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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Communities and Bands Seeking Capital \ Investors \ General
Have a question and don't see the answer below? Reach out to our team at Keewaywin Capital.
1. How can my community access funding through Keewaywin Capital?
We are currently looking to fund Indigenous communities’ housing and infrastructure projects on-and-off reserve.
We are looking for projects including new construction, renovations, modular, and infrastructure needs directly related to housing. Projects should be:
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Under $10 million in size
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Ready to build or ready for capital in the next 60 days
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Completed within the next 2 years
Please contact us through this form with details of the project and to set up a time to discuss.
1. How can I invest in this fund?
We would love to talk to you. Please contact us through this form to set up a time to discuss.
2. What is Keewaywin Capital’s relationship with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.?
Together with CMHC, we launched a pilot project in April 2023 that will help to fund the expansion of CMHC’s existing Indigenous housing program.
Eligible communities have the opportunity to opt-in for additional housing through the project. Typically these are communities that are ready to build in the near future, with existing infrastructure in place.
The program being supported is Section 95 (On-Reserve, Non-Profit Housing Program), a program administered by CMHC whereby financial assistance via subsidies is provided to First Nations communities to acquire on-reserve, non-profit, rental housing. Subsidies are provided to assist First Nations in meeting loan payments and other operating expenses.
General
1. How does private equity get around the same issue that banks have - namely how to secure loans?
Private capital is unique in its capacity to circumvent systemic and perceived challenges. Investment conditions and terms are set between the investor and Indigenous community. Private lenders have the unique opportunity to be more flexible, nimble and creative in developing financing solutions and partnerships to meet the on-reserve housing needs. This could be a mix of social housing, commercial lending, and construction financing approaches with more patient terms and risk-based pricing.
Understanding the community issues, having on-the-ground relationships with communities, and a vision of impact is where a private fund can be more nimble, flexible and ultimately more successful than its big bank lending counterparts.
In addition, the level of investment can meet specific and identified community requirements. So, if six homes are needed, the Indigenous community is limited only by its investment capacity – just like every other Canadian borrower – not by an arbitrary housing allocation, or outdated policy guidelines.
2. Some of Canada’s banks offer on-reserve housing programs. Why is that not enough?
While these are important and beneficial programs, there is more that the banks can do. Some banks say there is too much risk in lending to Indigenous Nations. The concern is that standards for accessing loans are the same for everyone in Canada; however, people living on reserves can’t use land or property as collateral due to the Indian Act.
At the same time, there are billions of dollars of Indigenous money sitting in Canadian banks, presenting an opportunity for these financial institutions to create new, more flexible policies that will allow them to lend more money to Indigenous communities for housing. For example, banks could isolate at least some Indigenous deposits to invest back into our communities in the form of loans. This would help to supplement the work we are doing to provide Indigenous communities with access to private credit for housing and infrastructure.
3. Isn’t it the federal government’s responsibility to ensure that all Indigenous people have safe and secure housing?
The government must live up to its Treaty obligations and commitments to our people. But we can’t rely solely on the government to eliminate the housing crisis. The 2024 federal budget proved that. It included $918 million in new funding for Indigenous housing and infrastructure - but that is nowhere near enough when you consider that we are facing a $350 billion gap between what is needed for Indigenous housing and infrastructure and what is currently available.
We need more private capital in the system to ensure more Indigenous communities can access the funding they need.
4. Does your fund support infrastructure development, such as clean water, roads, and other community needs?
We are currently looking to fund Indigenous communities’ housing and infrastructure projects on-and-off reserve.
We are looking for projects including new construction, renovations, modular, and infrastructure needs directly related to housing. Projects should be:
-
Under $10 million in size.
-
Ready to build or ready for capital in the next 60 days.
-
Completed within the next 2 years.
We invite Indigenous communities to contact us through this form with details of the project and to set up a time to discuss.