June is National Indigenous History Month, a time to honour the histories, cultures, and leadership of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples from coast to coast to coast. At the Centre, this month also invites deeper reflection on our own journey toward reconciliation, and how we continue to learn, listen, and act in solidarity.

One of our guiding principles is to support reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, not as a one-time gesture, but as an ongoing commitment woven into how we work, fund, and support. In our current Strategic Plan, we have prioritized developing the resources, people, and processes needed to diversify leadership and improve the sector’s viability. That includes doing the work internally to challenge colonial systems and advance decolonization across our governance, operations, and relationships. This year, we are proud to have supported three projects that exemplify the principle of For Indigenous, By Indigenous which is a necessary approach in any effort to strengthen Indigenous community housing.

• Supported by our Sector Transformation Fund , led by Indigenous women in Alberta and spearheaded by Métis Calgary Family Services (MCFS), Ke Mama Nnanik is creating pathways to safe, culturally grounded housing that affirms Indigenous worldviews and supports self-determination.
• Insulate OAHS, supported through our Green Kickstarter Fund, is led by Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) and focuses on energy efficiency upgrades for Indigenous housing—advancing both climate justice and housing justice.
• Another Green Kickstarter Fund grantee,  Kekinow Native Housing Society in B.C. is launching community gardens across its seven housing complexes to promote sustainability, cultural connection, and self-sufficiency. The project includes rebuilding garden beds, engaging youth in Earth-based education, and involving Elders in planting traditional herbs and medicines.

These projects are more than funding stories. They are expressions of leadership, sovereignty, and the future of community housing in Canada. Our role is to support, not steer. To accompany, not control. And to ensure that our sector’s transformation includes dismantling barriers that Indigenous communities face, not just in June, but every day of the year.

As we mark National Indigenous History Month, we recommit to these principles in action and to learning from those who have always known how to build homes rooted in care, connection, and collective strength.