NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Sahtu Settlement Area, North Slave Region

Tags: housing, institutional barriers, housing model

Objective(s): To work with Housing NWT to identify and reduce institutional barriers to self-determination of housing, and to workshop, in partnership with K’asho Got’ine Housing Society (KGHS) and Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN), a northern housing model that supports Indigenous self-determination of housing.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5662. The purpose of this research is to work with Housing Northwest Territories (HNWT/ Housing NWT) to identify and reduce institutional barriers to self-determination of housing, and to workshop, in partnership with K’asho Got’ine Housing Society (KGHS) and Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN), a northern housing model that supports Indigenous self-determination of housing. This research will address three key questions: 1) What are the institutional barriers to self-determination of housing for Indigenous governments in the NWT? 2) How can the institutional barriers be overcome and what would a new “barrier free” housing model look like? 3) How can Housing NWT adequately (as defined by community partners) support Indigenous self-determination in housing? This research aims to produce a series of policy recommendations to better facilitate Indigenous self-determination of housing. In addition, culturally appropriate toolkits will be created to disseminate research findings to members of both Indigenous governments and Housing NWT. Toolkits will be created in consultation with partners and used to inform housing providers on how they can further self-determination of housing. To gain a better understanding of the housing system and how it needs to change to support Indigenous self-determination, this research project will use mixed qualitative methods, such as semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Semi-structured interviews will take place with 2-3 housing providers from the Indigenous governments, including one interview with each of the governments' consultants (Planit North and Toronto Metropolitan University) to understand the role of consultants’ in filling a resource gap for Indigenous governments. Semi-structured interviews and a series of facilitated workshops (focus groups) will take place with Housing NWT. Semi-structured interviews will take place with various Housing NWT staff (approximately 5 interviews). Facilitated focus group workshops with Housing NWT will address the first two research questions. Archival and background research on housing and self-determination in the NWT is necessary to contextually understand contemporary issues faced by communities and Indigenous governments in Fort Good Hope and Yellowknife. Archival and secondary source/grey literature analysis from government policy documents and other sources will be collected from the Northwest Territories’ archives and the Government of Canada federal archives, and relevant research publications in academic journals. Oral histories will be captured with key participants (1-2 interviews) who were integral in developing the territorial housing system (previous Housing NWT staff) throughout the 1960’s/70s. Semi-structured interviews will take place. Data will be collected in-person and virtually. The Principal Investigator (PI) will be in Yellowknife for 6 weeks this summer from June – August. This is when in-person semi-structured interviews and facilitated workshops will take place with HNWT and YKDFN. From June-August, 2023, the PI will also be travelling to Fort Good Hope for a 2 week period to conduct in-person interviews with KGHS staff. To remain flexible, if staff would like to participate but are unavailable during the time the PI is scheduled to be in the NWT, there will be an option to schedule a virtual interview, over a platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet. In addition, it is desirable to have staff participation from outside Yellowknife for the facilitated workshop. If this is the case, a virtual focus group will take place over a platform such as Miro or something similar. In addition, there is a possibility for follow-up conversations with Housing NWT to occur in October 2023, where preliminary data will be presented back to a group of selected representatives from Housing NWT, to provide feedback. A major value of this research project is the ongoing relationship and transparency of research with its partners, HNWT, KGHS and YKDFN. The PI will be in consistent contact with all parties, meeting as frequently as desired by community partners. The PI will make themself available to their communication desires, providing feedback and updates to directors and deputy ministers as required via video conference or in person. Partners will have the opportunity to ask questions and will be provided updates and summary of research results. A final copy of the PI’s written thesis will be provided for feedback prior to the document being finalized. Interview participants will be sent transcription for review and feedback period, with the ability to remove any information as desired, as well as a final copy of their transcription for their records. At the end of research, participants will receive a “toolkit” which will encompass information specific to their division in Housing NWT, or role in an Indigenous Government, to inform on research findings and next steps on how each person can uniquely work towards housing self-determination. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from September 28, 2023 to December 31, 2023.