First Nation, Inuit, Métis Urban & Rural (FIMUR) Program Overview
Ontario Aboriginal Housing Support Services Corporation (OAHSSC) will administer a $60-million housing program for over 500 low-income Aboriginal households living off-reserve and outside of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed April 16, 2009 by the McGuinty government, the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres, the Métis Nation of Ontario Secretariat and the Ontario Native Women’s Association. Capital funding will be provided through new affordable rental units and homeownership forgivable loans.
The housing program is designed, delivered and administered by and for Aboriginal people living off-reserve in urban and rural communities across Ontario using existing infrastructure in the form of a provincial Aboriginal delivery model. OAHSSC encapsulates the scope of key characteristics recommended by engagement participants for a provincial Aboriginal delivery model, as it has the Board representation, mandate, existing infrastructure, accountability, asset base and scale to ensure that recommendations concerning the program design and delivery of housing under the OAHT can be effectively implemented and addressed without the need for substantive capacity building at a provincial level.
The target population for housing delivered under the FIMUR program is Aboriginal individuals or families with low- to moderate-income, or those in core housing need. Three priority housing types comprise the program components of this program: affordable rental housing, supportive and transitional housing, and assisted homeownership, with the option to construct new housing stock or obtain and renovate existing stock for re-use as affordable housing. Housing delivered under FIMUR is designed with the goal of long-term sustainability, including the provision of units that are high quality, energy efficient and low maintenance, using materials that are highly durable and resilient in the construction of the housing.
The objectives and goals for the First Nation, Inuit, Métis, Urban and Rural (FIMUR) housing program flow from the recommendations of the Ontario Off-Reserve Aboriginal Housing Trust Report.
Click here to view the entire report.
The FIMUR Housing Program consists of three components:
1. Rent Geared-to-Income (RGI) and Affordable Rental Housing;
2. Supportive and Transitional Housing; and
3. Assisted Homeownership.
The FIMUR Housing Program funding, inclusive of all components, will be allocated as follows:
• $1.2 million of the rental component funding, is designated for an Inuit set-aside to address the specific housing needs of Inuit people living in the Ottawa-Gatineau region of Ontario;
• $6 million is allocated for the assisted homeownership program
• $50.6 million is allocated to long-term rental including supportive and transitional housing
• $0.1 million is allocated for proponent development funding
• $0.4 million is allocated for community engagement and consultation
• $3.0 million is allocated to cover administration over the program’s life which will extend beyond 20 years. This will ensure both long-term accountability and oversight of the housing units developed for Aboriginal people living off-reserve in Ontario.
The long term rental and supportive components, which make up the majority of the funding, will be allocated to meet the capital requirements of the development. Ongoing operating costs will be funded from associated revenues. Projects will be required to show long term economic viability as well as affordability. Opportunities in this area include new development construction as well as acquisition rehabilitation.
Supported by the Province of Ontario