The Benefits of Reserve Residences
Reserve residences are the housing of First Nations people who live on lands held by the Crown. The lands are often small and limited in use, making it difficult for band members to obtain financing to build or improve their homes. In addition, government rights-of-way such as power transmission lines, railways and highways frequently intersect reserves reducing their useable space.
Despite these hardships, reserve communities continue to exist across Canada. Many leaders and activists maintain that overcoming these challenges requires retaining Aboriginal ways of life. Others argue that the solution is to convert reserves into fee simple land, a concept that is based on Western conceptions of private property and which does not recognize Aboriginal rights to land.
There are many reasons why some First Nations people choose not to live on their reserves, including economic and environmental factors. The most obvious is that living on a reserve can be a stressful and lonely experience. In some cases, living on a reserve can also limit the ability to pursue education and employment opportunities.
Some First Nations people believe that the reserve system is not sustainable and that it should be abandoned altogether. This belief is largely based on the fact that most First Nations people live on smaller reserves and therefore do not have enough land to support themselves.
This is especially true for women and children who can not support themselves or their families on their own. The resulting poverty can lead to physical and mental health problems and other complications.
The BIA provides a variety of services to assist Native Canadians in the community. These include on-reserve income assistance, family and child services, family violence prevention, Jordan’s Principle, urban programs, supporting Inuit children, and a number of other initiatives.
These services are a vital part of the social safety net for Indigenous Peoples and their communities. They are designed to provide assistance to those who need it most.
On-reserve housing is a critical component of this safety net. CMHC offers on-reserve housing loan programs to help First Nations bands secure funding to build or improve their homes.
Many of these loans are guaranteed by the federal government, which reduces lenders’ risk of losing money. These loans also require the commitment of both a band and a lender to make certain that the loan will be repaid.
It is not uncommon for Native Canadians to be homeless on their reserves, and a large percentage of the population on many reservations lives in inadequate homes. These conditions can be made worse by the fact that First Nations residents often do not have the means to repair their homes or make improvements when needed.
Nevertheless, the BIA continues to provide a substantial amount of funds for First Nations programs and services. These funds cover a wide range of services and are used to help natives on their reserves improve their homes, and access and retain housing in their communities.
The BIA is working to ensure that its programs and services are responsive to the needs of Native Canadians and provide a sustainable and supportive future for First Nations and their communities. This includes providing funding to improve on-reserve community infrastructure such as schools, roads, waste management facilities and water systems.