6th Annual Conference on First Nations Housing & Infrastructure West - DS

April 30 – May 1, 2024

JOIN HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS ON APRIL 29

A Your Complete Guide to Asset Management B Housing Manager Bootcamp

• Sandman Signature Vancouver Hotel & Resort, Vancouver, BC

6th Annual Conference on First Nations Housing & Infrastructure WEST

Managing complex housing needs and providing sustainable housing for Indigenous communities

Conference Co-Chairs

Gain practical knowledge from expert faculty including:

Network and benchmark with participating organizations:

Associate Sponsor: Networking Breaks Sponsor: Exhibitors:

Cliff Grant Director Strategic Relations Aboriginal Housing Management Association

Michael Sadler Executive Director First Nations Housing & Infrastructure Council

Erica Beaudin Chief Cowessess First Nation

April Martel Chief K’atl’odeeche First Nation

Lory Oberst Director BC First Nations Housing Managers Association

First Nation communities are building for the future despite limited financial resources.

Join Canadian Institute’s 6th Annual Conference on First Nations Housing & Infrastructure West in Vancouver, BC, April 30 – May 1, 2024 to unlock the practical knowledge our expert faculty and to discover roads to federal funding opportunities.

2024 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Angle-Right CHIEFS PANEL: Top Priorities for Meeting Housing Needs and Strategies for Achieving Housing Goals

Angle-Right FUNDING: Accessing Funding Dollars to Provide Core Housing and Infrastructure Supports for Indigenous Communities

Angle-Right NetZero Housing Initiative at Frog Lake First Nations

Angle-Right Proactively Manage your Infrastructure in a More Sustainable Way and Taking Preventative Measures with Improved Operations and Maintenance

Angle-Right Strengthening and Enforcing Robust Housing Policies for an Effective Housing Department from Rent Collection to Repairs

Users

A MUST ATTEND EVENT FOR:

• Chief and Council

• Housing

• Economic Development

• Finance

• Capital and Infrastructure Administration

• Lands and Resources

• Public Works

• Indigenous Markets Financing

• Business Development

From:

- First Nations Communities

- Indigenous Economic Development Corporations

- Construction and Engineering Firms

- Government

- Banks, Financial Institutions and Investment Firms

- Water and Wastewater Services

- Architectural Firms and Consultants

Distinguished Faculty

CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS:

SPEAKERS:

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April Martel Chief K’atl’odeeche First Nation

Lory Oberst Director

BC First Nations Housing Managers Association

Erica Beaudin Chief Cowessess First Nation

Jada Rain Britton Associate Project Manager Skeetchestn Dodeca-Homes

Rhonda Brown Housing Manager

Skwah (Sqwá) First Nation

Sheila Caesar Housing Manager

Liard First Nation

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Cliffton Cross Council Member

Frog Lake First Nations

John Fleming

Chief Engineer

Iyem Consulting Ltd

Cliff Grant

Director Strategic Relations

Aboriginal Housing Management Association

Chelsey Grier

Director of Programs and Services

Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association

Lisa Helps

Executive Lead BC Builds Project Origination BC Housing

Katlia Lafferty

Articled Student, macushlaw

Member, Yellowknives Dene First Nation

Charlene Masakeyash

Tenant Relations Officer

Mishkeegogamang First Nation

C5 celebrates 40 years of excellence! We are thrilled to have provided exceptional conference experiences globally with our outstanding team, speakers, sponsors, partners, and attendees. To mark this milestone, we're launching a new logo which represents our commitment to innovation, growth, and excellence, represented by the five Cs of C5: Current, Connected, Customer-Centric, Conscientious, and Committed.

Looking back on 40 years, we are grateful for our achievements—hosting global conferences, uniting industry leaders, and supporting business growth. However, we are not done yet! We are committed to pushing boundaries and creating impactful experiences and we're excited for the next 40 years of success.

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Dolly Masakeyash

Housing Manager

Mishkeegogamang First Nation

Sharon McKay Program Manager

First Nations Housing & Infrastructure Council (FNHIC)

Michael Sadler Executive Director

First Nations Housing & Infrastructure Council

Donna St Louis

Associate Director, member Services

First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA)

Caroleen Stevenson

Housing Manager

Pasqua First Nation

James Struthers

Founder & Managing Lawyer macushlaw

Nick Westeringh CEO

Westbow Group of Companies

Owner

Mint Tiny House

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

Monday, April 29, 2024

A9:00am – 12:30pm (Registration opens at 8:30am)

Your Complete Guide to Asset Management: Funding, Developing, Managing, Maximizing and Protecting Housing Assets

This workshop is especially designed for community land managers and housing managers. Delegates will learn how to fund and finance the development of new housing assets, and how to reduce the cost of managing, optimize the benefits of, and protect from risks, existing housing assets. Delegates will receive template agreements at the end of the presentation. Topics to be covered will include:

• Sourcing available funding streams for housing development

• Examining types of financing for housing

• Brainstorming different types of land interests for housing, on and off reserve

• Reducing the time and cost of managing routine housing related agreements

• Mitigating employment liabilities

• Examining other liabilities in operating housing assets (civil, program liability, Nation politics etc.)

• Adopting FNCIDA and residential tenancy

• Setting up a housing society and the benefits of the same

Excellent.

Ashenafi Aboye, Shelter Manager, Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society

Informative.

Katherine Giroux, Yale First Nation Outstanding. Great contacts.

Patrick Veer, VP, EXTREME Portable Buildings

B1:30pm – 5:00pm (Registration opens at 1:00pm)

Housing Manager Bootcamp: Everything You Need to Know from Day-to-Day Operations to Funding Applications to Succession Planning

microphone-alt Sharon McKay, Program Manager, First Nations Housing & Infrastructure Council (FNHIC)

PART I: BUILD AND DISCOVER

• Examining the database and training tools that will make you more confidant in your role

PART II: GROUNDING Your Role and BUILDING the Housing Department

• Identifying how a housing manager can build, train and retain a team

• Sticking to the departmental budget and understanding where the funding comes from

• Educating members and tenants on housing department policies and expectations for general upkeep

• Maintaining cultural appreciation while being assertive and effective in your role

• Interacting effectively with other departments

• Implementing positive coping mechanisms and healthy habits to mitigate stress

• Analyzing how to ease the workload by developing strategies and creating boundaries within the housing role

PART III: WHAT IS THIS DOCUMENT FOR? – Document Dissection: Clarifying and Applying Useful Paperwork

• Analyzing and understanding the various types of documents

• Drafting and organizing a document system that will make being a housing manager much more manageable and alleviate some of the stresses

PART IV: GUTS ON CONTRACTS – Navigating a Contract and Ensuring You Never Feel Mislead Again

• Analyzing CCDC contracts for contractors including design builds, construction management, open build and cost plots

• Examining contracts format and standard language

• Calculating the ins and outs of consulting fees

Media Partner

MAIN CONFERENCE DAY ONE

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

8:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 Traditional Welcome

9:15

Opening Remarks from the Conference Co-Chairs

microphone-alt Lory Oberst, Director, BC First Nations Housing Managers Association

April Martel, Chief, K’atl’odeeche First Nation

9:20 FOCUS ON FUNDING

Working Together on Indigenous Housing: Bridging the Gap Between On and Off Reserve

microphone-alt Cliff Grant, Director Strategic Relations, Aboriginal Housing Management Association

This session will highlight the need for collaboration and how communities are bridging the gap between on and off-reserve housing. Topics of discussion include:

• Funding options for both on and off reserve

• Renovation and preservation of housing for Indigenous communities (First Nations, Métis and Inuit)

10:05

Housing Models Across the Country: First Nations Access to Safe, Secure, Adequate and Affordable Housing No Matter Where They Live

microphone-alt Michael Sadler, Executive Director, First Nations Housing & Infrastructure Council (FNHIC)

• Examining housing models across Canada for First Nation communities

• What can we all learn from each other? What steps can be taken to support Indigenous-led solutions that provide wrap-around services and build communities in urban, rural and northern areas?

10:50 Wellness Refreshment Break

Sponsored by:

11:20

The Power of Partnerships: BC Builds Program

microphone-alt Lisa Helps, Executive Lead BC Builds Project Origination, BC Housing

Rising to meet the challenge of building homes that middle-income households can afford requires a collaborative effort. The province’s new BC Builds program works in partnership with First Nations, non-profits, local governments, and the construction sector to identify available underused land, provide low-cost financing and funding, and quickly deliver projects that create more rental homes and help bring rents more in line with what middle income households earn. Lisa Helps will unpack how this initiative is designed to deliver through current obstacles to developing rental housing – inflation, the cost of land, the cost of construction, and high interest rates – through the power of partnerships and will be highlighting ongoing work with the Cowichan Tribes and Khowutzun Development to show what opportunities can be realized through the program.

12:05 Networking Luncheon

1:05

INTERACTIVE NETWORKING SESSION and HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIOS

Bringing Housing Managers Together

microphone-alt Lory Oberst, Director, BC First Nations Housing Managers Association

Your opportunity to network. Share your challenges with find solutions during this interactive networking session. Often having resources available isn’t quite enough and direction is needed along with the resources. The first 20-minutes of this session will examine how the BC First Nations Housing Managers Association supports housing managers to be effective in their role. The next 30-minutes of this session, delegates are encouraged to split into small group discussions to work through a hypothetical scenario. During the last 10-minutes of this session, each group will present their outcomes.

2:05

FOCUS ON FUNDING

Navigating the Difficulties of Finding the Right Funding Opportunities

microphone-alt Chelsey Grier, Director of Programs and Services, Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association

Charlene Masakeyash, Tenant Relations Officer, Mishkeegogamang First Nation

Dolly Masakeyash, Housing Manager, Mishkeegogamang First Nation

First Nations are the fastest growing demographic in Canada. However, the current demand for housing on reserve is not meeting demand, and backlogs continue to grow. An estimated $30 billion is needed to close the gap in repairs and upgrades to homes and related infrastructure. However, there is no additional funding for new home builds.

• Determining ways to develop your strategy that will make the most of the funding you have available

• Overcoming the challenges of finding new funding opportunities

2:35 Wellness Refreshment Break

Sponsored by:

2:55

Strengthening and Enforcing Robust Housing Policies for an Effective Housing Department from Rent Collection to Repairs

microphone-alt Caroleen Stevenson, Housing Manager, Pasqua First Nation

Rhonda Brown, Housing Manager, Skwah (Sqwá) First Nation

Sheila Caesar, Housing Manager, Liard First Nation

• Identifying lessons learned from the last few years and any changes to your housing processes

• Determining what needs to be reviewed and upgraded to better reflect your community’s current housing needs

• Best practices to manage your portfolio using housing policies effectively

» Understand how to develop or update your housing policies and then implement them effectively: Rent collection and arrears

» What policies are enforceable?

3:40

Building Quality Community Partnerships

microphone-alt Nick Westeringh, CEO, Westbow Group of Companies, Owner, Mint Tiny House

• Overview of Westbow Group’s current housing and land developments with First Nation communities

• Brief overview of Westbow Capital

• Addition of Mint Tiny House Company to offer a complete suite of housing solutions for communities

• Row home housing

4:20 FOCUS ON ENERGY

Towards NetZero Housing Initiative at Frog Lake First Nations

microphone-alt Cliffton Cross, Council Member, Frog Lake First Nations

• Creating an indigenous-led holistic framework to achieve sustainable, energy efficient, intergenerational homes

• Utilization of the two-eye seeing indigenous knowledge alongside western modes and technological advancements

• Decentralization of energy sources, sustainable building materials and holistic living to achieve a balanced and abundant quality of life

5:00 Closing Remarks from the Chairs and Conference Adjourns to Day 2

MAIN CONFERENCE DAY TWO

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

8:30 Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00

Opening Remarks from the Conference Co-Chairs

9:15 CHIEFS PANEL

Top Priorities to Meet Housing Needs and Strategies for Achieving Housing Goals

microphone-alt Erica Beaudin, Chief, Cowessess First Nation

April Martel, Chief, K’atl’odeeche First Nation

Hear directly from community Chiefs as they address the most pressing housing challenges from over-housing and under-housing and homelessness, as well as accommodating the needs of elders and children alike.

• Determining what is required to establish safe housing

• Examining the parameters that need to be met for providing affordable housing

10:15

An Integrated Service Approach: Creating a Healthy Home Fire to Ensure a Solid Infrastructure

microphone-alt Erica Beaudin, Chief, Cowessess First Nation

11:00

Wellness Refreshment Break

Sponsored by:

Bringing Together Indigenous, Industry and Government Perspectives

It was well organized… Topics were relevant. Speakers were good.

Michael Cameron, Dean Community Development, Assiniboine Community College

11:30

Asset Management: Proactively Manage your Infrastructure in a More Sustainable Way and Taking Preventative Measures with Improved Operations and Maintenance

microphone-alt Sharon McKay, Program Manager, First Nations Housing & Infrastructure Council (FNHIC)

• Understanding the important of sounds asset management planning among First Nations’ elected officials and technical personnel

• identifying the importance of asset management as a strategic business tool and its role in effective planning, priority-setting and decision-making

• Developing the ‘best in class’ asset management plan and implementing it

12:15 Networking Luncheon

1:15 FOCUS ON FUNDING

Accessing Capital for Housing & Infrastructure

microphone-alt Donna St Louis, Associate Director, member Services, First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA)

The First Nations Finance Authority was created to provide First Nation governments with access to the same types of affordable financing that other local and regional governments in Canada use to ensure quality of life for their citizens.

There is a $350 billion infrastructure gap that exists between First Nation communities and the rest of Canada. While Canada has committed to closing the infrastructure gap by 2030, its current funding model is outdated and ineffective.

Monetization is the process used by provinces and local governments to build their infrastructure – build now at today’s costs with financing and pay over a chosen loan term.

FNFA suggests Canada utilize this viable solution to allow First Nations to close the gap at a much faster pace. Monetization can be a means of unlocking federal funds to build critical infrastructure, including housing. Federal dollars allocated annually for First Nations infrastructure could be leveraged up to 24.5 times over 30 years to finance multiple projects before inflation continues to widen the gap.

This presentation will:

• Discuss how First Nation governments can access capital for housing and infrastructure projects through sustainable bond markets.

• Introduce Monetization and describe how a pilot project using Monetization could be used to build housing.

• Provide information on FNFA’s services and initiatives, such as Insurance, that will support infrastructure projects for First Nations.

2:00

Innovative Indigenous-Designed Home Kits for Modern Family Living

microphone-alt Jada Rain Britton, Associate Project Manager, Skeetchestn Dodeca-Homes

• Blending traditional Indigenous architectural elements with contemporary design principles to create spaces that are both culturally significant and functionally efficient.

2:45

Efficiency Tips from a Lawyer – Automating Contract Formation and Enforcement

microphone-alt Katlia Lafferty, Co-founder, National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc

James Struthers, Founder & Managing Lawyer, macushlaw

Learn how to automate time consuming, cumbersome legal processes like contract formation, arrears and collections notices using technology to save time and energy in maximizing the use of existing housing asset.

3:30 Closing Remarks from the Conference Chairs and Conference Concludes

BECOME A SPONSOR

With conferences in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe, the C5 Group of Companies: American Conference Institute, the Canadian Institute, and C5 Group, provides a diverse portfolio of conferences, events and roundtables devoted to providing business intelligence to senior decision makers responding to challenges around the world.

Don’t miss the opportunity to maximize participation or showcase your organization’s services and talent. For more information please contact us at: SponsorInfo@CanadianInstitute.com

The Canadian Institute is pleased to offer our delegates a limited number of hotel rooms at a negotiated rate. To take advantage of these rates, please call the hotel directly and quote “Canadian Institute, FNHW, block ID: 348589”.

Please note that the guest room block cut-off date is April 8, 2024. After that date OR when the room block fills, guestroom availability and rate can no longer be guaranteed.

Main Conference: †Indigenous Communities, Non-Profit & Government Organizations Main Conference: Standard Rate