Amnesty International report warns of deepening Indigenous people’s housing crisis
The report says overcrowding and aging housing are driving health and safety risks across more than 600 Indigenous communities.
- On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Amnesty International released a two-year study warning that severe overcrowding and unsafe housing in the Atikamekw community of Manawan reflect a broader crisis putting Indigenous rights at risk across Canada.
- Systemic racism, colonial policies, and chronic underfunding of reserves are major factors behind the housing crisis, according to Amnesty International, which warns that this structural injustice impacts health, safety, and fundamental human rights.
- "The needs are urgent, alarming and far exceed current capacity," said Sipi Flamand, chief of the Atikamekw Council of Manawan, as families face severe overcrowding and officials receive weekly urgent requests from those in critical safety situations.
- The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador suggests $139 billion is needed for housing, yet jurisdictional disputes between Quebec and Ottawa continue to slow progress, according to chief Francis Verreault-Paul.
- Similar conditions exist in many of the country's more than 600 Indigenous communities, and addressing this crisis requires rebuilding community foundations and supporting self-determination rather than just building new houses.
41 Articles
41 Articles
First Nations housing crisis deepening warns Amnesty International
A new report by Amnesty International warns that overcrowded and unsafe housing in an Atikamekw community north of Montreal reflects a broader crisis putting First Nations people’s health, safety and rights at risk across Canada. In Manawan, about 250 kilometres north of Montreal, community leaders say families are regularly reaching out for emergency housing support as homes become increasingly overcrowded and conditions deteriorate. “Every wee…
The Toronto Star
Amnesty International report warns of deepening Indigenous people’s housing crisis
MONTRÉAL - A new report by Amnesty International warns that overcrowded and unsafe housing in an Atikamekw community north of Montreal reflects a broader crisis putting Indigenous people's health, safety
Amnesty International report warns of deepening Indigenous people's housing crisis
A new report by Amnesty International warns that overcrowded and unsafe housing in an Atikamekw community north of Montreal reflects a broader crisis putting Indigenous people's health, safety and rights at risk across Canada.
In a report, the organization denounces the inaction of governments in indigenous communities.
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