Aboriginals struggle to find housing in Sudbury

Discrimination is a major factor in themany obstacles facing Aboriginal people who seek affordable housing in Sudbury, a university professor says.

Dr. Emily Faries,a professor of indigenous studies whosehome community isMoosonee,said she has seen family and friends experience discrimination when they look for apartments inSudbury.

When you get there, for some places, its a different story," she said. "All of a sudden the apartment has been taken.Its really obvious."

Many First Nations people come to Sudburyto look for education and job opportunities, Faries said. She isalso part of a group researching homelessness in the city.

Dwindling programs

At the Native People of Sudbury Development Corporation, the executive director said its tough for native people to find housing.

Sometimes, people in the Aboriginal community encounter discrimination in the open housing market which makes it difficult for them to obtain sustainable housing, James King-Seguin said.

The non-profit operates 96 subsidized units in Sudbury for First Nations tenants, but King-Seguinadded hes worriedabout losing that, as the federal government is ending its contract to subsidize one of the duplexesnext month.

He said there are no other programs to assist those tenants.

We could potentially charge whats called low-end-of-market rent for those units, but the rents are over $900, he said.

He doesnt think the families can afford that, putting the future of sevenpeople, including children, in jeopardy.

A contract covering 20 units of housing with the federal government is set to expire in about five years, he said.