Why is culturally appropriate housing so important?

Every person deserves a clean, energy efficient, and safe home. Unfortunately, this is not the case in British Columbia, or in Canada more broadly. The past “decades of colonial housing policies and programs have resulted in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people living in houses that are overcrowded and highly susceptible to fires, as well as contain high concentrations of mould” (Hildebrand, 2020). This has a direct impact on the health of Indigenous communities. Poor indoor air quality (increased PM 2.5), inefficient and inadequate heat, soot, mould, and moisture build up all increase disease instances and lower health outcomes. 

There is an enormous need for culturally relevant, energy efficient, and low-carbon on-reserve housing in BC and across Canada.  

In addition to inadequate housing, there is an on-reserve housing shortage between 35,000 and 80,000 units (Hildebrand, 2020). There is an urgent need for clean, energy efficient housing and much more of it.   

It is time to build a system that recognizes the past and present injustices of on-reserve housing and fights against them. This is where BOSS comes in. We want to assist in the work that First Nations are already doing to combat climate change and inadequate housing. We have a unique skill set that we want to share.