Metis and reserve housing of Northern Saskatchewan a comparison of quality 1981-1991
Date
1995
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
Type
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
This study investigates differences in the quality of
housing stock between Indian Reserves and off-reserve Metis
communities in Census Division #18 in northern Saskatchewan
between 1981 and 1991. The hypothesis states that Census
Division #18 reserve housing is in better condition than
Census Division #18 off-reserve community housing. The purpose
is to determine if differences exist, identify these
differences and determine why they exist. A major problem for
all northern Saskatchewan housing is its rapid deterioration
rate, largely due to a lack of general maintenance practices
and funds.
Since the 1940's, Saskatchewan's northern population has
shifted from a land-based nomadic lifestyle living in basic
shelters to permanent settlements and modern housing. This has
resulted in pressures on governments for social housing in
northern Saskatchewan from both Treaty Indians and Metis
people. Most Native northerners have been put into a position
of dependency upon government for both their social and
economic well-being.
The two major social housing programs for northern
Saskatchewan will be investigated to determine if they are
major factors causing differences in housing quality between reserve and non-reserve communities. The 'Indian-on-Reserve'
housing program is funded by the federal government and
delivered. to reserves by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
The 'Rural and Native Housing Program' for Metis communities
is jointly funded by the Saskatchewan provincial government
and the federal government, and delivered by the provincial
government. As a result of differences in housing programs and
funding between the two levels of government, sharp variations
in the quality of housing stock exists between reserve and
non-reserve communities in the same locale.
Census Canada data from the 1980's and a 1991 micro
study of Canoe Lake Reserve and the Metis community of Jans
Bay are used to test the hypothesis that reserve housing is in
better condition than non-reserve Metis housing. Two main
methods are used: 1) a housing condition indicator that
combines four independent variables into one quantitative
measure to show housing deficiencies; 2) an index of
dissimiliarity which provides a measure of the dissimiliarity
between individual variables, hence housing conditions.
Product-moment correlation and student's t test are also used
to test for differences between reserve and non-reserve
community housing.
The results of the analysis confirm the hypothesis that
in the 1980's Census Division #18 reserve housing was in
better condition than off-reserve Metis housing.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
Geography
Program
Geography