18 Spring/Summer 2026 HOUSING SOLUTIONS INDIGENOUS-LED HOUSING SOLUTIONS Indigenous voices building pathways to safe housing By Ashley Albert A cross Canada, Indigenous-led housing is reshaping what it means to build a home by treating housing not as a short-term fix, but as a pathway to self-determination, safety and cultural continuity. Although colonial housing policies and a lack of funding continue to disrupt Indigenous relationships to land and their choice of housing, many Nations and Indigenous organizations are asserting control over how housing is designed, funded and governed. When those decisions are led by Indigenous peoples, homes can be planned to protect women and children, reduce energy costs and reflect the values that sustain community life. Douglas Cardinal is an Indigenous archi- tect from Calgary, Alta., who carries teach- ings from his father, grandmother and Elders about designing housing in First Nations communities in ways that respect Mother Earth and safeguard women and children. He explains that Elders were concerned about building proper homes for families that are both safe and energy efficient. “They were concerned about what we are doing to our Mother Earth with global warming,” shares Cardinal. “We have to concern ourselves about Mother Earth and design houses that are better.” Grounded in those teachings, Cardinal says housing should be Indigenous-led, shaped by Elders’ guidance, women’s knowledge and lived community needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach pushed through federal funding. For Cardinal, protecting women and children also means designing for emergencies, especially fires. He warns that some materials and layouts can contribute to fast-moving fires, and that certain window styles commonly used in Canada can make it difficult to escape. Over the course of his career, Cardinal worked to understand site patterns and respect the natural environment, which is an approach that is different from how housing is designed today in First Nations communities. He explains that Indigenous-led housing solutions are too often designed around infrastructure convenience, such as septic tanks, rather than around community, spiritual values and long-term sustainability. Cardinal’s teachings highlight that Indigenous-led housing should be grounded in Elders’ knowledge, women’s leadership and responsibility to Mother Earth. But bringing those values to life also takes Indigenous-governed organiza- tions, long-term funding relationships and the capacity to plan, build and manage housing over time. That is where leaders like Christin Swim at Skigin-Elnoog Housing Corporation come in, turning community priorities into culturally safe housing systems that meet urgent needs while strengthening identity, connection and care. Swim is a Wolastoqey woman who lives and works on her trad- itional territory in Fredericton, N.B. With 17 years of experience, Swim is a longtime advocate for Indigenous housing solu- tions. She began her career as a program officer and became the general manager of Skigin-Elnoog Housing Corporation in 2017. Today, she oversees more than 400 housing units across New Brunswick, spanning much of the housing continuum. As one of the province’s oldest non-profit housing organizations, Skigin-Elnoog has been operating for over five decades and is the only off-reserve Indigenous housing non-profit in New Brunswick. Skigin-Elnoog is Indigenous-governed and operated and has a proud 53-year tradition of providing housing for urban and rural Indigenous people in need of affordable housing. Through its own work and part- nerships, Skigin-Elnoog has done much to advance the rights, language and culture of the Mi’gmaq, as well as the Wolastoqiyik along the Wolastoq River Valley and else- where in New Brunswick. Mahsus Lane, a 17-unit affordable housing development designed for Indigenous seniors and people with disabilities in Fredericton, N.B.
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