenous housing, housing for youth, and accessible housing for seniors and people with disabilities.
With the support of our partners, AHMA has submitted this three part, evidence-based request to address the urgent and rising housing and service needs of Urban Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia.
In partnership with the First Nations Health Authority and the University of British Columbia, AHMA was successful in a national funding bid and will now take a lead role in building an Indigenous-led Housing Needs Assessment Tool for BC.
Housing Central Partners state that “safe, affordable housing provides the foundation for physical, mental, economic and community well-being, and requires spending by and collaboration among all levels of government to protect what we have and to make more of it.”
The upcoming federal election presents a crucial opportunity to push for real solutions to Canada’s housing crisis. CHRA, in partnership with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, Habitat for Humanity Canada, and the Canadian Real Estate Association, have launched a joint campaign to make community housing a top election issue.
Margaret Pfoh, part of the Indigenous Caucus of the non-profit Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, is among housing advocates urging the federal government to start delivering $2.8 billion in funding promised to Indigenous housing providers as part of the Urban, Rural and Northern (URN) Indigenous Housing Strategy. The yet-to-be-formed National Indigenous Housing Centre is supposed…
“This report reinforces the principle that housing is healthcare and advocates for holistic, culturally-grounded solutions. It reinforces AHMA’s mission to provide a ‘For Indigenous, by Indigenous’ approach to housing. The report provides evidence that long-term, flexible investments in energy-efficient, climate-resilient homes deliver health, social, and economic co-benefits. By framing housing as a determinant of health…
“Combining culturally appropriate and trauma-informed care with safe, secure housing is essential in helping Indigenous women heal and rebuild their lives,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “These new complex-care housing units offer the supports needed to help people stabilize and improve their well-being, all under one roof and for as long as they need.”
We hope to see an equitable portion of the HEART and HEARTH dollars in BC Budget 2025 designated for Indigenous-led housing societies, that successfully work on the frontline of preventing homelessness with trauma-informed solutions.
The Indigenous Caucus of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) held a press conference calling on the federal government to immediately release the $2.8 billion funding allocation that it has committed to Indigenous housing providers. This funding, originally part of Budget 2023, has faced repeated delays.
To date, the government has made a series of first step investments into an Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, but they fall far short of their own National Housing Council’s recommendations to meet the true need. To make matters worse, not one single dollar of the $2.8 billion committed in the 2023 federal…
The Kílila Program, named after the butterfly (symbolizing transformation in the Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh Nation language), was an initiative focused on retrofitting a cabin at the Cheakamus Centre in October 2024. The program was facilitated through BCIT and the Cheakamus Centre, with support from multiple funding partners.
As the federal government struggles to maintain course, advocates call for the immediate release of previously committed and desperately needed funds for urban Indigenous housing. In Canada, Indigenous people are 13 TIMES more likely to experience homelessness than non-Indigenous people ―an unacceptable inequity.
Throughout 2024, AHMA participated in a number of advocacy and engagement activities to further empower Urban Indigenous Peoples and advocate for greater autonomy and FIBI approaches to housing.
“This achievement reflects your unwavering commitment to supporting Indigenous housing and services across British Columbia. Your hard work and dedication are paving the way for meaningful change and addressing critical needs within our communities” (Gary Wilson, AHMA Board President and NICHI Co-Chair).
“We see housing as not just a roof over one’s head, but a vital part of overall well-being. Housing affects health, education and economic stability for both individuals and communities. We see this echoed in research that identifies housing as a social determinant of health. Equitable access to housing is essential to protect human rights….
Housing Central is a formal partnership between BC Non-Profit Housing Association and the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC. Together, we support and advocate for the community housing sector so that all British Columbians have a safe, secure home they can afford. We are co-located in our Vancouver office, sharing resources and knowledge to better serve each…
As the final vote count in the 2024 provincial election is confirmed, Housing Central – comprised of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association, BC Non-Profit Housing Association and the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC – extends congratulations to the incoming government. This election was an opportunity for voters across British Columbia to make their voices heard…
FortisBC Energy Inc. and FortisBC Inc. (“FortisBC”) unveiled nine of B.C.’s exceptional energy champions at their 2024 Efficiency in Action Awards. The actions these award recipients took represent the innovative and effective work happening in the province to help lower energy use, overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and operational costs across B.C.’s commercial and industrial…
AHMA and Connective will work together to create more housing opportunities for underserved Indigenous people living off reserve in communities across BC. The recently formalized two-year partnership is a unique opportunity to leverage our respective strengths, expertise, networks, and resources, to empower Indigenous people to develop their own housing services. Read more >
“We approach housing with a similar spirit of interconnectedness that guides Indigenous world views. We see housing as not just a roof over one’s head, but a vital part of overall well-being. Housing affects health, education and economic stability for both individuals and communities.” Read More >
The Housing Central partners are calling on all parties to respond to the urgent need for targeted action to address the ongoing affordable housing crisis. Housing Central’s Build More. Protect More. A New Affordable Housing Plan for BC details current and projected affordable housing needs with solutions that will support renters and Indigenous peoples, and…
The Indigenous Housing Fund allows AHMA members and First Nations to continue the critically important work of providing housing and services for those most in need of a safe place to call home. AHMA is proud of the collaborative work we have done with the Province and BC Housing to establish this support for all…
Two rental buildings in North Vancouver and Squamish have been acquired and preserved by Hiy̓ám̓ Housing and Housing Squamish respectively, through the support of the the Rental Protection Fund (RPF). These acquisitions are a great contribution to affordable housing for vulnerable people in communities where rental housing is in short supply.
AHMA was quoted in a FortisBC news release which introduced a new rebate of $10,000 or more for eligible customers who replace their home’s older gas heating system with an electric heat pump and high-efficiency gas furnace.
Sara Fralin, AHMA’s Engagement & Technical Support Manager, talked to BC Hydro about their partnership with AHMA. In this Q&A, Sara highlights the importance of affordable off-reserve housing for Indigenous people, discusses the benefits of BC Hydro’s partnership with AHMA, and sheds light on sustainability and energy efficiency in the Indigenous housing sector.
On Friday May 31, the federal government announced $12.8 million in funding through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) for AHMA to support the repairs and preservation of 855 homes for Indigenous residents in BC.
First Nations people in BC will benefit from improved health and housing outcomes as the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) sign a historic, new Memorandum of Partnership.
On National (Right to) Housing Day on November 22, 2023, the Federal Housing Advocate co-hosted a webinar entitled “Making the Best of Public Money for Public Good” with the National Right to Housing Network. This report summarizes what was heard from experts who participated, including AHMA CEO Margaret Pfoh.
In the wake of the Government of Canada’s 2024 budget release, AHMA and their provincial and federal partners are asking to speed up the delivery of funding promised for those most in need. Federal budget 2024 boasts increased spending on housing but Indigenous housing experts want expedited action on implementation.
It is also critical that encampment responses be For Indigenous, By Indigenous. Indigenous housing experts and encampment residents need to be meaningfully included and their voices prioritized in conversations and municipal planning around housing and supports for Indigenous people experiencing homelessness.
Indigenous-led housing is essential to reducing the gaps, barriers, and challenges Indigenous Peoples with diverse abilities face. Current systems increase the risk of the most vulnerable falling through the cracks and into a cycle of homelessness.
AHMA being a full and equal partner at the table of the Rental Protection Fund is an excellent example of elevating Indigenous leadership. We celebrate our member, Lu’ma Native Housing Society, for their involvement in this acquisition, which helps preserve affordable rental units for future generations.
Hard times ahead for Indigenous housing providers. Safe, affordable housing is a key component to ending cycles of poverty and improving health outcomes for Indigenous families but the wait for funds continues.
Recent changes to BC’s Residential Tenancy Act help enhance risk management for supportive housing operators and safety for their tenants, which the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) strongly advocated for in early 2023.
Throughout 2023 AHMA participated in a number of advocacy and engagement activities to further empower Urban Indigenous Peoples and advocate for greater autonomy and FIBI approaches to housing.
