About Housing
The OFNTSC Housing Program is dedicated to ensuring that Tribal Councils, and their affiliated communities, Large First Nations and Unaffiliated communities are provided with the necessary training, information and tools required to achieve capacity and control over community housing.
To achieve this, the OFNTSC Housing Program provides specific training opportunities in the following areas: building inspections, better construction and building practices, energy efficiency practices, and housing management. The Housing Program also provides policy analysis, position statements and advice on specific issues such as community housing policy, building, renovating and maintenance, code interpretation and compliance, and government policies and programs related to housing.
The Housing Program assists with the development of proposals and business plans, and reports. It collaborates with federal and provincial agencies such as CMHC, INAC and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through housing capacity development initiatives, and pursues alliances with other Aboriginal groups and professional associations.
Under an agreement with NRCan, the Housing Program staff delivers, markets and promotes the R2000 and EnerGuide for New Houses programs.
As an authorized delivery agent for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), the Housing Program coordinates and facilitates building inspector related courses that can lead to certification.
Staff participates in, and contributes to, the Chiefs of Ontario’s Ontario First Nations Steering Committee on Housing, as well as a range of federal and provincial housing related committees dealing with technical and funding issues. The OFNTSC housing staff also participates as a member of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Infrastructure and Housing Technical Committee and is an advisor to the Ontario First Nations Building Officials Association.
The Housing program also supports housing data collection through the Conditional Assessment and Housing Database (CAHD) and research and development.