Program

Opening Prayer: Elder Andy Anderson, Pinaymootang First Nation
Performance by Women's Warrior Circle
Welcome by Conference Co-Chairs: Roxanne Harper, FNHP, Turtle Island Associates and FNHPA Board Member;
Seetta Roccola, Technical Services Manager, Interlake Reserves Tribal Council and FNHPA Board Member.

Keynote Speaker: National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, Assembly of First Nations (video)
Platinum Sponsor Remarks: Pheroz Austin, Senior Regional Manager Indigenous Banking, TD Bank Group

This workshop will provide a general overview of communication strategies, the importance of plans (community comprehensive plans, strategic plans, operational plans, etc), and engaging reporting. This workshop will address the following: 
•        Strategies for effective communication with leadership 
•        Effective reporting of financial information to leadership 
•        Understanding the long-term impacts of short-term decisions 
•        Operationalizing community plans and staying focused 
This workshop will include presentation, discussion, and a case study activity. 
Moderator: Tabitha Eneas, FNHP, Housing Administrator, Penticton Indian Band and FNHPA Board Member
Speaker: Harmony Redsky, Owner and Principal, Roots and Rights Media and member of the Wasauksing First Nation

Maintenance management can be one of the biggest challenges for the housing manager. Whether it’s a lack of data to support informed decisions, budgetary restraints, or no process to follow. This workshop will provide information on establishing a basic maintenance plan and offer tools to support existing plans. Interaction with workshop participants will promote discussion on the importance of maintaining the houses you are responsible for and ensuring you have the tools in place for an effective maintenance program. 
Moderator: Rosie Charles, FNHP, Housing Consultant, Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) and Vice Chair, FNHPA
Speakers: Frank Bighead, Director of Housing and Technical Services, Prince Albert Grand Council  
Clayton Bird, Housing Circuit Rider Trainer, Housing and Technical Services, Prince Albert Grand Council 
David Cooper, Housing Inspector/ Building Official, Housing and Technical Services 

FNHPA recognizes the value of First Nations housing professionals wanting to advance their careers through programs, tools, and resources. We are excited to discuss the variety of learning opportunities offered by FNHPA through workshops, webinars, and courses. We will also look at our “Knowledge Centre” and most recent publication: Supporting Successful Tenancy Toolbox, which has been developed to enhance continued learning. In addition, we will provide an overview of our Housing and Wellness program which promotes healthy homes and encourages youth to become housing champions through educational resources such as Keeper of My Home.  Through this interactive workshop participants will gain valuable insight into FNHPA’s various programs, tools, and resources for all ages. Participants will also have the opportunity to provide meaningful input to help shape future resources to support First Nations housing. 
Moderator: Sarah McCabe, Education Manager, First Nations Housing Professionals Association 
Speakers: Brooke Duggan, Housing and Wellness Program Coordinator, First Nations Housing Professionals Association 
Christine Toulouse, Education Program Coordinator, First Nations Housing Professionals Association 

In 2017, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) launched Canada’s first National Housing Strategy (NHS) “A Place to Call Home”. The NHS is designed as a toolkit with complementary initiatives that work to address challenges across the housing continuum and help achieve the goal that “By 2030, everyone in Canada has a home that they can afford and that meets their needs.” CMHC provides funding and financing opportunities to create new affordable housing stock and to preserve existing affordable housing in communities. In this workshop, CMHC will provide an overview of options available to help preserve existing housing through repairs and renovations. We will learn from participants about the challenges they face while implementing repairs and about renovation programs and discuss funding and financing opportunities for on and off-reserve community and organizations initiatives.
Moderator: Seetta Roccola, Technical Services Manager, Interlake Reserves Tribal Council and FNHPA Board Member
Speakers: Christine Edward, Specialist – Client Solutions, Indigenous and Northern Housing Solutions, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Diane Saramaga, Specialist – Client Solutions, Indigenous and Northern Housing Solutions, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Turtle Island Associates Inc has over 25 years of experience supporting First Nations with their approach to arrears management.  During this session the presenter will share advice and suggestions based on experiences gained working with First Nations who have a successful approach to managing housing arrears.  An overview of arrears management will be provided which will include defining what is meant by housing arrears and understanding how it can impact a First Nation. Suggestions will be provided on how to confirm and examine housing arrears and, how to address historical arrears while adopting a proactive approach to ongoing arrears management.  Emphasis will be placed on the importance of utilizing payment and collection policies that reflect community values while minimizing the financial impact on the community. 
Moderator: Darlene Chevrier, FNHP, Director of Housing, Timiskaming First Nation and FNHPA Board Member
Speaker: Roxanne Harper, FNHP, Turtle Island Associates and FNHPA Board Member  

In celebration of our recent partnership agreement, the FNHMA and FNHPA invite Housing Professionals to participate in a workshop to discuss how we can support housing professionals and health managers to work together and learn from one another. Safe and healthy housing plays a vital role in the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities. But far too often, because of funding structures, a stretched workforce and siloed colonial systems, housing and health departments in communities do not work together. FNHMA will share the challenges and the strengths of their health managers as they work to support the health of their communities so that housing professionals better understand the realities they face. Workshop participants will be asked to engage in dialogues to explore how health and housing could better work together, what knowledge gaps housing professionals face with respect to health, how housing professionals can support healthy housing, and what tools would support them in strengthening their understanding of the health landscape and building those relationships.
Moderator: Candace Bennett, FNHP, Executive Director, First Nations Housing Professionals Association
Speakers: Doris Bear, CFNHM, Health Manager, Peguis First Nation
Marion Crowe, CFNHM, Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Health Managers Association
Guy Gosselin, CFNHM, Executive Director, Ginew Wellness Center

Housing managers and professionals are engaged daily with tenants, maintenance workers, sale vendors, contractors for new construction projects and community members. As you transact with these parties, you will be exposing your housing department to a variety of risk. In fact, the risks for housing managers tend to grow as the number of homes or units that are managed grows. Therefore, housing managers face a wide variety of risks in their work and the key is to manage the risk and this factor is becoming a very important part of your job. Housing Managers must learn to identify where the risks are and how to take steps to manage them. The objectives of this workshop are to provide an overview on risk, how to analyze risk and what strategies can be used to manage these risks.
Moderator: Tabitha Eneas, FNHP, Housing Administrator, Penticton Indian Band and FNHPA Board Member
Speakers: John Kiedrowski, Project Manager, First Nations National Building Officers Association
Claude Lawrenson, Consultant, First Nations National Building Officers Association 

Environmental Public Health is the intersection of human health, the built environment, and the natural environment. A house is where people spend most of their time and overall health within the home can be affected by how the house is situated, constructed, and maintained. Further, healthy housing can be influenced by the activities carried in and around the home. A healthy home is one which supports the physical, mental, spiritual, and cultural wellbeing of individuals and family. This workshop will focus on how environmental public health conditions in homes can be prevented and managed through careful planning, operations, and maintenance, how Environmental Public Health Officers (EPHO) can bring value to community housing programs, and how to access EPHO services. Through interactive discussion, participants will be invited to share their experiences in how EPHOs have assisted with housing programs and to seek feedback on how Indigenous Services Canada, Environmental Public Health Services can be supportive of your roles in housing. 
Moderator: Rosie Charles, FNHP, Housing Consultant, Prince Albert Grand Council and Vice Chair, FNHPA
Speakers: Saad Jalili, Senior Environmental Public Health Officer, Manitoba Region, Indigenous Services Canada
Blake Scott, Senior Environmental Public Health Officer, Environmental Public Health Services, Manitoba Region, Indigenous Services Canada

The First Nations Market Housing Fund (FNMHF) has been working with First Nation clients since 2008, promoting and encouraging more First Nation members to become homeowners. The organization recently completed a national survey of leaders, administrators, and homeowners to identify: ‘What are barriers to homeownership?’. This workshop will start by providing a brief background on FNMHF, followed by a presentation on the findings from the most recent survey. Next there will be a discussion on the projects that FNMHF has supported to build capacity of First Nations (so they can support homeownership programs). Following that, there will be a discussion on how the Fund is supporting Individual Members (so they are ready to become homeowners). Last, there will be a discussion on the changes at FNMHF and plans for the future.
Moderator: Roxanne Harper, FNHP, Turtle Island Associates and FNHPA Board Member
Speakers: Scott Flamand, Consultant, Flamand Management Services and Member of the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve
Nancy Pine, Senior Projects Officer, First Nations Marketing Housing Fund
Travis Seymour, Acting Executive Director, First Nations Marketing Housing Fund

Come celebrate the First Nations Housing Professionals and individuals who have completed courses at Victoria Island University, CÉGEP Garneau and at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology 
Performance by Women's Warrior Circle