Manitoba Métis Federation, the National Government of the Red River Métis, Welcomes Budget 2023 Investment in Indigenous Housing Strategy

March 28, 2023

Winnipeg, MB, in the National Homeland of the Red River Métis - The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), the National Government of the Red River Métis, welcomes the Budget 2023 investment of $4 billion over 7 years to implement an Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy currently under co-development with Indigenous partners.

We have been assured by CMHC that the new Strategy will complement our existing Red River Métis Housing Strategy, which we co-developed with Canada and have been executing since 2018.

The MMF is the recognized government of the Red River Métis, representing and providing programs and services to its Citizens in urban, rural and northern areas. It is democratically elected and fully accountable to its Citizens, including the presently registered 20,525 Citizens in the city of Winnipeg. This is the largest number of people registered in a Métis governance body or, for that matter, any Indigenous governance body, within any city in Canada.

The MMF provides programs and services to all Red River Métis in all regions whether they are registered Citizens or eligible to apply for Citizenship. We address the housing needs of our people across the housing continuum from full home ownership to homelessness.

Of course, there must be accountability for the funds to be allocated under this new Housing Strategy and there will be groups purporting to represent all "off-reserve" Indigenous populations making claim to these funds. They have no mandate to represent or receive funding for our Red River Métis Citizens.

Prior to our housing agreement with the federal government in 2018, our people were denied housing assistance afforded to other Indigenous peoples. There is tremendous pent-up demand in our communities which we are trying to meet with the housing programs we have developed and are delivering. We also face the unmet needs of a large Youth population.

We believe this significant federal investment in Budget 2023 can assist us in meeting this demand for our housing programs and enable us to undertake new and innovative projects to meet that need. We look forward to working with our federal partners to make this happen.

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Believe in Yourself; Believe in Métis.

The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) is the democratically elected National Government of the Red River Métis, also known as the Manitoba Métis, the origin and core of the Métis Nation. The Manitoba Métis are Canada's Negotiating Partners in Confederation and the Founders of the Province of Manitoba.

For more information, media may contact:
Kat Patenaude
Media Relations Advisor
Manitoba Métis Federation
204-801-7710
Kat.Patenaude@mmf.mb.ca

 


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